An explanation

When the guard heard him, he did not immediately open the gates. Instead, he sent a message to the Princess. It took half an hour for the guard to send a message and come back with a reply. Benedict was not happy to be jeot waiting but she had no other choice.

When the guard who went to confirm from the princess came back, he needed his heard at the guard by the gate and the gate where pulled open.

Seeing that Jessica allowed her to enter this time, Benedict was relieved.

The carriage rode to the front of the palace, Benedict was help by her maid out if the palace, then she walked inside.

"Lady Benedict," May was the maid waiting outside to receive her. Seeing this, she was happier. She felt that Jessica had some awareness and gave her so much respect.

Benedict nodded her head and May led the way to the Princess. Jessica was working in the study, so Benedict was taken to the receiving hall and served tea. "Her highness is busy at the moment, if there is anything you need you can let me know," May said respectful after the teacup left her hand.

"I understand," Benedict swallowed the bitterness in her throat. Apart from attending etiquette classes and learning history, her father did not bother to help her acquire any other skill, like sportsmanship or how to shot an arrow. She did not also learn basic pharmacology like a few noble girls. She learn to sing and dance because they were part of etiquette class. She did not even know how to play any musical instruments.

At the end of the day, she was raised to be a beautiful flower at the side of the Princess. This was not the first time, she had to wait at the side while Jessica was learning something.

In the past Jessica would ask her to join her. So she did, one day when they practiced their shooting, Benedict had gotten a better score than the princess.

The late king had praises her for being talent with shooting arrows. He even offered to find her a master Archer. Who knows that when she got home her father had punished her and sent a message to the palace that she was sick.

He worked her that she was not permitted to be better that the princess and must reject her when next she allowed her to join her.

"Why," Benedict was bitter, other father's would praise their daughter for having a talent but her father condemned her. He even said that she always had to be under the princess so that Jessica would not feel threatened by her.

Benedict could not stand this unfair treatment, shooting arrow was the only thing that she did better than Jessica but she had to give it up because she was better. She started hating Princess Jessica since then. Even if she knew that Jessica had praised her skills.

Even when she told her that she wanted to drop out of the class because her father wanted to raise a delicate daughter. Learning shooting was hardship, Jessica had disagreed, she even helped her learn secretly but this did not make her feel any better

She decided to quit the other class, after all, no matter how much she tried she would be below Jessica, so she would always wait for her when she was busy in class.

Just then a maid arrived with a tray filled with Benedict's favourite snacks. Benedict smiled when she saw this, She knew that her cousin had never treated her like the other members of her family.

In truth, General Daiz plan had worked, the princess saw Benedict as her sister and friend. The problem lied in the fact that she would not give out sensitive information. This was not because Princess Jessica did not trust her but her sense of responsibility did not make her say.

....

Inside the study, Jessica was studying and looking at the book her father had left behind before old Grey returned from the first gate.

"Your highness," old Grey bowed when he walked into the study. The journey to the first gate and back had taken more than four hours.

"What did he say?" Princess Jessica asked. After reading her father's book, she realised that the second prince was a man of means. It was better to annoy the Emperor or even the Crown Prince.

Even if she knew this she was still very unwilling to bow. Her father had died in their hands, how could she still be his daughter if she could not show this little attitude?

"He said to send his greeting, he also ask your fitness to give him time. He would definitely give you an explanation for what happened to the king," old Grey answered.

"An explanation would not bring my father back from the grave," Princess Jessica frowned. She knew that she was over reacting, after all, it was already enough respect for him to say does words.

After all the other person was his brother and the crown prince of Gousho. Moreover, even she knew that it's was a stupid move to kill her father. She could tell that he might have planned to injure him, but someone had taken advantage of the situation.

"How long before he gives this explanation?" Princess Jessica frowned.

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