Chapter 363: A Question of Fairness

Chapter 362: A Question of Fairness

Lyria’s POV

The nobles who had joined the mingling kept themselves apart.

They stood in small groups, speaking quietly among themselves, their postures stiff and their expressions carefully composed.

It was almost amusing to watch.

They had come expecting a royal gathering.

Instead, they had found themselves surrounded by commoners, children, flowers and questions.

The commoners did not seem to care.

They had the suitors.

They had the princesses.

And, for this brief afternoon, they had been permitted to forget the distance that usually separated their world from ours.

The arena was deafening.

Laughter mingled with conversation.

Children ran between adults.

Voices rose over one another.

Flowers were exchanged.

Hands were shaken.

Names were called.

And through it all, Brianna remained beside me.

Her little hand clutched mine as though she feared I might disappear if she released it.

I did not mind.

I wanted to remain here.

I wanted to speak with Helen properly.

I wanted to hear Jacob and Olly tell me everything they had seen.

I wanted to know what they thought of me now.

But before I could do any of that, a footman appeared at the edge of the gathering.

He raised his voice above the noise.

"All commoners are requested to depart the premises."

The hum of conversation and laughter stopped almost immediately.

It was as though someone had reached out and pressed a hand against the very air itself, stilling the noise, the movement, and the warmth that had filled the arena only moments before.

The footman straightened.

"All commoners are given five minutes to fully depart the premises."

The words settled over the crowd like a weight.

I looked around.

The change in the commoners’ faces was almost immediate.

The smiles disappeared. Children who had been laughing moments before fell silent. Mothers drew their little ones closer. Men exchanged resigned glances, while several elderly people began gathering the few belongings they had brought with them.

They had known this was coming.

Perhaps that was the worst part.

They had known from the beginning that they were permitted to enjoy the afternoon only for a short while.

Still, knowing did not make it easier to watch.

I hated it.

I hated the sudden division that appeared between us, as though the invisible wall that had existed all along had finally become visible.

Only moments ago, these people had been laughing with the suitors. They had offered flowers and gifts. They had spoken to me without fear.

And now they were being dismissed.

I looked towards the nobles.

None of them had been asked to leave.

They remained exactly where they were, their fine coats and gowns immaculate, their expressions composed.

Something about it felt wrong.

Before I could think better of it, I spoke.

"Does it apply to e-everyone?"

The footman blinked. "Pardon, Your Highness?"

I swallowed.

"Does it a-apply to e-everyone?" I repeated. "Or j-just the commoners?"

A sharp intake of breath sounded somewhere behind me.

I knew I was being reckless.

I knew perfectly well that I was stepping into territory where I had no business treading.

But the question had already left my mouth.

"The c-commoners are n-not the only ones here," I continued. "Are they?"

The footman shifted uncomfortably.

Before he could answer, Jacinta spoke.

"Dear sister," she said, her tone sweet enough to conceal the edge beneath it, "there is a rather obvious distinction. Surely you understood what was announced."

I turned towards her.

She was still standing among the nobles, one hand resting delicately against the folds of her gown. Her expression was pleasant, almost affectionate.

"It is not as though we have any say in the matter," she continued. "These are the rules of the kingdom, established long before either of us was born."

I looked back at the commoners.

I could not stop thinking about how happy he had looked only a few minutes ago.

"I j-just wanted to understand," I said quietly. "What t-the footman had a-announced. A-and why."

The footman cleared his throat.

"Their allotted time has expired, Your Highness."

I looked at him.

"Their t-time?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"E-everyone’s time?"

He hesitated.

"The commoners’ time, Your Highness."

I tilted my head.

"W-why is it only their time that h-has e-expired?"

The arena became very quiet.

Even the suitors had stopped speaking.

I could feel their attention upon me.

The footman looked as though he wished very desperately to be somewhere else.

"It is simply the arrangement, Your Highness."

"On w-what grounds?"

He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

When he still did not answer, I continued.

"Did the n-nobles p-pay more for t-their seats?"

A few nobles exchanged uncomfortable glances.

But I did not get an answer.

I frowned and then turned towards one of the noblemen standing nearby.

"How m-much did you p-pay for y-your seat?"

The man’s expression hardened.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your s-seat," I repeated. "H-how much did you p-pay for it?"

He stared at me as though I had asked him something absurd.

"I do not see how that is relevant."

"T-then you d-did not pay?"

His lips tightened.

I turned to another nobleman.

"And y-you?" I asked. "H-how much did you p-pay?"

He remained silent.

"It w-was free, then?" I asked slowly.

Nobody answered.

"The seats were g-given to you for free, while the c-commoners p-paid?"

A murmur passed through the nobles.

One gentleman stepped forward.

He was an older man, dressed in an immaculate dark coat, a gold signet ring visible upon one hand.

"Your Highness," he said stiffly, "I must ask you to cease this line of questioning."

I looked at him.

"Why?"

His expression tightened.

"Because you are making accusations without understanding the customs of the court."

"I am n-not a-accusing anyone." I told him.

"I a-am m-merely asking a q-question. T-there is a d-distinction."

That appeared to anger him.

"Your Highness, there are traditions which ought not be challenged merely because you do not understand them."

I frowned.

"Then perhaps s-someone o-ought to explain t-them to me."

The man’s mouth opened.

He seemed to have no answer for that.

Jacinta stepped forward.

"That is quite enough."

Her voice was colder now.

She no longer sounded affectionate.

"This discussion has become unnecessarily embarrassing."

"Trying to u-understand something n-now m-makes my b-behaviour unbecoming?" I asked.

Jacinta’s eyes narrowed.

"You are making a spectacle of yourself."

"And besides, if you had been willing to learn from the beginning," she said, "you would not be confused at this moment."