His Queen From Two Worlds

CHAPTER 4: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?

"Sit down, Raymond, Zelda" Lillian said, showing the large couch to the left side of her.

Lillian sat down. The others immediately followed her actions. Ray sat down, taking off his glasses after Zelda took her place.

The queen turned towards the old butler and said" Go ahead, Albert. Prepare some tea for my grandson and granddaughter-in-law "

Gesturing at the teapot, her action was filled with elegance.

Albert bowed his head and went to the teapot on the table. After making some warm fragrant tea, Albert went back to his position. The queen looked at Madam Hales. She looked at the maids and the butler and asked them to leave.

They respectfully bowed and left the room in silence.

Madame Hales then sat down on the couch near the queen.

" Your majesty—" the older man who sat far away from the queen's place tried to say something.

" It can wait, Mr. Barclay" the queen said, giving a sharp look at the man. The man immediately bowed his head.

Zelda raised a brow at the people gathered there. Since entering the room she didn't notice them.

Her mother, Evelyn, and her father, Oliver, had concerned looks on their faces. Her mother was the opposite of her. She was a gentle, sweet woman who could be easily manipulated by anyone. She was a beauty with dark brown eyes and dark brown hair.

Her father, Oliver Barclay, was the head of the family despite being the youngest child in the house. He was a stereotypical man with stereotypical thoughts trying to understand the new innovative thoughts and ideas in the new era. Their emerald eyes were inherited from his father and his hair half turned gray from dark blonde.

" Hello mother, father! " Zelda gave them a smile that rather seemed more meaningful than a genuine one. After hearing the queen's words, now they no longer knew how to discuss or react.

Madame Barclay smiled somewhat awkwardly," good to see you, dear "

Zelda gave a smile. The smile didn't reach her eyes.

Queen Lillian observed the whole exchange and shook her head in disappointment.

" What happened last night, dear? " She asked in a soft tone.

Zelda directly noticed the disappointed look of Lillian and gave her a bright smile that reached her eyes and came from her heart.

" I worried you, Grandma" The crimson hair gave an apologetic expression." Last night I went out in disguise with one of my female bodyguards named Lilly. Because of working nonstop for today's show, I couldn't take a break. Last night I got some for myself. "

All of them started paying attention to her now, especially her uncle Owen, Oliver's elder brother. After all, they came here to apologize for Zelda's "reckless" behaviour. The moment when the news came out, they immediately contacted the queen's butler, too big for" forgiveness ". Queen Lillian then invited them to have a" discussion ".

" I commented on a car and the racer heard that. They asked me to apologize to them and be their partners for the night. "

Ray was controlling himself, his hand fisted almost turning pale. Everyone noticed him getting angry and cupped his hand with hers, slowly making him release his fist. They interlinked their fingers, finally relaxing him.

" When we said no, they challenged us ", Zelda continued. " Lily wanted to participate when I accepted the challenge, but I didn't allow her, seeing that they wanted one of us in the copilot's seat. "

But Owen interrupted in between looking at Zelda with a doubtful gaze" Why did you go out late at night, Zelda? "

Electric blue eyes glared at the elder guy. Ray felt annoyed when he heard the question. Right from the start, he didn't like this person. At times, he hated him for various reasons.

He always brought his daughter along with him every time Ray showed up. He wanted his daughter Irene Barclay to tag along with Zelda every time she visited the palace.

He wouldn't have the title of Crown Prince if he couldn't see what Zelda's uncle was trying to do. Owen even arranged a marriage for his 20-year-old daughter so that no one could say anything about her spending time with him or Zelda.

But there was a particular reason why he hated Zelda's uncle. When Zelda wanted to pursue her career in singing he said something he shouldn't.

'Women in the entertainment industry are equal to a woman in a brothel. I believe she is not fit to be a queen.'

Ray almost killed this man on the spot, but Zelda was able to overcome his rage. The queen heavily criticized Owen.

After the incident spread, Owen faced heavy backlash and criticism from the public. Many women pitied his daughter. The thoughts of women empowerment, and working women in noble and royal families were still a bit new to them.

However, Queen Lillian was determined to change this society's norms. She openly showed her support for Zelda about her career choice by attending her first-ever concert.

" Because I wanted to, Uncle Owen," Zelda said, looking at him as if why she was not allowed to go out at night.

" But you should have gone to a better place" Oliver, Zelda's father, said in a worried tone.

Ray's lips twitched in annoyance. His fiancé noticed it and tried to calm him down by petting his hand.

" Continue, dear," the queen said, looking at the redhead.

" The race was going all fine until I realized my disguise was going off." Only the royal family and very close people knew that royals could use magic. So Zelda chose her words carefully.

Zelda looked at Ray before holding his hand tight as if trying to stop him from flipping out. Ray, who noticed, looked at Zelda to say something, but she opened her mouth first.

" And when I realized that the car was tampered "

The redhead held his hand tightly and thought that it was a good thing that she held him. Because his reaction was exactly as she expected. He almost stood up to go and find those bastards, but Zelda tugged his hand back.

Ray came back to his senses from his blind anger and pain, listening to gasps from everyone. Except for the queen and Madam Hales, everyone had a shocked expression.

" Oh lord! " Zelda's mother, Evelyn, was shocked.

" Don't worry, mother. I am alive ", Zelda said, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. The smile felt strange.

Receiving such a smile from her daughter, Evelyn didn't understand how to react.

When they heard the news of Zelda destroying the racetrack, their first reaction was to call the queen's assistant to beg for forgiveness.

They didn't even bother asking Zelda what happened exactly. They thought about handling this matter without informing her and later made her understand that as the future wife of the Crown Prince, it wouldn't be good for her to act as she wanted.

Evelyn looked with guilt at her daughter, who was explaining what happened next.

" Even though the car was tampered with, I could still control the situation. Since my disguise was gone, I made a scene there and escaped. The destroyed racetrack and the other cars were part of the plan. "

Silence. There was only silence after she explained the situation. Queen Lillian casually sipped her tea. Oliver Barclay and Evelyn Barclay were too guilty to even look at their daughter.

After the silence, Queen Lillian finally set the teacup aside, ready to talk. All of them raised their heads, watching the queen.

" This matter – "

" Let me handle this matter, grandmother" Ray hissed, suppressing the anger inside his heart.

" No one is more qualified than you to handle this issue, my dear," The Queen said with a proud look on her face.

Ray calmed down a little bit after listening to that. Good. He could just handle the matter before the night and attend Zelda's show.

" Anything else, Mr. Barclay? "

Zelda didn't have any expression on her face. Though Zelda's face had no expression, Ray noticed the disappointed look on his fiancée's face and wanted to leave the place even though she had her feelings very well.

" We......." Oliver, Zelda's father, spoke up. He couldn't even raise his head properly or look at his daughter. " We're sorry "he apologized.

" She doesn't need it," Ray said coldly before taking her out of the room. Before stepping out of the room, Zelda looked back at her parents.

The queen sighed after she watched her grandson taking her granddaughter-in-law away. Then she sharply looked at the couple who were already feeling down.

" Before deciding on someone, you should ask them about it. She is your daughter. You should always choose your daughter. Even though you are thinking of saving her, you should at least properly investigate it. " She said.

Oliver and Evelyn felt ashamed. More than their daughter, they chose to believe the news. Just because they were trying to help her doesn't give them any right to already judge the situation, and they knew it very well.

" Celia, see the guests off ". The Queen stood up.

The Barclay family stood up and gave a respectful bow, waiting for the queen to take her leave.

Celia Hales, the queen's assistant, led them out of the study room.