Chapter 47

"Why that no-good rotten BOY!" Theodora uttered as she banged on the door of the room the three ladies had been sequestered in. "Let us out of here this instance!"

"This is all my fault," Evelin muttered as the middle-aged woman sat on one of the sofas while Astrid was just staring blankly out of the bay windows, trying to process all of what had happened in the span of an hour.

"How is this any of your fault?!" Theodora snapped back. Gone was the decorum of a noble woman and instead a spitfire had taken its place. Astrid supposed this was how the former King's wives acted behind closed doors, where there were no eyes of the court to judge them. "I regret spoiling that boy. I swear this is the most hair-brained scheme he could have come up with. His manure-addled brain must have taken a vacation if he thinks Quintas will just hand over the throne to him."

It was then that Astrid realized that these women didn't know. "The King is not the King," She said evenly but it did get their attention.

"What do you mean?" It was Evelin who asked as Theodora was still fuming.

"Prince Grimmel has placed a substitute on the throne with a near identical face as King Quintas." Astrid explained. "He has been ruling this kingdom from the shadows since then. I believe he now wants to make it official,"

"So that is why I was denied to see my son," Theodora grumbled. "I would have spotted a fake immediately,"

"It would also explain myself being detained by the Knight order after Lady Griselda fled." Evelin muttered. "He surely is after the riches of the Hoffersons."

"Is that why you never visited?" Astrid asked while her backw as to her grandmother. "Now that I think back... you were at the funeral. That is the only time I saw you,"

"I have no excuse," Was all that her grandmother uttered.

"Well that's a load of rubbish," Theodora said as she primly sat down before looking at Astrid. "Lady Hofferson, don't blame your grandmother. She did you a favor by staying away. Though that did not mean she didn't care."

"Theodora!" Evelin warned.

"What? Why are you so afraid your granddaughter will see the good in you?" the Dowager Queen asked. "You stayed away so she wouldn't fall prey to the vultures circling."

"I've never blamed my grandmother for anything," Astrid spoke up as she too took a seat. "I was sad that you weren't in my life and at times I think mother missed you too but she explained to some extent why you had to stay away. You came to her funeral, that's more than even her own husband did."

"Are you going to tell her or shall I?" Theodora asked as she looked between a silent Evelin and a determined Astrid. "I swear, this stubbornness to communicate must run in the family." the Dowager Queen sighed. "Lady Hofferson, there is more to the story than you know."

Astrid was quiet though she gave the indication that she was listening. "I've conceived two other children before Quintas. Both girls," Theodora explained. "Each of those Princesses was married off to some foreign Duke or second Prince. Do you know why?"

"Succession?" Astrid guessed.

"That is correct." Theodora nodded. "To put it plainly men are idiots," This earned a snort from Evelin. "They feared what the sons of these Princesses could do with their claims to the throne, if they married a Noble from within the Kingdom. In the Royal family's past some brothers or the Noble factions supporting the Princes even went as far as to poison the Princesses."

Evelin sighed. "When Maria was born there was already talk of engagement to the third son of a Duke from an Empire across the seas."

"But then the war happened and mother made some significant contributions, am I right?" Astrid asked. "Now she couldn't just be married off,"

"Correct." Theodora nodded. "At first Maria was going to receive the rank of Duchess but Evelin managed to convince Alexander and Quintas at the time to promote her to a Marchioness instead. I too was behind that idea."

"Why?" Astrid frowned. "Surely a Duchess would have given mother more power to do the things she wanted."

"With that much power comes responsibility," Theodora stated. "A Duke or Duchess still has strong ties to the Royal family. They are expected to marry a person of equal or greater status. And considering she would be the only unmarried Duchess to hold power men would be jumping out of the woodwork to ask for her hand."

"A bunch of snakes in the grass," Evelin scowled. "Even as the third concubine I was repeatedly approached by greedy men trying to win favor. It would have been so much worse for Maria,"

"A Marchioness is a step down from a Duchess. I also kept my distance, making it seem Maria was not favoured in the family." Evelin admitted. "It kept most of the Nobles in the different factions away as an unfavoured Noble brought them no advantages."

"And I stayed away after your mother died because I knew that... if I took you in you would be swept up in the political mess happening behind the scenes." She admitted. "Some nobles wanted to have you wed as soon as possible once Maria passed though thanks to her ironclad will you were safe."

Evelin took a deep breath and then said "I will admit your father was a scoundrel but he was the lesser of two evils at the time." Evelin then looked to Lady Theodora, "Can I tell her?"

"You may as well," Theodora sighed.

"A year after Lady Theodora married Sewlin her older brother took over as head of the Markinson family. The Markinson daily held a lot of sway over the Kingdom as they had served as loyal advisors for Kings past." Evelin explained.

