Claude: "Lady Regina... how are you feeling now?"
Regina: "I'm fine now, thank you."
The day after my collapse at the party. I was having a breakfast in the bed, which mean... Claude had been kind enough to bring.
Regina: "So... what's everyone doing now?"
Claude: "The relatives all recently departed."
Regina: "I see... I can't imagine they view me favorably now..."
I murmured as slumping my shoulders in place and Claude looked right at me.
Claude: "I wouldn't say that."
Claude: "Prince Wilfred has been covering for you in this matter."
Claude: "And more to the point, your relatives are all concerned about your health."
Regina: "Ah..."
I felt relieved after how much I'd feared them mocking me back my back while I was in the bed.
(I must have been overthinking things...)
Claude: "Here, drink this now that you've had your meal."
Claude: "If anything troubles you, don't hesitate to call for me."
Claude left me some medicine and departed with a gentle smile.
(For now, I'd better focus on recovery... I want to help Wilfred.)
I thought to myself as I lay back in the bed and I gazing up at the ceiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After some time had passed.
Wilfred: "How're you holding up?"
Prince WIlfred came to pay me a visit between his own duties.
Regina: "I'm feeling much better now. Sorry for all of this..."
Wilfred: "You don't need to apologize."
He said and he planting a kiss on my forehead.
Wilfred: "I'm the one at fault here."
Wilfred: "I dumped everything your lap and I made you run in circles."
His sympathetic gaze made me feel a twinge.
Regina: "Don't say that... but you've had a lot on your plate too."
Wilfred: "No... I'm fine. And right now I'd rather you put your health first."
His lips descended upon me once more. I smiled fondly at the warmth I felt from them.
Wilfred: "Today, I want you to rest up and take it easy."
Regina: "Okay."
Finally, the medicine I'd just taken seemed to kick in. I fell asleep under the watchful eye of my beloved husband.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning.
Regina: "Ngh...!"
I woke up as feeling refreshed and I gave a luxurious stretch of my body.
(Yup, I'm feeling better now.)
(Maybe it was sleep deprivation that caused me to feel ill...)
I looked around in a pleasant mood and I saw that Prince Wilfred wasn't here. The tea on my bedside table was still steaming.
(Was that Claude?)
I smiled to myself and I reached for the TV remote. Then...
Reporter: "We have some wonderful news for you today."
Reporter: "By all accounts, Princess Regina is pregnant."
Regina: "!?"
(What!? What did they just...!?)
Reporter: "I repeat, Princess Regina is pregnant."
Reporter: "It's due to this matter..."
Reporter: "That Princess Regina is currently resting in Philip Castle."
(BWAAAAAH!?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several hours later. Prince Wilfred and Claude were in my room.
Regina: "But, what led to that report...?"
I was still confused and Prince Wilfred gave a light chuckle.
Wilfred: "What indeed?"
Regina: "Come on, Wilfred... it's not funny."
Wilfred: "Oh... sorry. I just found it to be a rather delightful report."
As we talked back and forth, Claude quietly with his head bowed and his expression gave.
Claude: "I'm terribly sorry. I couldn't begin to say where that report originated..."
Wilfred: "It's not hard to guess. I bet our family reunion had something to do with it."
Regina: "Wait what?"
Wilfred: "Otherwise, how would word have gotten out so fast?"
Wilfred: "Oh of our relatives leaked word that you collapsed the night before last."
Wilfred: "It's pretty easy to connect the dots from there."
Claude: "That would explain all of this."
Claude: "And all of those relatives saw Lady Regina..."
(Oh... that's why I am angry...)
I fretted and Prince Wilfred raised his eyebrows.
Wilfred: "Did something happen?"
(Maybe I should be forthright about this...)
Regina: "Actually, last night..."
I hesitantly told them about the events of the other day. Prince Wilfred listened to my words with a serious expression.
Wilfred: "Do you think... perhaps that caused your collapse?"
Regina: "No, I don't think so... but not really..."
(Though it might have contributed a little bit...)
Claude: "Claude, did you know about this?"
Claude looked up sharply when addressed.
Claude: "Yes, sir. I just happened to spot it at the time."
Claude: "I apologize for not reporting it sooner."
Wilfred: "It's fine... you may leave for today."
Claude: "Yes, sir. Good day to you both."
Claude left the room.
Wilfred: "Honestly... you're always so quick to take these things upon yourself."
He said and he wrapping his arms around me.
Regina: "Wilfred..."
Wilfred: "If anything happens, tell me immediately. Don't bear it alone."
