Although everyone was staring at me, it didn't scare me, and I withstood their accusing glares calmly.
Martha immediately came to stand beside me. Even though she annoyed me most of the time, she was the only person who came to protect me.
"Why did you do it?" one middle-aged lady asked me. If I remembered her correctly, she was one of the King's concubines as well as the Queen's puppet.
"She didn't do it," Martha replied on my behalf.
I didn't like what Martha did because I wanted to be the one to speak up for myself, but then it felt good to have at least one person by my side.
I looked at my father, King Armen, who remained silent as if he had expected Martha to protect me. The woman next to him looked troubled, but I knew her expression was fake. Queen Niobe was, in fact, pleased by the situation, but as the Mother of the Kingdom, she had to pretend otherwise.
"You are just a servant, so stay out of it," berated another woman who was one of the Queen's relatives.
Martha was about to say something, but I held her arm lightly to stop her. She turned to me, and I gave her an assuring look in response.
Finally, the King spoke, but he said nothing about the fire nor the accusation against me. He simply ordered Martha, "Take the Third Princess back to her place."
Suddenly, one older man stepped forward and bowed to the King. "Your Majesty, this is not the right way to deal with this. No crime should go unpunished."
Another man stepped forward as well and bowed. "If we let this pass, what would our guests, especially the groom's family, think?"
With this, the rest of the officials from the royal court stepped out to agree. They all bowed to the King and repeated, "We seek justice, Your Majesty."
The women representing the groom's side felt like they had to voice their opinion out into the open as well. One of them said, "Your Majesty, the Second Princess is to be joined to the Griven's royal family, and as part of our family now, we will not allow anyone to bring harm to her."
Others raised their voices to agree with them as well, and the King had to listen to them. All were influential people in the royal court who came with their families.
First Princess Giselle and Second Princess Meira looked pleased with what's happening. Although they did not speak out, they stood together with eager expressions on their faces as if they were enjoying a show.
The King turned to me. "Do you have anything to say?"
For the first time, I felt like I was finally given an opportunity to protect myself, and he trusted me to make well use of it.
I maintained my calm and looked at the accusers. "Why do you all think I did it?" I asked.
"Only witches can do it," said one noblewoman.
"That I know, but why would I do it?"
"Why else? Because you are jealous of Second Princess Meira and want to spoil her happiness!" "How can you be so sure?" I countered.
"Isn't it obvious?" the woman scoffed. "Witches are always crafty and hurt others."
Even if I had screamed my heart out saying I didn't do it, they would never believe me. They only saw things they wanted to see and only listened to words they wanted to hear. It's better for me to act along with their fears, as it looked to be the only way these people would understand what it truly meant to be a witch.
I could have left, and no one would have dared to stop me, but how could I miss the chance to scare them and see those amusing scared faces?
'Idiots asked for it.'
I moved my right hand, and the two women in front stepped back in fear as if I had lashed out an attack on them. They were staring in horror at the blue scales on the back of my palm.
I observed my palm as I twirled my fingers to check on every side. "I wonder if my powers are becoming stronger now that I have the capacity to burn that huge curtain in just a minute." I looked at Martha. "If we burn that huge curtain normally, it will at least take twenty minutes, right?"
Martha nodded, and the others waited to see what I would have said, or rather they were curious to know if I admit it was my doing.
Clang! Thud!
One metal vase fell from its stand. The First Princess had stepped back as if on reflex, unmindful of the noise she caused. Her expression was priceless—she had probably recalled a certain traumatic experience.
I smirked. "I mean, last time when I supposedly burned the First Princess' clothes, I remember there was only the smell of burning, but no pungent smell of oil. My, but today, is it just my nose, or is it as if someone had coated that curtain in the flammable oil? Since when did my powers allow me to produce flammable oil? At this rate, I can certainly burn this entire palace in a moment."
After hearing it, everyone held their breaths as if I would really do it. I looked at those women. "Isn't it fascinating?"
"Are you scaring us?" One man came forward, another of Queen Niobe's relatives, and appeared to be husband to one of those women.
Of course, it scared them. I scared them.
Only if they could see the smirk on my lips, it would have been even more effective. 'This damn veil.'
"I just had an urge to try it," I explained, and others went speechless.
When scaring them almost worked, I heard one pitiful voice.
"What did I do to you to harm me? Why do you have to spoil my day?" It was Second Princess Meira who spoke, taking upon herself the role of a victim. "You are a witch, but it's not my fault."
I stared at her. "Trust me; I'm happier being a witch than a fake person."