Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 119: Who Deserves Forgiveness

Chapter 119: Who Deserves Forgiveness

"Then... how did King Atticus get a hold of something so valuable? Sister Daphne, shouldn’t this be with Father and Mother to begin with? King Atticus is not even from Reaweth!" Drusilla protested, sensing another weakness she could poke at.

She gasped, as though she thought of something scandalous.

"Did he steal it from the Royal Treasury? What do you think, Princess Cordelia?"

"How would I know? I just arrived here." Cordelia frowned at Drusilla, flinging Daphne’s hand away from her hold as though Daphne’s ignorance was contagious.

She let out a proud sniff and sat back down, yet she still managed to make it seem like she was looking down on Drusilla. Daphne was irritated, yet mildly impressed at the sheer authority Cordelia exuded.

"You should ask your own parents to take better care of their belongings," Cordelia continued. "Oh wait, technically your sister is the one who should be asking since the Queen isn’t your real mother."

If Drusilla had looked red with anger before, it was nothing compared to now. Her face was alternating between pale and purple, and Daphne was almost worried that her half-sister would have apoplexy right in front of them.

However, Cordelia paid no attention to Drusilla’s welfare.

Instead, she tapped her chin with one finger, as though she was trying to jolt her own memory. "Reaweth, Reaweth... I remember now! Your mother was one of the washerwomen at the palace that slept with the king. Then, she got promoted to a concubine."

Murmurs grew. Apparently, this wasn’t common knowledge, but Cordelia was clearly more well-read than most women. Or really, just a lot more thorough when sifting through the gossip of the noble circle.

"To think a mere bastard dares to even show up here... well, no wonder you know nothing." Cordelia rolled her eyes and kicked up her heels. "My apologies for scolding you, in that case."

Drusilla looked fit to burst into tears as she pointed a trembling finger at Cordelia. Her lip wobbled dangerously. "How could you be so rude?"

Daphne was simply stunned. No one had ever dared to throw Drusilla’s parentage in her face, especially because Alistair had adored her the moment she entered the palace. And ever since Drusilla managed to master pyromancy at the age of 12, it hadn’t mattered who her mother was.

It was more important to everyone that Drusilla was indeed the child of the king.

"I’d rather be rude than be a conniving snake like you, trying to ruin people’s relationships with this petty backstabbing gossip," Cordelia said. "If you want King Atticus so badly, then get rid of the competition and ensnare him with your own ability!"

Daphne narrowed her eyes at Cordelia. She recalled all too well how Cordelia tried to get rid of her by drowning her on dry land and then trying to remain with Atticus when he ingested an aphrodisiac. She had no good experiences with Cordelia, but Daphne realized that she still preferred her over the merciless taunting and Drusilla’s backhanded kindness.

How terrible. Daphne wondered if this meant her life had reached a new low, that Cordelia barely registered as a threat.

"How could you say that about me?" Drusilla finally burst into ugly wet tears. In the past, Daphne would have panicked, but now she merely felt a strange sense of peace watching her half-sister cry her little heart out. "Sister, I’m really just looking out for you! I didn’t think that you would misunderstand and spread such rumors about me to your friends..."

Both Cordelia and Daphne raised an eyebrow at the word ’friends’, sharing a look.

Drusilla continued to blubber and cry, causing Daphne to wonder how she was so blind to Drusilla’s past behavior. Perhaps she was so starved of affection, she ate up every poisoned scrap Drusilla provided. She wanted to be needed so badly, she let Drusilla use her as she wished.

"Are you a child? Cease your wailing or I’ll give you something to cry about," Cordelia warned, flexing her arm, the bright blue from her bangle a silent warning. Daphne realized it was the same bangle she wore on her wrist from when they first met.

Drusilla hiccupped, looking pitifully at Daphne, wordlessly asking her for help.

Daphne merely sipped at her tea. How delicious.

Sensing that she would get no help, Drusilla quickly collected herself. There was no point in putting on a show if no one wanted to watch.

"I still think maybe you should ask King Atticus about the ring," Drusilla said timidly, letting out the tiniest of sniffles. "I know this ring looks lovely, but it’s looking more and more likely that it’s a fake..."

"No, it cannot be," Daphne said firmly, setting down her tea cup.

"Sister, I know you want to believe that this is true, but―"

"I have no doubt this is true." Daphne met Drusilla’s eyes, and Drusilla bit her tongue at the sudden authority in her gaze.

It was one thing for her to be browbeaten by Princess Cordelia, but when did her weak sister grow a backbone strong enough to argue with her?

"I know this because I was there when he bought this for me at the auction house." Daphne purposely paused for a moment before she said, "It costs one million gold pieces."

At Daphne’s final words, Drusilla seemed to collapse into herself. Her eyes and mouth were wide with shock and disbelief, and Princess Aurelia had to help support her.

Cordelia only nodded. It made sense that a ring this priceless would cost this much.

"Do you still think King Atticus doesn’t love your sister?" Cordelia asked with a raised eyebrow. "How many men will go this far for a woman he doesn’t love?"

"But― but―" Drusilla spluttered. "So you’re forgiving him? Just like that?"

"What’s there to forgive?" Daphne shrugged placidly. "We are husband and wife. It is perfectly normal for us to squabble during the day and make up at night. You’ll know when you actually find someone to marry."

Drusilla’s face turned purple yet again. This time, it was Daphne’s words that hit a sore spot. No matter how talented she was in pyromancy, no matter how much her brothers and other sisters adored her, she still wasn’t pure Reawethean royalty.

Her suitors would always be more lowly ranked than Daphne’s, even if Daphne had no magic.

Even when Prince Nathaniel’s engagement was being discussed, Daphne was the one that was ultimately chosen to marry off. Their older sisters were already married or engaged and it was down to either Daphne or Drusilla to be chosen.

Prince Nathaniel was Raxuvia’s crown prince― that made his bride the future queen of Raxuvia! Yet, Drusilla had been turned down when she offered herself as an option.

At first, she had assumed it was because her parents treasured her more and thus didn’t wish for her to be sent off too far, but it was only when she had overheard the conversations between her father and the Raxuvian ambassador that she realized the truth.

They didn’t want Drusilla because of her mother’s origins. She was of too low a birth, of too dubious a morality.

And now, Daphne even managed to get a husband that loved her despite her lack of magic. It was so unfair, Drusilla wanted to scream.

"Besides," Daphne said, gazing up at her with hooded eyes. "I know precisely who deserves my forgiveness and who doesn’t."

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