The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen
Tobin seems to realise my worries, and he just nods to me.
At least, he has a plan. After all I've said to hearten Lola, it would be heart-broking to fail, just because the Royal Guards are too fast at invading my Palace.
In fact, their captain, Tobin, lifts Lola from the ground and runs towards the door. They let him go while securing the assassins and chaining them for good.
Not one of them can talk or move without a guard tugging them. I think it's because of the magical pressure on them. Still, Flavius seems relaxed, as if it wasn't the first time the guards interrupted while he was performing an enchantment.
«So, blood,» I whisper to him while wiping my hands on the dress. I'd love to run after Tobin and check what happens, but I ought to stay here. First of all, because the Royal Guards won't let me stroll around during an attempt on my life.
«Where are the Queen's guards?» Flavius asks when Ignis crosses the entrance of the garden. «Why have they left?»
«Left?» Ignis says, moving his eyes on the people with us and those following. «Where are the Royal Guards I left to protect the Queen?»
«Your Majesty, most of them have disappeared. We found one knocked out.»
«Bring him here!»
While ordering people around, he reaches my side and helps me stand up. Then, ignoring the blood dripping from my clothes, Ignis hugs me tightly.
«Are you all right?»
I nod against his cheek and sigh. It's bad. Very bad.
«I'm glad I can see you again,» I moan against him. «I've worried a lot about you! They were waiting for me, and they knew exactly where I would go and from which passage I would come out. They knew the time and even the guard disposition. This had been planned as a final attack, Ignis. Someone put a lot of effort into it.»
«Thank the Gods, they failed.»
«It's because of the people around me. Sir Tobin was the first to react, but they had a courter-move ready. They kept him busy for a few minutes, which means they knew him well enough to organise the trap. They also prepared enough assassins to skim the people around me until the very minimum. If it wasn't for my maid Lola, I might have been hurt.»
«How is the maid now?»
«Tobin is bringing her to be cured. She'll live, but if not for... for my luck, it wouldn't have been so. I can't just accept such an attack without doing anything. Not anymore, Ignis.»
«I understand,» he whispers. «But I don't know what to do. Who is the culprit? They're hiding too well.»
«Do you trust me enough to let me cause an incident?» I wonder.
«Of course, I do. Just cause what you want, Veronica. No one will say anything, especially if you're covered in blood like this. They'll assume you're under shock, won't they?»
I stand on tiptoe and leave a peck on his cheek. Even if we're surrounded by people, this much should be acceptable from a woman under shock.
«Your Majesty, what happened?» ask a couple of voices from behind the entrance of the garden.
They're Ignis's friends, the people I was supposed to meet today.
Fernard Falco is the first to walk in. He turns to me, his eyes wide and scared. Only later do I realise he's staring at the blood.
«It's not mine,» I say. «It's of my maid. Unfortunately.»
«I'm... I'm sorry for your loss.»
«She'll live. The wound was scary, but it wasn't fatal,» I lie.
«Oh, good,» he sighs. «And... Your Majesty? Are you hurt anywhere?»
«No, I was spared. The assassins didn't make it in time, thanks to Flavius.»
He nods, glancing at the boy who's examining his nails or tapping on his chin, pretending to feel bored by our conversations. In truth, he's carefully listening.
«Your Majesty,» adds Count Grif, «I'm so glad you're all right!»
At his words, Flavius stops playing the role of a drama queen and observes us. He blinks, returning to look around as if he wasn't interested. But still, I can tell he's listening carefully.
«You three were having fun without me,» I point out. «Wasn't the appointment set in half an hour?»
«Uh? No, of course not.»
I wonder. What is Juliet doing with them, though? Had she gone there by chance? Was it planned? Does it have a meaning?
The woman is still standing at the entrance, observing the events from a distance and with her immutable expression. She's hiding her thoughts so well that not even Flavius can read them.
But we can't say the same for the other two. The men are transparent to him. He has raised a brow and is now watching them as if they were two interesting and rare animals.
There's a lot of movement around us: the guards take the assassins away, especially those snoring in the hallways. They are doing it with speed and precision, even helping the knocked out guard regain consciousness.
«Your Majesty! I failed my task,» he exclaims once realising the situation. He kneels in front of Ignis and begs for pardon until I wave my hand away, and he's sent to rest in another place. Ignis directs the men, telling them how to conduct the investigations, while Juliet reaches my side to comfort me.
Aida appears, finally. She's pale and tired, but she looks all right. I smile at her, and she nods in response. Lola will live.
Now, what were we talking about here? Oh, yes. How did they reach me this easily and with these numbers?
«Where are the other guards?» I ask. I highly doubt Ignis assigned a single person to my protection.
