Portrait of Queen Berta

I accidentally got pregnant with His Majesty's child

Chapter 14: The corridor

"Berta Kasha. I hear you've been sent to accompany us on our tour of the South."

"Yes, Princess Margarita, Goodbye."

They met a troublesome opponent.

Berta decided to leave the coordination of the schedule to the palace inner affairs office, rather than her maids. That was a huge mistake, because thanks to that, the information leaked out.

In the palace there is a corridor that cross the Royal Palace, the front court and ends in the back court, just in this same narrow corridor the faction of the Second Queen is standing in front of the rightful Queen, Princess Margarita, her maidservants and the head maid, who is somehow not on good terms with Berta.

"His Majesty is unreasonable. It must have been a painful experience for you to refuse, too."

"Your Highness. I am in no position to question His Majesty's authority nor decisions."

The queen smiled, showing all her beauty.
Compared to Berta, whose dress, shoes, and ornaments are all the highest quality, the queen isn't so eyes catching.

But by the beauty standards of the palace, the innocent frail Queen's natural appearance is superior to Berta's, who is trying to get attention showing off her wealthy.

"It's all right, I'll make him reconsider it, don't worry. I'll excuse you"

"Please, it isn't something that the Queen's hands have to handle."

"Your Highness, it would be good to put your trust in the rightful Queen and refrain from interfering in the discussion of this matter between her and her husband."

From the beginning of Berta's marriage, the queen and the head maid consistently hinted that they did not recognize her as one of Harold's wives.

Berta's maidservants can stand the Queen's pressure, but that the head maid talks like that to their princess, is unbearable.
The only thing that stops them is that with the Queen present there, if they get into a fight with the head maid, they won't only lose but will ruin the reputation of their master.

(We will have no choice but to give in, it's so one-sided! Their advantage is too great for now)

There's no choice, Berta raised her voice after bowing more deeply than a vassal's greeting, this is only to avoid the Queen saying she was rude to her.

"With all due respect, please clear the way. I will be late for the appointed meeting with His Majesty, the King, who ordered me to attend."

The fact that they came all the way to the back court to meet them at this time means that they know that Berta was summoned to the Royal Palace today to discuss the tour schedule.

(It's a sign of His Majesty is starting to take my person in account, and treat me as part of the Royal Family, however... It's been almost two years since I've been in conflict with the queen faction in this royal palace. Right now, I can't worry about being seen as rude for them)

Berta already resigned herself to the fact that she can't expect to be treated as a normal second wife.

"Oh, dear. That's troubling."

Margarita put up an expression of worry, as if saying she didn't meant to cause problems for anyone, but she didn't show any sign of moving nor even a step away.

"Don't worry too much"

Berta swallowed a sigh.

(This is it.)

Perhaps it isn't a lie that she is worried, but she is surely trying to cause troubles.
What is going on in Margarita's head is something that Berta doesn't care about, however, it's true that causing a royal member to delay after an official summoning order from the King is a crime.
But it's Princess Margarita, who we're talking about while Berta is from the daughter of the chief of a 'inferior' ethnic group, so at the eyes of the Palace's people it doesn't even count as an offense.

She is still as beautiful as an out-of-this-world fairy, and looking so young that you can't believe that she is 30 years old, an always perfect beauty, elegant and pure.
But...

-- Margarita is sick, but the people around her can't point it out because she behaves just like she's fine.

That was the conclusion Berta came to while her ladies and the head maid, are really beginning to worry by her current state.

(It's a problem to make the king wait too long, and if they stop us in such a public place, the king will surely know the real reason why we arrived late. I'm sure the ladies over there are aware of this as well. So what should we do?)

The name of His Majesty, the triumph card of Berta, was already played, but even so Margarita doesn't leave.

As she was thinking about mentioned the Queen Mother's name, Johanna, who was right behind Berta, quickly appeared at her side.

"Queen Berta, if there's still time, Louis's personal maid asked if she should bring him too to see His Majesty during this reunion."

Johanna said it to Berta aloud enough for the First Queen and her people to hear it clearly.
It's a lie, His Majesty never requested her to bring the prince to the reunion, nor the nanny asked about it.

But the effect was extraordinary.

As soon as the First Queen heard Louis' name, she falters and quickly starts to leave the place.

"Let's go. I'm going to catch a cold after staying so long in this place."

Berta bowed when the Queen passed at her side, and Margarita's people followed her away with a relieved look on their faces.

"Your tact saved my life, thank you, Johanna"

"No, no. I'm sorry to use Prince Louis' name in this way."

"We didn't have a choice. ... In the future, when she can see things a little clearer, though, it would certainly be a headache."

The Queen, who first tried to take Louis away, after not receiving the support of the King to do so, she started to avoid the Prince and anything that has to do with him.

"Then again, she really reacts as if she has found a poisonous caterpillar in her flower bed."

Berta and her maids didn't understand Johanna's metaphor at first.
After they understood, they also considered that it was true but it doesn't matter what the Queen thinks, he's the Prince of the Kingdom, she can't try to eliminate him like a simple worm.

Johanna saw the gaze of Berta's maids and bowed apologizing, thinking that maybe they misunderstood her.
But it wasn't the case, Berta and the maids were angry at the thought that thanks to the Queen intervention, now they'll have to spend hour making excuses to not confront directly the First Queen's followers inside the internal affairs office.

"Ah. I'm going to have to deal with those twin chamberlains again."

"Dear Berta. It's time to get going, or we'll be really late."

"I don't like them, either."

What she said to the Queen earlier is true, Berta is in no position to argue against the decisions of the King.

In this royal palace, where every step you take can lead to a trap or trouble, Berta who wants to live in low profile.
But the new events that happen every day don't allow her to do so.

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