Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 109: The Princess Made Her Choice (2)

Chapter 109: The Princess Made Her Choice (2)

He stood by as the Dowager sent Cordelia Dupont, the arranged fiancée of Prince Louis with Princess Mary Ann to the school she wanted to go. The Dowager wanted the Princess to get a connection of any sort with Rosandale. She bet on the friendship between the girls. Also she wanted Princess MaryAnn to be harmonious with the future Queen Consort so that their relationship continued even in her absence.

And it seemed to have worked and those two got along with each other pretty well. Prince Louis who was not that interested in his fiancée fell in love with her during the frequent visits of Prince Louis to check out Princess MaryAnn in the University.

When the unfortunate accident happened, the Princess returned to Rosandale and participated in every event with utmost sincerity to his surprise.

During the coronation, she stole the heart of the people of Rosandale. He could see, she was not pretending.

The Dowager got more and more happier watching the Princess starting to emotionally attach herself with Rosandale. It was a slow process but in the end she saw the improvement. Him too as he was by the side watching her grow all this time.

After listening to the audio recording of her meeting with Prince Edward of Esteria, the Dowager could not keep her happiness to herself. She even granted five percentage raise for everyone who served her that month.

"Did you hear Bobby? Now Rosandale has the same place in her heart as Esteria. She won’t run away from her duties anymore." the Dowager spoke proudly.

And so he was sent here to bring her safely back to the place where she has millions of people eagerly waiting for her return.

He had his doubts when the Dowager confirmed her intentions of not giving up Rosandale for Esteria and now the Princess herself has proclaimed she is not going to choose one or the other.

How much has she grown!

Mr. Ed felt proud as if he was the one who raised Talia. He watched her from a distance for the past ten years after all.

And he knew in his heart the chirpy woman who is staying with their Princess has a hand in the change with their Princess. The Princess seems to have been impressed by Rebecca and has incorporated some of her qualities to herself. And she seems happy with Rebecca too. Having a good friend is necessary. It is a blessing from heavens.

But he has a slight disappointment towards her. He thought she might remember him as the one who saved her that day from the roof but she didn’t.

It is fine though.

It happened almost ten years back and he was just one of the thousand, wearing the bright blue uniform in that Palace.

Looking at the glimmering blue eyes with that purple tint accentuated by the purple headband she was wearing, he decided to check her intelligence is as the Dowager thinks it is.

"Your Highness, I’m not the one you should be speaking about this. I’m just a guard," Mr. Ed replied politely.

Till then she’d talk straight with the Palace officials for her queries. Even the issue about her visa, she was talking with the palace officials.

Why is she talking to him now?

"Just a guard?" Talia raised her eyebrows and a pleasant smile bloomed in her face, "Sir Robert Gaston, Knight in the Royal Order of Cherubim, awarded the Francis Cross for saving the life of a reigning Monarch and affectionately called the ’Hand of the Dowager’. You Sir, are no ordinary guard. And if I’m being bold in assuming the Dowager Queen’s thoughts, you are here as my handler.," Talia smiled and Mr. Ed was impressed. The other guard Amy was perplexed.

So she knows!

"You are right, Your Highness," Mr. Ed agreed.

"Then I leave the rest with you, Mr. Ed," Talia gave a military salute, "I’d prefer if it is a written statement with my birth name, "Talia said and turned back into her house.

Of course she researched about the guy who got her from the rooftop that day. She never forgets her debts. He might not know it, but she learnt a lot about him whenever she visited Rosandale.

" Amy, if she knows my name, why is she still calling me Edward... Or is Ed the shortened form of Edwin? " Mr. Ed asked.

"Neither! Ed is the short form of E-D... You know the clinical condition particularly affects men?" Amy with a smirk raised her eyebrows holding back her laughter.

A Princess calling a Knight in this demeaning way? He must be fuming.

"That juvenile - " Mr. Ed gritted his teeth trying not to cuss their Princess.

But in his heart he was not really angry. He’d much prefer this juvenile Princess who can’t even come up with proper derogatory terms to the one regretting her life on the rooftop any day.

She has a purpose now, which is pretty good!

---

Jordan looked at the back view of Arthur walking in front of him in that hallway with high archways. Glass chandeliers illuminated the vast hallways making the beautiful paintings on both sides of the wall more attractive.

The Assembly of High Council - the building situation near their Parliament, but in a little elevated place.

The place were laws of this nations are approved. The place of the highest authority. The place where even the wishes of the general public will be overturned if some men who have access to this place wishes for.

Arthur’s leather sole shoes made clicking noise as he walked through the mosaic checkered floor of black and white.

Is the floor a symbolism for the good and the evil intertwined in this place? To signify this place has done both good and evil?

As he closely observed, some white mosaic tiles had a tint of red in them.

Is this the blood of those who were silently exterminated here?

Thinking of all these, a shiver passed through Jordan’s spine and he held the documents in his hand closer to his heart. None of his ancestors wasn’t allowed in this building even as a maid or servant. Even a helper here is from second-tier noble families.

