Scrap Will Be of Great Use in the Future
Just as the argument was about to spiral, thanks to whatever nonsense Princess Solana was spouting, Blair Vance stepped forward, cutting through the tension with a graceful dip of her head toward the Emperor and Empress.
"Your Majesties," she began, her voice calm and measured. "This is all just a terrible misunderstanding, brought on by my younger brother's impulsiveness."
Blair's tone was a carefully crafted apology, smoothing over the sharp edges of the conflict.
"The boy, Jed, was indeed purchased by my brother in a moment of confusion. But we didn't know who he was, and my brother intended to turn him over to the authorities. When Jed overheard this, he was so frightened that he ran away from our home."
She paused, her gaze flicking briefly to Cassidy.
"On my brother's behalf, I must apologize. He never meant to offend the Princess. He simply heard the runaway was at Ashworth Manor and, worried the boy might cause trouble for her, rushed over without thinking. His manners were forgotten in his haste."
Blair's voice was the picture of sincerity.
"This whole mess is my brother's fault for not thinking things through. I ask for your fair judgment, and I hope the Princess can find it in her heart to forgive him."
Preston Vance, scrambling to keep up, immediately caught her drift. "Yes, yes! I was impulsive. Please, Princess, forgive me!" he blurted out.
Consort De watched her niece dismantle the entire situation with a few well-chosen words. She gave a satisfied nod before turning her gaze to the Emperor.
"I heard the Princess suffered a blow to the head at the hunting grounds a fortnight ago and that her memory has been poor since," she said, her voice laced with false concern.
"Perhaps she isn't feeling well, which might explain some carelessness in managing her staff. Or maybe she simply doesn't recall a new person of unknown origin joining her household. But as Blair said, this runaway's identity is a mystery. He could be a danger to Ashworth Manor.
For the Princess's own safety, I hope Your Majesty will allow her to return this person to the Vance family, so we can handle him properly."
On the way to the palace, Blair had grabbed her aunt's sleeve, her eyes wide with urgency, insisting that this servant named Jed was crucial and they absolutely had to get him back. Though Consort De couldn't fathom why her niece was so fixated on a nameless boy, she had chosen to trust her.
Ever since the girl had saved the Emperor at the Royal Hunting Grounds two weeks ago, things had been different.
Not only had she been named Lady Blair, but the Vance family's status had risen right alongside her.
More than that, it was as if Blair could suddenly see the future.
Every piece of advice she'd given, every decision she'd urged, had been uncannily perfect, helping the Vances dodge several disasters and earning Consort De significant favor with the Emperor.
Her niece's words now carried a strange, almost prophetic weight.
The system buzzed in Cassidy's ear, adding its own commentary. *Host, she's basically calling you brain-damaged!*
Cassidy touched her forehead, right where the donkey had supposedly kicked her. In an instant, the performance was on.
She scrambled over to the Empress, hugged her leg, and let out a heart-wrenching wail.
"Auntie, it was Preston! He brought all his men to block the gates of Ashworth Manor and threatened to beat up my father! Our guards just dodged them; they didn't dare fight back. If Steward Payne hadn't shown up, they would have beaten *me* to death!"
The tears were flowing freely now. "All three of them ganged up on me! They called me uneducated, said my brain was messed up, and now they want to snatch a servant right out of my own home! I'm so miserable," she sobbed, her voice cracking.
"A girl with no mother, no sister, no family but you to help me. It's not like I have relatives all over Argent like the Vances do."
She buried her face in the Empress's robes.
"Grandmother... I want to go find my grandmother..."
*Classic palace drama,* she thought, a flicker of satisfaction cutting through her fake despair. *Simple, but it always works.*
The Emperor's mouth twitched. He'd seen this act before. What did she mean she only had her aunt to help her? Hadn't he spent years cleaning up her messes? The ungrateful little brat.
"With me here, who would dare bully you?" the Empress soothed, her voice aching with sympathy as she stroked Cassidy's hair. She didn't share her husband's irritation. She'd watched this child grow up, and she loved her like a daughter. "Besides, it's just a servant. Why are you crying so hard?"
The Empress looked up at her husband. "Your Majesty, Solana has never been one to lie. She must have seen Preston bring all those men to her home and panicked. That's what led to this misunderstanding."
Her gaze then swept over Consort De, her tone shifting from gentle to regal.
"And what is the status of Ashworth Manor? There are hundreds of servants there. Why would they feel the need to snatch one runaway from the Vance family? I think you've misunderstood the situation entirely."
Rage flared in Consort De's chest. The Empress was lying through her teeth, deliberately belittling her in front of the Emperor and painting her as a slanderer. She couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "Your Majesty, we'll know if he's there if we just search the manor!"
"Enough!" the Emperor snapped, his face a mask of impatience. "It's one runaway servant! Why is this such a spectacle?"
His eyes, sharp with displeasure, landed on the Vance siblings.
"Just because you lost a servant, you think you can demand a search of Ashworth Manor? Do you have any respect for Prince Ashworth? For the dignity of the Royal Family?"
He waved a dismissive hand, his voice leaving no room for argument. "All of you, leave."
Seeing the thunder on the Emperor's face, Consort De realized she had gone too far. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she hastily herded her niece and nephew out of the hall without another word.
Once they were gone, the Emperor fixed his gaze on Cassidy.
"All right, talk," he said, his tone weary. "What's really going on with that runaway?"
He didn't believe for a second that Preston Vance had actually threatened to beat up Prince Ashworth.
But the Vances had been getting too big for their britches lately, their flashy behavior casting a shadow over the other noble families.
He'd heard the disrespect in the boy's tone when he spoke to Solana, too.
If his foolish niece weren't so obsessed with the Vance heir, always defending him, he would have knocked that family down a peg long ago.
A smug grin crept onto Cassidy's face as she pulled a deed of sale from her sleeve. "I didn't snatch him, I swear. I saw Preston about to beat the boy to death, and I couldn't just stand there and watch."
She presented the document. "So I saved him. Who knew he'd refuse to leave after that? I was just trying to be a good person, so I let him stay."
The Emperor frowned. "His origins are still unknown. Keeping him at Ashworth Manor isn't a good idea."
"Then give me a strong guard to watch him, Uncle," Cassidy seized the opportunity. "That way, I'll be safe."
The Empress chimed in. "Your Majesty, you did appoint Solana as the Capital Inspector. If she doesn't have someone with exceptional fighting skills by her side, she could get hurt."
The Emperor considered it for a moment. It made sense.
He called out toward the entrance of the hall, "Vaughn Garrison."
"I am here."
A deep, powerful voice answered from outside. A moment later, a man in black martial arts attire walked in, his expression as cold as stone.
The Emperor looked at him. "Go pick one of your best men, someone who can fight and has a steady head on his shoulders, and send him to the Princess." He paused, then added, "He is to follow her every step and ensure her safety. If anything goes wrong, you will answer for it."
"I obey," Vaughn Garrison replied, his voice a low rumble. He bowed once to the Emperor, Empress, and Princess, then withdrew as silently as he had come.
The Emperor turned back to Cassidy. "With an Onyx Guard watching you, maybe you can finally start behaving yourself. Go home. And don't come to the palace unless you absolutely have to. I don't want to see your face for a while."
Cassidy rubbed her nose, putting on a shy expression. "Uncle, can I have that man who was just here as my guard? He's good-looking."
The Emperor snapped, "Get out!"
"You got it!" she chirped, and practically scrambled out of the palace before he could change his mind.