«We haven't found all of them yet. Some are with the assassins, but most of them are missing. I fear they have been disposed of before starting the attack.»
«I hope they're all right,» I murmur.
«They failed their task. They won't be able to continue working in the Palace,» Ignis points out.
«But at least they'll live,» I say. «They will be able to find another job out of here. I'm worried about them. They had done a good job till now, stopping countless attacks. How did that person know about them? How did they approach the guards in the first place?»
«Maybe, the traitors silenced the guards before starting the operation.»
I believe it's not that simple. Sure, traitors have done their part, but I'm so convinced that the culprit has more inside information than we thought.
If only I could get a little more... Just a detail can be enough. I need the reason, and then I will know who it is.
Juliet seems like the most suspicious suspect right now, but what is her motive? Having her daughter in an important place? Just that?
Oh, no. Too simple and too illogic. Why risk her own life and her daughter's position?
It's because of the father. She's not alone in this. Her lover must have played a part. But... Who is it?
I sip some water from the glass Marius brings me. I give it back immediately to take a couple of steps to stimulate my line of thoughts. Who is it?
Oh, goodness.
«Who knows about the King's schedule?» I wonder. «Or about the Queen's, for that matter. Who can predict so clearly when and where I would have gone?»
The glass Marius is holding falls on the floor, and we all startle at the sound. I turn to him to see whether there's a reason for his reaction, and, indeed, I'm not disappointed.
He collects the metal glass from the ground and gets up slowly. He makes sure I'm watching before touching his sleeve. It's a slow, purposes action. It has a meaning, and I should find it before too much time passes.
We can solve it now, can't we? Without dragging things further with interrogations.
Aida offers me her hand, her eyes moving on the strangers. She scans Fernard Falco without too much attention. She knows him, and she's sure he's trustworthy. Her gaze stops longer on Samuel Grif.
Her lips tremble in need as if she was dying to say something. Yet, she can't. Just like Marius before with his signal.
My handmaid and my brother have found out, and they're trying to tell me without making the culprit realise.
Three people came after Ignis. Fernard Falco, Samuel Grif, and Princess Juliet. Who of them is making the people around me act so weirdly?
I turn to them and need a little more to realise. Yet, it's not that hidden. Their feet are pointing at each other. The upper sides of their bodies show it so clearly.
I've been a little blind. Oh, but, wait.... I didn't have any chance to see things as clearly as at this moment.
Chapter 161: Planned (3)
At least, he has a plan. After all I've said to hearten Lola, it would be heart-broking to fail, just because the Royal Guards are too fast at invading my Palace.
In fact, their captain, Tobin, lifts Lola from the ground and runs towards the door. They let him go while securing the assassins and chaining them for good.
Not one of them can talk or move without a guard tugging them. I think it's because of the magical pressure on them. Still, Flavius seems relaxed, as if it wasn't the first time the guards interrupted while he was performing an enchantment.
«So, blood,» I whisper to him while wiping my hands on the dress. I'd love to run after Tobin and check what happens, but I ought to stay here. First of all, because the Royal Guards won't let me stroll around during an attempt on my life.
«Where are the Queen's guards?» Flavius asks when Ignis crosses the entrance of the garden. «Why have they left?»
«Left?» Ignis says, moving his eyes on the people with us and those following. «Where are the Royal Guards I left to protect the Queen?»
«Your Majesty, most of them have disappeared. We found one knocked out.»
«Bring him here!»
While ordering people around, he reaches my side and helps me stand up. Then, ignoring the blood dripping from my clothes, Ignis hugs me tightly.
«Are you all right?»
I nod against his cheek and sigh. It's bad. Very bad.
«I'm glad I can see you again,» I moan against him. «I've worried a lot about you! They were waiting for me, and they knew exactly where I would go and from which passage I would come out. They knew the time and even the guard disposition. This had been planned as a final attack, Ignis. Someone put a lot of effort into it.»
«Thank the Gods, they failed.»
«It's because of the people around me. Sir Tobin was the first to react, but they had a courter-move ready. They kept him busy for a few minutes, which means they knew him well enough to organise the trap. They also prepared enough assassins to skim the people around me until the very minimum. If it wasn't for my maid Lola, I might have been hurt.»
«How is the maid now?»
«Tobin is bringing her to be cured. She'll live, but if not for... for my luck, it wouldn't have been so. I can't just accept such an attack without doing anything. Not anymore, Ignis.»
«I understand,» he whispers. «But I don't know what to do. Who is the culprit? They're hiding too well.»
«Do you trust me enough to let me cause an incident?» I wonder.
