Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 213: Dirty Confessions I

Chapter 213: Dirty Confessions I

"I trust you’ll have no objections?" Atticus asked, turning to Francessa with a raised eyebrow. Francessa smiled, every inch the dignified lady people knew her to be.

"I have none. I am only thankful that Your Highness is magnanimous enough to not pursue the matter further," Francessa said. "Veronica speaks bluntly, but she can be taught to change her ways."

"If only that would be the same for others," Atticus sighed. "My job as king would be a lot easier."

If Francessa could change, she would have been an asset to his kingdom. But since she was too ambitious and conniving, too intent on benefiting herself at the cost of others, she had to be dealt with.

"I agree," Francessa said with a gentle nod of her head. "For what it’s worth, King Atticus, I believe I speak for our citizens when I say you’re doing a marvelous job."

Daphne bit her lip hard so she wouldn’t do something ridiculous like guffawing straight at Francessa’s attempts to flatter Atticus.

"Thank you," Atticus accepted the praise graciously, since Francessa wouldn’t be speaking to him after today. They returned to their seats and Daphne followed them, making to stand in the corner designated by Atticus’s imperious hand.

"Hmph. No no, this isn’t right," Atticus said suddenly, cocking his head to the side as he observed his wife who was trying to blend into the wallpaper. "Now I can see your homely face for this entire outing. It’s ruining my appetite."

Daphne’s eyes widened in surprise; what new tricks was Atticus trying to pull? There was a playful light in Atticus’s eyes, but only Daphne could see it. Everyone else saw his irritated demeanor, and the way he scowled as he drummed his fingers loudly against the table.

"Your Highness, I apologize," Daphne began. She didn’t get the script for this play Atticus wanted to put up, so she could only guess. "I could―"

"There’s no point to your apology," Atticus scoffed, interrupting her, "Instead, you should just turn around so I don’t have to look at you. You don’t deserve such a luxury."

"Yes, Your Highness." Daphne bowed low again and quickly turned around to face the corner. Her husband certainly loved to boss her around! But she had to give him credit for making her job easier.

With her back turned, it was remarkably easy to set up the stones to get a clear signal without anyone finding out, and she didn’t have to worry so much about keeping her expressions placid. With Atticus in the room, no one would be getting close to her.

"Now that the nuisance is taken care of, let’s get back to our conversation." Atticus gave Francessa a winning smile. "I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve taken the liberty of preparing something for you."

"You did?" Francessa’s mouth fell open, the very picture of stunned surprise. "King Atticus, that’s too much!"

"Nonsense, how can I arrive at a date empty-handed?" Atticus shook his head, a boyish smile decorating his face. Francesa’s heart fluttered. "I can only hope it meets your expectations. Our castle chefs worked their hardest for this."

He pulled out the exact same pouch Prince Nathaniel used to deliver the flowers — Atticus didn’t want to see it lying around his home any longer — and gingerly pulled out a box.

"Open it," Atticus coaxed.

Francessa undid the ribbon and pulled off the lid, gasping as her eyes registered the gift. King Atticus and his chefs had created a pastry in the shape of her float. Even the flowers she used were highlighted, and there was a delicate blue powder sprinkled over the top of the pastry to make it look even more whimsical and dreamlike.

"This... this is amazing, King Atticus!"

"It would be a great honor if you ate all of it," Atticus said cheerfully. "Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned."

"But it almost looks too good to eat," Francessa protested. She wanted to find some way to preserve such a gift to display in her restaurant. It would be such good publicity! But a minute frown appeared on Atticus’s face at her words.

Francessa quickly backpedaled, not wanting to disappoint her king.

"Of course, if you wish for me to eat it, I will comply." She picked up a fork and elegantly dug into her food, making sure to display a sense of grace while eating. She was a dignified lady, not a barbarian. King Atticus was paying her a lot of attention, so she had to portray the right image. His eyes never left her face, and she couldn’t help but blush under his attention.

Unbeknownst to her, Atticus was watching her closely for another reason.

Blue kyanite powder was liberally sprinkled all over the dessert. Francessa had to eat up every last bit of it for it to take effect. He couldn’t force feed a kyanite stone into her without prior reason, so this was the next best thing.

Flattery, flirting, and fanciful treats.

Soon the plate was clear, and Atticus beamed.

"I hope you enjoyed the pastry," Atticus said, a glint in his eyes. "It was a pleasure watching you eat. How was it?"

"Oh, I found it a little too sweet, and the frosting was too heavy..." Francessa found her true feelings slipping out of her mouth before she could control them. She clasped her hands over her mouth in horror― she had not lost control of her words in years! "My apologies for my rudeness, Your Majesty!"

Thankfully, King Atticus didn’t seem to take any offense. He let out a loud bark of laughter and smiled at her. "Don’t worry about it. I would never fault you for telling the truth. I guess I’ll leave the cooking for you and your chefs, eh? Let us speak casually like friends!"

Francessa could only laugh awkwardly.

Meanwhile Daphne smirked to herself, and activated the crystals. Atticus had asked that simple question to test the effectiveness of the powder, and it had worked beyond their imaginations.

It was time for Vramid to find out about Francessa’s true nature.

Atticus drummed his fingers on the table. "Marchioness Francessa, what would you give for the ability to use magic?"

"Anything!" Francessa exclaimed, before gasping in shock.

Why couldn’t she control her words?

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