Behind The Castle's

**POWERFUL FAMILY**

"Your neck will hurt if it stays in that position"

A gentle whisper with warm breath in Victoria's ear made her straighten her head again, awakening to her present state. Fredrick who saw Victoria's response patted Victoria's soft hand that was coiled around her arm. Victoria raised her gaze to look at Fredrick's handsome face.

"I want to see my family"

Fredrick nodded briefly and took a step that made Victoria unwillingly take a step, Fredrick's step towards the smiling King George looking ahead, but to his two gray eyeballs staring coldly.

Fredrick twisted his body so Victoria could stare at the door and toward his family. Victoria's smile broke when she saw the six pairs of eyes that were heading towards her continue to look at her with sparkling even Merchoiness Elis, her mother's youngest sister continued to wipe the tip of her eyes and occasionally looked up to dispel her tears

Victoria felt a very long time walk, the steps of three masang husband and wife felt very slow, Victoria glanced around to see the response of invited guests, Victoria, and as he often sees at his dance parties and family birthdays, their response is still the same, too cautious. No more open fans, no more heads attached, no more glances full of judgment and cynicism as he got earlier because, 'Powerful Family' has arrived.

"Good evening Your Majesty, thank you for this precious invitation, happy birthday and...." The Duke of Ross, uncle Thomas, his mother's older brother, who is now certainly already the speaker of Parliament in place of his father who had been retired by forcibly dissecting his speech, his two green eyeballs glanced at Victoria before continuing. "May live a long life"

A gleeful smile from the duchess of Ross rose, her mother-in-law Jasmine Rubens blatantly showed when her husband finished speaking, The Duke of Ross' lips twitched to hold back his grin that made him have to press his lips, seeing that Victoria stumbled on a smile.

"Thank you for the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Ross"

Duke Thomas, his uncle, glanced at someone who had turned out to be already behind them, carrying a very large box with a large ribbon in red, green, white and blue, he said, the emblem of the color represents the four 'Powerful Families'. Red for the politics of Ross, green for the fertility of Albany, white for the medical of Lorne and blue for the sea of Bedford. An unmistakable sign for King George and a warning, if they are the rulers of the strongest territories in the kingdom of Francia.

"Happy Birthday Your Majesty, may you always be healthy"

The voice of the Marquess of Lorne made Victoria's eyeballs move from the Duke and Duchess of Ross landing to the couple of Lorne. Merquess of Lorne, Charles Wood, her mother's sister-in-law. Marchioness of Lorne, Elis Wood her mother's sister looked fixedly at King George with a friendly smile, the family's famously friendliest in the circle of 'Powerful Family' was showing her hospitality.

"Thank you Marquess and Merchioness of Lorne"

King George returned their friendly smile with no less cordiality. Victoria looked back at Lorne's partner, her aunty Elis was seen tightening her coiled arms around her uncle Charles, his famous cawed Aunty Elis must have been holding himself back desperately not to cry and very loudly turned his face away from always staring at Victoria.

Victoria helped her aunty defense by not trying to look at her and turn her gaze at the Marquess, and when their gazes met, her hazel right eye blinked. Victoria bit her lips, her mind wondering, is that a signal? did the message of the dirty dress and the anxious face of her companion get well into the ears of the Marquess? Victoria can't wait to find out.

"Congratulations! Congrats! Happy Birthday Your Majesty this year why in my eyes you look more handsome and happy, I hope you will always be so.

Victoria gave her smile as Earl Albert, her father's dramatic sister, spoke, as did his wife, his father's sister-in-law, Tatiana Arathorn, who lays her smile while closing her eyes because of her husband's dramatic voice.

"Thank you Earl and Countess of Bedford"

Victoria glanced at King George who was now smiling meaningfully? and sure enough, when Victoria was just trying to understand the max of the smile, the bit of joy and smile on his family's lips instantly vanished as Edward stepped forward and grabbed a large box of gifts from the hand of Duke Thomas's aide. Victoria could see the sharp glint of her mother's deep green eyes, uncle Thomas and his enraged aunty Elis staring at Edward.

Victoria pressed her lips, Is this the look in my eyes when I look at Edward?

A gaze full of anger but also harboring a wide wound, Victoria clenched her hands tightly, no problem for her when she was the one who was injured but not her family, it hurts more when you see people you care about get hurt.

"Well...!! Well...! well...!!"

"Ohh, my God.... Forgive us for this sassy, hey you guys...." Earl Albert stared alternately at Ross and Lorne and even his wife, then looked next to Victoria, ahh... victoria did not realize she was wrapping her hands around one of the most important people in the job. "You have not saluted our honorable Crown Prince"

Victoria felt a very strong innuendo hit her ears, hesitantly she glanced at Fredrick who was just smiling casually and calmly?

"No matter Earl Albert, I can understand your 'feeling"

Victoria gulped her saliva violently, obviously this would be a ring fight throwing innuendo, Victoria was very understanding why her uncle Albert could be the first level general chairman in parliament, he said, her agile and clever mouth made her very fond of being a spokesperson and choosing for the actual post was not the result of the crowd's decision, she could be in an even higher post but, as such, she was not, she chose her own place and always will be, she was the one who always taught Victoria activities away from a Lady and a way of thinking that was very much not a Lady.

"Aaahh, you are very wise Your Highness, as always"

Back Victoria gulped her saliva violently, Victoria glanced at her family who seemed to have taken a position to be a spectator.

"Earl Albert was always very clever in saying" Fredrick smiled casually, took a sip of his champane, then looked closely at Victoria. "Now I know where my sweet-tempered would-be fiancee came from, don't you think?"

Victoria almost spewed out the salmon pea soup that became her dinner menu, her hair goosebumps until she grimaced, Victoria looked at Fredrick sharply, she said, Fredrick almost looked up at Victoria's face, which was like it was going to spit in his face.

"Ohh. You look really like my niece Your Highness or...." Earl Albert sharply turned his eyeballs to the right, towards the wall of the hall, where usually Lady-in-waiting awaited, Victoria's eyes rounded and her lips instantly grinned. "Or is it just my feelings?"

Fredrick's circular hand muscles in Victoria's hand stiffened, Victoria felt it when her Uncle Albert's message must have gotten well on Fredrick. There in front of the right wall of the hall, in front of the fiery red curtains, was a girl in a red dress matching her hair color, fiery red.

Earl Albert stared at Victoria with one blue eye, as blue as his father's eye blinked and that meant Victoria's message had reached Lorne even as far as Bedford.

"Sure..how could I not like a sweet and smart girl like Lady Victoria, right, dear?"

Again, the salmon pea soup in Victoria's stomach moved back to go up, fortunately the corset tonight was not too tight because it was, Victoria prepared herself if things suddenly changed, he was able to escape with his family without needing to suffocate the corset holding his breath. Unfortunately the function of the corset is not too tight now changed from the plan.

"Oohh.. oohh... oohh... so yaa Your Highness...." Earl Albert paused and looked at Fredrick sharply. "Can I entrust my nephew to you..." Earl Albert turned his eyeball to the right. "I beg Your Highness no offense because this is just an instinct of concern from parents that I can't stand, my nephew is an orphan, and the only thing left is just his older brother, he said, arthur was very far away and was on his own way to fight for life, once again forgive me"

After saying that, with a polite and respectful hoot Earl Albert bowed deeply. Victoria pressed her teeth firmly so as not to laugh or cough especially after seeing the air in the room, aahh.

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