Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 243 The two guards began to lead Freya away. Just moments ago, she'd still held onto a sliver of hope that Wilfred was only bluffing. But then, she remembered that Frederick had once said, "A ruler does not speak in jest." If Wilfred said she was to face royal mutilation, he meant it. His orders were unchangeable. They were truly going to carry it out. "No! You can't! You can't do this to me!" she yelled, her voice shrill with panic. She thrashed and clawed at the guards, every ounce of her strength thrown into resisting. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I'm Fred's favorite!

I'm Fred's woman! I'm your daughter-in-law, Your Majesty!" No one paid her any attention. Being Wilfred's daughter-in-law wasn't a privilege won so easily. The crowd, already cowed by the mere mention of royal mutilation, might have felt a twinge of pity for Freya. But hearing her foolish, self-important protest, they found it difficult to summon any sympathy. Many even thought that she had brought this fate upon herself. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" ---- Wilfred ignored Freya entirely. Fear finally broke her composure, and her frantic, desperate gaze settled on Selena "Selena!

He'll never forgive you for this! Fred will hate you for the rest of his life! Don't you still want to marry him? If you do, beg His Majesty to retract his order! Selena! You'll die a miserable death! You'll never know peace! Selena, help me! Please, I'm begging you! Help me!" As her cries faded into the distance, Selena remained unmoved, Wilfred's expression betrayed no emotion, and Ruth still trembled, her heart pounding with residual fear. At last, it was Andrew who broke the heavy silence when he spotted Eric arriving with the Royal Army.

"Your Majesty, General Warren has arrived!" Wilfred's heart skipped a beat. Ruth seemed to finally snap out of her panic. She immediately said, "Lena, you've seen the wolf pack and know where they are. Take General Warren and go save Fred!" Though she felt uneasy about what had just happened to Freya, she couldn't shake the dread that once Frederick returned, he'd blame her for failing to protect the woman he loved. Ruth had never liked Freya, but Frederick did. And now, she had stood by, watching as Freya was sentenced to that horrifying ---- punishment without lifting a finger to stop it.

Her son would be heartbroken, and might even come to hate her. But right now, none of that mattered. What mattered most was getting her son back alive. "Selena, quickly-" "Your Majesty, | want to rescue Prince Frederick as well," Selena said, lifting her gaze to meet Wilfred's anxious eyes. "But words can be vicious, and | fear what people might say." "What are you trying to pull now?" Ruth snapped, unable to contain herself any longer. She shot to her feet and pointed straight at Selena. "Do you really think everyone will keep indulging you?

You-" Selena didn't even flinch as she replied, "Freya was punished because she harmed my brother. His Majesty didn't do it because he favors me. He simply acted in fairness." Ruth was struck speechless. To be honest, if someone had ruined Frederick the way Freya had ruined Sebastian, she wouldn't have shown any mercy either. She would have demanded vengeance, even if it cost her life. In that sense, Selena wasn't wrong. Freya had brought this upon herself. If one didn't cross a person, they wouldn't strike back. But if they did, the person would strike back tenfold.

---- Still, her son's life hung in the balance. The thought of losing him made her chest ache with panic Ruth was on the verge of tears. "Then, what will it take? What do you want before you'll go save him? Just say it!"