3 A Family Reunion

Golden sunshine caressed Freya's white cheek as she ate her lunch happily. Her garden's view was not the best, but she remade it from the beginning. She sowed lemon, peach, olive and other species. And she made a place to rest with a bench and a table covered by haystacks. It was simple yet alive.

Joe brought a tea tray and cleaned the table from the plates. Walking two steps, she stopped and looked at her.

"Your Highness, Lady Rachel sent you an invitation for an afternoon tea," Joe said.

"I am not going," Freya affirmed.

Her body ached from all the run she underwent last night, so resting in her garden was a good plan for the afternoon then meeting with the king's second wife.

"Ma'am, this is the third invitation Madam Rachel sent you this week."

"Why is she so persistent?" Freya replied, frowning.

From what she remembered, they never interacted with each other before.

"Maybe she wanted to see you. You never met her before," Joe answered.

"Joe, you're so innocent," Freya said.

Turning her head to look at her maid's dumb face, then waving her hand, Joe dropped her head and went out.

One of the reasons she accepted Joe to be her closest maid was because she was too honest and trustworthy. In a world full of deception, where the profits talked more than vows, few could keep their innocence.

Most of the servants working with her were the king's spies or her brother's. She spent years getting rid of most of their suspicions about her, so they were less diligent in watching her. Living as a silent person helped her a lot in easing their caution.

She hoped her escape would take place faster. Her brother planned for something big. She didn't know when he would make a move, sacrificing her to achieve his goals.

His last words were full of suspicious intentions.

'I had no other solution but to send you away to our enemy. Our family's blood was in his hands. I will take you back. Remember that your brother is always backing you.'

'Our family's blood is in our enemy's hand!' Freya scoffed, 'As I don't know whose hands were more drenched.'

After returning to her bedchamber, she noticed the invitation letter on her bedside table.

"Joe, give me my latest green dress and my diamond set. I changed my mind. I will accept the invitation," Freya said, smirking.

Joe, who just entered, widened her eyes completely shocked. Before her escape, she wanted to bid farewell to the palace's owners.

After being tortured wearing the corset, Freya wore her long green gown with puffy sleeves, decorated with golden flower carvings at the hem and the waistline. She sat behind her dressing table, letting Jo comb her hair in a bun and helping her put the pink diamond jewels.

"Ma'am, you look stunning. Your eyes' colour was unique. I never thought such a green colour would suit you."

Freya looked at her reflection in the round mirror, her small white face looked paler with her silver hair, and her violet pupils shone brightly. She looked graceful in the green dress, which fitted her slim body.

"Did you send the reply?" she asked, and Joe nodded.

Freya smiled and walked out of her quarter followed by her maid.

Standing beside the huge quarter, Joe gasped. The place was breathtaking with well-groomed landscapes at the sides and the bright-coloured pavilion. Freya raised a brow and got in.

"Greetings to the Queen of the Frowshire Kingdom, I am Carmen, Madam Rachel's lady-in-waiting. I will take you where Her Highness is," a middle-aged woman said, bowing her head and leading the way.

Passing by the vast hallways, almost every corner, servants would bow and call 'Your Highness' out of duty, but their whispers were full of mockery. Golden furniture shone everywhere, which made her eyes hurt.

'So exaggerated!'

"Ma'am, this is unfair—" Joe went closer and murmured.

Freya opened her eyes as a sign for Joe to stop talking which she did, dropping her head like a wronged child.

Joe must have noticed the difference between her and Rachel. They were the king's wives, but their treatment differed like the sky and earth. Her residence was one of the guests' places to live in, small and far, but Rachel's was the third biggest quarter after the king and queen's.

As they arrived at the garden's entrance, Freya heard Joe exclaim, smiling at her maid's shocked face. The garden looked stunning, now at the beginning of the spring. There were many buds and flowers with multiple colours, red, yellow, blue, violet, and pink, fused with the green shrubs creating beautiful scenery.

Freya stood for a while and then resumed walking at the stony walkway.

"It had been two years. Is there any good news?"

Freya heard the whispers, quite surprised. 'Who is chatting with Rachel?'

"Your Highness Rachel, your Highness Queen Lira, her Highness Queen Freya has arrived," the maid fastened her steps and said, bowing her head.

'Queen Lira? What a bad luck!'

Freya arrived at the round-shaped resting place, with four pillars and a dome decorated with flowers and plants. A seemingly big round wooden table was modelled in the middle, and eight seats were placed beside it.

"Lady Rachel," Freya said, looking directly at the young woman. "Queen mother," she greeted, bowing slightly. Queen Lira scrutinized her for a second and then gazed away.

The years never left a trace on Queen Lira's face. She looked like a woman in her thirties despite being in her fifties. She looked stern, and her big black eyes helped a lot. Her black hair was tied up, showing her well-shaped jawbone. She resembled a woman worrier. Fierce and haughty. The dark blue dress looked stunning on her.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation Queen Freya. I was honoured to get your positive reply this time. Please take a seat," Rachel said, smiling.

Freya arched her eyebrows and took a seat across from Rachel, to the right of Queen Lira. Although both she and Rachel were considered queens in noble society, according to the laws of the Frowshire kingdom, only one could hold the title of queen while the others were regarded as wives of the king. As Freya held a higher status than Rachel, the latter should show some level of respect towards her.

She had not received the lowest respect she deserved for the past three years.

Freya bit the inside of her mouth and endured the discomfort she felt like she always did.

"Carmen, serve tea," Rachel ordered.

An innocent smile printed her white face. Her blond hair cascaded from her shoulder, and her petite face looked smaller with the fringe hiding her green eyes and small pink lips. She wore a pink dress and looked like a flower blooming in spring.

Freya sipped her tea and ate the lemon pie with peace of mind.

"This is the first time I've seen you this close. You are so beautiful," Rachel initiated the discussion.

Freya smiled and replied, "Thank you for the compliment. You are gorgeous too."

"Good, then what are you doing these days," she asked.

"I–" As she was about to talk, Queen Lira interrupted, "Why are you asking her? You are doing her assignments. She should be thankful to you. She lived a carefree life for the past three years."