†
The days pass quickly. Markham is dragged out of prison to be executed. Yet the news of Emilia's engagement to the King spreads even faster, casting a deeper shadow.
Whispers of betrayal surround her, and all nobility in the kingdom condemn her decision, calling her selfish for saving herself while her father pays the ultimate price.
Georgina and Consort Eleanor—the Prime Minister's daughter—do all they can to stop Catherine from becoming a concubine and punish her instead but fails.
They have no choice but to accept Catherine into the palace and give her a formal place as a concubine.
In the Markham estate, Margaret and her companion, Hannah taunt Emilia on her action and refuse to be thankful for having their lives spared, accusing her of abandoning the family—despite the fact that her sacrifice is what kept them all alive.
The King forbids anyone from discussing the Markham incident.
He ends the case with the public execution of the rebels captured in their mansion.
No preparations are made for the wedding. The once-vibrant Markham estate sinks into a grim silence, everyone too afraid to speak, to move, to breathe the wrong way.
Emilia locks herself in her room, refusing food, refusing company.
She sits before her mirror, brushing her hair with hollow eyes—and then suddenly shatters the mirror in a burst of rage.
The noise sends June and Alice rushing in. They freeze at the scene—glass glinting on the floor like scattered tears.
Silently, they kneel to clean the mess, stealing glances at Emilia, terrified she might hurt herself.
Emilia rises and sits on her bed, waiting for them to return after discarding the broken shards.
"Where is the thing I asked for?" she murmurs.
June hands her a small cloth bundle.
"Leave," Emilia says softly.
The maids obey, glancing back one last time as she unwraps the cloth to reveal a dagger. She smiles bitterly, fingers curling around the hilt.
She imagines the blade sinking into the King's throat the moment their wedding ends.
The thought brings a cold satisfaction to her face.
Alice knocks and enters hesitantly along with two other servants, announcing the arrival of another wedding dress from the palace.
Two dresses have already been sent—both destroyed by Emilia in defiance.
"The Queen Mother sent another," Alice pleads.
"You mustn't ruin this one, or we'll all be punished."
"My Lady… maybe the King meant to protect us by doing this. He spared us," she adds gently.
As the king, he could have exiled them even with the edict but has allowed them to retain all their wealth and position.
Emilia shoots her a glare.
Alice bites her lip and lowers her head.
All Emilia can think of is vengeance.
Now stripped of the Gregorio name, her actions won't incriminate anyone else.
She didn't expect the King to make her Queen so easily. Didn't expect to be allowed this close to him. It's the perfect opportunity.
June enters quietly.
"My lady, it's the twelfth hour, the execution…"
With a deep shaky breath, Emilia stands without a word and follows her.
Outside the mansion, Emilia met her brothers are already waiting.
Gogether, they mount the horse and head to the place of execution.
Markham is dragged out in chains, forced to kneel along with the rebels captured.
Emilia clenches her fists, her breath trembling, her tears welling again.
From afar, Markham sees his children. Tears fill his eyes.
He looks at Emilia, and in that moment, she looks back.
Their eyes meet. Her lips move soundlessly—Father.
He blinks twice—his silent message of acceptance—and feels a strange, final peace.
The King had honored his last request: protect his children.
Louis grabs her hand, turning his face away, unable to bear the sight.
Emilia turns too, letting herself collapse into his arms.
The King has decreed that only officials and family may witness the execution. No crowd. No spectacle.
As the blade falls, Emilia runs. Louis follows. She breaks down by the palace gates, sobbing uncontrollably.
One by one, her brothers emerge, their faces etched with grief.
She clings to Louis to stay upright as they all hold one another in silence, mourning together.
Although the women who bore them don't always see eye to eye, the siblings—except Catherine—have no real enmity among them.
~
They return home. With Hannah's eldest son away training in the army, the three of them with Emilia gather in the main hall along with Sophia and their mothers.
Emilia walks straight to Sophia, falling to her knees in tears.
"Father is…" she whispers, her voice breaking.
"You will become the lord of the house now. You shouldn't kneel to me," Sophia says, eyes glistening with tears.
She lifts Emilia gently, while Margaret and Hannah stand in grim silence.
Not because of their grief but because of Sophia's word.
Tradition expects Markham to choose a male heir—one of the sons.
But in order to repay Emilia's mother, he names her as his heir.
None of his wives supports his decision, and due to the sudden incident, the fate of the next lord remains undecided.
Despite their grief, both Hannah and Margaret look forward to their sons becoming the owner of the Markham family seal and sat quietly in the hall, waiting for Sophia to decide it.
"Viscountess, you need to decide the new lord now" Rufus, Markham's most trusted manager step forward to remind her.
"Now that both Emilia and Catherine are getting married, I think it's obvious who the position of the lord should go to." Margaret voice out and Hannah glares at her.
"My first son might be at the border defending the kingdom but I still have another one. You shouldn't covet what is not yours." she warns.
Sophia sighs, staring at the familiar seal in front of her and picks it up from the slate.
Margaret and Hannah's eyes flashes with greed as Sophia walk towards the four of them.
"Emilia, take it. It's what your father wanted." Sophia says, placing the seal in her hands.
She also disagrees with her father from the beginning but changes her mind now.
Rufus steps forward with the family register and turn it to Emilia.
"My lady, please sign it."
"You can't be serious!" Margaret shouts.
"She betrayed us! Sophia, you of all people should do the right thing!"
"How dare you address me like that?" Sophia snaps.
Hannah look on, visibly angry but doesn't dare to speak recklessly as Margaret.
"She's just a woman! A wife! How can she manage our estate from the palace? How can she handle the family business?" Margaret's voice rises.
"You want your son to lead? Have you even considered if he's capable?" Sophia asks coldly.
"And Emilia is more capable than all our sons?" Hannah adds, stepping forward.
"Her Majesty," Sophia corrects sharply,
"She is to become Queen tomorrow. You don't have the right to speak her name like that."
"And she is no longer our family, have you forgotten? She has taken on her mother's name. Certainly forbidden." Hannah snarls.
"She can barely manage her marriage—now you risk the future of our house?"
Her son is the first son and by right should also be the lord but because of her low status, she didn't dare to fight for it before.
Now that the second son, who is Margaret's eldest has the heart of a painter, her other son should be in the position of the lord.
"We all oppose to Emilia becoming the lady of this family." Margaret adds, turning to her sons for support but everyone of them turns their face away from their mother, all hiding behind Emilia.
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