Chapter 20
“Why are all the palace maids and slaves standing outside the physician quarters gate?”Fiona asked Honour, still breathing heavily.
“I don’t know Fiona, let’s go in and take a look”Honour suggested.
A lot of weeping and wailing of cries from different maids were too much to the extent that Fiona had no choice but to cover her ears.
“Who told you that princess Tessa is dead?”Honour asked a slave.
” Maid Emery, ” the slave replied.
“Okay,”she replied and faced Fiona.
“But Emery isn’t a Royal Maid, how come she knows what’s going on with the main castle.”Honour wondered, looking at Fiona for ideas.
“Could it be that Emery is spreading this rumor, but why?”Fiona uttered.
“Fiona, I think we should stay a while outside and do some investigation. Because I am still wondering why she wants Her Majesty dead. ” Honour uttered, resting her hand on her left cheek.
“I am also wondering why she would spread such a rumor about Tessa,”Fiona uttered, crossing her arms.
“Let’s do some investigation before moving inside.”Honour replied, locking hands with Fiona.
“Hey, Jade, what’s happening?”Fiona asked a friend.
“Didn’t you hear what’s going on in the main castle?”she asked.
“No I don’t”Fiona replied, acting innocently.
“Wait, Where were you when Her Majesty was poisoned.”she asked, curiously.
“I wasn’t around, am just coming back from Princess Tessa errand”She lied, locking her hands tight with honour’s.
“Hold on, did you just say my princess was poisoned?”Fiona exclaimed, faking her tears.
“Yes, Emery told everyone she was poisoned, and now she’s dead,”Jade cried.
“Emery told you this,”Fiona exclaimed.
“Yes , she told everyone in the outer castle that. That’s why we rushed here to check on our Majesty. I can’t believe she’s gone,”Jade cried, using her handkerchief to blow her nose.
Honour pulled Fiona away from the crowd.
“Did you think this Emery of a girl has a hand in what’s happening to our Princess”Honour suggested.
“I think so, because I’m still wondering how she gets to know most of the things going on in the main castle,”Fiona uttered.
“Let’s ask three different people, if they should mention Emery, then Emery is the main culprit.”Honour suggested.
(No Dialogue)
“Why is everyone crying?”Honour asked the maid.
“Princess Tessa is Dead, no more free day”The maid cried.
“Who told you this?”Fiona asked.
“A maid”
“Which maid?” Honour asked.
“Emery”
“Emery again”Fiona exclaimed.
“Yes, she rushed inside the maids quarters early this morning when the princess was poisoned. She barged inside the maid quarters again, a few minutes ago and told everyone that Princess Tessa is gone.”The maid cried, falling on the bench behind her.
“We have got what we wanted, Fiona”Honour replied, wrapping her hand around her arm.
“Let’s go and see how princess Tessa is fairing ourselves” Fiona uttered, exhaling softly.
They were a few metres away from the Physician, Rana’s Quarters when they bumped into someone.
“Oh! Am very sorry”the young lady uttered, rushing her words.
“It’s fine, ewww. What’s this liquid you pour on me, it stinks”Fiona muttered, staring at her angrily.
“And very sorry, it was a mistake”She apologized, feeling restless.
“Why are you shaking like this,”Fiona asked, turning her around, for their gaze to come in contact.
“I am not Lady Fiona”She uttered, still rushing her words.
Honour mistakenly, took a look at her badge name and gasped. She used her foot to tap Fiona on her leg. Fiona moved her gaze to honour, who signalled her to check her badge, she was about to take a look when honour’s words made her holt.
“Wow, you have a pretty name, Emery,”Honour uttered, emphasizing her name.
“Emery,”Fiona uttered in awe. She quickly made her face back to it’s normal position, to avoid being suspicious.
“So where are you taking the remaining liquid to” honour asked.
“It’s not just a liquid, it’s a stress relief herbal. The King said I should get him one”She replied, shaking hands.
“Am very sorry for bumping into you this way, am very sorry my Lady”she uttered and ran off before Fiona could utter another word.
