New World New Life - Chapter 200
Eskyl gritted his teeth as he exited the courtroom with Torbuck Patterwing by his side.
“My sister needs to know her place,” he spat as he tightened his fists.
Torbuck rolled his eyes as he placed his arm around Eskyl’s shoulder, “Come on now, is that how you talk about our King?”
Eskyl pushed his friend away with a grin on his face,” Hah! If she had the brains to manage things on her own, I wouldn’t need to make all the royal decisions.”
Just as he finished his sentence, Eskyl noticed a familiar face coming towards him. As soon as he realised who it was, the young man kept his mouth shut and walked up to her. When they met face to face, he bowed respectfully.
“Brighter days, mother,” he said.
“Brighter days, Eskyl,” Lady Yvon greeted her son. Both of them stood in the hallway as the other ministers and nobles left.
Even Torbuck, who had initially intended on staying back for a chat with Eskyl disappeared along with the rest. Now there was only the mother and son, and their bodyguards.
“Shall we take a walk, mother?” Eskyl asked.
“We shall,” she replied as she held onto her son’s arm as they walked down the hallway together.
The walls of the palace had ears. That was one of the first lessons, Lady Yvon ever taught her son. Hence, it was not until they had reached the courtyard garden, that they began to talk. Eskyl relayed the court affairs to his mother.
“Sylvy is getting out of hand, mother,” Eskyl said as he gritted his teeth.
“Our King,” Lady Yvon placed emphasis on her words to remind her son, “Is not the gullible girl anymore.”
“Well, I should have been King!” Eskyl exclaimed.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Lady Yvon slapped her son across his face. Eskyl flinched as he felt the burning pain on his cheek. He could see the anger in his mother’s eyes, he knew where he had gone wrong.
Lady Yvon pointed at her son, “You need to keep that mouth of yours clean, Eskyl.”
Like a puppy accused of a crime, Eskyl looked away from his mother. Ever since he was a child, he had been brought up to be next in line for the throne. The Flutterheart Family placed their hopes on Eskyl.
“Look at me,” Lady Yvon said coldly.
Her son ignored him.
Lady Yvon placed both of her hands on her son’s face and forced him to look at her.
“You’re the pride of the Flutterheart Family. You are to uphold the interests of our family, do you understand?” she said.
“Yes, mother,” Eskyl replied,
“Do not disappoint me,”
Lady Yvon whispered specific instructions to her son on what needed to be done. After that, she took her leave and left the castle for Flutterheart Mansion.
When King Sylvy was informed of her mother’s departure back to Flutterheart Mansion, she did not show any visible expression. She was in her study room, reading through some of the requests that had been sent in by the people of her kingdom.
As she took off her reading glasses to give her eyes a break, Sylvy noticed the small portrait of her father she had kept on her desk. Seeing his face in the portrait made her smile a little. Torfin Flutterheart, her father, died when she was twelve.
He was the only one who ever believed in Sylvy.
“If only I had your guidance now, father,” Sylvy muttered to herself as she looked at his portrait.
She recalled the time her father had brought her out hunting in the woods near their mansion. It was unheard of for a noble lady to be out hunting. But Torfin Flutterheart bent the rules for his beloved daughter.
He showed her how to hunt, how to fend for herself in the wild. Torfin Flutterheart always said to his daughter, “A lady might need to learn how to be prim and proper, but a woman also needs to learn to stand up for herself.”
Sylvy never really knew what he meant when he said those words back then. But now, after all that she had been through, she fully understood what he meant.
“You were his little princess,” Tinee commented.
Sylvy remembered the stories her father used to tell her about his reign as King. All the lessons he had learnt during his time as the leader of their people, Sylvy listened intently to each and every one.
But time worked against her. Over the years, her memory of him faded away. The miniature portrait of him was one of the few things Sylvy had left of him.
“What would he think if he saw me now?” Sylvy asked herself as she lowered her eyes.
“He would be proud of the young woman you have become,” Tinee said with confidence.
Sylvy knew Tinee was being kind to her. But she knew the truth in her heart. She shook her head.
“He would be disappointed in the failure I have become,”
“Indeed, father would be,” Eskyl’s voice shot over from across the room.
As soon as Sylvy saw her brother, the anger she had felt from before returned in an instant.
“What do you want, Eskyl?” Sylvy asked curtly as she returned to the documents she had been reading.
“My King,” Eskyl said mockingly as he bowed to her, “I am here to remind you of your tea session tomorrow with the Lady Elayna Patterwing and the day after with Lady Anetta Cressalis and her two daughters.”
Sylvy furrowed her brows, “But I am meeting the negotiator tomorrow, and the day after.”
“Well, it seems like you won’t be able to make it then. I’ll meet the negotiator”
“No, you’re not.”
Eskyl widened his eyes in shock.
“Pardon, my King”
Sylvy had just about enough of her brother thinking he could run things his way.
“I am meeting the negotiator tomorrow and the day after. That is final. Please send my apologies to Lady Elayna and Lady Anetta respectfully. The alliance is of great importance and therefore takes priority. I will meet with them again after the negotiations are over.” Sylvy said.
“Alliance?”
Sylvy looked up at her brother, “Yes, alliance.”
“You intend for our Kingdom to forge an alliance with the Mothyleks?” Eskyl scoffed.
“With the Republic of Mothylek, yes,” Sylvy said confidently.