Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 305: Violet: Bloodline

King Edward shook his head. "I thought as much. You shame me."

Leo rubbed the back of his nape and sent a quick, pleading look at his mother.

Spineless coward, Violet thought in disgust.

Queen Celia rose from her chair in a desperate last attempt. "My lord, it was just a youthful indiscretion. A moment of weakness. Surely there’s no need for harsh punishment for our son. Moreover, how do we even know for sure this girl is even with child-"

"Open your goddamn eyes, woman!" King Edward bellowed. "Stop making excuses for the lad! If you hadn’t always spoiled him so, we wouldn’t be in this mess! You can’t constantly be coming down hard on your courtiers for unchaste behaviour, only to look away now when it’s your own son involved!"

Queen Celia slumped back down into her chair, as tears of defeat began rolling down her fat cheeks.

"And you’re absolutely sure that you’re with child?" the king snarled at Violet.

She nodded. "I have...I have missed my course for well over a fortnight." She grimaced at talking about something so distasteful with her king but there was no other way. "I’m constantly nauseous, especially in the mornings. That only started a couple of weeks after we lay together. Before that, I was in perfect health. And I constantly crave samphire to eat now. Before all this, I didn’t even like it."

Violet was reluctant to discuss her other symptoms, such as her swollen, tender breasts. Then again, if he asked, she’d tell the king everything. There wasn’t any point clinging to her pride anymore, was there?

The queen stifled a sob but the king ignored her. Instead, he leaned forward in his seat and stared long and hard at Violet. "Only one time and now you find yourself in this state. What prodigious fertility you must have, girl."

Violet stared back at the king, confused. What that some kind of backhanded compliment?

Lord Thierre stepped forward again, head bowed in deference. "Your Majesties, our house doesn’t have the means to raise a child with royal blood in the luxury that he’d be entitled to. Especially as the first Devon grandchild. We all know such a boy deserves only the very best."

The words were a master stroke. Violet saw the queen’s expression soften ever so slightly at the mention of a grandchild, especially a boy belonging to her own favourite boy.

Lord Thierre continued, adding a tremble to his voice that Violet suspected was fake. "Our house is also a place of mourning right now. It doesn’t seem right to bring and raise a precious new life under the pall of such grief."

Queen Celia’s eyes began pooling with tears again, this time sympathetic ones. "We were all grieved to hear of Lady Ilse’s sudden passing. She was a wonderful girl and I cared for her deeply."

Even His Majesty has to rein in his famous temper at the mention of Ilse’s death, Violet noticed. She watched as the older man tapped his fingers on the arm of his gilded chair, clearly uncomfortable.

"Yes, our condolences for your heavy loss." King Edward muttered. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"If I’d known things would end like this, I would’ve never sent her away from court." The queen dabbed her eyes with a lace handkerchief.

Violet noted how Queen Celia deliberately never said she regretted banishing her from court. She dug her nails into her soft palms as she felt the familiar queasiness start to burn in her belly again.

Lady Thierre spoke up. "Your Majesties, my lord husband and I are experiencing the greatest pain a parent can endure. We have already lost one daughter to illness. We can’t bear to lose another through vicious rumours and slander."

Violet eyed her mother suspiciously. Why was that hard faced bitch speaking as if her daughter might die just because people were going to gossip about her?

Because it’s true, she suddenly realised. Your mother would be glad to poison you, instead of having to live with your shame, Violet. A dead daughter is less of a burden than a ruined one.

She placed a hand over her belly. That fragile little life was her trump card. Her only card, really. Her mother wouldn’t dare harm her while she carried a royal child.

But if the king and queen didn’t accept her child, she was as good as dead.

The king stared back for a moment before replying to the entire room.

"The intent of these last few months was for the finest of our country’s young ladies to join our court and present them to our heir. That way, he could to get to know them in a respectful manner, so that he might eventually choose a wife and beget an heir of his own. The fact that he used the opportunity as his own personal brothel..."

Leo squirmed in his boots as his father aimed him a ferocious glare before continuing.

"...doesn’t negate the fact that he still needs a wife and an heir. Sometimes, opportunities present themselves in mysterious ways." King Edward slumped back in his chair and heaved a great sigh, as if the entire situation was draining him.

Leo’s frame visibly tensed, as if sensing what the king was about to say. "Father-" he whispered gruffly.

"Shut your mouth, boy." King Edward rumbled. "You caused your own troubles. I don’t want to hear anything more about my decisions from you. Or you, madam!" he aimed at his equally tense looking wife.

Everyone remained without moving even a finger while they waited for the king’s next words.

"My greatest concern has always been the continuation of my family dynasty. The Devon bloodline has reigned over these lands since the ancient bards started recording the histories." The king rubbed his greying beard.

Violet barely dared to breathe. She could see her parents’ faces were alight with hope.

"I cannot turn away the opportunity of a grandchild to continue our hold on the throne, especially a Devon boy. We shall treat this matter as a way to strengthen both families and avoid further scandal. Nothing more. Therefore Lady Violet shall marry my son without delay."