Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 307: Tiara Trouble

Chapter 307: Tiara Trouble

Not minding the issue with the Tiara, Talia went on with her preparations for the Ball. During her dress fitting, Talia found her stylist looking deeply at her lower back.

"Didn’t know The Oakley Castle has bedbugs, Your Highness," Chiara’s thick accent made the sarcasm more pronounced.

Talia looked in the full-sized mirror and hung her head low, trying to hide her anger, seeing the hickey in her back.

I specifically told him to not leave any marks! Idiot, Fred! I’m not going to talk to you again!

"Not a bedbug, Chiara, but an annoying mosquito that kept on buzzing around me. I should’ve squished him dead!" Talia said gritting her teeth. It became an open secret among the staff who attended her during the State Dinner that she and Arthur are dating, and Talia didn’t mind them making fun of her for still not being open about it.

"Oh? Just a mosquito? However, on second look, it looks like a bear bite! My-Oh-My! What a naughty bear to attack our lovely Princess like this!" Chiara giggled and Talia face palmed.

UGH! What a drag! Fred, I’m going to kill you!

Talia decided not to talk to Fred until the Ball is over. That guy takes a lot of advantages over her. And she like a bedazzled puppy, lets him do whatever he wants! Oh, Talia! You need to put your foot firm or else, you’d be his little pet for the rest of your life.

That night when Arthur called, she answered him out of habit and only after talking for half-an-hour did she remember her resolution of not talking to him.

"You left a hickey purposefully! I’m not talking to you anymore!" She screamed and ended the call. Arthur who was stunned, tried to call back, but she didn’t answer.

This silly Iris! So I left a hickey... and?

Arthur wasn’t pleased. Talia who was staring at her phone was surprised by a string of beeps. All were images sent by him and she looked at them. Those were all pictures of scratch marks on his body. There were some on his neck, some on his back and some were so deep, scabs were forming.

[Who is responsible for this? What should I do to this cat with sharp claws?]

Uh-oh!

Talia read his text and felt bad. But still she was mad. He’d be wearing suits and nothing would be visible. But for her..?

---

Celine who helped Talia a lot in the other preparations for the Spring Ball, seemed to be beaming and Talia had caught her giggling out of nowhere a couple of times. Talia was pleased to see Celine’s love working out, but then at times, Celine looked forlorn.

So, it is not going well? I hope Walter changes his mind soon!

Talia wished for Celine in her heart.

With the Spring Ball in the evening, Talia was summoned by her great grandmother.

"I was told of your refusal to wear the Elixer Tiara even after it was made clear that I personally selected it for you?" The Dowager didn’t dilly-dally and came to the point. Her face was stern as ever. Some of the courtiers were standing behind her and Talia could say they weren’t that pleased with her. But they stood silently as the Dowager glared at her.

Oof! Scary! No wonder she commands respect!

"Your Highness, I, while learning the history of Rosandale, came across the sentiments behind the Tiara and felt I shouldn’t be wearing it on such a joyous occasion-"

"You are saying I didn’t know that the Elixer Tiara is said to be cursed when I asked you to wear it?" The Dowager raised her voice making even the courtiers flinch.

Talia was not fazed. She walked closer and squatted beside the Dowager with a smile. " I know Great grandma, that’s why I was confused at first .Why would you - the one who love me the most in this place, would want me to wear something that is said to bring disaster. But then I realised, you wanted me to reject you and that’s why you gave me that order. I mean, I’m not married to wear a Tiara and your insistence made me think. And so I refused. How did I do, great grandma?" she squeezed the wrinkled hand of The Dowager, elegantly placed over her lap.

"Did you hear her, Lord Bailey?" The Dowager turned to look at one of the courtiers. "She knows our history and she knows when she needs to stay firm for the sake of the people. She manages her staff well and gets along with everyone. So don’t come to me again with your concerns about where the Princess Royal’s heart lies. Now go bring the Rose Diadem."

