A moment of silence roared on the calm grassland, everyone could sense a minor change in the air. It could have been because Sigrid’s aura had been growing colder and colder or because Roland frowned, displeased by Lettice’s behavior. Or perhaps it was because Lady Iryne’s fingers managed to locate Sir Samuel’s sword as he was the armed knight nearest to her.
"Lettice York, have you lost your marbles?" Governess Brum voiced out in alarm.
This spoiled lady routine she was putting on had moments and people that cared for it, the Thorin’s were not those people.
"Take her away." Roland ordered in a deep, calm voice.
Two young knights came out to act on the order but Sigrid stopped them. She was familiar with the name Lettice York, Roland’s spoiled ward of sorts that was killed by a bull during the time Emmah spent on Stormwind in the original novel.
Her death had been as a result of actions of her own making with a little help from Emmah. She had tried to copy Emmah by riding a bull. Emmah had the lucky halo, the bull liked her and willingly allowed her to sit on its back.
Lettice was a character that made up less than one page of the novel. When she tried to climb onto the bulls back, it threw her in the air and one of its horns went through her chest. As if that was not enough, it run around crazily, dropping her body in the grassland and the horses trampled all over it.
Her death was brutal, it rivaled Sigrid’s own which was why she had considered changing the woman’s fate when she arrived at Stormwind. Who knew that Lettice was so stupid that she killed the mercy Sigrid had.
"Your problem is that you are a thief that dreams of splendor and glory. You know that the crown prince favors you a little bit so you flaunt it around thinking that you are better than the commoners.
You dream of being his queen and want to impress him so badly that your greed drove you to steal my business idea and present it to him. You did not even realize that he saw right through you when you stumbled over some details."
Lettice looked at Roland with wide eyes, shaking her head frantically.
"I didn’t." she denied. "I didn’t steal her idea. She has never been here before. how can she come up with such a business plan?" Desperately, she whimpered and again tried to reach for Roland but he dodged while Sigrid shoved her again.
Lanai and Lama grabbed Lettice’s arms, pinning them behind her back.
Roland did not want any misunderstandings to arise between him and Sigrid again. The word divorce floated into his ears so he grabbed her hand in a panic and explained himself. "My love, I have never had never had any inappropriate thoughts about Miss Lettice. I raised her her while thinking of her as a little sister, a cousin not even a close sister."
He shook her hands, "Like a tenth cousin removed, not even a first cousin. Believe me, that whole lady of the house claim, it was supposed to be a joke. Someone called her that a long time ago when she was around ten years old because she knew every nook and cranny of Stormwind not because I intended to take her as my bride."
Struggling, Lettice shouted, "Crown princes, how can you say that? You know me, I am Lettice, you used to call me Le-Le when I was young. I grew up with you, I escorted you on your morning rides....."
"Shut up!" Sir Samuel barked sternly. "The crown prince never invited you on any of his morning rides. It is you that insisted on following us even though he told you to turn back many times."
Roland nodded eagerly, looking at Sigrid like a puppy that wanted to prove it had not stolen treats. "I really didn’t invite her out on my morning rides. I go riding when it is still dark outside, how could I possibly wake a young girl up and ask her to accompany me? Not only would that be inappropriate but it would also be cruel."
Jesting came forward at that point to defend Roland as well. "Crown princess, I can verify that the crown prince has never been inappropriate with miss Lettice York. When her mother was dying, she made him promise to watch over the girl and ensure that she lived to adulthood. The crown prince went far and beyond what he promised."
"He did not have to pay for your education." Mrs. Brum told Lettice this directly, staring at misguided young woman. "The crown prince did not have to pay for you to be clothed like a daughter of a noble family, to be fed like one."
"He should have reside her as a servant." Duchess Mila scoffed.
Lady Iryne nodded. "It is true mother, after all the promise which was made was to make sure she lived to adulthood. My son-in-law did not need to consider her his ward."
Lettice was sobbing, it felt as if arrows were being stabbed into her heart, reminding her of her place which she had forgotten. She was not a titled woman, she was a commoner.
Sigrid removed her hands from Roland’s and turned to look at the young woman. When she saw her sobbing, Sigrid did not feel one ounce of pity for her. This public shaming, Lettice had brought it on herself. "It is time you married off your ward Roland, to prevent troubles. I have heard that at least half of the knights guarding Stormwind have asked for her hand in marriage on occasion."
"She kept turning them all down." Roland told her.
"Because she was waiting for you." Sigrid filled in.
Roland’s face paled a little and he shook his head. There was no lifetime in which he would have married Lettice. Even if he did not marry Sigrid and married someone else, Lettice would not have been considered. It was like marrying Thalassa!!!
He was not as crazy as the characters in The rise of Lady Blanche to marry any woman he considered a sister, biological or not.
With his mind made up he turned to look at Lettice, his eyes were frigid as he looked at her in a way he had never done before and gave her an ultimatum. "Lettice, you either marry one of the knights that proposed to you and move into the village or I give you a small settlement fee and send you away from Stormwind forever. You are already an adult, I believe that I have done what I promised your mother."
He tilted forward and back on his feet a little. "I never realized that as you grew up, you started having inappropriate desires. I am saddened because I always considered you to be a little sister."
"I am not your little sister! I don’t want to be your sister, I want to be your wife. Why can’t I be your crown princess?" Lettice shouted. The rage in her voice could be felt in the cold air. The words echoed all around, startling the near by horses.