Chapter 43: changing affections

Your majesty, his majesty must be worried about your protection, he never let his sister princess Diana go out too" Monique Elena added. "Duchess Marianne, you must speak words after proper thinking, your words represent the dukedom of our empire." she chided, and that was my chance to shine.

"You are right, Monique Elena, Cassius must be trying to protect me too, so to keep me busy, he returned the duchess duty to me.

Though I felt bad for lady Isabella, who had to leave the work.

I must say she was handling everything for such a long time that she even started calling my palace hers." my laugh was gentle yet my eyes were mocking.

"Oh my, it has been a year since your marriage. Why was Lady Isabella handling the Duchess duties till now?" Faked a gasp Monique Baringstone. She must have known me well, to get the hint.

"It's just to support the duchess, she was new and did not know much about the work, so I was trying to help her out," replied Isabella before things go out of her way.

"It's alright, duchess Baringstone, it's just a pity that such hard work was not paid. I would make sure to ask Cassius to pay a hefty amount to lady Isabella for her HELP'' I spoke pressuring on the help word.

Many stifled a laugh as they realised I was comparing her with workers of my house. She gritted her teeth but had nothing to retort.

"So, her majesty, I hope you have found our empire prosperous and grand," spoke Monique Elena, in an attempt to change the topic.

Katherine nodded, though I am sure she had not seen anything much. Her life was as miserable as mine. Our empire allows the emperor to have more than one wife and the emperor is madly in love with his second wife or should I say, concubine.

"Of course, it's a beautiful country," she replied graciously.

Everyone nodded, they did not want to throw salt on her wounds and so do i.

But that could not be said about everyone.

As the empress was the princess of another empire, the emperor had given her respect by not letting his concubine attend the function, but it was not with her relatives.

Countess Veronica, was the mother of the concubine, though she should be sitting at the distant chair according to her authority, she had taken a seat next to Princess Diana.

"I am sure the emperor had taken enough time from his busy schedule to personally show you the empire, her majesty.

I must say, he is a very kind man, I was surprised when he had taken efforts to show Rosalland the whole empire by himself." she spoke with a sweet smile.

I was impressed as the facial expression of the empress remained maintained, though every eye was scrutinising her right now.

Oh lord, I felt bad for her. I eyed Veronica, as I did not want to make trouble with the nobles right now, I needed their favour. But her ways were just like Isabella's, and I hated these snakes.

"I wonder what was there to show as her highness, Rosalland is born and brought up here.

I wonder how much time the emperor used on that countess."

Her lips puckered as she looked at me menacing then spoke, "oh what can I say, love birds."

I nodded my head, "I wish their love would have been strong enough to stop the emperor from getting married again.

But the strange thing was yet lady Rossland was not even announced as empress."

I showed her the mirror, her daughter may have the affections but neither position nor power.

And as expected her face turned red from embarrassment.

'Oh my, why can't I keep my mouth shut'

"Duchess Marianne, are you speaking against the queen?" she challenged.

I saw now that Katherine's gaze was still on me. She wanted to see how I would come out of the mess, as a wrong word and I could be blamed for treason too.

'Oh Katherine, should you look at me like that, I am in a mess because I was trying to help you.'

I smiled at countess Veronica,

"Oh no, countess, how could that be. I was just trying to decipher your train of thoughts.

You know I am still weak at matters related to man. My husband, duke Cassius married me yet he kept his eyes on his first wife and her family.

But still, he wanted to have all the properties of my family.

His Majesty, the emperor, loved queen Rossland, yet he married the royal highness of the other empire and made her the empress.

Can we still count on men and their affections, who value benefit more than the love they had? And what is the guarantee that their affection would stay?

What if they find someone more beautiful and more attractive, and lose the love they have before.

What matters is power, that could only stay with you and so as friends." As I continued to speak, I even forgot I was talking about his majesty, not Cassius.

All the pent up emotions came out but I was surprised to know I was not crying anymore.

I felt a hand under the table holding mine. It surprised me to know that it was of empress Katherine. As she was not even looking at me, her eyes were on the ladies chatting as she spoke,

"I understand that you all are curious about life in the palace, but the life of the emperor and empress is their personal affair.

The Queen had shared things with you because you are her mother. But I wonder by what right you are asking this question to me.

As far as I know, we are not that close." she replied with a sweet smile and I stifled a laugh as the face of countess looked me similar to someone.

'Why do these lines sound familiar to me?'