Angela looked embarrassed at what Seren said. Cian could only silently sigh. She clearly didn't acknowledge her as a relative.
Angela immediately corrected herself. "Apologies, Your Majesty Queen Seren. I am a little dull. Please do not be mad that this cousin of yours carelessly made a mistake because it has been a long time since I have seen you—"
It was obvious that this lady was a proper lady raised by a noble house. Even though her words sound nice and polite, her words hide a hidden dagger in them. If an outsider were to hear their conversation, it would make Seren sound like a villain bullying an innocent little girl.
"Do I even know you? Which sister or cousin are you of mine?"
She felt utterly embarrassed. "I-I am Angela Ilven, Your Majesty, daughter of His Majesty the King's late younger brother…"
All of a sudden, a number of ladies who Seren recognized to be Queen Niobe's ladies-in-waiting approached them. From what she remembered, these ladies too were either her cousins or other distant relatives from the paternal side. When Niobe Nefertiti was crowned queen, as a political move to keep her husband's relatives in check, she took the women of the family under her faction and earned their loyalty.
They stood by Angela and bowed to Seren. "Your Majesty Queen Seren, apologies if our little cousin had upset you."
"We will make sure to educate her well."
"Your Majesty must be tired from dancing. Why don't you first rest in one of the side halls?"
Seren said nothing as she simply narrowed her eyes on them. Did they think she was stupid?
She could clearly see the young unmarried women in the group were interested in her handsome husband, and to her, they looked nothing more than that vixen the two women in that Griven bookstore were talking about.
The vixen who stole that woman's husband.
They were attempting to separate Drayce and Seren so that they could find an opportunity to interact with her husband. She could not bear the thought of any of them laying hands on her husband, let alone dancing with him.
She felt like standing in front of her husband like a shield, not even letting any of them take a look at her husband. He belonged to her and her alone.
In a span of a second, many ugly thoughts appeared in her mind which made anger rise inside her. Her purple eyes had started to flicker with negative emotions.
Drayce and Arlan realized that things were starting to spiral out of control, and before she could unintentionally cause harm, Drayce stood next to Seren. His hand gently clasped her shoulder and he pulled her closer to him in an embrace.
"As I said, only my wife can decide for me," Drayce said.
His actions and words got Seren back to her senses.
"The King of Megaris is indeed a romantic," one of the ladies praised. "Alas, he must be the epitome of a perfect husband."
"Indeed, indeed."
"Your Majesty Queen Seren must also be an exceptional woman to be paired with such a perfect man."
"Of course, how can the woman His Majesty King Drayce choose not be kind and virtuous? The Queen of Megaris ought to be benevolent, generous and broadminded, a woman all ladies should look up to."
"Indeed, indeed."
"Then, Your Majesty Queen Seren would not refuse our silly sister's wish to have the honor of dancing with the King of Megaris, right? Our Angela has always looked up to the strongest swordsman in the entire continent, and you won't deny the greatest gift she'll ever have in her lifetime, will you?" someone next to Angela said, and she looked at Seren with a sweet smile. "What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Clever words twisted with hidden agenda. No, at this point, it was not even hidden. Seren gritted her teeth at their audacity of eyeing her husband, but before she could lash out, she found Drayce's hand gently rubbing the side of shoulder to calm her. She realized that many curious gazes were watching them and she needed to control her anger.
A voice without a hint of her real emotions escaped her mind.
"Well, I sure don't mind if this little girl admirer dances with my husband."
Smiles appeared on their faces, some even trying to hide their laughter. They felt they were worried about nothing. What queen of the strongest kingdom? She's but a naive girl not even of age who had not seen the world, an idiot easy to deal with.
Drayce felt a little confused as he expected his wife to reject it and he clearly didn't wish to dance with any other woman.
"But…" they heard Seren again, "Are you sure your sister will be fine to touch something which is claimed and enchanted by a witch. What if misfortune befalls her and she turns into ugly one. She might end up getting scales on her beautiful skin just like mine. Are you sure you want to risk it?"
Her words made their eyes widened in fear.
"Oh, what am I even saying?" Seren let out a sweet chuckle as she deliberately caressed the scales on the back of her hand. "Ignore what I said. Go ahead. Dance with my husband. As you ladies said, my husband is the greatest gift any woman can ever have..... in her lifetime."
The way she dragged the last word caused goosebumps to appear on the skin of the ladies within earshot…as if to say that lifetime might be cut short.
Angela visibly shivered, her mind running a hundred thoughts about Seren's ill reputation.
As if to fuel her imagination, Seren added, "Well, go dance. I am giving you this precious opportunity. Maybe the enchantment on him will rub off— oh, why are you gazing at me like that? Maybe you have grown to admire my benevolent heart too? I don't mind adding a new lady to attend to my needs…"
Drayce, Arlan, and even Cian, found themselves staying silent as they watched the ladies grow paler and paler with each passing second. Though Cian was starting to feel bad for their relatives, he mostly felt proud Seren could handle things on her own now.
"Apologies for taking your precious time, Your Majesty King and Queen of Megaris."
"Please excuse us. I hear my mother calling for me."
The group of ladies bowed and immediately left as if their skirts were on fire. Seren's words left a serious impact on them. Soon, none of them could be seen within Seren's line of sight.
"You scared them, my Queen," Drayce spoke, the amusement in his voice undeniable.
"All these years, they feared me as a witch. How dare they conveniently forget that the moment they see you? Hmph, they better behave or else this scary witch might truly curse them."
Drayce laughed at her resentful words, while the other two smiled seeing the Queen of Megaris being openly possessive of her husband.
"So my Queen, about that part where you say that I am yours, that I am enchanted by you, that I am the greatest gift—-"
Seren's eyes suddenly widened as delayed embarrassment engulfed her.
To think she said Drayce is hers in public! Even in front of her brother!
"I-I…"
"I felt it's far from the truth. I think the greatest gift of my lifetime is you, and not the other way around."
Seren was so embarrassed she could only look away. She was grateful her veil could hide the furious blush on her cheeks.
Arlan looked at Cian. "Too much sweetness here that I don't think I can eat any more sweets at this banquet."
"I will ask to prepare something really spicy for us," Cian replied, agreeing to it.
Drayce and Seren ignored them and continued to throw affectionate glances at each other.
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A/N- These 5 chapters Sunday mass release is to show my gratitude for voting the golden tickets to "The Devil's Cursed Witch" during the Double Golden Ticket event. Thank you so much for the support. Even though we could not top the event, your support meant a lot. <3<3
This content is taken from free web nov𝒆l.com