The kids fight

When all of them Apologized and even the ladies stood there silently, my gaze went back to the man standing on the sidelines, the one who had not even once contacted me since we were here. Yet all i felt was worry,

"Are you alright brother?" I asked him as I walked back towards him. He nodded and then looked at Marianne. Only then did I remember that he still did not know anyone here. Starting the introduction with Marianne would be a good choice.

Wit that thought i looked at her

"Marianne, this is my brother, Philip Avington. And brother she is the archduchess of the empire Marianne.`` She looked at both of us with three deep lines on her forehead but then the noises of the kids increased, gaining both of our attention to the burning matter.

"It was nice meeting you, the royal highness of the Vistertia empire." she bowed just my head as he nodded back.

"Same here, duchess Marianne." His smile was mesmerizing that raised my eyebrow. Did he not hear she was the archduchess of the empire. Or was he just trying to leave an impression?

She looked at him spellbound for a minute then she smiled and turned back, avoiding looking at him anymore.

"Would you please excuse me, now? Your majesty, his highness." she asked politely but her voice was filled with worry and we nodded.

She turned back to the children where everyone was standing in a line now. I knew the drama was bound to occur. Though it was just a kids fight, if the involved parents tried to escalate the matter nothing could be done there.

But if i tried to interfere just now, they would take it as a show of authority and even if they would say nothing, a bitter taste would fill their mouth.

"Killian" she walked towards the boy who had pushed her accidentally. The kid was looking ashamed of his act as his head was bowed low.

But before she could speak further, Isabella come running as she bends and hugged the boy

"Are you alright, baby?" she asked with a teary face.

"Are you alright, Killian? '' Isabella asked again standing in the middle of Marianne and Killian as she had completely covered him.

"I am fine, aunt Isabella, your highness," he replied in a low voice.

"Thank goodness you are fine Killian, I was so worried." she continued her pretence kissing his forehead and cheeks.

I moved further to stop the act when Philip held my hand. I turned to look at him only to see him shaking his head.

"It is a matter of kids, let their parents handle it. If matters escalate only then you should intervene." I sighed and nodded but I hoped that things would not go south.

"Your majesty, is this the way you are trying to maintain the decorum of the palace?" I heard the baroness asking me in a haughty tone.

"Kids fight anywhere, they are not adults after all. You would have understood it if you would have paid good attention to kids. I understand that it has been a long time since you have nurtured them. Maybe you get a chance again when your daughter gives birth. It has been 12 years since her marriage, right?" I told her straight and her face turned red. With anger or embarrassment, I had no idea.

"Why were you fighting, Killian?" Marianne asked as she looked at the boy. But the boy stayed silent, he did not speak a word.

"Kilian" she tried to ask again but no result. The other ladies around her were sneering at her while some were looking at her with pity. That made me wonder the way she was caring for both father and son, did they not like her to be this indifferent? The boy even called aunt Isabella while she was addressed as her highness!

Was she acting in front of everyone to be a loving mother? Thousands of thoughts touched the shore of my mind like angry sea waves hit the ground again and again until it started to crack.

"It's alright, duchess. The child must be afraid, you should not be too strict with my baby." Isabella hid the kid behind him as if she was afraid that Marianne would hurt the child. It raised the brow of many and whispers could be heard in the air.

It was clear that even the kid was more comfortable with Isabella and so was Isabella.

"I am not being strict, lady Isabella. I am trying to solve the matter. How would I know what happened if I would not ask.'' though she replied politely with a kind smile. Her gritted teeth and blazing eyes were different. She was looking at her as if she would shred her into pieces.

Meredith came forward as she hugged her twins. When she was sure there was nothing major happening to them too.

She stood up and asked,

"Are you here to attend an event, or fight? Is this the way you are taught to behave?" her voice was much colder than Marianne.

No one would believe that she was the one who had just hugged the children.

"I apologise, mother." they both replied in unison.

But her stance was still the same.

"You better be. Now tell me what happened here?" she asked in the same cold voice but her children still replied obediently.

That was the difference between her children and Marianne's. No matter how she asked her child, it did not even reply to her. There was a lack of obedience and trust among both.

"We were playing, mother, when brother asked Killian to join but he was not listening.

We avoided him later and talked to ourselves when the brother said he did not even call his mother, mother that he came and hit us.

We were just trying to protect ourselves." said the younger one as I did not know their names.