Royal Palace — Morning, East Courtyard
The sun had barely risen when the gates of the royal palace creaked open to allow a single carriage through. It bore no royal emblem, no golden trim—just a quiet, modest coach drawn by two chestnut horses. A hush fell over the servants gathered to see it off.
Dorothy stepped out in a cloak of deep blue, her head lowered beneath a simple veil. Her eyes were red-rimd, but she held her chin high. Her son, barely a year old, was cradled in her arms. Behind her, her nanny and a single maid followed in silence.
A small chest containing her belongings had already been loaded into the coach. No ceremony. No farewell gifts. Just a quiet dismissal.
At the sa mont, the western gates opened for another purpose.
"Make way!" the captain of the royal guard called out as a string of carriages began to arrive. Nobles—lords and advisors—stepped down, adjusting their robes and straightening their collars. They had been summoned to the palace for an ergency council with the king. None expected to see a woman—that woman—walking out with a child in her arms.
"Is that... Lady Dorothy?" one whispered.
"It is. She’s leaving?"
"At this hour? That’s no ordinary visit..."
"I heard she was sent away."
"Sent away?" Lord Delmare, an aging noble, scoffed. "She was the king’s favorite. He wouldn’t dare."
"Then why the silence? No fanfare. No escort," another muttered. "Sothing’s happened."
Dorothy stepped into the coach without eting anyone’s gaze. She didn’t want to see the judgnt in their eyes—or the pity.
As the carriage rolled forward and passed the noblen, Lord Vane raised an eyebrow and turned to Lord Ferrin.
"Isn’t that the mistress the king promised to marry?"
"Seems promises are easily broken these days," Ferrin replied. "I heard the forr queen is returning. Perhaps she demanded the mistress be removed."
"Then the rumors were true..." another lord said quietly. "The queen gave him a condition, and he accepted."
"The king must be desperate."
From the upper balcony, a few court ladies watched the scene unfold. Word spread like wildfire across the halls, down the kitchens, and through every corridor.
"The king has cast out his beloved mistress to win back his queen," they whispered.
"He must truly regret the divorce."
"Or fear losing his throne."
"Reduce your voice, you are in the palace," a Lord cover his mouth.
"So, does this an the forr queen would return to the palace?" Duke Thompson asked his father in-law.
General Robert looked at the carriage that was leaving the palace and then his son in-law. "If the king is sending her away because of Anastasia’ then she might return to the palace to continue to be a queen," general Robert said.
"Then... Then What of Elizabeth?" Duke Thompson asked. He felt that the king should marry her after so many witness the scene between them the previous day.
"I will ask his majesty later, " Lord Robert said. He felt that his granddaughter was a bit stupid. Such a good marriage was arranged for her why did she still go after the king?
If the king decides not to marry her after this, her only part would be to go to the monostary and beco a nun.
Duke Thompson was not very happy to hear this, it was okay if Elisabeth would not marry the king but if Anastasia’ becos the queen again after their fall out, it would not benefit him anything.
It might even cause him so trouble.
Inside the carriage, Dorothy stared at the velvet lining of the seat, refusing to cry again. She clutched her child close.
She had dread of being queen. Now, she was nothing more than a shadow quietly ushered out at dawn.
And though Edward had promised her a return—promised her everything—she couldn’t shake the feeling that the mont she passed through the gates, she was being forgotten.
---
Princess Karen had entered the palace that morning after hearing of the king’s scandal the previous day. Mary did not invite her because she was now pregnant and accident could happen in crowded gatherings. Her sencond son was weak. It was already a miracle that he would have a child, Mary did not dare take any chances.
Karen was also willing, after all, the child in her womb was a royal seed, a key to her claim of the throne in the future, so she had not joined the banquet but hearing news later, She wanted to gather more first hand information to spread around.
The more the king’s reputation is bad, the more the chance for her Gube kingdom would have to recover. So having internal striff was good. This might even an that she might be able to take over Nexil sooner rather than later. She did not expect to get to the palace and learn that the king was sending away his beloved mistress to reconcile with the queen.
While many could call this a coward move as a mber of the royal family she understood this thod.
All the negative rumors started because of the king’s divorcing the queen, once reconcile, no matter what people say, the king would have a clear conscience. Moreover, those rebel plotting would not have a legitimate reason to fight.
Karen bit her lower lips but she still went to find Mary
"Why are you still moving around despite your condition?" Mary asked.
"Mother, I just wanted to co and see you, I got tired of staying at ho," as she said this she used her hand to rub her stomach.
Mary smile, she felt that her second son and his wife did not give her reason to worry. She had been afraid of her son marrying a princess from another kingdom but now she felt rest assured about the situation.
Princess Karen seems to care a lot about her son. As a woman herself, she knew that a woman’d feeling were on her face when it cos to her husband.
"How was the banquet yesterday, it was indeed a pity that I was unable to attend. The pue sent by your grace was especially delicious," princess Karen said.
Hearing the ntion of the banquet Mary’s gaze turned dark. She had prepared everything for her son, instead of doing things properly he ended up creating a scandal.
"The banquet was fine," Mary said she tried her best to smile. She did not think that Karen wanted to gossip after all, all this months she had been focused on taking care of her husband.
"Talking about the banquet, when I was entertaining the palace just now, I heard his majesty is sending away his beloved mistress, so that lady Anastasia’ can return. I did not know my sister in-law would return soon, I should have prepared to welco her," Karen said. She wanted to find out if this rumor was true.
Mary was shocked when she heard this words. She had advised the king when the rumors just started to send Dorothy away for a while but he refused. She could not help but think of his words the previous day.
"So this is what he was planning," not bad. Mary felt reassured.
"I am not sure of this, a few days ago, the king asked to invite lady Anastasia’ into the palace in my na," Mary paused this was the script they had prepared for when the noble ladies would find the king and Anastasia in a compromising position unfortunately the woman was not Anastasia. "At that ti I was not sure what they discussed. It turned out that they have agreed already," Mary said.
When Karen heard this she frowned. She had been in the palace for a few months and also understood that Anastasia was very capable. "But mother, I also heard this more so palace maid discussing what happened in the palace the previous day. If his majesty wants to reconcile with lady Anastasia’ why was he with her sister?" Karen asked. She looked worried when she said those words.
"His Majesty was supposed to et with the formal queen in that room. He heard she was sick and ca to check on her. Unexpectedly it was soone else. His majesty also had a little to drink and did not recognize who was on the bed," Mary said. She guess her son was going to deny his relationship with Elizabeth. In any case nothing happened between the two.
Karen frown, then she quickly smiled. "As long as his Majesty is happy. It does not really matter how many won he has," she said.
Mary also smiled, since she was unsure of what Edward had in mind about dealing with Elizabeth situation she did not make a comnt. After all, even if Karen has beco her daughter in-law she was still a princess from another kingdom she could not be allowed to know much about their royal family’s secret.
Karen picked up her cup and took a sip of her tea. She knew Mary was smart and if she kept asking questions she would only end up exposing herself.
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