0&1 Ch 3.5

The Queen touched my cheek like she could die from how cute I was.

“Oh my, Prince Joffrey. Are you trying to scare your mother?”

I got the feeling that no matter what I said, it wouldn’t work.

I hugged Dot, who was trembling on the floor.

“Go ahead and try to take him. I’ll just stay like this.” I was betting on the fact that the Queen wouldn’t dare mistreat Joffrey.

“Oh my…” The Queen burst into laughter.

Her laughter echoed through the dining hall. She laughed heartily without covering her mouth, then knelt down in front of me.

“”The prince is growing up so fast that this mother is surprised. Now even I am a stranger to the prince. Claiming something as yours…” She took my hand. “Get up. I won’t do anything to the prince’s servant. Let Prince Joffrey do as he pleases. This country is yours.”

No, that’s not true.

The Queen’s voice was low and soft, so no one else but Dot could hear her.

I was relieved. The Kingdom belonged to the  King. Even if the  King died, the first prince was Edward.

I let the Queen pull me to my feet.

The attendants brought back the reheated dinner. The food was delicious, but the Queen’s gaze was burdensome.

“Come to think of it, you’ve grown taller. You’ll outgrow your mother soon enough. Yes, you’re no longer a child…”

I wished she hadn’t said that. Joffrey was still a child.

“I’ve found a riding instructor for the prince. I’ll introduce him to you tomorrow.”
“Yes. Thank you, Mother. I’ll work hard.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. The King said it’s just a hunting competition, so there’s no need to worry about it. Who would take their young son to such a dangerous place?”

Someone does. The man who sits next to you.

The Queen laughed as if it were a joke, but I was certain the King was serious. He doesn’t like Joffrey.

Whether it’s because he’s an unwanted son or for some other reason, I don’t care to know.

I didn’t like the King either. Joffrey must have lived in fear of him. I could tell from the way the King and those around him treated him.

Did putting down a child really make him feel better?

Across the table, the Queen looked pleased.

Maybe it did.

The Queen was controlling Edward, and the King was controlling Joffrey. A horrifying household, even to just imagine.

It was no wonder that Edward and Joffrey grew up twisted.

Dot was busy serving the meal, even though he had nearly been hit by the Queen just a moment ago.

I was lucky my stomach was strong enough to digest under these conditions. I cleaned my plate and set down my fork.

The evening class was a mess. The words entered one ear and passed through the other.

Seeing me in a daze, the young instructor from the academy asked, “Shall we end class early today?” I decided to invite this instructor back again.

It had been a long day. As soon as I lay down on my bed, I fell asleep. It wasn’t a deep sleep, and I heard a faint sound.

Click.

The door to the next room opened and closed. Quiet footsteps approached me.

Someone was watching me. I woke up with a start.

The room next to Joffrey’s belonged to Dot, his attendant. Dot was watching me.

The footsteps that had lingered beside me for a moment grew distant. I heard the door open again. It was a different door from before. The door leading to the hallway.

Dot made sure I was asleep and went out. Why?

I slid out from under the blanket and opened the door quietly, just like Dot had done.

I could see Dot’s back disappearing into the darkness of the hallway. He was walking carefully, looking around to make sure no one was watching him.

“Dot, where are you going?”

Dot saw me and froze.

“Your Highness!”
“You’ll wake everyone.”

Dot clamped his mouth shut.  I motioned for him to come into the bedroom. Dot followed me, not knowing what to do.

The way he’d checked on me and snuck out so smoothly. He’d definitely done this before.

I was a little confused. Only suspicious people would sneak around the royal palace at night.

“What are you doing? What if the guards caught you? This isn’t your first time, is it?”
“No, Your Highness. It’s not like that…”
“Are you meeting a lover?”
“Of course not!”

Dot looked serious.

He was about sixteen years old, but he looked much younger than his age. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he had a favorite maid.

“I’m not going to scold you…”

Having a lover isn’t a bad thing.

“I’ll tell you everything.” Dot knelt and bowed deeply. Why was he doing a full-body bow in a Western palace?

“I was spying on you, Your Highness!”
“What? Why?”

I broke into a cold sweat. Had he figured out I wasn’t really Joffrey? If anyone were to notice, it’d be Dot or the Queen.

“The Queen is always worried that something bad will happen to you. She worries that you’ll get into trouble or danger. I was paid to report anything that happened to you!”
“Oh, really?”

Dot opened his eyes, which had been tightly shut.

“Are you angry?”
“Huh? No, so what’s going on? Has anything strange happened lately?”
“Strange things?”

I tried to pry more information out of him, but he seemed clueless. If I asked him if I looked suspicious, he would definitely think something was up.

“I also reported that Prince Edward came here for lunch.”

So that’s why the Queen knew right away. I thought the people at the royal palace had loose lips.

“And?”
“I also told her that Prince Joffrey was going horseback riding with His Highness Edward!”
“So that’s why the Queen showed up?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s something Edward should be mad about, not me. Anything else?”
“Your Highness, you’re really not mad?”

Was I supposed to be? If I were really Joffrey, maybe I would’ve been.

“You really shouldn’t tell her about my private life.”
“Yes…” Dot lowered his head.

“I’ll pay you instead. So stop doing it.”
“What?”
“Is it too much for me to afford?”

One of the few perks of being Joffrey was having money.

“No! Your Highness, why aren’t you kicking me out?  Why aren’t you scolding me…?”
“Why did you confess then?”
“Because you saved me…”

That’s not it.

I’m the one who put him in danger. I don’t know why he forgot that. If not for me, he wouldn’t have gotten on the Queen’s bad side at all.

Even if I try to think of it as a good deed, Dot’s gratitude makes my conscience ache.

“I was going to tell Her Majesty tonight that I’m quitting.”
“Why?”
“What?”
“No, I understand your resolve, but… Is it really necessary to tell the Queen that? She’s not the kind of person who would send you a severance package just because you’ve worked hard.”
“Well… that’s true, but…”
“What you were doing was just a part-time job without a contract, so your employer can’t say anything if you just quit, right? If you go alone and something happens…”

Dot spoke solemnly, “I’m ready. I’m willing to take that risk to prove that belong to the prince.”

Please don’t.

“But if Your Highness orders it, I won’t go.”
“Yes. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”

Dot smiled broadly. Then he bowed his head. I was startled.

Dot kissed my foot.

I was barefoot in my slippers, so I could feel his dry lips and tickling breath.

“For the prince who saved me, I will give my life someday. I promise.”

There’s no need…