Behind The Castle's

**SHE WAS BORN TO BE QUEEN**

Diana's masterful hand moved agilely measuring the size to pair the Victorian corset. Diana stared fixedly at Victoria's waist and stomach which she said became much more round and filled.

"You're really eating whatever Vic is, your stomach's getting rounder"

"Of course, starting next year my menu will be set. Ck! I should enjoy everything with satisfaction while I can"

Diana chuckled softly

"Even when you ascend to the throne, your diet will be much tighter. Be prepared if I'm gonna be strict with you"

Lazily, Victoria rolled her eyes

"Yes yes.... Whatever"

Diana's back was just chuckling subtly. While continuing to do his work.

---0000---

With Victoria sitting quietly in the workspace of King Geoge while working, her lips occasionally smiled amusedly because they saw Carl, Lucas and Gregory who were busy checking gifts that came to the palace. They are very noisy with occasional amazed, laughing, insulting or saying envy when looking at the contents of the gift

Many gifts came even if on the pile could meet more than two magnificent horse carriages. All the gifts came from the residents, merchants, businessmen and small nobles of Albany it was the best part of the prize. Dozens of small people in the capital did not escape giving a simple gift but it will be saved well by Victoria, the gift they gave somehow felt so meaningful especially the gift they made from their own hands. The nobles of each region also gave gifts and speeches. The parliamentarians Victoria did not know were also delivering gifts, but what made Victoria quite surprised because she also got gifts and speeches from the royal court. Which all this time he thought was not the slightest bit on his side might even hate him especially since he often overhauled all their plans and hit their mouths even when sharp when arguing

Although Victoria had said if she did not want any party, the palace still made a party. The culprit was King George. He made small family events such as dinner parties for all the palace workers and did not involve outsiders.

The sound of the door being knocked makes Lucas beat Carl and Gregory's head when they play a fancy corset given by the wife of one of the parliamentarians.

Lucas succumbed to the door and Edward's face appeared while carrying a high pile of gift boxes with a knight

Victoria who glanced, the long meeting table in the room was already full, looking around, it turned out that the room had no place to put gifts

"Let's just put it on the floor Ed"

"But this is from your family, Your Highness"

Victoria smiled warmly

"No problem Ed, all gifts are the same"

Edward obediently placed a pile of gift boxes totaling almost ten large boxes, with the knight next to him who also carried boxes of the same amount

"You're making us more relaxed today Your Highness"

Gregory with sparkling eyes and free speech made his head get a powerful blow from Edward.

"After all the rewards are proven safe, you will still practice. Don't expect to escape"

Victoria chuckled at the faces of Carl, Lucas and Gregory who were instantly smearing in annoyance. Maybe they will exercise at night before because the gift box that has not been checked is still very much left.

"Your Highness, this is a delivery from His Highness"

Edward placed a beautiful box on King George's desk. Victoria immediately released her focus from the spelling paper to the box on her desk

Victoria smiled warmly and shifted the box to the side of King George's desk which she was sitting on

"Thank you Ed"

Edward just nodded but did not budge, not much different from the other three men who were also fixedly staring at him. Victoria chuckles amusedly

"You want me to open it?" Those who were asked questions were not aware, but the look on their faces made Victoria again chuckle and reach for the box in her hand. "Well, I'll open it"

Slowly, Victoria opened the gift box from her husband and her eyes immediately sparkled with her lips that were smiling widely. Glancing at the faces of the men in front of her who were increasingly curious, Victoria took out the contents of the box and placed it on the table.

Edward, Carl, Lucas and a knight who was with Edward frowned at the object that Victoria took out, while Gregory could not help but comment.

The flat tone of the conditions for Gregory's ridicule made Victoria chuckle with her increasingly sparkling eyes delighted, her hands gently touching the gift while commenting

"It's very nice and very pretty, I like it. Very"

"His Highness does not understand anything about women"

Gregory rolled his eyes again commenting, Victoria's enthusiastic and happy speech was considered a formality of grandeur a wife who was saving her husband's self-esteem.

How can a husband give a dagger to his wife as his first gift? regardless of how beautiful the dagger is, but it remains a dagger. That's what the four men there thought, but not Victoria. He was very happy and happy with the gift. Throughout her life, Victoria had everything, could have everything and had all the gifts but, the gifts from her husband were very special and beautiful compared to all the gifts that came on her birthday

"Trust me, I really like this Gory"

Victoria's sincere and honest words in fact could not make the comments for Fredrick stop flowing especially Carl, Lucas and Gregory even knights brought Edward who did not know his name to comment. Victoria smiled and refocused her work.

Edward looked at Victoria in the face. How things are now, how his smile is now and how it changes now though, Edward knows if this is the real picture of Arathorn. The abilities and privileges of an Arathorn. And King George, has chosen the right woman. Not only for the kingdom but also for his beloved son.

--000--

The sky is getting darker, the sun sign will rest and let the moon take over its duties. But not with Victoria still in King George's office. If it was babbling, laughter and ridicule accompanied his speech now it was silence in the room. Victoria sat with Carl in the room. It had been a few minutes in silence as Carl read well a paper that Victoria had given him.

"Is this the reason you questioned my loyalty a few days ago, Your Highness?"

Victoria nodded briefly

"Right Carl, I wonder how far you'll be loyal to 'your master'. Although I'm also part of 'your master' but as you know. The political game is unforgiving, your choice determines your nationality, just like mine now"

Carl's hand moved and placed the paper that had just been read and studied

"And what's your choice Your Highness?"

Victoria smiled thinly

"kingdom"

Carl was silent for a long time while staring at the sweet face of the woman in front of him, whether since when he always wanted to accompany and protect that special woman. The woman he thought was like his sister. A woman who is now like the woman she knew but also like she never knew

"And if indeed later I managed to get the dark evidence of other nobles by stabbing my own father. What would you use with that, Your Highness?"

Victoria smiled faintly with resolute eyes

"They are people who have served the palace and the kingdom for a very long time. Even from the days of their ancestors. Those people were not easy to find a successor, their role was very useful for the palace and also the kingdom. I just want to keep that evidence, if you can get it, Carl"

Carl's face turned flat and stared fixedly at Victoria.

"Don't you want to have their dark evidence for revenge, Your Highness?"

"I will never forget all my pain Carl. But, I can't change the past either" Victoria took a deep breath to scoop up her beliefs and continued. "As I said if they were useful people, for now. And my choice now is the kingdom. I will use the evidence as a grip if one day they act to keep using them until the end under my control, until finally their usefulness is complete, I'll drag them to public execution, later. Unless, if their dark secrets can't be tolerated, that second too all the evidence will go to the parliament"

Carl's brows furrowed deeply until his eyebrows fused together.

"What are you playing Your Highness?"

Victoria tied her hands in front of her stomach and raised her chin high

"Welcome to the throne rules, Carl. Where you have to be ready for everything"

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Ayukk traces yukk

Greetings dear all✨