The queen and her entourage left my courtyard at last. I sighed in relief. I felt my knees lost it’s strength and gave away. I was falling down when someone behind me caught me.

"You did good." Leon whispered to me from behind. He was the one that caught me before I fell on the ground. Leon helped me up.

"Alicia, sister." Richard ran towards me. "Wow, what you did was amazing. I can’t believe you actually stood up against queen mother and sisters. And when you gave Elizabeth that dual slap. Pack Pack. It was awesome. You showed her."

Richard reenacted my motion and it made me laugh.

"Haha, really? Did I look that way?" I asked amused.

"Yes you were great." Richard said enthusiastically. "And the way you made eye contact with queen mother. I get the shivers every time I see her. She is very strict."

"Enough bad mouthing your mother." Grandpa approached us. "Alicia dear. I am sorry." Grandpa sighed.

"What for, grandpa? You didn’t do anything wrong." I said.

"I feel that I have been a negligent father to my daughter. I was on the battle field when she was growing up. And after the war, I thought I had to make it up to her and spoiled her with love and affection. I gave in to her every whim, thinking it was for her own happiness. Maybe because of that she turned out this way. And even brought up her daughters like that." Grandpa sighed.

"It’s a good thing that Richard grew up in your strict guidance rather than his mother." Leon patted Richard’s head.

"He is a future king. Of course I have to be strict with his lessons. It is for the good future of Alvannia." Grandpa replied.

"But you are so strict to me grandpa." Richard pouted. "Looking at my third sisters improvement, sir Leon might be a good instructor in the art of sword. Can you also accept me as a student?" Richard’s eyes were glimmering.

"What nonsense are you saying child? I am your instructor." Grandpa felt hurt knowing that Richard wanted someone other than him to teach him the art of sword. "And sir Leon is your sisters personal knight. He is not a sword instructor."

"Richard grandpa is right. Sir Leon is a knight, he can’t go and teach anyone the art of sword." I said gently.

"But I am not just anyone. I am the crown prince of Alvannia. The heir to the Alvannian throne." Richard said with pride.

"Hahaha well said little one." Leon laughed. "Well I won’t mind taking another student. If your grandfather approves that is."

"Hmph, if Richard wishes it then I will approve." Grandpa snorted. "I have trust in sir Leon’s sword skills so I do not mind."

"Really grandpa? Thank you so much." Richard hugged grandpa happily. The old man was clearly happy looking at his grandson’s affection to him.

"Well, there is one condition before I take you in as a student." Leon said.

"What is it?" Richard’s face became serious.

"You will call me master from now on." Leon smiled cockily.

"That is no problem. From now on I will call you master." Richard gave a salute to Leon.

"Very good." Leon smiled. He was thinking that in the future this little boy will become king. And thinking that king of Alvannia will call him master and giving him respect, gives him the feeling of supremacy.

"Okay. How about you two children go to Richard’s courtyard for a snack." Grandpa told us. "Sir Leon and I have something to talk about."

"Okay grandpa." Richard and I replied in unison.

"Let us go sister." Richard grabbed my hand and pulled me.

"Okay, okay. Hold your horses." I giggled. I look back at grandpa and Leon, curious to what will they be talking about. I saw them with serious faces.

***

"Was that your doing?" Robert asked Leon.

"What are you talking about." Leon looked ignorant but his smile contradicts it.

"You know what I mean. The cat." Robert said straight forward.

"You mean the cat the emerged from out of no where and attacked the second princess?" Leon asked amused. "Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t involved in that incident?"

"Then is it just a coincidence that the cat attacked Elizabeth?" Robert asked curiously.

"I can tell you that the cat’s action was not purely coincidence." Leon replied. "Well it was a coincidence that it was passing by here."

"Meaning?" Robert was confused.

"The cat’s intentional attack was instigated by magic." Leon answered truthfully.

"Magic?" Robert was surprised. "But you are the only one here who knows how to use magic. Except if there is some spy in the palace I do not know of."

"You know very well that there is another Atlantian here old general." Leon said.

"You mean..." Robert knew what Leon meant by ’another Atlantian’.

"Yes old general, your granddaughter princess Alicia." Leon answered with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

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