Chapter 25

I had never truly outright debated over a matter with anyone. Even in business, I found the best style of getting a point across was the careful analysis of your argument. The weighing of the pros and cons. And awaiting the silence of your objector. Then can you deliver your argument whilst completely serving the cons of their argument. It was polite. Short. To the point.

I hated to debate.

I hated to explain my exact thoughts on a matter without gruelling over my words, because no matter what, everyone had a different thought process. Everyone looked upon a matter with a completely different perspective, each made unique by how they were grown and taught. Their life experience that made them who they are today.

So when the ladies were told to gather in the part of the palace solely reserved for political matters, I already felt uneasy.

I was easily riled up. Driven by spite as if it were the most logical answer for everything. But here we sat in a place were one of my least favourite things were about to commence.

The usual ginger haired man stood in the spot the supervisor of the debate would stand. You couldn't be there unless you were of high enough standing, which meant I mistook a potential noble for a servant boy. Then again, I should have noticed I was wrong the moment he started explaining our tasks to us.

"Ladies, thank you gathering here today" he smiled, "Today the third task shall commence in the royal debate parlour, where a great many bills have been discussed, put forward and rejected. Today we hope to get your opinions on a topic in a friendly debate" he smiled nervously. "All of you will be listened to so this may take sometime as you will be called in groups of three to the main table. Please await for me to call your names".

I prayed I would be last so desperately it must have shown on my face because Anastasia took one glance at me and laughed.

"You look constipated" she chuckled, "you aren't having nightmares about being queen are you?"

"I don't like it" I stated and when she cocked her head in confusion I elaborated, "i don't like debating".

"Just stay quiet then" she shrugged and her reaction made me think I may have overreacted.

"Thats not a bad suggestion..."

"Lady Archangel, Lady Willow and Lady Brown" Anastasias head turned away and she sighed.

"Wish me terrible luck".

"Always".

I had watched over the debate between the three of them with much interest, eyeing the way the ginger responded to their delivery. Trying gauge the best way to get the least amount of points, but the mans face was passive. Nothing but a polite smile.

When they finished, another group was called.

Crystal had sat beside me silently, not speaking until the group finished and another was called.

"Tell me the truth" she slowly turned to me, eyes inquisitive, "how do you know him?"

I took a long glance at her. Her obsession with the prince had faltered after she realised her masked man was not the prince, but that didn't mean she had given up. I didn't enjoy the look in her eyes at all.

She's looking at me like I'm a threat.

"The ball. He was the man I danced with" I didn't look at her. I hated this. The very thought of her disliking me over a man.

"He danced with you at the ball?" she sounded sceptic.

"I was convinced the prince wasn't at the ball, and since I wasn't planning on coming back, I ran my mouth... He... Doesn't like me in the way you seem to think," I explained awkwardly. I was finding myself feeling strangely guilty.

"I see" her face didn't relax; her mind was gruelling over something.

"Crystal"-

"Announcing the arrival of his majesty the prince!" a loud booming voice declared as the door opened and the prince walked in. Eyes looking over all of us, his gaze brushed over me as if we were strangers, for which I was grateful. He smiled after he was done.

"Apologies, I was hoping to observe this task" I heard him say to the ginger man who bowed politely.

"Of course your majesty. You are the best judge of this competition as one of these ladies will be your queen".

Jules didn't reply with words and instead gave such a beautiful smile, many of the girls blushed a bright red.

I couldn't help but glare at him.

The amount of trouble he's caused me is ridiculous!

Crystal was eventually called and so were the other ladies, until three of us were left.

Myself, Lady hue, daughter of Baron Hue and Lady Sanchez, daughter of Count Sanchez. We stood and made our way to the round table where the prince sat comfortably and stared coldly at us.

I found that training my eyes on my hands stopped me from glaring blatantly at him. Instead I ignored him all together.

"Its good to see you today, your majesty" Lady Sanchezs' voice a tad higher than usual, nerves evidently kicking in, "you seem well?"

"Yes. I've been feeling rather well these days. I hope you ladies aren't inconvenienced by all these tests" his words made me realise I couldn't ignore speaking to him. Not when he directly asked us all.

"Not at all" lady Sanchez replied.

"Of course not, your majesty" Lady Hue added.

"Not at all" I lied, eyes not straying from my hands.

"Then let us begin the debate" the ginger finally intervened and I lifted my head to look at him, but found myself locking eyes with Jules who looked at me in such a strange way I raised a brow at him. He looked away. Strange. "Today we will be discussing a bill raised yesterday by Baron Hyacinth. He proposed we introduce a free public health care system".

"Why would we have such need for something like that when it's not taxing?" Lady Hue asked and I found myself internally shaking my head at the innocence of noble ladies.

"It's a bill that grant public health care for those who cannot usually afford it and those who can" the ginger haired man politely explained, "the bill itself was deemed promising in retrospect to our future, however, now lies the big question of funding such a large institution. I was hoping you ladies may debate the best solution to this problem".

I hated how I began instantly listing ways it could funded. It was only easy for me because questions like this were a daily habit for me to answer. I experience them often in business.

One was it to be included in taxes, but nobility may find issue with it since they would still pursue private health care. The other was for it to be run on the profits of another business while taking donations. Or rather… I thought about how I would do it.

I would open the hospital with built in stores. The prices for the products could be what is paid towards the cost of-.

"I truthfully think the bill shouldn't be passed" Lady Sanchez said, breaking off my train of thoughts.

I sighed internally, but held back.

Normal noble ladies wouldn't know about why such a bill would greatly contribute the country, because their parents hold a veil over their eyes. If I hadn't travelled around I would've said the same.

"Any objections?"

"I- I think we should pass the bill. We could have the Empire pay for it" Lady Hues suggestion had me cringing.

"How would you suppose we do that?" Maybe it was because he's been doing this for an hour, but the ginger was truly starting to break wasn't he?

"Well… we could ask?"

I almost face palmed.

"Lady Colter" the ginger haired man spoke my name as if to change the subject, "you've been terribly quiet. Any suggestions?"