The Slave Queen - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

The cat that had startled the noble consort and caused her miscarriage—had been Julia's cherished pet. She was the one who had insisted on bringing it into the palace.
But after the tragedy, when the king flew into a rage and ordered a full investigation, no one was willing to let Julia take the blame. Instead, they claimed the cat belonged to Raelynn.
She had looked at her parents and Gabriel in disbelief, certain they must have been mistaken. But no matter how she cried or pleaded, none of them changed their story.
Even when the king and the noble consort began to doubt the official account, her father Hugo stood firm. He swore the cat was hers—then slapped her across the face, called her a liar, and said she was coarse and lowborn, that her country upbringing was to blame for the disaster.
And just like that, they left her behind in Aether Sanctum. By the time Margot found out and tried to speak up for her, it was already too late.
Warm water trickled over her skin, sliding over the wounds that hadn't yet healed. But Raelynn had no intention of telling them what she'd suffered in those years.
Even if they knew, they'd only feel relieved—grateful it had been her, not their precious, pampered Julia, who had taken the punishment. Thankful that their beloved daughter hadn't been dragged into a place that chewed people up and spat them out in pieces.
When she finally stepped out of the bath, a maid came in to help her dress.
The wardrobe was filled with beautiful garments—elegant and luxurious—but none of them matched her taste. Instead, they were exactly the kind of clothes Julia usually wore.
She held one up to herself. The sleeves were short, the skirt even shorter. A few had faint stains that hadn't been completely washed out, and some had tiny tears or snags in the fabric.
These were clearly hand-me-downs.
Raelynn hadn't planned to make a fuss—but if she showed up in front of Margot wearing this, it would be impossible to hide the truth.
She glanced at the maid. "These don't quite fit. Could you find something else for me?"
The maid frowned, barely concealing her irritation.
She thought, 'All of these are Lady Julia's barely worn dresses—made of the finest materials. So what if they are a little short? What is there to be picky about?'
Still, the maid kept her tone stiff but polite. "Lady Raelynn, you returned on such short notice. Lady Cecilia is worried Lady Margot might get upset seeing your old things around, so she have them given away. I'm afraid there might not be anything else suitable right now."
Raelynn gave a small, bitter smile. It was hard to say exactly how she felt.
So they really hadn't thought about her at all. Not even enough to keep a single belonging behind.
"No matter," she said softly. "It's already generous of you to offer me something to wear."
Then, more quietly, "Please return these to Lady Julia. Given my current position, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to wear them."
The maid hesitated, unsure what Raelynn was getting at—but in the end, she stepped out and brought back one of her own worn dresses.
So it was in a plain, slightly faded outfit that Raelynn finally stepped outside. She had barely taken a few steps when she saw Gabriel and Julia waiting at the gate.
Julia's eyes were red and misty, her expression full of fragile grievance. Gabriel stood beside her, speaking softly, his gaze filled with concern.
Raelynn had no intention of engaging. All she wanted was to see how Margot was doing.
Margot's health had never been strong, and after everything that had happened, she feared the stress might have taken a toll.
But the siblings had no intention of letting her pass so easily.
As soon as she appeared, Gabriel stepped forward, his tone tight and accusing. "You had another falling out with Julia?"
Raelynn lifted her head and met his gaze, her expression calm and unbothered. "What makes you say that, Lord Gabriel?"
The clarity in her eyes caught him off guard for a moment.
Then he remembered what Cecilia had said about the wounds on her hands. And now, seeing those scarred, callused fingers for himself, the reprimand he'd prepared died in his throat.
"Mother told me... the past few years in Aether Sanctum must've been hard on you," he muttered, pressing his lips into a thin line.
"Julia didn't know you were hurt. She didn't mean to grab you so hard—don't blow this out of proportion."
He reached into his robe and pulled out a small jar of ointment, holding it out to her with a tone that still carried the edge of a lecture. "If you're hurt, you should say something. How else would anyone know? Julia's been thinking about you all this time. She even prepared clothes for your return."
Raelynn glanced down at the jar in his hand and gave the faintest, soundless smile.
He wasn't here out of concern. He was here to make sure she didn't resent Julia.
"I understand," she replied calmly. "There's no need to worry, Lord Gabriel."
Her tone was even, her eyes unreadable. "I won't hold anything against Lady Julia. As for the clothes—there's no need. I'll have someone return them shortly."
Gabriel's brows drew together. It was only then that he noticed what she was wearing—a maid's hand-me-down.
Julia noticed too. A flicker of something sharp passed through her eyes before she quickly softened her expression, voice trembling just enough to sound sincere. "Raelynn... is it that you're ashamed of me? I was just worried you didn't have anything suitable to wear on such short notice, so I sent a few things I hadn't worn. But if you go to Grandmother dressed like that... won't it break her heart?"
Before Raelynn could answer, Gabriel's temper snapped. "Raelynn! How could you be so thoughtless?"
He strode up to her, fury flashing in his eyes. "You dressed like this on purpose—to make Grandmother upset? To make her regret letting you take Julia's place? How manipulative can you be?"
He grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back toward the courtyard. "Go change. I want to see what's so wrong with the clothes Julia gave you. If you're so determined to act like a servant, then fine—I'll send you straight back to Aether Sanctum myself!"