Oriana, maintaining her composure, spoke up. "Lady Grace recounted these stories in such a way that implied a deeper, inappropriate relationship with the Crown Prince, insinuating that she had a special claim to his affections.
"This, despite the fact that she knew very well he is now my husband. Her words were intended to undermine my position and dignity as Crown Princess. As a wife, what do you expect me to do when a woman slandering him right in front of me. I think I was too lenient to simply strangle her."
The court fell silent as Oriana’s words hung in the air. Grace’s smug expressions faded, replaced by a look of realization and fear. Luis was surprised at the turn of event as well and raced his brain to get his daughter out of it.
Oriana turned to the King, "Your Majesty, I was simply stopping Lady Grace from spreading nonsense about my husband, but I admit that my way of stopping her was a bit aggressive."
The King and Queen offered an approving nod, feeling proud of Oriana’s thought process. No one had anticipated that she would bring such a perspective to the matter.
Oriana continued, "That being said, my guardian knight, Sir Rafal Ahren, is also wrongly accused. He was fulfilling his duty by standing by his master’s side, as a knight should do, even in situations of life and death. Having served the Crown Prince for years, his loyalty remains steadfast, and he could not stand idly by while his liege was being slandered. I request that you pardon him from any baseless accusations made by a woman with no dignity and shame."
The King once again offered an approving nod.
Oriana turned to Minister Daryl, her voice icy. "As the Crown Princess of this kingdom, Minister Daryl, you cannot expect me to ignore such a thing," she said. "No one is allowed to slander my family, and I will not tolerate it, no matter who the person is, whether it’s a spoiled daughter or her father."
Her gaze passed over Grace and settled on the King. "Your Majesty, I request that Lady Grace be punished for the crime she has committed. Slandering a Royalty is subject to the death sentence."
All the color drained from Grace’s face, and she seemed about to faint. Luis immediately held his daughter to support her. "F-Father..."
The King’s expression turned grave. "Lady Grace, do you deny the intention behind your words?"
Grace’s eyes filled with tears. "I... I was just reminiscing... I didn’t mean to..."
"Intentions matter," the Queen stated firmly, stepping in for the King. "And it appears your intentions were to cause discord and dishonor the Crown Princess. This behavior is unbecoming and will not be tolerated."
Luis, sensing the gravity of the situation, bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Your Majesty, I apologize for my daughter’s actions. But I believe she didn’t mean it. She is still young and might not understand the gravity of her words. I request you to show mercy and understanding towards my daughter, just as you have shown towards the Crown Princess and her family."
"What do you mean, Marquis Mortimer?" another minister asked.
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