The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 617: Turn Of Events

Chapter 617: Turn Of Events

Oriana, maintaining her composure, spoke up. "Lady Grace recounted these stories in such a way that implied a deeper, inappropriate relationship with the Crown Prince, insinuating that she had a special claim to his affections.

"This, despite the fact that she knew very well he is now my husband. Her words were intended to undermine my position and dignity as Crown Princess. As a wife, what do you expect me to do when a woman slandering him right in front of me. I think I was too lenient to simply strangle her."

The court fell silent as Oriana’s words hung in the air. Grace’s smug expressions faded, replaced by a look of realization and fear. Luis was surprised at the turn of event as well and raced his brain to get his daughter out of it.

Oriana turned to the King, "Your Majesty, I was simply stopping Lady Grace from spreading nonsense about my husband, but I admit that my way of stopping her was a bit aggressive."

The King and Queen offered an approving nod, feeling proud of Oriana’s thought process. No one had anticipated that she would bring such a perspective to the matter.

Oriana continued, "That being said, my guardian knight, Sir Rafal Ahren, is also wrongly accused. He was fulfilling his duty by standing by his master’s side, as a knight should do, even in situations of life and death. Having served the Crown Prince for years, his loyalty remains steadfast, and he could not stand idly by while his liege was being slandered. I request that you pardon him from any baseless accusations made by a woman with no dignity and shame."

The King once again offered an approving nod.

Oriana turned to Minister Daryl, her voice icy. "As the Crown Princess of this kingdom, Minister Daryl, you cannot expect me to ignore such a thing," she said. "No one is allowed to slander my family, and I will not tolerate it, no matter who the person is, whether it’s a spoiled daughter or her father."

Her gaze passed over Grace and settled on the King. "Your Majesty, I request that Lady Grace be punished for the crime she has committed. Slandering a Royalty is subject to the death sentence."

All the color drained from Grace’s face, and she seemed about to faint. Luis immediately held his daughter to support her. "F-Father..."

The King’s expression turned grave. "Lady Grace, do you deny the intention behind your words?"

Grace’s eyes filled with tears. "I... I was just reminiscing... I didn’t mean to..."

"Intentions matter," the Queen stated firmly, stepping in for the King. "And it appears your intentions were to cause discord and dishonor the Crown Princess. This behavior is unbecoming and will not be tolerated."

Luis, sensing the gravity of the situation, bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Your Majesty, I apologize for my daughter’s actions. But I believe she didn’t mean it. She is still young and might not understand the gravity of her words. I request you to show mercy and understanding towards my daughter, just as you have shown towards the Crown Princess and her family."

"What do you mean, Marquis Mortimer?" another minister asked.

Luis lifted his head and looked at the King. "His Majesty has shown kindness to traitors and even accepted them into the family."

The entire court hall fell silent, and Oriana turned to Luis, her gaze cold as if she would kill him on the spot.

"Marquis Mortimer," the King raised his voice, "that is the Crown Princess of this kingdom you are speaking about, and her family. Be careful with your words."

"Apologies for bringing up this matter, Your Majesty. I did not mean to disrespect the royal family or the Crown Princess, but as a father, it is my duty to protect my daughter, no matter what it takes. As a father, I believe you understand this as well," he raised his head once more and looked at Oriana. "Your Highness, though no one speaks of it, everyone knows your grandfather Philip Verner killed the previous Queen. If His Majesty can forgive your family, then my daughter should be spared as well for such a small crime. At least she has not killed anyone."

The court hall buzzed with whispers and shocked expressions.

Oriana froze in place, as if a long-healed wound had been reopened. She knew the truth: her grandfather had killed the Queen.

Arlan stood up and went to Oriana. She looked at him with teary eyes, and he shook his head, silently asking her to stay calm.

Arlan turned to Luis. "Luis Mortimer, you better take those words back, or I will make you regret it."

Luis suppressed a smirk and spoke. "Your Highness, I know you love your wife, but you should be a filial son as well. Have I said anything wrong? Philip Verner killed the Queen and ran away, but the royal family forgave him. Forgiving is one thing, but accepting his blood as the Crown Princess and then as the Queen of this kingdom is not acceptable."

Luis looked around the Royal Court. "If anyone doubts what I said, I have proof that Philip Verner is the one who assassinated the Queen."

Once more, the court buzzed with whispers. Arlan held Oriana’s hand and whispered, "Ignore him and trust me."

She offered him a puzzled gaze, trying to understand what he was up to. In response, Arlan simply guided her to sit in the chair and offered her a comforting smile. "Sit comfortably."

She nodded and watched him walk to the center of the court where Luis was standing.

"I would like to see the proof," Arlan spoke.

Soon a woman was dragged inside the royal court, a woman who looked weak and dishevelled, a face familiar to the royal family.

Julien was shocked to see her, "How did they get her?"

Arlan’s gaze turned darker at her sight but he mentioned his calm. Only one determination in his mind that today he was going to get rid of this Luis Mortimer once and for all.