However, the moment Mrs. Cessley left the area, another group keeping a close watch on the queen all throughout slowly made their way to her.

Rihannan looked at them. She recognized the young woman leading the group and immediately, her countenance hardened.

Seraphina.

Seraphina Rissel.

In the past, she was one of the leading nobles who mocked and showed her derisive comment behind her back and in secret. She was married then, but for odd reasons, she remained unmarried and without a noble partner in this present life.

Greetings, Your Majesty. I am the eldest daughter of Duke Rissel, Seraphina Rissel from the House of Rissel.

The air changed subtly at that moment.

The nobles who could not get enough of the queen and talked in fervent shut their mouth tightly as if there was a lingering unspoken promise.

Their eyes drifted towards Rihannan and Seraphina back and forth, attempting to read the mood.

They lay in wait seeing what would happen next.

Rihannans intuition beckoned her that something was off. She felt that some key knowledge was missing. Shed try to figure it out based on the information Mrs. Cessley told her, but nothing came up.

Its a pleasure meeting you, duchess.

At the queens reply, Seraphina raised the corner of her lips sleekly.

Rihannan knew from abundant experience that Seraphinas expression was one made before launching an all-out attack, but even if she predicted the duchess attack at any moment, she did not know the reasoning.

If only Mrs. Cessley was by her side then shed have helped her quickly analyze the situation, but now, she was alone in a den of lions.

It had been set up from the beginning. The group waited and bid their time for when Mrs. Cessley would leave so none would be able to help her.

I had plans to greet you earlier, My Queen, but Her Majestys popularity was so overwhelming that I feared I would not be able to speak a word.

Rihannan could the slight sting of a thorn in Seraphinas rosy voice.

You praise me too much. They came to me to help thinking that I do not know anyone here and that Id feel lonely. Theyre really kind and caring, Rihannan answered with a thin smile.

Seraphina lifted her fan askew and stared into the queens icy blue eyes.

Youre right, My Queen. You came back to a place you do not know and stayed in an unfamiliar place for a month. Indeed, you must be lonely.

At that moment, Rihannan heard small gasps of air from the nobles around her.

Soon, a silence as quiet as the tundra covered the place.

It was of her own choice not to remain in Chrichton till the day of her marriage and came to Arundell a month early under the escort of the army, but not many knew of this particular detail. The nobility came to the idea and notion that their king requested Chrichton to send him a royal family member as a hostage and thus their newly pronounced queen was dragged back to Arundell.

Everyone thought of this, but none truly spoke this out loud in existence for the harsh mistreatment of the queen they believed in their hearts had all been canceled once they saw the kings genuine love and affection for his queen, but here comes Seraphina re-instigating themistreatmentthey once thought.

The main point she had wanted to deliver was that even if she and king were close, the fact remains that she was hostage taken away from a foreign kingdom.

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