"Lady Hofferson, please note that I disapproved of my brother's practices. The men in my family are highly opportunistic. My father didn't even bat an eye when he married me off even though he probably knew I had a lover." Theodora added.

"Lord Markinson was one of the main antagonists when I entered as the third concubine." Evelin revealed. "Even when it was revealed that Lady Theodora and I did not mind each other too much he would still try to sabotage me and my reputation. He was also the main advocate of Maria and later you being married off to foreign nobility. A man I would more than once like to kick in his family jewels."

"But don't you remember? You did kick him in the jewels," Theodora suddenly laughed while Evelin looked confused.

"I... did?" Evelin questioned.

"I cannot believe you forgot! How much alcohol did you have that night?" the Dowager Queen questioned.

"I honestly have no recollection of that," Evelin murmured.

"It went like this..." Theodora said as a smirk graced her features.

Theodora was getting ready for the ball welcoming the new concubine when her brother barged into her rooms. Her loyal Ladies-in-Waiting briefly scowled at the man but averted their eyes as he was of a higher status than them.

"Sister why aren't you pregnant yet?!" Her brother asked without even a hello or apology for barging in.

Theodora was seated at her vanity with her hair partially done up. In her hands she was holding two bracelets, seemingly trying to see which accessory matched best with her dress and necklace.

"Good evening to you too brother," she answered casually. "What brings you to a married woman's boudoir so late in the afternoon?"

"Do not play smart with me Theodora!" Her brother growled. "Why aren't you pregnant yet? You were supposed to give his Majesty an heir by now."

"To answer your question, I have already given my husband two daughters. The reason I am not pregnant AGAIN is because I haven't found the time to have him bend me over the sofa of his study. We are both busy."

"How crude," The man muttered.

"Then don't ask questions you don't want crude answers to," She retorted.

"Lady Lewison is already pregnant with her second child. If it's a boy..." He mumbled. "Not to mention that upstart that seduced his Majesty. If the new concubine were to give birth to a son before you..."

"Why brother, one would think you are afraid," Theodora rebutted. "Why must you grasp for one golden apple when we are already tending an orchard?" she questioned.

"Do not get philosophical on me 'dora," her brother hissed. "Your only duty is to produce an heir so we can increase our influence within the Royal family."

"If you are that adamant about an heir why don't you sleep with His Highness. He swings both ways you know. You're probably handsome enough for him."

"THEODORA!"

"Leave me be brother," She told the man who proceeded to angrily storm out of her suite.

That night at the ball Theodora had given her customary greetings to Evelin. She had tried to be as cordial as she could be considering that the women would be sharing a husband. Romilda was a bit more antagonistic about a new concubine but Lady Lewison made no fuss at the party itself.

From what she did see of Lady Evelin was that the woman could probably drink any nobleman or knight under the table. Each time their eyes met Lady Evelin had a drink in her hand or was downing one. 'Liquid courage' Theodora suspected.

Her brother had been glaring at Lady Evelin all evening... that was another thing she had observed. When the lady in question excused herself towards the Imperial gardens and her brother disappeared too Theodora began to worry. She quickly followed suit. What she found however was far from what she expected.

Lady Evelin was quite inebriated and was swaying from one heel to the other. The more surprising thing was the two thugs that were knocked out at her feet and her brother backing away from the woman subconsciously. Theodora hid herself behind one of the nearby bushes. She would intervene if necessary.

"Think yer so smart?!" Evelin could be heard slurring. "Next time yer wanting some thugs to overpower me make sure they can actually fight,"

"You can also at least make 'em handsome thugs," Evelin continued. "Why tha hell do I need to look at them ugly mugs?" Theodora held in a snort as she could imagine the confused face of her brother right now. He of all people should know not to mess with anyone from a warrior tribe. Woman or not.

Evelin was obviously drunk enough that her mouth had no filter. What happened next Theodora was not going to forget soon. Evelin charged at Lord Markinson and kneed him in the groin. "That's for trying to hurt me!" She said before she connected her knee with his face. "Why are all tha men here so weak?!" She heard Evelin grumble as Lord Markinson sank to the ground clutching his tender regions.

"Why indeed," Theodora said as she revealed herself causing Evelin to look up. "You've had too muh to drink. Shall I accompany you to your rooms?"

"Oh that's sweet of ya," Evelin was also apparently an affectionate drunk as she readily clung to Theodora's offered arm.

"Say, ya think the King is a handsome fellow? I like his cheekbones," Could be heard in the background as the ladies left the area, leaving Lord Markinson to groan in pain.

"Why do I not remember that?!" Evelin looked mortified. "Why did you not say anything the next day?!"

"Because I thought it was cute," Lady Theodora smirked. "Besides the next day was your wedding and it was fun to see my brother flinch when you walked down that aisle."