Mercy is free, but never cheap.

Cheap mercy? The knot in my stomach tightened. Hah…

"Bring her to my garden." She sighed and waved her hand. "And leave us."

"Your royal highness! I swear I —" For reasons unknown, the servant who merely served us tea cried for mercy. Alas, the other maid servants dragged her away.

I watched how they dragged her as she struggled, crying her royal highness' name as if asking her to let her live. 

My complexion grew paler. It seemed her royal highness garden wasn't the garden I was thinking of.

When we're the only ones left in the gazebo, her royal highness let out a deep sigh. She shook her head lightly, setting her crimson eyes on me.

"It seems you have something to say." She said calmly. "You don't have to hold it in."

"I dare no —"

"That's an order." She smiled as she held her cup of tea. "You don't have to worry about offending me. I'm not as shallow as Cassara."

Cassara? So, that's the name of the second wife.