"You don't have to go. You don't seem too well, little bunny. I'll speak with Madame Sino." Maximus could still sense the pain Robellia was trying to hide. She was putting up her walls again.
"I am fine. I can handle a few more papers. We should get going." Robellia tugged at Genevieve's arm as they hurried back to Madame Sino's office.
"You okay, Liya?" Genevieve asked after a while of silence in Madame Sino's office.
"I said I am fine."
"It's just that you are doing that thing where you pretend you are fine, but you are not. Liya Elenor was like a sister to you. It's okay for you to take a break or something. It's okay to be angry with the baron's son. " Genevieve knew her best friend more than anyone and knew when she wasn't okay.
Robellia put down her papers and rested her face in the palms of her hands. "No matter how many times I lose someone, I never get used to the pain. It hurts so bad, Gene. All I see when I close my eyes is her running around the market. She always loved the flower crowns I made her. She'd wear them until the flowers died out on her head. I just can't imagine the amount of pain she had endured alone." Robellia let out a sob.
Genevieve patted her back gently, trying to coax her, "The monster responsible for her death will be held accountable. Though I am not a great fan of Max, I trust his sense of justice. Deep down in his dark, demented heart, there might actually be some good."
The door suddenly opened, and when the girls looked up, Robellia hurriedly stood up, "Mother, what are you-"
Roselyn looked livid, "A personal attendant to the crown prince, Liya, are you serious?"
"Mother, calm down." Robellia had almost forgotten about all this.
"Were you crying? Did he hurt you?" Roselyn stepped closer, holding Robellia by her shoulders in a firm grip.
"No, he didn't," Robellia tried to wriggle out of her iron grip.
"Elenor died." Genevieve tried to help Robellia. "She committed suicide."
Roselyn's grip loosened, "The stableboy's sister?"
Robellia wriggled free, "Yes, mother. So can we just talk about this some other time?"
"A tragedy." Her voice clearly devoid of warmth. "I heard of her misfortune. Falling in love with a noble, the girl had it coming. Her death should be a lesson to you. You are to decline this position and stay as far away from that prince as possible."
"For goodness sake, mother, my friend just died."
"Liya, I want you to go to that prince and tell him you are declining the position. this instant." Roselyn didn't back off.
"Do you think I wanted this position in the first place? It was an order from the crown prince; doing otherwise is treason, mother."
"Did you even think this through, Liya? You are going to be the center of attention, and you are going to be accompanying him to council meetings and banquets. You are going to be surrounded by nobles. This is a death trap, Liya." Roselyn could only state the facts; this wasn't what hiding in plain sight looked like to her.
"What would you want me to do? Ran away from another life?" Robellia felt her anger rise by the second
How dare she speak to my Queen this way? Shadow roared.
"Now that you mention it."
Robellia scoffed in disbelief, "Gene, I'd like a moment alone with my mother. Could you wait outside?"
Genevieve gathered her papers. "Sure." She hurriedly walked out.
"I am not leaving another life behind, mother. I am going to keep this position, and I am going to live my life." Robellia stood her ground.
"Liya. You are putting us in danger."
"They don't even know what I am. I want to live, mother. To have a life for myself."
Roselyn looked at her daughter, her coldness slightly dissolving, "Ever since his return, he has only torn a rift between us. All we do is grope at each other's necks."
Robellia shook her head, "No, mother. You did this to us. You broke us, and you keep doing it again and again, and I just can't keep up with you anymore. Have you ever wondered as to what I want? What is my Liya feeling? What is she going through? Mhmm?"
"Keep the position if it's so much to you. But believe me when I say if anything goes wrong, I will bring down ruin to this palace and everyone in it. nothing you do shall stop me." Saying that she walked out of the office.
Robellia remained rooted to the ground; she knew her mother well enough to know that the threat was not to be taken lightly