Duren bowed as he waited for Xanxier to tell him to go on which he did by nodding his head. He took a deep breath "Your Majesty I discovered that the last spy in the cell was murdered between this midnight to dawn." He reported.
Xanxier narrowed his eyes and clinched his fist so hard his knuckles turned white before raising his hand and slammed it on the throne's arm. He stood up abruptly his magnificent ocean blue eyes glared at Duren and it seemed sharper which made Duren took a small step back.
Xanxier wanted to blame him of not doing his work right but instead he blurted out. "How did he die?"
"He was stabbed in seven different places on his chest and stomach." Duren fell to his knees and kowtowed. "Forgive your humble servant your Majesty for not being able to prevent this misfortune." He cried out.
"Stand up Duren!" Xanxier commanded as he was getting irritated at how things turned out, he glared at Duren as quickly rises to his feet. Xanxier was going to see the spy after the court and now it was impossible. "I believe you were not able to catch the suspect." He stated clearly waiting for a detailed explanation as he took his sit his hand resting on the arm of the throne.
"The guards guarding the main door said they passed out and when they woke up they quickly checked the prisoners to see the spy was already murdered." Duren explained what the guards told him as soon as he got to the dungeon. He blinked trying to hide his guilt of not being able to prevent the occurrence and not leaving a special skilled guard at the door to guard the spy.
"Bring the guards here!" Xanxier ordered as he tied his veil's rope tighter which he does unconsciously when he was ready for business.
Two guards opened the massive door and a guard led four guards to the room. The guards in question were without helmets and they fell immediately on their knees.
"Forgive us your Majesty....." They all cried out.
"Look at me and tell me what happened." Xanxier demanded as he stared coldly at them not breaking his gaze and he could see how uncomfortable they were at his demand. They looked at him trying to maintain his gaze.
"Your Majesty we were standing guarding the gate when suddenly we fell on the floor and when we woke up the gate was ajar and we went to check only to find out the spy in the cell was murdered." One of them cried out as he planted his hands on the floor.
Xanxier stared at them for a long time like he was looking into their souls. He noted the way they kept shifting their gaze. "Send them to Bezel, I don't know how he will do it but they must be tested to see if they indeed have a poisonous sleeping drug in their system, find someone to vouch for their innocence and lock them up after that." He commanded.
"Your Majesty your Majesty..... have mercy...."
"Your Majesty forgive us....."
"Your Majesty have mercy..... mercy..." They cried as some guards forced them to their feet and dragged them out of the throne room.
"What do you think Barin LuiMi?" Xanxier asked as soon as the door closed.
The ministers present glanced over at themselves wondering who the LuiMi was or if Xanxier just made a mistake of calling out a wrong name. The Prime minister looked so shocked before blinking twice.
"There are a lot of holes in their story, They said they fell without a detailed explanation of seeing smoke or sniffing a sleeping drug which means they may have consumed the drug in question but I think they are lying." The Prime minister declared and it was the other ministers turn to look shocked.
People that knows the Prime minister doesn't use his surname because their family was branded as a traitor of the deceased King's grandfather and they were demoted from the nobels and had to live in the Lower town.
Barin was just lucky of being a scholar and Xanxier noticed his effort of trying to be someone and his love for serving the nation, he also had a sharp intelligence. Xanxier had to ask him to join his council and to be the sole Prime minister when the throne was passed on to him which Barin agreed and said thousand of thanks to Xanxier.
Xanxier never called out his name once except in private which made the Prime minister confused if Xanxier made a mistake or he was well aware of what he called him in public.
"What do you find out about the spy and his death?" Xanxier nodded before turning to Duren.
"The side of his face was branded and his chest and he seemed to have suffered before he was killed." Duren explained after getting over the shock of a LuiMi being a part of the council. "But according to the man we brought to Identify him he was identified as Morton Noth the man that ran away with Lady Krista of Lurnarwell five years ago."
Xanxier shot a glare at Vane and Vane turned to him, his gaze impassive.
"He was tortured before death and the guards was unconsious all through." Xanxier said, his gaze not shifting from Vane once and he stared at him so much Vane had to fake a cough.
"Brother do you need my opinion?" Vane asked as he was starting to regret coming to join the court meeting. It was the first time he would see how Xanxier handles the nation's affairs and he could say he does not like the way he gazed at his subjects and the way his blue magnificent eyes looked like they could uncovers one's soul. He was starting to get uncomfortable at the intensed gaze directed at him.
"What are you doing here because last time I checked you are not a member of the council." Xanxier shot him a cold look and Vane could only utter a few nervous laugh stupidly as he felt so small. "Continue minister of justice ." Xanxier still didn't break his gaze from Vane.
"He is a soldier of Agatha and I presume he is still a follower of Queen Krista of Agatha." He explained.
"The letter says Krista eloped with him." Barin said.
"Yes according to the letter." Duren replied. "It was confirmed they eloped willingly."
"What do you say about this murderer?" Xanxier asked Duren as he finally shifted his attention to him.
"He may be someone with a motive, maybe they murdered him in order to cover their tracks but it may be that case or not but since he was tortured which means he may be murdered by a bitter person perhaps a bitter person he had offended which may or may not be working together." Duren explained.
Vane heart raced at how Duren deduced the whole process and he was a little proud of how Xanxier was surrounded with talented people. Xanxier had to get rid of a lot of ministers and replaced them when he took the throne.
"A bitter person..." Xanxier nodded turning to Vane to resume staring at him.
"I think Agatha may be planning something." Barin added. "Agatha as a nation that practises magic are currently welcoming socerers and sorceress all over middle-earth and even providing homes for them, they are expanding their territories and conquered part of Nomand's land, a small village called Gentle. The King of Agatha have the witches made a barrier that could resist any external force."
Xanxier nodded glad of how resourceful the Prime minister was. Agatha may not be planning to go to war against them but the rate they are progressing it wouldn't hurt Autumnshell to start preparing.
"We will resume this discussion when Bezel gives me a result on those guards." Xanxier said trying to mask the headache that was building up. "That woman Elae, she looks familiar." He said since the way she acted was just like a noble but she wasn't putting on anything fancy and even went to fetch water herself.
"She is the daughter of the late right Prime minister." Daminas said. "She married a farmer who comes from a poor family which made the late right Prime minister disowned her"
"Hmmmmmm, lets move to the reports and I also want to know what is delaying Za." Xanxier said knowing it would be a long day.