But here he is, walking with his boss.

Jordan was surprised seeing Arthur with one hand inside his pocket and another hand holding a cigar striding like a battle steed with his long legs unwavering.

He is not allowed here either! How is he this brazen? Or is this called courage?

It should be courage! Jordan, you should be brave too.

Jordan straightened his back and walked with his chin up a couple steps behind Arthur. As they got closer to the Pomparley Hall where the Council members assemble, many staff who work there looked at Arthur flabbergasted but none of them dared to stop them.

Jordan heard the soft jingle of the brooch chain Arthur pinned on his suit. He didn’t know how he got it, but Arthur was wearing the crest of Duke of Oakley when he met him.

’Is Arthur the Duke of Oakley now? I thought Jerome gave only the company to Arthur yesterday.’

Jordan was confused and when he asked, there was no reply from Arthur and so he shut up. This guy looks like he is being possessed by demons the past few days and he had to bear the brunt of his anger.

What could he do?

Standing before the ten foot high wooden door carved with various symbols and gilded with gold, Jerome was stunned.

These nobles sure know how to live! Even the staff are wearing Armani suits. Every one of them!

The door guard hesitated to open the door since he knew a Sinclair cannot enter the room. But he was still confused if he should let him in. Lately, another person who is not a noble is entering this door freely. He himself was confused as to know what he should do.

Arthur stood there unmoving and took a puff in his cigar and blew it right at the door guard’s face.

"Open!"

It was not a request but was an order and Jordan gathered all the courage in him to stand upright. He didn’t have much courage, but he has watched his eldest sister’s behaviour and so he imitated her.

It’s not like he is not brave. The nobles are the only ones who make him feel this way. As long as he knew, he had to bow to the nobles and it had become a habit of his. Especially those old nobles with their crescents and all. They intimidated him. But others... He can handle them fine.

Seeing the door guard unmoving, Arthur opened the door himself and stepped in. Jordan was stunned as the door banged on the wall as Arthur opened it up. Followed that bang was a thick stench of cigars and the shouts of some angry old men.

"Who?"

"Get out!"

"How dare you?"

Jordan stood there wide-eyed and frozen.

It’s all finished!

"Well, hello there!" Arthur with the most fake grin there ever is, waved his hand and walked in not minding the shouts.

Jordan came to his senses when Arthur’s burning gaze met his and immediately scurried behind him even though the door guard tried to stop him.

Jordan saw the long rectangular table made with solid oak with the sides carved with the symbols of Esteria with twenty eight cushioned seats filled with men. And the high seat with the crest of the Royal family is the host seat reserved for the member of the Royal family.

A large chandelier spilled warm lighting over the table and the rest of the room was illuminated with wall lamps yet left eerie shadows perfectly fitting the men who owned this place. The marble fireplace warmed up the room filling the place with a sweet aroma. A sophisticated designer oriental carpet added to the resplendence of the room.

These are the men who determine the fate of Esteria!

The man sitting in the host seat had his jaw dropped seeing Arthur casually walking in. There was a blob of bright pink that didn’t go well with this place beside him, surprising Jordan.

Olivia Graham? She wriggled her way inside the council already?

"You’re in my seat, Lord Clairmont, " Arthur with a plain expression placed his hand holding the cigar on the chair to the right of Prince Edward. "If I’m right, your place is on the far end of the table," Arthur continued not caring about the twitching of that fat old man’s moustache out of anger.

"Your seat?" Lord Wallace sitting to the left of Prince Edward asked. Lord Lockhart sitting next to Lord Clairmont, held back his grin seeing all the other men donning a flabbergasted expression. His son talked a lot about this Arthur. Let’s see what he does.

"Is it not? I am here as the Duke of Oakley and my crest is inscribed on this chair and so this is my seat isn’t it?" Arthur said cooly.

Olivia sitting beside Edward nudged him gritting her teeth. If Arthur Sinclair is here, her plans will not succeed.

This meeting is specially arranged to nullify the transfer of authority of Northern Star to Arthur Sinclair by Jerome Brunton.

"We do not accept you as the Duke of Oakley!" Prince Edward spouted. "In fact you cannot become the Chairman of Northern Star either!"

Arthur didn’t turn but he could see certain men fidgeting nervously as Prince Edward said that.

’Prince Edward--what an useful idiot! He tattled their plans himself, ’Arthur smirked.

"Why not?" Arthur asked and placed his hand holding the cigar on the backrest of the chair and the burning end of the cigar ended up close to the majestic moustache of Lord Clairmont and soon a nauseating smell of burning hair filled the place.

"What the..." Lord Clairmont got up from the seat hurriedly patting his moustache.

This insolent commoner actually burnt his moustache! His entire face twitched in anger.

"Thank you for yielding my seat," Arthur sat in the chair casually leaving Lord Clairmont fisting his hands hard out of rage.

Lord Clairmont was about to speak but Lord Wallace gestured him to stay silent and so Lord Clairmont walked to the end of the table holding back his rage as the eyes of some Lords in the table followed him.

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