Eleanor scoffed without a care.
"The Queen Mother has not condemned me for it."
"You were only crowned a few days ago and already dared to make demands," she said.
"A mere title doesn't give you the power."
"Mere title?" Emilia echoed, her voice rising slightly.
"I will take my leave now. I have more important matters," Eleanor added dismissively, preparing to stand.
But Emilia gestured, and two servants standing nearby seized her shoulders and forced her back to her knees.
They are afraid of the prime minister's powers but also know better not to offend the Queen, who can decide their fate immediately.
"What do you think you are doing?" Eleanor shrieked, panic flashing in her voice. She couldn't believe both of them would have the balls to lay hands on her.
Emilia stepped forward, her expression from. She originally wanted to ask about the matters regarding Catherine only, but, seeing Eleanor's arrogant behavior, she couldn't help but give her a scare.
She sent a subtle nod towards June, who lifted Eleanor's chin, and with one swift motion, Emilia slapped her hard across the face.
Gasps fill the room and the shock on everyone's face doesn't settle for a few seconds. Even Catherine was taken aback.
"Your Highness!" Missy rushed to her mistress's side, trying to shield her.
"How dare you!" Eleanor cried out, her face filled with horror as she held her cheek.
"You still dare to raise your voice at me?" Emilia yelled, matching her tone. Her eyes blazed at Eleanor.
"Drag her out and flog her," Emilia ordered, her voice firm like steel.
"Punish her with ten lashes of the whip, and only let her go when she comes to her senses," she added, but none of the servants moved to obey it.
They remained stunned by the audacity of Emilia to hit Eleanor, despite knowing how much power the Windsor held. She had only been Queen for a few days and yet, she dared to slap someone like Eleanor. Seemed like her days were numbered in the palace.
"You… Emilia, you are going too far!" Eleanor yelped in fury, but that didn't faze Emilia, and she simply signaled to the male servants standing closely.
"Flog her twenty, she still hasn't regained her senses," she told them, and the servants nodded slowly, grabbing Eleanor up from the floor, but she threw them off and slapped one of them.
"Don't touch me!" she barked in anger, glaring at Emilia.
"Guards!" Emilia called, and immediately, a flood of soldiers entered the room, and she gave them orders.
Eleanor flinched at the sight of the guards, and before she could say anything else, two large arms grabbed her, and she shrieked out in fear of being dragged out.
Realizing the situation was far worse than she thought, she collapsed forward in a bow, her voice trembling.
"Please… Your Majesty."
"Forgive me," she begged, her head buried low in the ground.
She would have saved her pride, but she had never even been beaten once before, not to talk of twenty whips.
There is no way she won't lose her life before someone comes to her rescue.
"Forgive me, your Majesty," she repeated, but Emilia remained unmoved.
The guards moved to take Eleanor again, but she clung to Missy in desperation, who also held firmly to her, fighting being dragged outside.
Across the room, Catherine watched with a small, tired smile curling at her lips. Happy to see the nemesis of the one who had made the last week of her life a living hell beg.
So much like Emilia, even their father is scared whenever she gets angry and yet Eleanor tried to act cheeky with her.
For the first time in days, Catherine breathed freely.
"Stop," Emilia said suddenly as the door was about to be closed on Eleanor.
The guards let go of Eleanor, who quickly crawled forward on her knees, clearly frightened.
Emilia turned aside and made her way back to her seat, glancing down at Eleanor.
"Now do you understand what you've done wrong?" she asked.
"Yes… Your Majesty," Eleanor mumbled, with her head bowed.
"Release the maid I sent to you," Emilia ordered, and she nodded with her fingers tucking into her dress in anger.
"Yes, your Majesty," she replied.
Emilia heaved, satisfied enough and decided to let it be.
"You may both leave," she said.
Eleanor bowed again, her hands still trembling and Catherine dropped to her knees as well, her voice quiet but clear.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
They chorused.
Missy quickly helped Eleanor up to her feet, dusting the dirt on her dress.
Emilia's expression remained composed… but she wasn't done.
"Let her maid take the punishment instead," she decided.
"No…!" Missy gasped, but the guards immediately dragged her away.
Eleanor stayed silent, her hands balled into fists, turning deaf ears to Missy's cries and forced a bitter smile, then exited the hall with the rest of her servants.
Catherine also stood with the help of her maid to leave, but Emilia's question stopped them, and she turned back slightly.
"Why did you do it?" Emilia questioned, referring to her act of climbing into the King's bed.
She understood her desire to become the Queen, but doing something outrageous such as drugging the King is the height of it. If only she didn't do that, then maybe she wouldn't end up as a concubine with no title.
Emilia waited for her answer, but none was forthcoming. Catherine simply bit her lips, staring down.
"Do you know what your actions have caused our family?"
"How could you be so reckless?" Emilia asked again angrily and Catherine went on her knees, stretching her hands forward in respect.
"Please forgive me, your Majesty."
"I simply lost my mind for a second," she answered, but wasn't sincere.
She was furious when she found out her plan went hay-wire because of the issues with their father and only because of that is she in this situation, or she would have become the Queen already instead of Emilia.
"If you want the position of Queen so much, then you…"
Catherine cut Emilia off before she finished, pretending to be humble.
"I dare not covet your title, Your Majesty," she said.
"I only… I truly love the King. I lost my mind and did something like that. I didn't mean…"
She stopped to cough, and it took a few seconds before she stopped.
"Get the doctor to your mistress."
"And serve her some food," Emilia said, turning to Emily.
"You may leave."
Catherine bowed again and walked out with Emily by her side.
As they approached their quarters, Emily whispered,
"Your Highness… we really owe the Queen our lives today. If she hadn't intervened, you might lose..."
"Queen? Who says she deserves to be the Queen?" Catherine spun and shoved her. Emily stumbled back in shock.
"The position of Queen belongs to me. I should be the one in that seat and palace today!" she snapped, her voice very bitter.
"I… I'm sorry," Emily stammered, kneeling.
"If Father hadn't gotten into trouble and died, I would be Queen now, and not a useless concubine." Catherine hissed in anger, but her vision blurred and she swayed.
"Careful!" Emily caught her before she fell.
"You need rest. I have sent for the physician already. He is on his way."
Catherine nodded faintly, lips trembling with frustration.
Her plan had been perfect at the banquet. All she had to do was get Lucas to sleep with her, and she would be crowned.
She never expected such an unfortunate incident to befall her family and she lost it all. Becoming a concubine anyone can bully and disregard.
But as long as she's alive, she still has a chance.
She would find a way to remove both Emilia and Eleanor from the palace permanently. One day, she will be the only woman by the King's side… and the most powerful woman in the Kingdom.