I nodded firmly as savoring the feel of his gentle warmth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Princess of the Philip Kingdom was pregnant. The news made headlines all over TV and in every newspaper. The royal family was quick to issue a formal denial. But Philip Castle remained surrounded by the media, who all hoped to catch a glimpse of the princess in the news story. An emergency cabinet session was called in Philip Castle in the midst of this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wilfred: "Essentially, there are alterations being made to regional tax collections..."
Wilfred: "In addition to the tax rates officially approved by the King of the Philip Kingdom."
Wilfred: "I would like to ask exactly what's going on here."
The cabinet ministers looked at each other and all started to murmur. The King and I were also in attendance here.
King: "Could someone explain this to me?"
King: "Regional governance is handled by the ministers without needing my approval."
King: "To think such privilege is being absued to this end..."
The ministers exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Minister A: "This is all...."
Minister B: "We aren't familiar with any of this."
(They aren't familiar? That can't be right...)
Their implausible excuses rang hollow in my ears. Prince Wilfred and the King seemed to share my sentiment.
King: "I can't believe you would act so irresponsible in the face of this."
Wilfred: "Indeed. I have a hard time believing that you would delegate that much authority to others..."
Wilfred: "Particularly for a matter as important as tax revisions."
He gave the ministers an accusing look.
(Delegating the authority... to render decisions?)
Minister A: "We... had a busy schedule of cabinet meetings at the time..."
Minister B: "Yes, I remember now."
Minister B: "Someone else must have delegated it..."
After a little while of murmuring, but one of ministers abruptly spoke up.
Minister C: "Shouldn't we more concerned about the money being collected from local regions at this point?"
Wilfred: "Yes, that's a good point. Taxes were hiked only recently..."
Wilfred: "And yet, according to my research..."
Wilfred: "The revisions to collect exhorbitant amounts of money..."
Wilfred: "Were also designed to force the farmers to ship to other states and nations, not our own."
He looked at the ministers pointedly.
Wilfred: "Might I ask exactly how this came to be permitted?"
The ministers shrugged and looked away, until finally...
Minister A: "Now, now... no need to raise your hackless so much, Prince Wilfred."
(What the...)
Minister B: "He's right. The state's budget was in a crunch due to tax code revisions before this and now it's stabilized."
Minister B: "And our regions benefit from our crops being shipped to other states and nations."
Minister B: "It's not such a bad deal."
Minister C: "Indeed. Why raise taxes on everyone, when the farmers have been living in the lap of luxury?"
Minister C: "It's better for all citizens that they pay more to the nation."
They all seemed to be protecting each other. Prince Wilfred addressed them sternly.
Wilfred: "Even granting all of that, you've raised taxes drastically."
Wilfred: "And you're adding outrageous shipping costs to that..."
His expression grew bitter as he spoke, as though he was remembering his time on the farm.
Wilfred: "Let me tell you, I've toured several farms now."
Wilfred: "Some farms were forced to sell off machinery to pay their taxes and shipping fees."
My chest tightened sympathetically.
Wilfred: "Their income is reduced, and when they have to ship to other nations and states, it comes out to be a loss."
Wilfred: "This is creating a vicious cycle that continually worsens their quality of life."
Wilfred: "This cannot be allowed to continue..."
King: "The amount of fruits and vegetables grown in the Philip Kingdom would certainly drop due to this."
King: "It would be a great loss to our kingdom, would it not?"
Minister A: "Mm..."
Minister B: "That certainly is a dilemma... what do you say, Minister Adolph?"
That prompted words from a minister who had heretofore remained silent.
Adolph: "I understand what you're saying."
Adolph: "However, the taxes and local shipping fees..."
Adolph: "Have all been formally recognized and implemented."
Adolph: "A change at this late stage could make us look less reliable to the public."
Minister C: "You make an excellent point, Minister Adolph."
Minister C: "You've made many achievements in office, and your persuasiveness makes it easy to see why."
Prince Wilfred's brow furrowed.
Wilfred: "However, the public will lose trust in the kingdom if we leave matters as they stand now."
Wilfred: "Besides, Minister Adolph."
Wilfred: "While the matter of taxes goes without saying..."
Wilfred: "The region is under your jurisdiction."
Wilfred: "I highly doubt this was all unbeknownst to you."
Prince Wilfred's words were perfectly justified. However...
Adolph: "With all due respect, I only heard about the shipping fees after the facts."
Adolph: "This matter leaves me quite astonished, I assure you."
Adolph: "I'll look into the matter personally..."
The other ministers exchanged looks.
Minister A: "Could we not simply check the minutes and other documents about this?"
Minister B: "Good point. Even regional revisions should be submitted to the kingdom."
