Chapter 15 - Prince To The Rescue

Accepting Molly's invite I went to hang out with her, "Lady Winter Here!!" She said while waving her hand in the air. I waved back with a smile.

"Thank you for inviting me Lady Smith," I said as I bowed towards her.

"I should be the one thanking the lady for accepting my request!" She said enthusiastically.

I smiled towards her.

"So what are we going to do today?" I asked as I held her arms. She looked a bit shocked at first but she still smiled towards me,

"How about visiting the shops here," she said with a cheerful voice.

"Nice choice! let's do it!" I said as we started to visit different shops including clothing, food, art martial etc and right now we are in an accessory shop.

"Lady Winter this hairpiece looks so pretty right!" Molly said looking at the hairpiece section, well even though she isn't really interested in wearing them she still has an eye for it, is it because she is a merchant daughter.

I thought as my eyes fall on a beautiful piece of bracelet made out of pearls. "Lady Smith have a look at this," I said and Molly came near me.

"Yeah, this is really pretty and precious too." She said as she looked at that bracelet.

"Why is it precious?" I asked. "You see they turn to crystal pink in colour when exposed to the sun and it only appears once in 10 years which is why it's so precious!" Molly explained.

"I see!" I said as I nodded my head. "Lady Winter would you like to buy it," Molly asked.

"I..." I wasn't able to complete my sentence when suddenly a voice interrupted me, and I recognize who that person is,

"I will buy that!" Said no other than Laney.

"Lady Gray, Lady winter is going to buy that. So look for something else." Molly said crossing her arms.

"OH really! If I knew that she also choose that bracelet earlier it would have saved some of my precious time." Laney said in a cocky way.

"You..." Molly said angrily but I stopped her,

"Now I don't need it anymore so Lady grey can have it," I said as I walked past Laney followed by Molly.

"Lady Winter are you alright," Molly asked.

"Yeah, I am," I said as I smiled towards her.

But she still looked worried, "Lady winter, Do you know what I like the most about you." Molly asked as she held my hand.

"I don't??" I said as I tilted my head a bit.

"It's your nature because you know when to act and when to keep quiet....but that doesn't mean that you need to hide your true feeling and pretend to be strong every time," Molly said as she smiled.

Even though those words were really simple but still hearing those words at that moment really touched my heart.

"I will keep those words on my mind," I said as I looked at her with a sincere smile this time.

"I would be happy if you do that," Molly said while looking at me.

"Then Lady Winter let's visit that store!" Molly said,

"Okay but before that Lady Gray please call me Irene from now on!" I said as I forwarded my hands for a handshake.

Molly blinked twice and then she smiled brightly, "Sure I will, then Irene please call me Molly from now on." She said as she accepted my handshake.

"I will do that Molly!!" I said cheerfully.

After that, we walked towards the store located at the centre of the street.

But right then, Something hit the back of my head. "Ouch!" I said.

I looked at the thing that was thrown towards me it was the same pearl bracelet we saw back at the store, I looked at the person who threw it towards me and saw Laney standing there with a smirk on her face.

"Lady Gray!! What are you doing!!" Molly shouted at her angrily, which attracted lots of attention from the people who were present there.

" What do you mean by, what I am doing?? Can't you see I am throwing my bad luck away?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"Throwing your bad luck...Are you kidding me right now because of you Irene got hurt." Molly said angrily.

"OH Did it.....finally the bad luck went back to its owner!" Laney said while laughing.

"Lady Gray I got an apologies letter from your family and I thought that you finally learnt your lesson but looking at you know, I guess I was wrong," I said coldly as I looked towards her.

"That was a mistake from my family because they used to think very highly of winter family but in reality, you are nothing more than a hollow talk," Laney said as she approached me.

" Lady Gray are you trashing my family name again!" I asked her in a serious tone.

"Trashing...Lady Winter can't you stop your all High and mighty Act." Laney said with a smirk.

"What do you mean by all this?" Molly asked as she looked angrily towards her.

"Lady Smith I know you aren't interested in the talk of ladies but to think that you wouldn't even thou about something as big as this, I can't believe it!" She said

"Lady Gray stop moving in a circle and say it clearly!" I said.

"OH, should I? Lady winter do you have to guts to hear it." She said smiling evilly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked confused.

"Lady Winter Do you think no one knows about what happened to your late uncle?" She whispered in my ears. Hearing that my eyes widened.

"Lady Gray you..." I said as I looked at her.

"Lady Winter you want to ask how I know about it right. Tch, Tch Lady winter you should really take a look around yourself....you see it not only me." She said.

I looked around myself and she was right everyone was looking at me with the same suspicious and disgusted eyes.

