Chapter 100 Deceit In The Court
POV Queen Portia
With the evidence clutched tightly in my hands, I hurried through the ornate corridors of the palace until I reached my father's study. King Draco sat at his desk, a look of weariness across his face. I approached him, hugged him, and presented the evidence without hesitation. My dad had a special place in his heart for his daughters. However, we were a large family and had separate mothers. Father never left any of us feeling we were unloved.
His eyes scanned the documents, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the information. "Portia," he said, his voice filled with concern and determination, "we must find the culprit within our court." Who could this be?
Nodding in agreement, I listened as he instructed me on the various attire worn by the members of our court. Queens are in red, concubines are in pink, ladies-in-waiting are in purple, kitchen staff are in blue, maids are in green, and garden staff are in yellow. The pieces of the puzzle were laid out before Titan and me. I believe Titan understood the matrices of the court, but I was away for almost all my life. I needed to be educated.
Turning his attention to the kitchen, my father shared an intriguing revelation. The kitchen staff informed us that two ladies dressed in purple and yellow regularly came to prepare food for the third court. A ray of hope flickered as we inquired if they could identify these mysterious women. Their response was one of assurance.
Summoning everyone from the third court, we assembled them in the grand hall. Andy, the Prince of the third court, appeared visibly upset by this turn of events. Sensing his unease, I confronted him, my voice firm and resolute. "Step aside, Prince Andy. If you obstruct this investigation, I will report you to our father."
His face twisted with anger and fear, but my determination did not waver. "We found poison in Edward's food. We must speak to everyone and get to the truth," I declared, my words laced with purpose. Prince Andy said, This is my court, and anyone who needs information has to pass it through me. I did not budge. When he saw my stance, he moved.
Andy hastily left the hall, propelled by the arrival of one of his knights. His dragon, a symbol of his volatile nature, seemed equally agitated. It was clear that something was amiss.
Interviewing each person from the third court, we slowly unravelled the threads of deception. Finally, we discovered that the woman dressed in yellow did not belong to any court. Suspicion fell upon her, the blame for the poisoning unjustly placed. We needed to locate her and unearth the truth. Where could she disappear, and who gave her access to the palace kitchen?
As the echoes of our investigation reverberated throughout the palace, tension and uncertainty hung in the air. I am the Queen of Poland and the Dragon Princess. I am determined to restore justice and protect my family and I am prepared to face the unknown while pursuing the truth.
Titan and I made our way through the grand halls of the palace, anxiety gnawing at our insides. We had gathered enough evidence to expose the truth, but once again, it was time to face Father and reveal the depths of the deception that had plagued our family.
We found Father in his study, his face etched with worry and lines of exhaustion. I approached him, clutching the incriminating documents tightly in my hands.
"Father," I said, my voice determined but tinged with sadness, "we have uncovered the culprit behind Edward’s poisoning."
His eyes widened with both anticipation and dread. "Tell me everything," he commanded, his voice laced with anger and desperation. My poor father has to face the reality of deception in his family.
With a trembling hand, I presented the evidence to him, recounting all that Titan and I had discovered. Father's face grew paler with each revelation, and a profound sadness settled in his eyes.
He summoned all his guards, bellowing orders for them to find the woman in yellow without delay. Days passed, with relentless searching until finally, Dawn was discovered haggling for herbs in the bustling market.
I meticulously interrogated her, delving into every detail, every connection she had to the poisoning. And then, with my heart in my throat, I called Father to witness the woman's confession.
Dawn stood before the King, trembling, her once confident facade shattered at the sight of him. She admitted that Lisandra's lady-in-waiting had approached her, offering a grand sum of money to carry out the act. And when she revealed the pearl necklace, a gift meant for all my Father’s daughters-in-law, it was a chilling confirmation of Lisanadra’s involvement.
Father's anger surged like a storm within him. He ordered her locked in the dungeon and demanded she receive forty-nine lashes, a punishment befitting her treason against the future King.
As for Lisandra, her fate was equally as damning. Father decided that she would be banished to her father's house, forever separated from her husband and children. It was a harsh punishment, but one that had to be done to protect our family from any further harm.
After discussing the incident, Titan and I knew it couldn't have been Lisandra acting alone. Prince Andy, hiding behind his title as a prince, orchestrated this terrible act. He thought it would be the perfect cover, but we were uncovering his charade, piece by piece. He would not be spared any punishment.
Our next steps were clear. We would confront Prince Andy, unmask him for the villain he was, and ensure that justice prevailed. But we knew the path ahead would be treacherous, with secrets and dangers lurking at every turn.
The dragon princess, once confined to the walls of the palace, was ready to spread her wings and unleash the fire within her. It was time to reclaim our family's honour and protect the legacy tainted by deceit.
My Beloved Readers,
Let us watch out for Prince Andy. Would he want to harm Queen Portia?
Love always,
Your author.