Just as Minister Adolph's expression faltered at their words.
Wilfred: "There are none left."
Minister C: "None left...?"
A din ran through the ministers and Prince Wilfred spoke in a stern tone.
Wilfred: "All of the documents concerning this tax revision..."
Wilfred: "And all of the documents concerning other related regional revisions."
King: "In other words, someone is quite clearly hiding them."
The King's words caused a stir among the ministers.
Wilfred: "And that's why I called this meeting today."
Adolph: "I see."
Adolph: "Then, you wish to accuse us of concealing these documents?"
Their piercing looks strucks right through Prince Wilfred.
(Wilfred...)
After a brief silence, Minister Adolph's cheerful laugh rang through the room.
Adolph: "Hahahah... goodness, with that false report about Lady Regina's pregnancy going around..."
Adolph: "I can see how it would leave the royal family rather paranoid."
(Hey! How dare you!?)
Adolph: "With that, plus a scandal for for which the royal family bears the blame..."
Adolph: "You would want to resolve it as quickly as possible."
Silence filled the room, before Prince Wilfred spoke up slowly and deliberately.
Wilfred: "Judging from your tone, Minister Adolph..."
Wilfred: "I trust that you and the others present here are all satisfied with the revisions that have been made?"
Adolph: "Not at all... at the very least, I'm quite dissatisfied at hearing of those shipping fees."
Adolph: "But those documents should have been submitted to the king."
Adolph: "Would that not make this a matter of responsibility for the royal family?"
(Wait...)
King: "Those documents were never formally submitted, though."
King: "I was aware of the taxes, but I had not heard a single word about the shipping fee revisions."
King: "Who on earth could have...?"
The King's expression grew grave and Prince Wilfred's eyes wavered. With that, the cabinet meeting came to an end. Resolution of the issues brought forth, such as the hidden documents was postponed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I returned to my bedroom after the cabinet meeting ended. But Prince Wilfred had more duties to attend and wasn't scheduled to get back until well into the evening. I sat alone in my room and I found myself about thinking back to that meeting.
(Who could have hidden those documents?)
(At the very least, the documents that the king approved must have been stored in the castle.)
Just then, I heard my name on TV.
Reporter: "The royal family has denied that Lady Regina is pregnant."
Reporter: "However, judging from her recent lack of appearances as could she be laid up due to illness?"
Reporter: "This false report was likely cause by..."
(Mm... I guess this hasn't been fully resolved yet either.)
TV stations and magazines were reporting that my pregnancy had been false information. But that had sparked a lot of speculation about when I would return.
(Maybe Wilfred or I should go out and then explain this...)
As I mulled those thoughts over when Claude came in with some tea.
Claude: "I understand the cabinet meeting today was quite rough."
Claude: "You must be tired after attending it."
Regina: "Yes... but I think Wilfred and the King have it harder than I do."
Claude: "I see..."
Regina: "Claude... what can you tell me about this person is Minister Adolph?"
He tilted his head for a moment and then he answered me.
Claude: "Let me think..."
Claude: "I'd say he's given the impression of being a quite capable minister."
Claude: "Since he took his ministerial post and he's enacted many domestic reforms."
Regina: "Capable, hm..."
(He was certainly holding his own against Wilfred better than anyone else there.)
I took a sip some tea cause Claude had brought as thinking back on the meeting.
Regina: "By the way, about these reports..."
I looked toward the TV.
Regina: "If people still aren't satisfied hearing that it was a false report..."
Regina: "Should we address them directly?"
Claude: "Perhaps, but... Prince Wilfred is quite busy."
Claude: "He wouldn't be able to find the time for a press conference."
(Oh, yeah...)
Regina: "In that case, what if I handled it alone?"
Claude: "That would hardly be a matter for me to judge alone."
Claude: "Perhaps you could bring it up with Prince Wilfred?"
Regina: "Sorry, I guess you're right."
Regina: "But right now I'm having a hard time even spending time with Wilfred..."
I sighed and Claude smiled gently to me.
Claude: "I'll let Prince Wilfred know."
Claude: "You're still just recovering."
Claude: "So try not to think about matters too hard right now."
Regina: "Alright. Thank you very much."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night. I read through articles about myself in newspapers and magazines, as I awaited for Prince Wilfred's return.
(They gave an open denial, but they're still running special features...)
(But I know Wilfred's got his hands full with the tax issue.)
(But I think we really should face this matter openly...)
I sighed softly and stepped over to the window. I gazed outside through the gap between the curtains. There were throngs of reporters out in front of the castle.
(This looks no different than it did before the denial.)
Just then...
