Chapter 189 What do you want?

Chapter 189 What do you want?
Aunt Gretude walked briskly across the hall with her inquisitor beside her. Her entire face was riddled with anger but she tried to hold it in. She didn't expect Melissa to be that forward with her, the girl has grown wings beyond what she expected.

She knew she wasn't necessarily interested in the throne and neither did she want to change any rules as it laid. Her own goals were far beyond that, she'd tried to sneak her way into the palace in the past but Greydon caught on to her. Ever since then she'd been too ashamed to show her face in the castle and the latter said he banished her as an act of mercy.

She hated being at anyone's mercy. She's been known as the palace mother before Greydon happened. She had power then, an entire sect of sisters that only did her bidding. She controlled what happened in the palace and why or when it happened. That was what she wanted back, her lower and prestige. Something that towers beyond the queen herself.

“How angry are you?” Albert asked her, a smile displayed on his treacherous lips. He has been glancing at Gretude ever since they left the throne room, she's been awfully quiet and disturbed. She's been so disturbed she forgot to walk with her walking stick.

“I am just mildly annoyed,” she lied. She knew Albert had a very keen eye and an insane knowledge of her behavior. They'd been friends since they were kids and she knew Albert had been in love with her since then and she'd been using it against him. Even though they were both aged and wrinkled now, that sentimental feeling he had towards her hasn't dwindled.

“You know I can tell if you are lying right?” He asked and Gretude just sighed.

“I told you, Melissa is different now,” Ronald said from behind them. “There is a darkness within her that I am unable to fathom, if we do not act fast, she will round us all up and throw us in the pit of hell,” he said.

“She isn't a different person ,” the old woman said with a smile. While she'd been walking, she'd been thinking and her first thought was to understand Melissa's source of confidence. She could see it clearly now and she already outlined a path of attack.

They clicked open the door to a small room at the end of the corridor, the small room would serve as their meeting room. It was hidden from the crowd and also far away from Melissa. Ronald had helped them choose the room, he claimed it was not in the path of Melissa and her court at all and they rarely visited such parts of the palace.

“Then what went wrong today? The Melissa I knew was soft, easy to control, susceptible to manipulations, whatever demon is sitting on that throne is a far cry from who Melissa was,” Ronald said with a sigh.

“I will explain in due time, your inexperience and inability to notice the simple details are what got you in this helpless and hopeless situation,” she replied.

Alina and Catherine just stood there, staring at both of them. Catherine didn't really like the old woman, she creeped her out and in truth she was actually not keen with the idea of bringing down Melissa. Normally she felt she could take the throne from her with Ronald in the past and she'd fallen in love with him during the process and they weren't even mates. But now, Melissa has proven herself strong. She's earned the support of the people and everyone loved her. And she is actually a very good ruler even to her own standards.

Alina on the other hand was just not interested in saying anything yet, she was a little jealous at the way Ronald switched from her to this old woman in a matter of minutes. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he sees her as a savior of some kind. The woman did indeed exude a brilliant and fearful aura. Het Alina couldn't see herself following the woman's orders. All she was doing wasn't because of Melissa or the greedy reasons they all had, her reasons were personal and only to be known by her.

“First,” Aunt Gretude began. “How many Elders are with us?” She asked.

“We don't know,”Ronald replied. “We have lost a particular amount of Elders in the past few weeks. Theresa is currently in prison for being a part of a terrorist organization that Greyhound was also a part of. Beatrice doesn't necessarily concern herself with us. Mya wants to step down for some reason.
Alina and Beatrice are the most senior councilors and they don't see eye to eye enough for them to call a meeting where we can actually get new elders. So that leaves Dean and Lucas. They both are in support of bringing Melissa down, cause they were actively a part of killing her parents. They have no choice but to be with us,” Ronald said.

Aunt ‘Gretude sat in the small wooden chair at the corner of the room gently. “Get some maids to make this place into a standard office, I can't stand the cheapness,” she said with complete irritation. “Now to the matter of business, I want to know Ronald, what exactly do you want?” She looked at him with a piercing gaze.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He asked.

“It means exactly what you think it does,” she replied. “I understand everyone in this room. Alina is fighting because of pettiness, Catherine can't think on her own, Dean and Lucas are selfish, Mya owes a lot to Alina but you… I have never understood you,” she said. “While I was in exile, I spoke a lot with Dean and Lucas, Alina was a little skeptical about me so she didn't tell me anything about you. What exactly do you want?” She asked.