"Why? The marriage between us is an arrangement by the two kingdoms. Your highness, do you not think that I will be crossing my boundaries if I  questioned or told the prince what to do?" princess Ellen asked.


    She was determined not to fall into the Queen''s trap. She was unwilling to share her husband. Moreover, she could see that the Queen was losing her patience.


    If she managed to anger the Queen princess Ellen would be very happy. After all to her, this woman was the reason her husband could not sleep without having nightmares.


    "How is that? My son is very reasonable, I am sure he will listen to you," the Queen insist, there was no way she will tell the princess that the prince loves her.


    "Then your highness should tell the prince about it herself. I am still so scared of the prince. What if he gets angry and...," Princess Ellen fake her fear. She did not even bother to hide the smirk on her lips.


    When the Queen saw her acting like this, she felt angry. "You..." She wanted to scold princess Ellen do much but words failed her at that moment.


    "Your highness could it be that you want me to dig my own grave? If your son is so understanding like you claim then why..." Princess Ellen pause and look at the Queen Magret.


    magret felt really angry and slammed her hand on the table. How could she not understand what the princess was indirectly calling her a liar.


    Just when Princess Ellen thought that the Queen will snap at her, they heard footsteps.


    "Your highest," prince Ericsson bowed, he gotten used to calling her that, so even when he gain back his position he still called her that even if he did not have to.


    When Queen Magret saw that the person that walked into the dinning hall was prince Ericsson she paused and too a deep breath to calm herself.


    Princess Ellen looked at the face of she did not recognize. The man looked young but he seems to be quite close to the Queen. Even if he had bowed to the Queen, princess Ellen did not miss the affection in his eyes.


    ''What is this?'' Princess Ellen''s imagination began to run wild. Like everyone else, she believed that the Queen loved the late king with all her heart but given the fact that she saw lady Regina keeping a young general she could not but let her imagination run wild.


    Lady Regina had desired her father the king so much that she  murder her best friend, yet she kept a young General.Even if she had all this thought, she pout her lips and did not say anything..


    "This is prince Ericsson, he his your husband''s uncle," Queen Magret say seeing that the princess just looked at the man. If the Quern saw though her though she might really have snapped at the princess and curse her to the high heaven


    Princess Ellen looked at the man, who looked very young. Now that she looked at the princess closer, she saw a bit of resemblance between the crown prince and his uncle.  she would have  thought the man was prince Sebastian father if he was not looking so young. Although this man and prince sebastian could not be said to look so much alike but compare to the late king, prince Sebastian looked a lot like him.


    "Uncle,"  Princess Ellen bowed her head in greeting. Although it was strange for the prince''s Uncle to still be in the kingdom, Princess Ellen could guess that there was more to the current situation..


    Prince Ericsson nodded his head at her. He had a good impression of the Princess when he first saw her defend herself in the royal court, and since the prince said he loved her his impression improved.


    Now that he saw that the young girl did not bow to the Queen''s demand he felt even more pleased. A person in power should not coward at the demands of others. Although he just arrived, he had seen the Queen"s reaction and he could guess dhe was very angry.


    "Your highness, if there is nothing else, I will like to excuse myself," Princess Ellen said. Since she could no longer angry the Queen, princess Ellen felt that it was best for her to leave the place as soon as possible.


    Moreover, she was feeling very hungry, especially after watching the Queen eat, but she could not go back on her words. Queen magret frowned her brows when she heard the princess  but she signal to the princess to leave. There was no way she would continue forcing princess Ellen especially when prince Ericsson was there.


    When princess Ellen saw her gesture, she jumped to her feet and hurriedly left the dinning hall. Seeing the way the princess left the Queen was speechless.  Anyone who saw the princess that way will she left will conclude the Queen was asking for her head.


    "What did you do to scare her like that?" Prince Ericsson asked when the princess was out of sight.


    The Queen frown, " I just wanted her to convince Sebastian. I have done everything already. Once his curse is lifted he will not be so strong," the Queen replied in a worried tone.


    "Why? I thought the prince already made his decision clear to you, the lords and nobles?" Prince Ericsson was confused he did not expect the Queen to still insist.


    "Do not give me that look, I am doing this for him. He can not always have his way. He needs to make some allies," Queen Magret replied.


    "What are you worried about? Even if the princess gets pregnant today, there is still another ten new moons before she is due. At that time the prince would have exblish his throne. No one would dare challenge him. Besides, no one will know if the curse is lifted. The prince has not used this powers often, he is good with the sword and that''s all that matters," prince Ericsson tried to comfort her.


    "You are right, maybe I am overthinking things. I should trust my son," the Queen sigh and shook her head.


    "Great," prince Ericsson nodded his head.


    "How did you do it?" Queen Magret asked after a short pause.


    "Do what?" Prince Sebastian was confused by her Question


    "She address you as uncle on your first meeting but even after asking her to address me as mother, she still stubbornly calls me ''your highness," the Queen complained.


    "Well, maybe because I am friendly and I am not trying to manipulate her,"  prince Ericsson smiled.


    The Queen point her lips, it was a fact that the two times she jas asked to see the princess she had plans to manipulate her into going something that she wants.


    "Do you think she is that smart?" Queen magnet asked. Queen Magret has become so used to scheming and using people that she totally forgot how to be friendly and honest with others.


    To be honest the Quuen saw relationships as benefits. She knew that lady Catherine and the rest had respected her because of her position and what they can get.


    But the princess Ellen was different, she respected her but she dared to disagree with her without fear.


    "Well, do you think you son will be interested in someone that is stupid?" Prince Ericsson raised his brows.


    "No," the Queen shook her head. After seeing the princess action in the royal court she knew that she was smart, but how could someone like Queen magret believe that the princess will outsmart her and see through her scheme do easily.


    "You have to be careful, a person like her can easily cause misunderstanding between you and the prince without doing anything," prince Ericsson warned.


    The Queen nodded her head but deep in her mind she was scheming something. ''Let just wait till she give birth'' Queen Magret thought in her heart. The princess is quite useful, so she did not want to do anything that will cause the princess to be unwilling to birth the prince''s child.


    "I know that look, do not destroy all you have built," prince Ericsson warned. He had worked with the Queen for over twenty years, how could he not know what she was thinking.


    "I have heard you," the Queen said. ''Well all I want to do is verify how smart she is, that is not a problem right?''


    ....


    Later that evening


    "Who started this rumor about me liking that girl from Carrero''s family?" Prince Sebastian asked. He was angry that his name and that of Lady Vera was still spreading even if he had said he will have nothing to do with her.


    "That your highness..." Jeffery Slotted as he looked at the prince angry face. Who would have thought that a simple rumor like this will get the prince is angry.


    "Speak," the prince commanded getting angry with Jeffery. Jeffery took two steps back in fear. He could never get used to the angry side of the prince.


    He raised his hand and pointed it at himself, since he could not find his voice.