Chapter 19: Ripples
1094 Words
Chapter 19: Ripples
Third Person's POV
Nem sluggishly lifted her body from her chair, as her hands started shaking from the shock and terror that the truth of the matter gave her.
The incredulity of her guess is clearly mixed with the truth. She doesn't know why she has the confidence to say that her conjecture is most likely true.
How could she be so muddle-headed to not even realize the peculiarity of the sudden illness that her royal father contracted. It was like a judgement from the gods to will away her father's spirit and life each day without any hope to recover or heal.
There are no records about such illness, and they did not doubt it to be poison either. It only happened because no one tried to look deeper on the situation, and labeled her royal father's condition as an unknown terminal illness.
The Queen's current pale-face and the trembling of her body scared the palace maid so bad that she panicked while calling for Zyar who is outside the study.
A large bang sounded as the door was almost blasted out of its hinges. Zyar strode quickly inside and saw Nem's unstable condition.
"What happened to her highness?"
Zyar supported Nem without any hesitation and questioned the palace maid strictly. The maid anxiously explained while worriedly looking at Nem's unfocused stare. The Queen became like this because of the news she reported, will she be sent to the prison cells?
"Her majesty reacted this way because of the news of the Old duke's death."
"Get out and close the door, do not let anyone in."
Zyar did not bother about the palace maid's scared appearance as he heard the creaking sound of the almost broken door being closed, and gently placed Nem back on her seat while patting her shoulder to calm her down, and checking her complexion that is turning worse every second.
"Asteria...relax and breathe, tell elder brother what happened. I will be here to support you."
Royal Knight Zyar's solemn and strict air as the personal guard of the queen vanished without a trace, before reverting to a caring and gentle older brother coaxing her younger sister who is currently afraid of something unknown to him.
Nem's irregular breathing, and wandering consciousness returned after a couple minutes of hearing her sworn brother's words.
She raised her still pale face and drops of tears started forming on the edge of her eyes.
Pain, sadness and hatred intermingled in the depths of her forest green eyes like different ripples of the slowly budding rain waiting for the storm to come.
"Elder brother Zyar, I-I think royal father died not because of an unknown terminal illness, but because of a strange poison."
The words spoken are enough to stun Zyar to be a motionless statue.
The implications of the late king dying with a terminal illness cannot be compared to what kind of waves will come once it was known that the late king's demise is because he was poisoned to death.
"Your majesty the Queen...Asteria...you need to think about the things that you have just said clearly. The late king's demise of being poisoned will shatter the already unstable balance of the kingdom. You have not even taken your rulership for a month, and the kingdom is still in its recovering stage, but this piece of information will destroy everything."
Nem blankly shook her head seemingly unaware of the words coming out of Zyar's mouth. She wanted to think in a rational way, but the negative emotions whirling up inside her scattered all of her sane thinking.
She clenched her fists tightly that her soft palm started bleeding though she is completely unaware of it and ordered Zyar with the small part of her that is still in control.
"Elder brother, please investigate everything about the conditions of both the late king and old duke that died of this ailment. I want you to examine the Old duke's body in private without alerting anyone. Bring a trusted royal physician and poison expert to help you."
Zyar gently let Nem lean back on her chair and patted the back of her hand in comfort.
"Do not worry and quickly adjust your state of mind and emotions. A queen must be always calm in the face of any burden and challenge. Elder brother believes in your beautiful and strong heart Asteria...I believe that this will only make you stronger."
Leaving those comforting and honest words, Zyar took one last look at Nem's closed eyes and left in a hurry.
Nem slowly opened her eyes as the door closed on Zyar's leaving figure. She weakly massage her temple while in a semi-conscious state. Being bombarded by a lot of negative emotions and thoughts that wanted to break out of her body felt like she is on the verge of breaking down.
"Royal father...what would I do if it is true that someone killed you?"
"If it is true...what kind of reason do they have to do so?"
Her mournful sigh filled with pain and confusion only served to make the study descend in a quiet atmosphere full of gloom.
In the royal chamber of the third princess of the Regin Kingdom.
Seles helplessly and worriedly stared at Amayris' face that can only be described as bloodless. The news of the old duke's death gave another blow to Amayris who just woke up since she fainted two days ago.
Seles caressed the scrunched up eyebrows of her youngest sister. She treasures this frail little sister immensely, but she could only wrong her this one time for the successful implementation of her plan.
It doesn't matter if her little sister lost her maternal grandfather, Seles would just spoil her more in the future.
She knows that Amayris will thank her one day once she grabbed the kingdom tightly in her hands. Seles will give her the highest authority under her, gift her with land and wealth incomparable to what she have now.
"Little sister should not blame elder sister, elder sister did it for our future."
"Little sister does not need to worry about anything, even if you lost the support of your maternal family because of elder sister, elder sister will be at your back to support you."
Seles gently smiled as she held the thin and bony hand of Amayris. Amayris' thin and small body as a fourteen year old is really not normal as a growing child.
"Little sister will be fine as long as you hold elder sister's hand."
- Writer
