Chapter 45: Boys fight

"Are you alright brother?" she asked the man standing there.

Then she looked at me,

"Marianne, this is my brother, Philip Avington. And brother she is the archduchess of the empire Marianne." again she just took my name which was very strange! Should not she use my surname of the name of Cassius to introduce me formally?

Maybe that was the way the people in her nation were introduced. I let the matter go, as I wanted to know more about the fight.

"It was nice meeting you the royal highness of the Vistertia empire." I bowed just my head as he nodded back.

"Same here, duchess Marianne." His smile was mesmerizing.

When he smiled, his golden eyes gleamed. It felt like the sun was swallowed by those eyes.

I smiled and turned back, avoiding to look at him anymore.

"Would you please excuse me, now? Your majesty, his highness." I asked politely and they nodded.

I turned back to children where everyone was standing in a line mow.

My eyes felt on Killian, his face was bowed low. He was biting his lips. His face was looking red with all the fighting. As I scrutinised further.

Except for minor scratches, he had no major injury. I took a breath of relief as I realised he was fine.

I walked forward towards him as I spoke

"Killian"

But before I could speak further, Isabella come running as she bends and hugged Killian

"Are you alright, baby?" she asked with a teary face.

'Who the hell was his baby!! Evil snake, she came last here and yet behaving like she was the most worried person.

And look at the stem of tears flowing through her eyes.

Who would believe that she was the one, who was smirking just a while ago?

"Are you alright, Killian '' I asked standing behind her as she had completely covered him.

"I am fine, aunt Isabella, your highness," he replied in a low voice.

"Thank goodness you are fine Killian, I was so worried." she continued her pretence kissing his forehead and cheeks.

I bit my lip to create a scene here.

"Why were you fighting, Killian?" I asked as I wanted to know how she was sure that a fight would ensue between them.

But Killian stayed silent, he did not speak a word.

"Kilian" I tried to ask again but no result.

"It's alright, duchess. The child must be afraid, you should not be too strict to my baby." she interrupted me, hiding Killian behind him.

My fists clenched, as I realised what she was trying to do. She was showing that she was closer to him in my comparison. And Killian unintentionally was supporting her.

"I am not being strict, lady Isabella. I am trying to solve the matter. How would I know what happened if I would not ask.'' I replied politely with a kind smile.

She was expecting me to give her a show then I would but not the way she wanted.

Meredith came forward as she hugged her twins. When she was sure there was nothing major happened to them too.

She stood up and asked,

"Are you here to attend an event, or fight? Is this the way you are taught to behave?" her voice was much colder than mine.

No one would believe that she was the one who had just hugged the children.

"I apologise, mother." they both replied in unison.

But her stance was still the same.

"You better be. Now tell me what happened here?" she asked in the same cold voice but her children still replied obediently.

That was the difference between her children and me, it hurt me to see the distrust Killian had, as he did not even find it necessary to put his point in front of me.

"We were playing, mother, when brother asked Killian to join but he was not listening.

We avoided him later and talked to ourselves when brother said he did not even call his mother, mother that he came and hit us.

We were just trying to protect ourselves." said the younger one as I did not know their names.

I bit my lip, realising I was the reason for the fight. But it was true that he did not call me mother, then why to fight!

"Oliver," she asked, looking at the older one.

"Mother's kids were saying to call his mother to tell her that he was rude, so I just informed them he was not attached to his mother the way we are. That's why he called her mother, your highness."

I turned back to look at Killian as his face was still downcast.

"Kids, you have a misunderstanding here. Killian did not call duchess Marianne, mother because she is not his mother.

His mother died two years ago, in an accident. Duchess Marianne is the second wife of the archduke.

So there was no need to complain to her alright.

If there is any problem, you can come to me, his aunt. I promise, I will handle the matter properly." she explained in her kind tone as she continued hugging Killian.

I could silence her in a minute but this matter was about him, he had to decide how much respect he had for me. As my image as her mother is at stake here.

"Alright, lady Isabella. We would keep that in mind." said both boys nodding their head.

"You are such a kind boy, Killian, now go and apologise to them," she ordered him in front of me trying to show off her supremacy.

But Killian still did not move, he was standing there frozen. Like he was physically present there but mentally he was not.

What was he thinking that he was so lost, I took a step forward but Isabella was still standing there in between.

"Move" I ordered in a cold tone.

She widened her eyes but continued standing there.

I stare into her eyes with the coldest glare as I repeated my words

"Move aside, or I promise you would not be able to walk ever."