"Are you threatening me with an impending war?" she frowned as she completely stepped away from him. The shock and disappointment in her eyes were obvious.
"No, it's not a threat. It's a warning. You might be able to have the position as the heir now but it will be hard for the northerners to accept you without a solid prove that you are completely on their side.
"They will never want to be rules by two Southerners at the same time. That is how it works. It will definitely lead to a serious uproar and I might not be alive to protect you," her father informed her solemnly.
She smiled warmly appreciating his concern sincerely. "I will think about it. If I find someone good enough at the ball, I will consider changing my mind. Someone with power, influence and shares the same interest with me," she replied him truthfully.
She will have to do a lot of thinking. If she breaks her deal with Liam, she will be forced to pay the penalty which will mean putting a stop to all her plans. She might also lose her throne or her rule over the north.
"I might also consider giving up on the north of if need be. That is if I don't find someone suitable," she informed him firmly.
"You should not think of doing that at all. You must not think of dividing the kingdoms, you must not talk about it either. You must not!" Her father stepped back to his table enraged.
"Why? After all we were independent before you married my mother. We might as well go back to the way things were in the past," she told him as she walked to the black leather seat in front of his desk and sat down knowing it might actually be a long discussion.
Her father also went to his seat and sat down watching her unhappily.
"My grandfather wanted you to marry my mother into her royal family and not the other way around. You know more than I do that this was the reason my grandfather was against your marriage and I heard about the prenuptial agreement you signed before getting married to my mother. I think if northerners are against it then we might have to use the signed agreement."
Her father was very shocked by the words his daughter was letting out of her lips. He never knew that anyone outside knew about the prenuptial agreement. His expression blackened immediately. "How do you know about it?"
"My grandfather left a copy with the Hart's family remember that they are loyal to the southern royal family," she replied him easily.
"Why . . .why did he . . ." her father was clearly very confused by all he was hearing.
"As much as the northerners are against the union of the two kingdoms, the Southerners are also against it and they are willing to give me enough evidence to make a peaceful division."
"You are mistaken. One of the vital thing they did not tell you is that there can never be a peaceful division. It will lead to war and you know what war leads to," the king informed her sternly. "You should really not relate with such people," he added a warning.
"That depends solely on the response I get from the northerners. If they are still against me, I will only conclude that they don't want to be a part of the southern kingdom and call for a division."
"Are you threatening the north?" it was her father's turn to feel threatened.
"No, I am not. I am only warning them not to get too uncontrollable just like they acted after my grandfather's death. If a marriage can unite two kingdoms, it might as well take another marriage to divide it," she said calmly.
"You should not act unruly either or you won't even be able to persuade the Southerners," her father warned her.
"I know that very well, father. I also know that with your support, everybody will get what they want and we can have peace. I will also listen to your advise. About the ball, I will try to look pretty enough to get a handsome, powerful man."
"You have my support," the king said calmly. As far as she was willing to try some other man, his heart was slightly settled. The last thing he wanted and many others from the northern kingdom was to have a descendant of the Hart family rule over them.
With a smile and a slight bow, she stood up and walked out of the study without waiting for him to dismiss her. She had some serious stuff to discuss with Liam.
She met her stepbrother on the hall way. He stopped her as soon as they got close. "Do you really think you can come here and think you will find a place here after living as an orphan for decades? You don't belong here, go back to slum you originated from and give us some breathing space."
Rose simply stated at him as she tried to pick somethings from his facial features that resembles her dad because he seem to resemble his mother a lot making him look like an arrogant pretty boy.
She only noticed his eyes colour which was dark but that was also his mother's eye color. "Excuse me," when she got tired of looking at the young male version of the Queen.
The boy scoffed very annoyed with her nonchalant attitude to him like he was an unworthy competition. "You should not think too highly of yourself. You should leave before you embarrass yourself and the Royal family with you.
"You don't seem to be aware of the power of the position you occupy and you are not even properly trained to be the heir."
Rose heard all he said but remained calm as she watched him fool himself.
"You are dumb, right? Don't you speak?" he asked ridiculously.
"Peter," the young princess called out to her brother when she got close to him. "Father sent for you, remember."
Even after he turned to continue towards the king's study, he still paused to glance at Rose.
"Did my brother say anything wrong to you?" the princess asked with her voice soft and gentle like she was scared of startling a little lamb.
Rose looked into the girl's black eyes that are just like her brother's eyes and suddenly felt like she looked like someone she knows. She remembered how Anna looked when she woke up and how she looked into her beautiful black eyes.
With a slight nod of acknowledgement, she continued walking down the hallway with her assistant behind her. She changed her clothes as soon as she got to her room and sat staring at her smart phone for a while.
She knew very well that just like her naughty step brother, a lot of people especially the nobles and other branches of the Royal family thinks that she is where she should not be.
They will look down on her without pity and she had to get ready for all their harsh speeches although she was never going to let them hurt her. She was going to do all she can do protect her position even if it means meeting a young male northerner or stubbornly refusing not to.
Just as she stretched her hand to pick the phone which was only an arm length away from her, the phone vibrated and from the caller's ID displayed on the screen, she knew it was Eric.
"Hello," she said when she picked the call.
"Congratulations," he said immediately excitedly.
"Thanks," she accepted it immediately knowing the reason why he called.
"I saw you on TV, you looked so graceful and beautiful," Eric complimented her.
"Really?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes," he replied as though he could see her smiling in front of him. "You always do."
"Thank you," she accepted his compliment naturally.
"How have these few hours been?"
"Little argument with my father and that's all. How is your mum now?"
"A lot better. She seems to have travelled to the past and have become a youth once again. She was so happy to see you on TV. She wants to speak to you."
"I am happy for you," Eric's mum told her warmly from the other end. "I hope you are doing fine and the ceremony was not hectic."
"To be Frank, it was. I only survived it, luckily. I will rest later so I will be strong enough to go on with the coming ones," she replied lazily. "How is your health?"
"I feel very good. I will visit you when I can," Eric's mum told her.
"No, don't bother. I will visit you when I come back to Star city. I will come back soon."
"Ok. Watch what you eat. Remember your health needs to be nurtured properly. Don't stress yourself much. Your sleep is important . . ."
"I am really okay. I don't know why but I feel like that advise was meant for the two of us," Rose joked.
Eric's mum laughed heartily. "You are a funny girl. Take care of yourself.. Bye then since you don't want a few more nagging."
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