Granted

Chapter 18

"A visitor? Who?"

"The queen"

Margaret's eyes grew with shock, "What is that cruel woman doing here?!"

"Lower your voice Margaret! She might hear you and get angry" Her mother warned, "Just please come out of your room and see her"

Margaret sighed heavily and nodded. As she went outside her room, she can't help but be worried at the possible reason their despicable ruler had come here. She heard so much of the cruelty the queen has done to gain power and expand her kingdom. She saw with her own eyes how she ruled this kingdom with an iron fist.

She was respected out of fear. With her presence here, will her family be safe?

The minute she entered the room where the queen was waiting for her, she was even more surprised at what was waiting for her there.

Queen Eris, in her most elegant attire, stood in the middle of their living room. When their eyes met, a sweet smile formed on the queen's lips, a sight Margaret never thought she'd see.

She was indeed beautiful.

"Hello..." Queen Eris greeted and approached Margaret, "These are for you" and handed her a big bouquet of pink lilies

But instead of taking it, Margaret stared at the familiar arrangement of flowers and quickly realized something,"...Were you the one behind the pink lilies I received days passed?"

Queen Eris nodded proudly

"And were you also the one follow-"

"Yes, that was I" Eris answered before she even finished, "I apologize for following you like that. I couldn't help it. I wanted to see you more"

Eris once again offered Margaret the bouquet, this time Margaret took it albeit with a little hesitation, "...Thank you but your majesty..." Margaret started, although still quite guarded "...What are you doing here?"

"I personally wanted you and your household to know that I'm here to ask your hand in marriage" Eris proudly announced, "which I'm sure you will allow"

Margaret and her family were shocked, to say the least, at the reveal of Queen Eris's intention behind her visit to their home

"I can give you everything this world has to offer, power, wealth, status, all of it! All you have to do is say yes. Be my wife and my queen" Eris announced with a smug expression, "What do you say?"

"No"

"What?!"

Margaret handed back the bouquet to her majesty, looking at her straight in the eyes, "No thank you, your majesty." repeating her statement in the most polite way she can then turned around and walked back into her room

Queen Eris was dumb-founded. No one has ever said "no" to her before but instead of getting mad or offended, she was just amazed by that and it made her want to pursue Margaret more

Eris went to Margaret's parents and handed them the bouquet instead, "I trust that you don't mind I come here and actively pursue your daughter?"

"N-no, not at all..." Margaret's mother hesitantly replied, her voice a bit shaky

"Good because I won't stop until she says yes" she told them, "If I were you I would advise her to not be stubborn and just agree before things get messy"

And with that mild warning, Queen Eris left.

o=o=o=o=o

"I'm sorry I don't entertain suitors" Margaret closed the front door as few more suitors, a man and two women walked away with saddened expressions