The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 152: Lilith’s Favourite Aunt

Chapter 152: Lilith’s Favourite Aunt

"Aunt Anna... why are you crying?" Lilith appeared carrying a book in her hand as she stepped out from her hiding spot. Anna didn’t notice that the little princess was there all along, on the other side of the tree.

"Lilith! What are you doing here?" Anna hastily wiped away her tears, trying to compose herself.

"I was hiding from my tutor. Did your tutor scold you, too?" Lilith innocently inquired, drawing closer to her aunt.

"No! No, of course not! I wasn’t crying. There’s just some dust in my eyes," Anna quickly denied, discarding the remnants of her tears.

Suddenly, to the surprise of the princesses, the queen and her attendants materialised in the yard.

"Lilith! Oh, dear God! I’ve been searching for you everywhere!" Queen Emelda exclaimed, rushing towards her daughter, her attendants following closely behind.

As her motherly instinct had suspected, the queen discovered her missing daughter in her usual hiding spot beneath the majestic tree within the yard, a sanctuary often used by the palace servants for their tasks.

Aware of the situation, the queen swiftly instructed one of her attendants.

"Inform the other group that we have found Princess Lilith," she directed, her voice carrying a mix of relief and authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the attendant responded and went to convey the message.

The queen’s light-brown eyes widened as she spotted Anna alongside Lilith.

"Anna! What are you doing here? I thought you were still with the ladies-in-waiting in my private dining room?" she questioned, her tone filled with curiosity and concern.

The princess quickly rose to her feet and gracefully curtsied before the queen.

"I was simply enjoying some fresh air, Your Majesty," she replied calmly.

"No, she’s not! Mother, Aunt Anna was crying," Lilith piped up, capturing the queen’s attention.

"Crying? Why?" Queen Emelda turned her gaze towards Anna, her expression filled with worry when she saw the princess’s reddened face. "What happened, Anna? Are you unwell?"

"Oh, no, Your Majesty. I assure you, I’m perfectly fine," Anna responded, her voice masking the turmoil within her.

She chose not to disclose the hurtful words from the ladies-in-waiting and the maids, deeming it unwise to sow discord and disagreement between the queen and her people.

Queen Emelda’s gaze swept across Anna, taking in her appearance from head to toe. Her observant eyes captured the telltale signs of distress etched onto the princess’s face – red and swollen eyes, evidence of the tears she had shed in abundance, as Lilith had informed her.

As Queen Emelda contemplated the reasons behind Anna’s emotional state, she felt compelled to inquire about the circumstances that had led to this anguish. She opened her mouth to speak, ready to gently ask Anna, but her words were abruptly interrupted by an unexpected question from her child.

"Mother, what does ’slave’ mean?" Lilith suddenly interjected, her innocent curiosity filling the air.

The question caught the queen off guard. Her eyebrows knitted together as she regarded her daughter.

"Where did you hear that word, Lilith?" she inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.

"The maids were talking. They said Uncle Ky married a slave," Lilith blurted out, her words stark and direct. "Is Aunt Anna a slave?"

A flicker of concern and realisation passed over Queen Emelda’s face, transforming her expression into a mixture of anger and determination. The puzzle pieces finally fell into place, revealing the source of her sister-in-law’s distress. She understood the gravity of the situation and the need for decisive action.

"Find the one who started these rumours and reprimand them immediately!" she turned to her attendants and ordered.

"Your Majesty, there are no such rumours! Princess Lilith must’ve wrongly heard," countered Anna.

"A four-year-old child wouldn’t simply lie. I know my daughter very well," said Queen Emelda determinedly.

"That’s not what I mean! Please don’t bring up this matter!" the princess pleaded. "Kyren wouldn’t like it if he heard it."

"Anna, this is not just a matter about you and Kyren. This is about the royal family. You are part of it. No one gets to mock us as such!" said the queen protectively.

Anna wanted to intervene again, but Queen Emelda’s stern countenance silenced her. Fear and guilt intertwined within her heart despite her unwavering knowledge of her innocence. The attendants who received the order nodded quickly and left.

Then, the queen knelt at her daughter’s eye level, her voice gentle yet firm.

"Lilith, we don’t use that word ever, and your aunt is not as they said. That word is not a kind or respectful thing to say. Please don’t mention it ever again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mother. I’m sorry! I won’t repeat it," Lilith replied, her voice filled with remorse.

The queen lovingly rubbed her daughter’s head to ease the tension. "Good girl. Now, why did you run away from your lesson?"

"Because it is so difficult! I don’t want to learn it!" Lilith pouted, expressing her frustration.

The queen opened the book from Lilith’s hand, revealing the scribbled characters of the Ro’an language on a bookmarked page.

"This is a special language, and only special people have the opportunity to learn it," she explained, hoping to inspire her daughter’s interest.

"Really? Then why is it so hard?" Lilith questioned.

The queen smiled warmly.

