Chapter 90: Duties (2)
"Tyrion," Tabitha gasped, appalled that he would keep Penelope from her. "I have known the duke and his wife long before you did. No harm should ever befall that child whilst she is in my care."
"I know you will not harm her, but that is not what I want to protect her from. You will not get in her ear to convince her to join me in the palace, nor will I allow you to make her feel like this is her fault," said Tyrion.
"Well, isn’t it? You were doing so well up to now. The court and many others had no reason to question your place as crown prince, as you performed well beyond their expectations. You would let that all go to waste?" Tabitha asked, hoping that it wasn’t so.
Tabitha had been through so much turmoil during Tobias’s early days as king, and now, history was repeating itself with Tyrion.
It upset Tabitha that both times involved a lady whom she did not place would become queen.
"I have heard many great things about Penelope before," Tabitha said. "But now, what I hear is enough to have damaging gossip started about our family. You were careless with how fast you wed her."
It was no different from the past.
Since Edgar was a close friend of Tobias, Tabitha paid close attention to him. It came as a surprise to hear that he had wed the daughter of a baron who was drowning in debt.
There were other reasonable matches for Edgar, but for some strange reason, Edgar thought it was best to marry the young woman the town avoided. It seemed to work out in the end for Edgar, but Tabitha didn’t want his for her precious grandson.
The corners of Tyrion’s lips curled as his grandmother’s words upset him. He was close to crossing the line with being disrespectful with his answer, but he remembered who he stood before.
"Grandmother, my choice has been made, and there is nothing I regret. I am not returning to the palace as crown prince," said Tyrion.