"Hailey," Hazel addressed her shy daughter. "You can go with Isabelle. Do as you wish. You know the duchess’s home is a safe place."
Princess Hailey Castro looked over to where Isabelle stood away from her sisters. "I will be well behaved," she promised her mother.
Alessandra watched as Hailey went to speak with Isabelle. "Is there something that troubles Hailey?"
"It seems she overheard someone speaking of whom she would marry. Tobias has never made any plans to marry her off to anyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to prevent her from marrying. I cannot wait for the court to be done with," Hazel said.
Unbeknownst to many, the attack on the court had begun with a few men who were able to escape, while others were captured. A new, smaller, trustworthy court would be in place soon, and Hazel couldn’t wait any longer for it to happen.
"You can be at ease with the court gone. You had your struggles in the court, but at least going forward, your children and their children won’t face those struggles. When Edgar visits the court, I no longer have to worry about him meeting those men," said Alessandra.
"I must admit that I have always looked forward to Edgar’s visits to the court because I hoped he would kill those men. Do not be alarmed," Hazel said, touching Alessandra’s hand to calm her. "I would have done everything within my power to free him."
"That is not why I worry. I don’t believe Edgar would have let the palace guards take him to the dungeon. He takes his promises to return home very seriously, and from the time I met him, he was certain he could never be arrested," Alessandra said.
"Well, that is true. I wouldn’t be surprised if my husband made a secret order that no one is to ever arrest Edgar," Hazel said, now wanting to look into it.
"I don’t think it is an order since the town guards are always at our doors. When one leaves, another comes to question Edgar. I am missing our home out of town," Alessandra confessed.
Alessandra didn’t have to face all the drama, the gossip, and the visits from town guards when they were out of Lockwood.
"As soon as the season ends, I am returning with Isabelle and Lily if she doesn’t marry. Elijah will be here. Edgar intends to pass the estate onto Elijah when he finds a wife," Alessandra shared.
"You have all your plans, while I am still uncertain of what I will do. Tobias has spoken of travelling the kingdom to finally see the land he has ruled over, but I find it hard to think of leaving Teo and Hailey so early," said Hazel.
All Hazel wanted was to leave the palace, but her children were still there, and she did not think it was safe yet.
"Your sons will watch over Hailey to keep her safe, and you have many allies around. Perhaps you should join Edgar and me outside Lockwood. You will have a friendly face," Alessandra proposed.
Hazel smiled. "That sounds lovely, but who will tell Edgar of his time with you being disturbed by my husband?"
"I will do it," Alessandra volunteered. "He never says no."
Hazel looked to the group of young ladies who curtsied before her.
"You may rise," Hazel replied. "You have all grown in the blink of an eye. I hope to see all of you in the palace for my gathering. You will sit close to me."
Penelope could only smile now since she hadn’t spoken of this with Tyrion.
"Ally, your name has reached my door. Lady Chambers is doing something special with you. I wish she would return to the palace once in a while to share her knowledge with the princess," said Hazel.
"My grandmother always speaks of wanting to see the king since she knew him for so long. It would be a wonderful gift for her if she were to see the royal family," Ally replied, ecstatic.
Ally longed to be in the palace again since it had been so long since her last visit. She didn’t have the same pleasures as the Collinses to be invited to every event in the palace, but even if she had been, her mother didn’t like to attend.
Hazel then turned to Julie, who was said to be a little troublemaker. "I have heard plenty about you as well, Julie."
Julie froze up, nervous about what the queen had heard. She looked to her mother, who was coming over with her aunt Sally.
Julie smiled, but it was awkward and showed how nervous she was. "Is it all good things, Queen Hazel?"
"Some of it is, and you may call me Hazel while we are here. I hold a special place for your family in my heart, so if there is ever anything you need, do not hesitate to come to me. You are always welcome to the palace alongside your mother," Hazel said, taking hold of Julie’s hands.
Hazel looked at Eleanor. "I have made your mother one of my ladies, but she doesn’t have time for the palace. Perhaps you can come to her place."
"It is not that I don’t have time for you, Hazel. Reed and I have our concerns about the palace, but I will come more often now and bring Julie with me. It would have to be days when Reed can join us. What do you think, Julie?" Eleanor asked.
If Julie didn’t want to go, then Eleanor wouldn’t force her. Eleanor didn’t enjoy the days her aunt would force her to go to the palace, but that was how she became close friends with Alessandra.
"I would love to go!" Julie exclaimed, but soon cleared her throat as she remembered who she stood before. "I will prove that I do not find myself in trouble."
"A little fun is fine," Hazel said, not worried about what Julie would do. "There are some good men in the palace that I can introduce you to. I pay close attention to them, so I will not place you with anyone awful."
Julie didn’t want to meet with anyone, but she thought it would be rude to dismiss the queen’s help. "I would be most grateful if you could help me."
Ally frowned, surprised that Julie accepted the queen’s offer. She was the one who wanted to get married, not Julie. It made more sense to offer her help than to Julie. They were cousins, so why wasn’t the same attention given?