"It’s not that hard. You just need to try more," the queen advised, her compassionate gaze shifting from Lilith towards Anna.

Sensing the tension in the princess’s face, she tactfully decided to steer the conversation towards a more positive direction.

"Your Aunt Anna possesses exceptional skills in this language. Why don’t you seek her guidance whenever you face difficulties?" she suggested, her voice gentle and encouraging.

The queen’s words carried a dual purpose. On one hand, she aimed to instil confidence in Lilith, assuring her that she could overcome any obstacles in her study path with effort and perseverance.

On the other hand, she sought to alleviate the strain that had clouded Anna’s expression, offering her a momentary respite from the weight of the situation.

Anna’s surprise was evident as the queen mentioned her in front of Lilith. The four-year-old princess turned her attention to Anna, holding up the book and pointing to a word in the Ro’an language.

"Aunt Anna, what does this say?" she inquired curiously.

Bending down to Lilith’s level, Anna smiled.

"Ah, that word is about colours. Are you learning colours in the Ro’an language today?" she asked, seeking to engage Lilith in a conversation.

Lilith nodded eagerly, her eyes bright with anticipation. "But I can’t remember the words," she said sullenly.

Anna rubbed her head slowly.

"You’re a smart princess. I’m sure you can learn it. Clear up your mind and put your attention to it. You surely will be able to remember," persuaded Anna.

"What is ’white’ in Ro’an?" Lilith asked, her eagerness evident.

"’White’ in Ro’an is ’Rhen.’ You know, I used to name a little puppy that I found with that name," Anna replied, enunciating the word carefully.

Lilith’s curiosity continued to spark. "Really? Is the puppy cute?" she queried.

"He is adorable. He has white, shaggy fur. So, I named him Rhen. But he can’t compete with you. You are much cuter than him," praised Anna. "You have Amar (red) cheeks and a beautiful Byu (blue) gown," added the princess.

Lilith smiled happily at her aunt’s words.

A glimmer of joy and connection filled the air as Anna guided the little princess through the Ro’an language. The queen watched, content with Anna’s interest in her daughter.

Much like Kyren, the princess possessed a natural ability to connect with the reserved and shy Lilith, who often struggled to warm up to unfamiliar faces.

"How about green? How do you say green?" asked Lilith excitedly.

"Khas," Anna pronounced carefully.

"What is a person with green eyes called?" Lilith asked again.

"It’s ’Khasif’," the princess said gently.

A wide smile graced the little princess’s face.

"Then, you are Khasif!" she exclaimed happily. Anna was taken aback by the name’s mention and was uncertain how to respond.

"Lilith, you must never refer to your aunt as Khasif. That is the name we call the first Emperor of the Ro’an Empire. It would be disrespectful for anyone else to bear that name," the queen interjected, her tone firm yet loving.

"But she has green eyes too!" Lilith protested.

The queen’s gaze softened as she explained, "Yes, she does. However, she is not a descendant of the Imperial Majesty. Using that name for her would be inappropriate and dishonouring the empire."

Realising her mistake, Lilith quickly apologised. "Yes, mother. I’m sorry."

"It’s all right, my dear. You didn’t know," the queen reassured, smiling lovingly to her daughter.

Then, Lilith mustered her courage and spoke earnestly, "Mother... I like Aunt Anna. Please don’t let them make her cry."

"I assure you, I won’t allow that to happen," the queen said to Lilith, her voice filled with sincerity. She understood the importance of addressing her daughter’s opinions and ensuring Anna’s happiness.

"And don’t make Uncle Ky marry Lady James. I don’t like her. She’s not friendly like Aunt Anna," added Lilith.

The little princess’s candid remark about Sarah caught Anna by surprise, and a slight worry crossed her face. She was concerned that others might wrongly accuse her of influencing her niece with negative thoughts.

The queen, recognising the need to clarify the situation, chuckled warmly at her daughter’s outspoken nature.

"Oh, sweetheart, there’s no need to worry. Uncle Ky is already married. He chose Aunt Anna as his wife long ago. There’s no chance of him marrying anyone else," the queen explained, her reassuring smile aimed at dispelling any concerns that had arisen in Lilith’s mind.

As the queen addressed her daughter’s worries, she also recognised the importance of maintaining the usual routine.

"Lilith, why don’t you return to class for now? We will have lunch together later and continue our conversation," she suggested, her tone gentle yet firm.

Lilith nodded, understanding her mother’s words, and was escorted by the attendants back to her classroom. The queen watched her daughter depart, a sense of warmth and love enveloping her heart.

Turning her attention to Anna, the queen’s eyes softened with concern, recognising the gravity of the situation and the need for a private conversation. Sensing the weight on Anna’s shoulders, she extended her support and guidance.

"Anna, please come with me. Let’s talk," she said, her voice conveying both gentleness and firmness.

Understanding the significance of this conversation, Anna nodded in acknowledgement.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.