Chapter 3
On the first morning after my death, Julian didn't show up.
Last night, while I was coughing up blood in my chamber, unable to stand, he went neither to the queen's place nor to mine. He remained in the Council Hall for the entire night.
People praised his diligence, saying that even on his wedding night, he remained devoted to his duties, and that it was no wonder he had become king.
I only thought it was ridiculous.
He wasn't being hardworking. He didn't want to see anyone.
It wasn't until dawn that he finally returned to the Twilight Hall.
He hadn't slept and had been drinking, so he looked paler than usual, with tiredness in his eyes.
When Violetta heard he had a headache, she wanted to come check on him herself, but he politely turned her down.
He was usually easygoing and didn't like rejecting people, but once he was truly annoyed, he shut them down without hesitation.
Now, as nothing more than a lingering ghost, I leaned against the doorway and watched him, struck by how absurd his marriage seemed.
Violetta had spent the night alone, while he had remained elsewhere without sleep. As for me, I died like a joke.
Not long after, there was a commotion outside the hall.
Daisy was here.
She watched me coughing up blood all night, saw me barely hanging on, and then came here because I told her to.
She shouldn't have come.
Andrew Hurst, the chief royal servant, stopped her. He kept his voice low and said politely, "His Majesty was sleeping. If Her Highness has further matters, they may be addressed tomorrow.
"After what happened last night, it wouldn't be appropriate to make another scene today."
That was already the kindest way he could say it.
Everyone in the palace knew I'd been getting more and more out of control these past six months.
Back then, I was known for my temper and my harsh punishments. People would avoid me whenever they saw me.
After I became a widow for the first time and returned to the capital, whispers began to spread that I was cursed. They said that despite my rank, I brought misfortune wherever I went.
After my second marriage, my husband didn't make it two years, and I came back to the palace with a child of uncertain origin.
This time, the rumors about me got uglier.
They said I had no shame, that after two marriages, I still couldn't settle down, and that I had turned my attention to someone I had no right to desire.
Later, I began to involve myself in matters of governance. I punished officials, suppressed dissent, and forced out several elder officials who constantly lectured him on outdated traditions.
Behind my back, they called me a wicked woman. They said the Grand Princess was domineering and ruthless, doing whatever I wanted because the king let her.
In the last few months before I died, my reputation got worse than ever.
I smashed the gifts Julian gave to Violetta and intercepted offerings sent by the Royal Ceremonial Office before they reached the palace.
I dealt with the tailors measuring Violetta's clothes, the maids bringing her jewelry, and some officials' wives trying to get close to her.
The wildest thing I ever did was last night. On Julian's wedding night, I dragged the queen away and forced him to drink with me.
I really went too far. Even if he didn't say it, I knew I deserved people calling me crazy.
Therefore, I understood why Andrew spoke that way.
He lowered his voice to comfort Daisy. "Her Highness is upset right now. Once things calm down, His Majesty will go see her. Don't worry."
They all thought I was still alive. They thought this was simply another one of my episodes.
Only Daisy and I knew it had already ended.
Daisy grew anxious and bowed repeatedly toward him.
Since she couldn't speak, she started gesturing wildly. She pointed to herself, then outside, then pressed a hand to her chest, trembling with urgency.
Everyone in the Twilight Hall got it. She was begging Julian to come see me.
At last, Julian finally looked up. "What is she trying to do this time?"
His voice was completely flat, revealing no anger or emotion, but that very indifference was far more painful.
Daisy froze for a moment, tears falling instantly. She hurriedly shook her head and continued gesturing in desperation. She wanted to tell him I wasn't making a scene, not faking illness, and not threatening anything.
However, the more anxious she became, the harder it was for her to express herself.
Andrew had to step in quietly to explain, "Your Majesty, Princess Tiffany might not be feeling well and wants you to go check on her.
"She's been a bit difficult these past months, but last night, she truly seemed unwell. She might actually be sick."
I stood there, feeling tired.
When I was alive, everyone feared me. Now that I was dead, the only one willing to put in a nice word for me was the royal servant who was always at Julian's side.
Seeing that he still would not move, Daisy quickly took something out of her arms.
It was a stack of papers.
When I saw them, I felt a sudden pang in my chest.
They were things I had written before.
Some were random complaints, some were unsent letters, and some were drafts I rewrote, tore up, and still kept.
Andrew took the papers, and as soon as he saw them, his expression shifted dramatically. "Your Majesty, this is Princess Tiffany's handwriting."
Julian looked down at the papers.
Maybe because he taught me how to write before, people could recognize my handwriting, and he knew it best.
I didn't like reading or writing when I was young. People tried to teach me, but I always slacked off. Only he would hold my hand and teach me patiently.
Even when I messed up the characters, he never lost his temper with me.
I never thought the things he taught me would end up in front of him like this.
The top sheet contained only three sentences. "If you think she is so perfect, then go stay with her. Why are you still bothering me? You're never happy with anything I do anyway."
It sounded exactly like me. Sour, mean, refusing to back down, like a woman throwing a long tantrum.
After reading it, Julian remained calm. He slowly folded the paper and placed it on the table. "What does she want me to do after seeing this?"
Daisy shook her head desperately.
Still, those words seemed to get to him. His voice finally turned cold. "She made a scene last night, and I forgave her. Is that not enough?
"She stopped my wedding, disrupted the ceremony, targeted innocent people, harmed the queen, and last night, she broke into our bedroom.
"And now she sends you here with these things. Does she want the whole palace to see their king forced into a corner by her?"
He spoke with a calm expression, but I could tell he was truly angry.