"Lady Winter Why don't you answer today, just a week ago you were talking so proudly. Oh maybe because at that time you had the royal family supporting you but now after knowing your true face even they must have left you." She said in a sarcastic tone.

"Being a daughter of a murderer I bet no one would take your side anymore." She said in a loud voice, people hearing that started murmuring.

What do I say now...This is totally unexpected...Why did things turn out to be like this...Why!! I felt frustrated and angry but I wasn't able to say anything....because I didn't know myself whose side to take...I just wanted to disappear at the very moment.

"Irene..."Molly said as she put her hand on my shoulder. I can't even look at her face now.

Why did things turn out to be like this...

"You are right, The royal family will never take the side of a criminal!" A voice said from behind me.

"It's the crown prince!!" "Why is he here?" Everyone started chattering.

Crown Prince why is he here today...I don't want to face him right now....when my condition is like this...

"We greet the rising sun of the empire his highness the crown prince!" Both Laney, Molly and I said.

His aura feels so intimidating today...

I should have just stayed at home, I thought as I gulped.

I could feel his eyes on me, but I do not dare to look at him...what if he gets disappointed in me...I could feel my body shiver.

"Crown Prince I am glad that you think like that!" Laney said as she smiled towards him.

"Of course, the royal family isn't blind nor deaf but Lady Gray.." His voice got harsher at the end which almost gave me goosebumps.

"Ye...Yes, your highness.." Laney said bowing her head as the smile on her face disappeared.

"Does Lady Gray have evidence to prove that Lord Winter is an offender?" He asked.

"That I...I don't but everyone is talking about that only....and Just now Lady winter's silence said it all, didn't it." She said as she desperately looked at his highness. Who Hearing that flinched his eyebrows.

"In a simple sentence, you don't have any proof right." He said. She just nodded her head.

"So Lady Gray are you causing this mess here just because of some baseless rumours....and to prove yourself right you are using Lady winter who is just 8 years old as your shield...I don't understand it,

Does Count Gray know how insolent his eldest daughter is!" He said as he looked at her with daggers in his eyes.

"Your Highness...That.." She said as her whole body started shivering from head to toe. People around watching all this started talking,

"Right there is no solid proof."

"How can she treat such a young lady like that." "Was she always this ?"

Hearing all that Laney's face turned black in anger as she looked at me, but the crown prince covered me as he glared towards her.

"Lady Gray, shouldn't you apologize now?" Molly said with a Sarcastic tone just like Laney.

Laney's face turned to red, "I am sorry your highness." she said while bowing.

"Looks like Lady Gray is blind too, the one you should apologize to is Lady Winter, not me!" He said angrily. She flinched as her face turned blue.

"I...I am sorry Lady Winter please forgive my rudeness." She said biting her lower lip.

She isn't genuine about her apologies but let's just accept it I don't want to see her face anymore. I nodded my head and she was taken away by his highness knights.

I let go of my breath as soon as I saw her leaving, and I fell to the ground.

"Irene!!" " Lady Winter!!" Both Molly and Crown prince said shocked by my sudden fall.

"Hehe, sorry but my legs gave out," I said as I gave out a weak smile.

"it's okay, now can you get up," Molly asked giving me her hand.

"I...I am afraid I can't..." I said as a tear rolled down my chin. I guess I was too intimidated by the situation earlier.

Right...I was scared but thanks to both of them I was able to hang in there until the end.

"Lady Winter you..." Crown Prince said as he looked at me with his gentle eyes which told me Everything is fine. "...this won't do please get on my back I will take you back home." He said kneeling infront of me.

A piggyback ride from his highness...I don't want to be killed by his admirers. I should decline it.

"No, it's fine!" I said, "No it's not, Do as his highness says or if you want I can carry you my back, after all, I am older and stronger than you." Molly said as she looked at me her eyes showed seriousness.

You are indeed 2 years older than me but still, you are a lady!!!

"No no I am totally fine!" I said.

"Irene Beside Winter this is an order from the Crown Prince do you still want to decline it!" Crown prince said without looking backwards.

"No, I will do as his highness said," I said as I climbed up on his back.

"Good Girl, inform me once you reach home okay!" Molly said as she bid farewell to us.

After she left silence filled our surroundings but it felt pleasant since the whole day has been quite chaotic.

But what was his highness doing there? Does he really have faith in winter family? But whatever the reason is I feel glad that he was present there today.

"Your Highness, thanks a lot for today..." I said in a low voice, but he didn't reply, maybe he didn't hear it.

His perfume reminded me of cherry blossom it felt so comfortable that I felt sleepy right there but I still tried to keep my eyes open at least until we reach the carriage.

After a few more steps we finally reached the carriage, After which the only thing I remembered about that evening was putting into the carriage and hearing those warm words, "Sleep well Irene."