Chapter 7 Request to See the King
Candy across from her sneered, "Still trying to drive a wedge between us at a time like this... Ha, is this the scheming of a noble lady? But I'm not some ordinary woman. Unlike you people who either play tricks and talk your way through things, or only know how to discuss jewelry and clothes and can't do anything else - I'm a knight of the Empire, someone who goes to the battlefield to fight enemies and expand our territory!"
"I only took pity on you being all alone and kindly thought to let you have Holden for a few days. But not only are you ungrateful, you're using your family background to pressure me!"
Anne frowned. There was undeniable arrogance in Candy's words based on her own achievements, but that wasn't a reason for her to belittle others so casually.
"If that's what you think, then we really don't have much more to say to each other."
"But Candy, it's already hard enough for women to survive in this world. I don't expect you to help others more, I just hope you'll learn to see things for yourself. After all, during the three years Holden was away, what I've done for the Titan family wasn't playing tricks or just talking. You can be biased against me, but if you haven't experienced it yourself, you'd better not dismiss someone else's efforts with just one sentence."
Candy's face still showed an indifferent expression. "What, speaking so righteously - aren't you just trying to use the fact that you helped manage the Titan family and have some say in things to threaten or even pressure me?"
She stood up, tilting her chin slightly upward as she declared loudly, "Anne, I'm telling you, nothing you do can stop Holden and me from being together!"
Holden also stood up with her. "If you don't know when to back off, I won't be polite to you anymore."
With that, he didn't look at Anne again, just took Candy's hand and coaxed her gently as they walked toward the door. "Don't be angry, we don't need to explain too much to a woman like her. When she suffers later, won't we have plenty to laugh about!"
They had just left the balcony when Elisa rushed in with red-rimmed eyes—she'd obviously been listening outside. She crouched beside Anne and grabbed her dress with tears streaming down her face. "Miss Anne, how can they say such things about you!"
"How can His Majesty the King agree to such an absurd request!"
Anne had been deep in thought, but hearing this, she looked down and gently touched Elisa's cheek. "It's alright, Elisa. Everything will be fine."
"Go tell the staff to prepare a carriage for me. We're leaving for the capital immediately."
Anne's eyes were slightly red, but her gaze was incredibly determined. "I'm going to see His Majesty the King."
Although Anne had already handed over the account books and management documents to Trion, the servants she'd brought when she married into the Titan family were scattered throughout the estate handling various affairs and still only took orders from Anne. So a carriage was quickly brought to the estate gates, waiting for its mistress to take her to the capital.
Anne walked out of the estate wearing a large cloak, but as she stepped on the stool to board the carriage, she looked back. The vast estate still maintained its appearance from its prosperous days, but few people knew that beneath this beauty only an empty shell remained. Once she was gone, who would be left to support the Titan family?
——
Even though the coachman drove as fast as possible, they didn't reach the capital until the next day.
At noon, the scorching sun of the capital burned anxiously. Anne and Elisa stood outside the palace like unyielding stones in the wilderness.
Nearly three hours had passed since she came to request an audience with the King. The patrol knights passing behind her were already the third group, yet still no one came to lead her inside.
The heat waves rolled. Although Elisa kept wiping Anne's sweat, an unhealthy flush still appeared on her face. The proper ladylike dress that was fine for daily wear now felt like a giant steamer, almost draining her strength, yet Anne still kept her back straight.
For her own plea, and for her family's honor, she absolutely could not give in here.
At the entrance to the main hall, Conor carefully poked his head out and looked, confirming that Anne was still standing in the same spot. He couldn't help but sigh softly. As the King's attendant, even though he'd already been moved by Anne's persistence, whether or not to receive Anne wasn't his decision to make, was it?
He could only retreat back into the great hall and stand by the desk, speaking softly, "Your Majesty, Miss Anne is still there."
King Rolf glanced at his attendant but didn't correct this obviously improper form of address. "Have a knight go persuade her. How can a young lady's body withstand being in the sun like this?"
"I've already sent several people to persuade her, but she won't leave. She insists on seeing you."
Hearing this, Rolf also felt a headache coming on. He put down his quill pen and tiredly buried his face in his hands. "Anne must be coming to plead with me about Holden's matter."
Initially, he hadn't wanted to make an exception—partly because he'd watched Anne grow up, and partly because rules shouldn't be easily rewritten. But Holden's earlier military dispatch included a request to exchange all his honors and rewards from the southern campaign for permission to marry Candy. Worse, he'd gotten other Dawn Knight Order soldiers to sign their names too.
A request from one or two knights versus an entire knight order carried different implications. Rolf sensed the barely concealed threat. He'd been angry, even considered severe punishment, but with wars breaking out across the continent, forces like the Dawn Knight Order would still be needed. If special rewards for warriors could boost morale...
So in the end, the reply Holden received praised their victory highly and granted permission for the marriage.
"What a king promises, even if it's only written in a letter, cannot be changed."
Conor nodded regretfully. "Yes, Your Majesty. It's just such a pity for Miss Anne. If Duke Skoda were still alive, he would never let her encounter such a thing."