“Oh! heavens Fiona, she’s really Emery”Honour exclaimed, turning around to watch her back.
“Yes, but she’s very pretty to do such,”Fiona wondered.
“Don’t go for the looks, but the heart. Let’s go and see princess Tessa. Am missing her already”Honour giggled.
*******
They took the passage that leads to the hospitality rooms.
“I don’t like coming here”Fiona murmurs, covering her nose.
(Chuckled)”because of the smell”Honour reply.
“Yes, I could remember when I was still with my brothers. Before being sold into slavery. Especially Zion, he’s always on my neck to take herbs. But the most caring of the two is Zain. “Fiona explained.
“Aren’t you missing them,”Honour wondered.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
“I’m only missing Zion,”Fiona uttered with a soft smile.
“Aren’t you missing the most caring brother of yours, Zain?” Honour asked.
“He’s caring, but he doesn’t understand people’s feelings, he takes drastic decisions sometimes. But when it comes to making you feel loved, he’s really good at it. Too bad ladies took advantage of his tenderness and caring side. ”
“Why did you say that?” Honour asked, finding her experience interesting.
“Ninety-nine Percent of ladies broke his heart, but only one lady stood by him”
“Who?” Honour asked, curiously.
“His childhood friend, she was in love with him but Zain doesn’t believe in love. In other not to break her heart, he took her as a mistress, just to make her happy”
“Wow! your brothers must be fucking rich,”Honour exclaimed.
“Yeah,”she replied.
“Which lineage are you from”Honour asked,.. Fiona looked shocked, she almost pee on her pants.
(Stammering)”well,, hmm,, uhmm,, it’s.. I don’t know. “She rushed her last sentence with a soft smile.
“Okay”Honour replied and smiled widely at her.
“Oh heavens, that was close”Fiona thought, touching her chest and exhaling heavily, not knowing how long she had held her breath.
Honour held the door knob, opening the door gently and slowly.
King Nathaniel was cracking some jokes with Tessa, who was laughing seriously. Fiona and Honour stood for a while, smiling at their beautiful and kind-hearted princess.
“King Nathaniel must really have loved our princess,”Honour whispered.
“Yeah, I think he really does. “Fiona replied, looking at the two lovers.
Tessa mistakenly took a glance at the door and saw Fiona, her face brightening up with more happiness than she was moments ago.
“Fiona!!”She called, with a soft and wide smile. She tried to stand up, but King Nathaniel stopped her.
“My princess,”Fiona cried, running into her open arms.
“Have missed you,”Tessa uttered, hugging her tightly.
King Nathaniel chuckled at their childish attitude, he kissed Tessa hand softly, staring at her with those charming handsome eyeballs.
“Why are they crying outside?”Tessa asked.
“Someone spread a death rumour around the castle and in the whole kingdom.
“Mother and father will be here soon because of the rumor”Tessa asked.
“I don’t think so, you know their quarters are six times farther than this place,”Fiona explained.
“Who spread a death rumour about my fiance.”King Nathaniel muttered.
“Emery” Honour gave the reply.
“Who is Emery?”Tessa asked.
“She is—how come your wear is sock and smells like the poison served to the princess”Rana cut her off.
“Excuse me” Tessa asked, with widened eyes.
“Yes, your clothes smell like the poison given to the princess to drink. I was about to explain how the princess was poisoned medically”Physician Rana uttered.
“You did it,”King Nathaniel growled.
“I didn’t, Emery did” Tessa screamed, and continued,
“We bumped into her on our way down here, when she spilled this liquid on me.” Honour gave details.
“Who is this Emery?”Tessa screamed.
“Oh heavens, my princess, Fiona, she said she’s going to serve the King the remaining.”Honour exclaimed.
“What?”Physician Rana exclaimed and continued.
“We need to stop her, if she succeeds in giving the King that poison. I am sorry to say this, but the King will die instantly in light of the fact that he’s intestines are very weak because of his old age.”Rana explained, furthermore.
“You are kidding right,”King Nathaniel uttered.
“I can’t let father drink that horrible thing, its side effects are unbearable.”Tessa cried.
TBC….