Penelope laughed.
Fortunately, Penelope not only didn’t care what Tyrion did before they got married, but he had addressed this with her.
Penelope was Tyrion’s first.
It was sothing others would not believe, but Penelope didn’t care. The townspeople were always going to think what they wanted.
"I was never unaware of the ladies around my husband, and I also know that what you say isn’t true. So ladies forgot what they were taught growing up and tried to find their way to his bed, but they were thrown out. Did you know that?" Penelope asked.
This ti, Penelope wasn’t going to allow Alia to speak so carelessly without correction.
This was why Penelope wasn’t going to be friends with Alia. Alia didn’t think before she spoke, and always spoke to spark gossip about soone.
Alia laughed. "Do not be upset about it. n will be n, and what we must do as ladies is stand beside them. It cannot be helped that you chose a man who many won loved. There is much that I know."
"Then tell . Or even better, I should send for my husband to co here so he can co here too," Penelope suggested.
Alia frowned, a tightness forming in her chest. "What?" She asked.
"Well, it wouldn’t be fair for you to speak about my husband and him not getting the chance to defend himself. While I normally wouldn’t bring n into conversation with won, since I am clueless, as you say, my husband should be here," said Penelope.
Alia laughed, hoping Penelope wasn’t serious. "We mustn’t call the prince here to trouble him."
"Trouble?" Penelope laughed along with Alia. "My husband loves . Coming here wouldn’t be a bother for him. If what you say is lies, then there might be trouble for you."
"Listen carefully to , Alia. The ti of you speaking without consequences is over. I urge you to only speak of what you have evidence of. When it cos to myself and my family, I will need proof of what you say, or there will be consequences," said Penelope.
"See, this is why the ladies find it quite hard to be around you. I know you don’t believe it, but I have spoken highly of you, but it is all for nothing when you wave your power like this," Alia said.
"I cannot help that I am not only a Collins, but a Castro now. How have I waved power in your face when I have ignored you for years? If it is power you wish to see, then so be it. Leave us," Penelope ordered Alia.
Alia didn’t take Penelope’s words seriously. They all had a right to stand here since the queen permitted them to walk around.
"Have you forgotten the queen has allowed us to look around the palace. Here is marked for us to be, so I don’t have to move. You mustn’t be like this, Penelope. You can thrive from a friendship with since I can guide you," Alia offered.
The corners of Penelope’s lips curled.
Penelope started to approach Alia. "You are welco to walk where you see fit, but I decide who is welcod in my presence. For years, you have gone on and on about not wanting ladies beneath you in your presence. Tell , why do I have to tolerate you in mine?"
Alia’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and her cheeks flushed. Penelope spoke just loud enough for the other ladies around to hear.
Alia was certain that it was intentional.
"Princess Penelope," Alia said, her mother’s plans quickly slipping away. "Your words are not kind."
"Are they not? Isn’t this what you’ve been saying for years? Then, it ans that you have not been kind. I am only doing what you have advocated for, which is that ladies of certain wealth or status shouldn’t be bothered by others," Penelope reminded Alia.
"Surely," Penelope said, her head slightly tilted. "You didn’t think you and the daughter of a duke were the sa? Even now, it couldn’t be that you think we are the sa."
Penelope waited for an answer, but it didn’t co.
Penelope shook her head. "You have so many rules for the ladies who attend these gatherings. Making so many feel small and insulting them to get them out of your way. By your rules, I shouldn’t have to look at you, and I don’t want to."
Alia sank her nails into the palm of her hand.
Alia’s father wasn’t a nobleman, but he had plenty of money to get her into the sa rooms as Penelope and all the Collinses.
"If you think that I am being cruel, you should reflect on your actions," said Penelope.
Penelope waited for Alia to leave her presence since she wasn’t going to be the one to leave.
Alia bit her lip. How was she to fight what Penelope accused her of doing?
Alia looked beyond Penelope to Julie, who didn’t have parents who were nobles. She was certain that Julie’s parents didn’t co near to having the sa wealth as the Prescotts.
"You have allowed Julie to stand here," Alia pointed out.
"She is a welco guest," Lily answered.
"We didn’t co here to fight," Selina said, putting a stop to the back and forth. "I ca to apologise to Miss Rue. I made the mistake of going to the queen, and she will call upon our fathers. I don’t wish for it to co to that."
"I apologise for what I said and hope we can nd this between us," Selina said, her fingers crossed.
"You are only apologising because you made a fool of yourself to the queen, so I won’t accept it, but I do agree that our fathers don’t need to be involved. If the queen asks, I shall say that nothing happened," Rue promised.
Selina didn’t trust Rue, but she could only wait for Rue to keep her word.
Selina tugged on Alia’s hand, wanting to leave. Alia had already embarrassed herself too much.
"We must go. She is a Castro and can call upon the guards to move you," Selina whispered.
Selina had already made a fool of herself once, and though she recently made a deal with Alia to be friends, she wasn’t going to let Alia embarrass her again.
"If I leave, then I will agree that I am beneath her," said Alia.
Selina couldn’t say it out to ruin the friendship, but Alia didn’t share the sa status as Penelope. Until Alia was queen, she needed to keep walking away from Penelope.
Selina stared at Alia, hoping Alia would give in, and eventually, she did.
Alia curtsied. "I will leave," she said.
Alia would let Penelope have this one battle, but it wouldn’t be so the next ti.
Alia thought of how wrong her mother was.
Penelope and Alia could never be friends.
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