Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 325: No More Loyalty

Chapter 325: No More Loyalty

Talia was frustrated how everyone brazenly asks her family’s help when there would be no one to help them when they are in need. Why are they that jealous of her grandpa? Did he earn money by illegal means? It was all his blood and sweat. So why? If they want to be successful, why can’t they work like her grandpa?

And with his said ’power’ what did her grandpa achieve? He lost his family and suffered alone! Who will care for him?

"Even he couldn’t save his granddaughter from being used as a pawn by the revered high Council! Ask them! Why should it be the Brunton family who should help the Monarchy again and again when even they had to bow to the Council? If the council has the power to take my grandpa’s company from him, why can’t they help you find your son?" Talia lost her composure, but still spoke without raising her voice much. "I’m sorry. I’m not a saint like my grandfather to help someone knowing that I will only get harm in return."

"I see... You’re just like him..." The King nodded and Talia’s heart melted seeing the old King clutching his chest with tears in his eyes. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and went to his side and patted his back trying to soothe him. As she was doing it, Mr. Ed looked at her weirdly and Talia realised she’s not acting like a diplomatic way.

Ah! I was so used to do this to grandpa when he feels sick and without knowing I did the same with this King!

"Look, little Lia..." The King held her hand. "The Lockhart family pulled back their support and they want to leave the Council. The Wallace family does not want to be a part of the Council either and are threatening to leave the country. They don’t want to stay in a country where they could nationalise private companies out of nowhere. Look, Lia... I’ve already made plans to cut the funding to the Council. And every financial expert I’ve consulted said the nationalisation of Northern Star will bring a devastating impact on the world economy and will entirely cripple our economy. Of course I’m not going to nationalise Northern Star. I ask of you to please consider bringing my only son back."

"How good are words, Your Majesty?" Talia shook her head. She wanted to refuse firmly, but she saw an opportunity here. "What are promises in this day and age?" She got her hand out of King Titus’ hands. She would be lying if she felt a tug in her heart seeing the pitiful expression of the King. "I know someone who is a hacker. I might be able to contact him to track Prince Edward. However with me constantly worrying about the future of Northern Star, I don’t know if I will have the time and energy to-"

"Sir Fitzgerald!!!" The King shouted ringing the bell and The Lord Chamberlain entered the room immediately. "The announcement – release it!"

Talia smirked in her heart. Know this Your Majesty... Times have changed. You cannot expect blind loyalty from the Brunton family anymore. From now on, it’s going to be quid-pro-quo. I am not my grandfather.

"I’m not sure if that hacker can locate Prince Edward for sure. I cannot promise you anything for sure, Your Majesty. But I will try for old time’s sake." Talia still wasn’t promising anything. She wanted to analyse the announcement for any landmines it might have.

"You’re... You should know that I always wanted you as my daughter-in-law not for your money or your status, but for your smartness. I always knew you were so much smarter than Edward and will compliment him. Too bad you couldn’t like him." The King said with a dejected smile. He looked like he had placed all the cards on the table and waiting for fate to decide the outcome.

But me marrying that hypocrite? I have standards!

"Then, I’ll leave, Your Majesty. It might take a day or two." Talia turned to leave.

"Are you sure about the Sinclair boy? He has a lot of dirty tricks in his sleeves and hides a lot of anger in his heart. I don’t know how someone like you can handle being with someone like him. Add to that the history between your two families..."

Talia’s heart skipped a beat. She knows... she knows what kind of person Arthur is and she still loves him. Yes, he destroys people without thinking twice, but he is always nice to her. And she herself is not into pure men who cannot navigate in this tricky world. He is smart and he loves her. What more does she need? Plus he is too cute and adorable.

And what does that got to do with this King? Is he trying to make me confess I’m in a relationship with Arthur?

"I’m not in a hurry to settle down, Your Majesty. I think there is no need for me to rush into something. But I thank you for your concern." Talia gave a vague answer with a polite smile and turned to leave.

"I’ll teach him not to butt heads with you anymore. So... Please..."

Talia heard the pleading voice behind her and she really didn’t like an old man who is sick, who also happens to be a King to beg her again and again. She nodded with a smile before exiting the room.

"Your Majesty... The Council Members wouldn’t be too happy with this announcement. Should we..." Sir Fitzgerald paused seeing the King sigh.

"What other choice do we have? The Council members don’t have the power... even our Defence Ministry is powerless against one Belfauger Group. It made me realise Brunton was loyal to us not because he thought we had more power than him, but only out of the goodness of his heart. With his power now transferred to a Boswell who has no single bone of loyalty to the throne and with the young Lords of Lockhart and Wallace families who are wielding more power than the council, aligning with Arthur Boswell... None of them values our traditional values and going according to their own plans marrying commoners. What choice do I have? The one I spawned is not half as smart as the dumb one in that group. How will he survive if I go against them?" The King had a distant look. "Power is a weird thing. No one can hold it for long. As times change, the ones who hold the power changes too. It used to be the Kings and the nobles and that is not the case anymore. It is now with those who with wealth and titles are nothing without wealth. It is time for me to bow to wealth."

The King closed his eyes leaning at the back of his chair. Brunton... the one who spends more on others is the one who gets more and more wealthy. No one can stop him. It is time to accept defeat and get accustomed to the new normal.

The time of aristocrats is ending in Esteria!

-----

"You are really trying to find him?"

Talia placed her hand over the gentle hand massaging her shoulders that went stiff as she was concentrating on her laptop screen.

"King Titus is desperate, Fred. He begged me! I don’t want to let him resent us. We have enough enemies as it is and let’s not make more," Talia said with a sigh.

Her grandpa kidnapped Edward because of the resentment he had on the King. And if the King feels resentment now, what will he do in the future? How long will this revenge go on?

"He deserves it, Iris. Did you forget what he did to you?" Arthur really wasn’t pleased.

"He is an only child, Fred and the Heir to the throne. Imagine if something happens to him... with no heir to the throne, chaos will ensue and it would affect the economy. Let’s not let our economy get affected. Our net worth depends on the economy." Talia turned and smiled sweetly at Arthur.

"Still... if God forbid something happened to him already, won’t our country become Republic? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"

"Greed is human nature, Fred. No matter the structure of the government, there will be greedy and immoral humans in positions of power. As long as such people exist, there will be corruption. What use is there in changing the system of governance, when it is the greed of humans the root of corruption?"

Talia asked and Arthur shrugged. "What made you think that the reason I want to abolish the Council and the Monarchy for the sake of the people? What if I just want to destroy them for what they did to you?"

Talia looked at Arthur with his sharp eyes fixed on her and she felt her heart skip a beat.

For me? But revenge begets revenge!

"I want our next generation to be safe, Fred." She still couldn’t believe the death of Lambert’s family was a hit-job done by Belfauger. She has more dangers around her than she originally thought. Not only from her mother’s side, has she had enemies from her father’s side of the family. And they want to hurt her and possibly her children not for what she did, but for the name she bears. "Let’s not make more enemies and try to gain many allies. Let’s see if Edward gets in line after this."