The Dowager’s authoritative voice echoed in the room. The Dowager was never known to be graceful or gentle. People always knew her to be strong. Talia really admired her. She could see behind that incredible fortitude, love was her driving force.

As for the courtiers, Talia knew her decision to address as The Princess Royal from Oakley Castle wouldn’t have been accepted by some. And so, great grandma wanted to prove my loyalty to Rosandale?

The stern face of the Dowager turned soft when she tuned to Talia. " You were right when I said that I love you the most. But about tiaras, as a born Princess, you don’t have to be married to wear a Tiara. Here... This is what I wanted to give you." The Dowager pointed to Talia’s back.

Give me? Not lend me? What is that about?

What Talia saw when she turned back, made Talia flabbergasted. As someone who grew up in abundant wealth, she had owned and experienced a lot of exquisite things and not a lot of things can surprise her; especially jewels, since she is not that interested in them.

But the Diadem...

The royal Jewelkeeper was holding the velvet pillow where the Diadem was placed, with absolute care. This one piece of jewel is a piece of art and is worth millions. If it is damaged, the repairs itself would be very hard and mighty expensive. Talia on the other hand, with no second thoughts grabbed the jewel from the pillow, making the Jewel keeper flinch and he developed Goosebumps all over.

"Careful!’ he almost screamed but stopped himself realising the Dowager’s glare.

Of course it won’t matter if the Princess damaged this work of art!

Everyone else was sent away and only Talia and the Dowager remained in the room. The Dowager watched Talia, still on her knees beside her, holding the Diadem with her pretty fingers and taking a close look.

At one look it was attractive and the more Talia looked, the more she fell in love with it. The frame was made of gold and silver and along the base there were three strings of small diamonds fixed. There were roses and lilies exquisitely carved with white diamonds fixed in them. But what attracted her more were the arches with big bluish purple stones in the middle. At one angle they looked blue, like sapphire and at another they looked purple.

"Your great grandfather got these stones as a gift from the Sultan of Drenuie. He said these were diamonds and only later we found out these were Tanzanite. He commissioned to make a Tiara for the Debutante Ball of Lillian. But unfortunately, the jeweller didn’t finish it by then. She was about to wear the Diadem for the next spring Ball, but before that..." the Dowager’s voice went soft and Talia looked at her great grandmother with her lips pressed.

Ah...so before she could wear the Diadem, my grandmother eloped?

"I’ll be honest, great grandma. I love this more than the Brunton Tiara even," Talia actually spoke from the heart.

"This was personally designed by yiur great grandpa. He had a very good taste." The Dowager brightened up seeing Talia’s impressed face. " And the Brunton Tiara...I’ve seen that. That is an exquisite piece."

"Yes. My grandpa told me that during the depression, he saved just the Tiara and sold everything else. No matter how tough the situation got, he saved the Tiara for his daughter. That was the only piece of jewellery that was left of his inheritance. It really is a jewel with history... My mother wore it on her wedding day. I’ve always dreamt of wearing it on my wedding day too." Talia spoke from her heart.

The Dowager wasn’t that pleased to know that she plans to marry as a Bunton wearing the Brunton Tiara when she is a Princess, but then, with such emotional factor to that Tiara, no one can reject her wish, right?

"How do I look, GiGi ma?" Talia placed the Diadem on her head and smiled.

"You look adorable! The stones perfectly match your eyes." the Dowager held her cheek and placed a kiss on her forehead. " But, Gigi ma?" The Dowager raised her brows.

"You don’t like it? It’s the abbreviated form of great grandma...G.G ma...If you don’t mind, can I address you like that in private? Great grandma is so long..." Talia smiled sweetly.

"You are such a silly child!" The Dowager laughed and Talia kissed The Dowager in the cheek. She found that beneath the strict look of the Dowager, she wanted his great grandchildren to act coy with her, like any other grandparent. The more she spent time with the Dowager, she found her more adorable, like her grandpa.