Chapter 19 68 % 2 " She went to the Royal Medical Hall and said I stole her recipe . She even got Prince Dashnell to back her up . Now , Nolan plans to report this to the King , forcing me to resign within a month so no one loses face . " Joshua , what should I do ? " Avery was genuinely scared and unwilling to accept this . He stared at Joshua with bloodshot eyes . If he left the Royal Medical Hall , he would lose his chance of an official career and could only run a small clinic outside . But as a son of the Chancellor , that would be laughable . He couldn't accept such an outcome . Joshua was stunned upon hearing that . " What ? Doctor Fischer wants you to resign ? And Prince Dashnell backed her up ? When did she get close to him ? " " I don't know . Who knows when she hooked up with him ?! " Avery's voice cracked , tears and snot mixing into survival salsa . " Joshua , I can't leave Royal Medical Hall . You and Dad gotta pull me back from the cliff ! Or else … no more face left in Sinderin . I'm roadkill . Finished . " It took Joshua some time to process this before he had a headache . " If Prince Dashnell hadn't gotten involved , I could plead on your behalf before the King , and it might work . But now … things are complicated . " His influence wasn't enough against the weight of Prince Dashnell . This needed careful consideration . " Sit down first while I think about it ." Joshua pointed at a chair opposite him . Avery was too angry to sit still . Thinking about his humiliation just now made him feel hot - faced and ashamed . Finally , he sulked . " If all else fails , ask Father to send me away somewhere - Frosthelm or Emberfall or anywhere . Sol won't be mocked every day in Sinderin ! " His usually pale , bookish face was now absolutely red with anger . " I understand how you feel ." Joshua tried to calm him down . " But rushing into things won't help . " He reached out and pulled Avery aside before analyzing calmly , " Think about it - the King already distrusts our family , 50 he uses my shifts as an excuse for constant rest periods . " Right now , he's itching for a chance to take a swing at the Wallen family . With you causing this scene , it's like serving up our father's face on a platter for him to slap . " This is like a chain reaction , it's not simple . How could my pleading with Father make any difference ? " At this point , he couldn't help but complain , " You guys really messed up by letting Margaery run wild in the palace ! " 23:42 Wed , 20 Aug Chapter 19 " That's unexpected ! " Avery felt so wronged that he wanted to cry again . " Wasn't it because of Prince Dashnell ? " Like , you know who Prince Dashnell is , right ? Who would've thought Margaery would get tangled up with her ! " Avery finally figured it out . Prince Dashnell didn't just show up to help Margaery ; they were already up to something before . 68 % So he said , " Last night , Prince Dashnell ran into Margaery at the door and tossed her a warming gemstone . I thought he was just in a playful mood , but then he showed up again today ." Suddenly , he looked up at Joshua . " Joshua , do you think he's got a thing for Margaery ? " " Humph . " Joshua chuckled . " If you say he's looking for an excuse to mess with our family , I'd take that . But a thing for Margaery ? " You should see what she's like - does she even deserve Prince Dashnell ? Even if he's disabled , he's still the King's and Queen Mother's precious gem ! " Just the other day , Her Majesty the Queen Mother mentioned selecting a virtuous , gentle , and capable young woman from high - ranking officials " families to be Prince Dashnell's consort - someone to tend to his daily needs . " Now look at Margaery . Does she strike you as someone who could tend to anyone ? Prince Dashnell is different from others ." Joshua shook his head , thinking it impossible for Prince Dashnell to fancy Margaery and that he probably just wanted to mess with the Wallen family . But Avery was seething with resentment over being outmaneuvered by Prince Dashnell and didn't pay attention to anything else Joshua said . He gritted his teeth and spat out , " He is different from other princes . " He's disabled and needs someone who can be both a wife and a caretaker , Can Margaery do that ? " He was so angry that he was huffing and puffing . " That said , we should keep an eye on things for now . " Joshua remained calm . " Here's what we'll do : You go home first . " I'll find an opportunity to go in with Doctor Fischer and feel out the King's thoughts . Then we'll discuss it with Father tonight . " With Prince Dashnell involved in this mess , don't make any rash moves ." With that , Joshua added as a warning , " Once you get home , go see Lord Dominic . If there's a chance Prince Dashnell has his eye on Margaery , we need to cut off that idea . " " You mean … " Avery's eyes lit up . As long as Prince Dashnell stayed out of it , dealing with Margaery shouldn't be too hard . If they could throw mud back on her, he might have a chance to clear his name and return to the Royal Medical Hall . Joshua nodded . " You're clover - don't push this too far . After all , she is our sister , and she's still promised to Dominic . Once that match is set in stone , even if Prince Dashnell had eyes for her , he'd recoil at the thought of touching used goods ! " 213 68 % ) 23:42 Wed , 20 Aug Chapter 19 Avery nodded and took his leave . Seeing hope again , he walked quickly out of the palace in no time . When Margaery went out with Dashnell , they happened to meet . Facing the prince , Avery had to bow respectfully . " Your Highness … " But Dashnell ignored him completely , not even giving him a glance . He just turned to Margaery and said , " It's cold and slippery outside . Let me escort you out . " Margaery was confused about being called his friend , but thanked him anyway . Dashnell reached out and pulled her into the carriage . Their skin touched briefly , making her heart race . Blushing slightly , Margaery finally spoke up . " Your Highness , I'm engaged ." Dashnell looked at her quietly , waiting for her to continue . Margaery , noting his lack of reaction , pressed on , " But that wasn't by my choice - and as it happens , my fiancé has already run off with my sister . " Dashnell's expression softened a bit as he asked , " So , do you have someone you like ? " Blushing again , Margaery lowered her head and replied softly . " Yes , but I don't think I'm good enough for him . I haven't asked for marriage either . Just let me be free from Dominic . " Dashnell nearly asked who held her heart , but fearing the answer he didn't want , settled on . " When the moment is right , I will help you . " First things first - to get rid of Dominic certainly wouldn't hurt . " Would this count toward that chance you promised me , Your Highness ? " Margaery lifted her eyes . Though she tried to veil her hope , it lingered in her gaze - just a heartbeat too long . 3/3