«Of course, I do. Just cause what you want, Veronica. No one will say anything, especially if you're covered in blood like this. They'll assume you're under shock, won't they?»
«Your Majesty, what happened?» ask a couple of voices from behind the entrance of the garden.
They're Ignis's friends, the people I was supposed to meet today.
Fernard Falco is the first to walk in. He turns to me, his eyes wide and scared. Only later do I realise he's staring at the blood.
«It's not mine,» I say. «It's of my maid. Unfortunately.»
«I'm... I'm sorry for your loss.»
«She'll live. The wound was scary, but it wasn't fatal,» I lie.
«Oh, good,» he sighs. «And... Your Majesty? Are you hurt anywhere?»
«No, I was spared. The assassins didn't make it in time, thanks to Flavius.»
He nods, glancing at the boy who's examining his nails or tapping on his chin, pretending to feel bored by our conversations. In truth, he's carefully listening.
«Your Majesty,» adds Count Grif, «I'm so glad you're all right!»
At his words, Flavius stops playing the role of a drama queen and observes us. He blinks, returning to look around as if he wasn't interested. But still, I can tell he's listening carefully.
«You three were having fun without me,» I point out. «Wasn't the appointment set in half an hour?»
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«We went early,» the Count chuckles. «After all, we both were looking forward to exchanging a couple of words with someone as busy as our King. Am I wrong, Fernard?»«Uh? No, of course not.»
I wonder. What is Juliet doing with them, though? Had she gone there by chance? Was it planned? Does it have a meaning?
The woman is still standing at the entrance, observing the events from a distance and with her immutable expression. She's hiding her thoughts so well that not even Flavius can read them.
But we can't say the same for the other two. The men are transparent to him. He has raised a brow and is now watching them as if they were two interesting and rare animals.
There's a lot of movement around us: the guards take the assassins away, especially those snoring in the hallways. They are doing it with speed and precision, even helping the knocked out guard regain consciousness.
«Your Majesty! I failed my task,» he exclaims once realising the situation. He kneels in front of Ignis and begs for pardon until I wave my hand away, and he's sent to rest in another place. Ignis directs the men, telling them how to conduct the investigations, while Juliet reaches my side to comfort me.
Now, what were we talking about here? Oh, yes. How did they reach me this easily and with these numbers?
«Where are the other guards?» I ask. I highly doubt Ignis assigned a single person to my protection.
«We haven't found all of them yet. Some are with the assassins, but most of them are missing. I fear they have been disposed of before starting the attack.»
«I hope they're all right,» I murmur.
«They failed their task. They won't be able to continue working in the Palace,» Ignis points out.
«But at least they'll live,» I say. «They will be able to find another job out of here. I'm worried about them. They had done a good job till now, stopping countless attacks. How did that person know about them? How did they approach the guards in the first place?»
«Maybe, the traitors silenced the guards before starting the operation.»
I believe it's not that simple. Sure, traitors have done their part, but I'm so convinced that the culprit has more inside information than we thought.
If only I could get a little more... Just a detail can be enough. I need the reason, and then I will know who it is.
Juliet seems like the most suspicious suspect right now, but what is her motive? Having her daughter in an important place? Just that?
Oh, no. Too simple and too illogic. Why risk her own life and her daughter's position?
It's because of the father. She's not alone in this. Her lover must have played a part. But... Who is it?
I sip some water from the glass Marius brings me. I give it back immediately to take a couple of steps to stimulate my line of thoughts. Who is it?
Oh, goodness.
«Who knows about the King's schedule?» I wonder. «Or about the Queen's, for that matter. Who can predict so clearly when and where I would have gone?»
The glass Marius is holding falls on the floor, and we all startle at the sound. I turn to him to see whether there's a reason for his reaction, and, indeed, I'm not disappointed.
He collects the metal glass from the ground and gets up slowly. He makes sure I'm watching before touching his sleeve. It's a slow, purposes action. It has a meaning, and I should find it before too much time passes.
We can solve it now, can't we? Without dragging things further with interrogations.
Aida offers me her hand, her eyes moving on the strangers. She scans Fernard Falco without too much attention. She knows him, and she's sure he's trustworthy. Her gaze stops longer on Samuel Grif.
My handmaid and my brother have found out, and they're trying to tell me without making the culprit realise.
Three people came after Ignis. Fernard Falco, Samuel Grif, and Princess Juliet. Who of them is making the people around me act so weirdly?
I turn to them and need a little more to realise. Yet, it's not that hidden. Their feet are pointing at each other. The upper sides of their bodies show it so clearly.
I've been a little blind. Oh, but, wait.... I didn't have any chance to see things as clearly as at this moment.
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