Wilfred: "Oh... you're still up?"
Prince Wilfred came back to the room. He headed straight over to me and he kissed me.
Regina: "Welcome back. I was having trouble sleeping."
Wilfred: "Are you feeling better now?"
Regina: "Yes, completely. What about you, Wilfred? Are you okay?"
Wilfred: "Me?"
Regina: "With that meeting today, and everything..."
Prince Wilfred didn't answer. He simply started to changing out of his clothes.
(There's so much I want to ask...)
I thought to myself and I spoke up softly.
(The cabinet issue is important, but I can't help but worry about the media...)
Regina: "Wilfred... it looks like the reports are getting more heated."
Regina: "What should we do?"
Wilfred: "Reports? Oh..."
He said nonchalantly as he got changed.
Wilfred: "We've issued a full and open denial."
Wilfred: "Right now the cabinet should be more concerning."
(He might have a point, but...)
Regina: "But I think that at some point, we should come out in the open and explain it to them."
Regina: "The way this is going now, they're just going to keep writing all kinds of stories..."
Regina: "But... I don't think that would be good for the royal family."
I blurted it all out and he stopped in the midst of changing. Then he turned to me with a serious expression.
Wilfred: "Sorry."
He reached his hand out and he embraced me gently.
Wilfred: "You're right. We'll settle the cabinet matter as quickly as we can..."
Wilfred: "And then we can go out in public together."
Regina: "But... could you give me about that much time?"
Regina: "Wilfred... I'm the one who's sorry."
Regina: "You're so busy with all these cabinet issues..."
Wilfred: "No, I should have given that more consideration."
We smiled to each other.
Regina: "So, what are you planning to do about the cabinet now?"
I asked him.
Wilfred: "Oh, I discussed it with the King..."
Wilfred: "We decided to start with an internal investigation."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The day as the meeting ended. After Prince Wilfred and the King discussed it as they decided to begin a private investigation in the name of the royal family, out of the public eye. Minister Adolph, who was stuck being questioned as looked across at Prince Wilfred with a steady glare.
Adolph: "Ask me all you wish, my answer will remain the same."
Adolph: "I know nothing about any documents."
Adolph: "And for that matter, why am I being subjected to this?"
The tax hikes and shipping fees being levied on the region were certainly concerns. But the royal family also took the matter of the missing key documents quite seriously.
Wilfred: "From where I'm standing as this region was under your jurisdiction."
Wilfred: "I find it extremely hard to believe you know nothing of this."
Adolph: "If that's your track, may I point out that the documents were managed in this very castle?"
Adolph: "Should you not be directing your suspicion at the people here?"
Wilfred: "Meaning what?"
Adolph: "You know..."
Adolph: "In all my years of service to the royal family, it's unprecedented."
Wilfred: "What are you getting at?"
Adolph: "Isn't it possible that about this whole thing is a plot..."
Adolph: "To exploit your wedding to Lady Regina and sabotage the royal family?"
Adolph gave Prince Wilfred a pointed smile and Prince Wilfred's mind was filled with conflicting thoughts. What was happening within the royal family? Prince Wilfred stared at Adolph silently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regina: "An internal investigation?"
Wilfred: "Yes. Judging from their behavior, one of those ministers must know something."
Wilfred: "We'll use this to pursue whoever hid those documents."
Regina: "But isn't that dangerous?"
Wilfred: "The investigation will be conducted under strict secrecy, of course. And that's why..."
He embraced me as he spoke.
Wilfred: "I'll be busy for the time being. I might not be back for several days."
Regina: "I wish I could help... but isn't there anything I could do?"
I asked him, but he sighed softly.
Wilfred: "No... not yet. You're still barely recovered."
Wilfred: "I just want you to carry out your duties as princess without pushing yourself unduly."
Regina: "Wilfred..."
(He wants to settle this all by himself...)
I felt momentarily dejected.
Regina: "Of course I'll do my duty, but..."
Regina: "This matter is important to me, just as it's important to the kingdom."
Regina: "So I really wish you would let me help you."
I blurted out pleading and he smiled faintly.
Wilfred: "For the moment, I'm going to interview everyone individually."
Wilfried: "I'll report back to you when I'm done with that."
Wilfred: "Could we discuss it again then?"
I nodded firmly to his gentle gaze.
Regina: "Okay..."
(The way this is going, it'll be a while before we can come out in public, but...)
(I guess there's nothing to be done about that...)
Despite the slight unrest I was feeling as I nestled in against his chest. As believing that this matter would be settled as quickly as possible.
~End of (Princess Sequel) Chapter 4: Day 4~
To Be Continued...