The Bloody Crown
BC 19
Gracefully Francesca stepped into the dining room which became the meeting place they had promised.
The arrival of Francesca, immediately made the three women who looked impatiently waiting for her arrival, immediately stood up.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty Queen Francesca"
Francesca nodded briefly, and immediately landed her buttocks on the chair when Susane had already pulled the chair for her.
Looking at Francesca's head that had nodded, the guests who still looked very fond of looking at Francesca's face, immediately stepped out their buttocks on their respective chairs.
"Have you guys eaten? Is this snack enough for you?"
Stale alkaline speech rotten with flat and unreadable face Francesca, make them polite nodding with lips and facial features that keep a friendly smile. Then a middle-aged woman who was among his guests, immediately replied politely.
"Thank You Majesty. This is enough for us"
From the tail of her eyes, Francesca glanced at Susane. Susane, who had been Francesca's servant ever since their new queen set foot in the palace, immediately regressed her steps politely and left immediately. Susane must call Francesca's right hand.
There was a moment of silence because Francesca who had not yet opened the conversation. Fracesca silently awaits someone's arrival. Until Francesca finally felt the arrival of Tomy, Francesca began to open her voice.
"So...who do I meet now?"
A middle-aged woman who had been continuously the spokesperson for her guests. Stand up and take his gesture. Crossing her legs, pulling both sides of her dress, then bending her knees slightly while speaking politely.
"Include Your Majesty. I'm Lidya Illies. The widow of Duke Illies of Lovgne"
Francesca nodded briefly. Which instantly made a woman next to Lidya. The woman, who looked a few years older than Francesca's age, immediately stood up gracefully and began to take on her chivalrous gesture
"Include Your Majesty. I'm Stefany Cambre. Widow of Viscount Cambre of Morsash"
Francesca's head nodded back briefly. And the young girl next to Stefany stood up and took her gesture
"Include Your Majesty. I'm Siska Breghton. Son of Earl Breghton of Estela"
Francesca looked back at the faces that had just finished introducing themselves. While grabbing her glass, Francesca glanced at Tomy who was behind the parapet with a considerable distance from them. But Francesca was convinced that Tomy could hear the names and titles of his guests
The women were activists of the widow of a Duke and a Viscount, then a Lady the son of an Earl. It turned out that they were not ordinary people like Francesca had thought before meeting and seeing their appearance.
Putting down her cup gracefully, Francesca started to open up the chatter.
"I've read the letter you gave me. It's all about women's rights, right?"
Their heads immediately nodded. And Lidya who was the guest spokesperson for Francesca, replied politely
"Before, we really wanted to thank you for your precious time that Your Majesty has given us" Lidya searched and returned a friendly smile. "Our goal is to meet you, because we are very interested in your speech at the engagement party of His Highness Crown Prince Regan, and Her Highness Princess Summer Francia. Actually, I was also there and was a guest that night"
Ahhh... Francesca understands now. It must be because of the women in front of him, which caused his words to be printed in Bosnian newspapers.
"Yes Your Majesty. It was we who gave your word that night to the newspapers"
Francesca glanced at Lidya who was back in voice. It turned out that the middle-aged friendly-faced lady, was extremely sensitive and seemed to be quite intelligent.
"Actually Duchess Illies. I said that only to reply to the words of King Feroca who had collided with me"
Lidya's head immediately shook his head while smiling again
"Actually, I met Her majesty Queen Victoria. And my late husband, also had a chance to meet the late Duke William Arathorn. So I'm sure that what you said that night, it's from your real judgment"
Lidya's greeting made Francesca look at him fixedly and fully inquiring. The fact that Lidya said was quite surprising to Francesca.
"You know the Arathorn family?"
With confidence, Lidya immediately replied
"Yes Your Majesty. The relationship between my late husband and late Duke Arathorn is one of ours"
"Then your relationship with Queen Victoria?"
Lidya's friendly gaze changed. His two sparkling and friendly eyes turned into heartbroken gazes.
Francesca's head nodded in understanding. Then looked at Lidya with a soft look
"I'm so sorry for your late Duchess"
Lidya's friendly smile returned. Both of his eyes were staring back at Francesca. His soft voice sounded again.
"That incident has been a long time Your Majesty. I'm doing fine. Thank you for the attention you give me"
"No Duchess. I am so happy to know you and all of you. Your work sounds so cool to my ears"
"Oh Your Majesty, we are not that cool. We're just a bunch of unemployed widows and lazy young people"
The joke Lidya said made Francesca's lips thinly attracted, with her guests immediately chuckling politely.
Until finally. Since it was enough to feel like a waste of time, Francesca started at the core of their conversation.
"So...what's the main reason you guys want to meet me Duchess?"
The faces of all his guests began to turn serious to fulfill Francesca's words. And Lidya who became the spokesperson for the guests, opened her mouth again
"As we said, Your Majesty. If we could get here because of your words that night. Your words that night meant so much to us. We, the unemployed widows. We widows who are 'forced' become unemployed, and young people who cannot get justice because we are women"
Francesca's two graceful clutched hands in front of her stomach tightened, her gaze staring one by one at her guests
"Tell me about you"
Lidya's friendly gaze changed. The look that Francesca was very familiar with
"As I said Your Majesty. If my late husband was a business associate of the late Duke Arathorn. We have the number one property business in Bosnia. The business that my late husband and I developed together became big. And now, our business and property have fallen into the hands of the palace. Since my husband died in an accident"
Francesca's eyebrows pucker up deep
"You lost someone again because of an accident too?"
"More precisely because of the same accident"
Francesca caught a glint that was increasingly visible in both of Lidya's eyes. A very familiar glimpse of Francesca. A flash of anger, hatred, and vengeance. Next to Francesca's hand began to play her teacup while chanting coldly
"They seized all the business you've built yourself with great difficulty. They took it, because Bosnian women can only be a display ceramic and should not grow on your own feet?"
"Yes Your Majesty. We women are very insignificant in Bosnia, especially since His Majesty King Feroca ascended the throne. And what I experienced was not just happening to me" Lidya turned her head. To look at Stefany at a glance, then look back at Francesca while saying. "Lady Stefany also gets the same rice as me. And there are some other Lady who have bad rice like us. Being killed, being taken, being dumped, and being forgotten like we're not precious humans"
Francesca's head nodded in understanding. Both of his eyes could see very clearly the smoldering and agonizing gazes of the women before him. Francesca looked at the youngest woman in front of her
"Then what about you Lady Siska Breghton?"
Siska, the blond unraveling young girl with a pretty face that was quite unfriendly, instantly opened her mouth
"I have an older sister who has been bullied by some Bosnian parliamentarians. Until my late sister killed herself because she could not bear all her suffering. And until his death, until this very moment, we cannot get justice. Even all the facts changed and made my late brother's name dirty. In court they said it was my late brother who teased them. And unanimously, the court accepted the defense of the bastards on the approval of the palace"
A sharp stirring speech with Siska's two eyes welled up, making Francesca's heart pinched. This is. very sad. Bosnia is more disgusting than Francesca ever thought
"And Your Majesty" Siska's returning voice rang out making Francesca look back at him. "What happened to my late sister often happened in every corner of Bosnia. In fact, the women of the ordinary class will get injustice worse than the nobles"
"I understand Lady Siska. I am so sorry for your late sister. And also to your Lady Cambre. To all of you who have lost the people you love"
"Thank You Majesty. Thank you very much"
Lidya's gentle and sincere speech made Francesca's head nod briefly while speaking again.
"So what can I help you with, Duchess? what do you want to ask me?"
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