"Now you are tainting your integrity by lying to us, Izan!" I snapped, my voice sharp and full of frustration, the weight of the accusation hanging heavily in the air. My eyes locked with the heir of the D'Arcy Dukedom, watching as his expression faltered for a fleeting moment before he quickly regained his composure. He stood tall and unyielding, seemingly unaffected by my words, as if he were impervious to the anger I was unleashing upon him.
"Are you calling my brother a liar as well, Your Highness?" Aeneas's voice rang out, his words filled with a defensive bite. He stepped forward, his posture straight and commanding, his tone one that demanded attention, clearly attempting to shield Izan from the accusation. His eyes flickered between me and my sister, his stance firm and unrelenting as he backed up his brother.
"Avy made the song," Phaedra shot back vehemently, her eyes narrowed into slits, her expression dark with frustration. She glared at both of them as though daring them to dispute her claim. "It was my sister's. If he says he saw Nsomi making it, he is lying. Both of them are liars," she spat, each word filled with disdain as she rejected their version of events.
"Rai has no reasons to lie about anything," Aeneas exclaimed, his voice rising with irritation, the muscles in his jaw tensing as he glanced over at my sister, his gaze intense. He was trying to force some semblance of reason into the growing tension, but the frustration in his voice was undeniable. "He wouldn't do that, and neither would I. There's no benefit for us to lie," he continued, his eyes narrowing further.
"Didn't you love Avy?" Phaedra snapped at him, her words biting, frustration clear in her tone. "Shouldn't you side with us in this? Shouldn't you defend us? After everything, how could you not believe us, not stand with us?" Her voice quivered slightly with the sting of betrayal, as if she couldn't fathom why Aeneas, someone so close to them, wasn't on their side.
He turned his full attention on her, his gaze piercing, and for a moment, I thought the atmosphere in the garden might break. He looked her up and down with a cold, unflinching expression. "I loved her, I still do," Aeneas replied, his voice steady but imbued with a depth of emotion that was impossible to ignore. "But I know that she was no liar, and neither is Rai. And if Nsomi is open to having her truth tested by the temple, I see no reason to doubt her. It's the only way to find out what really happened here," he said with finality, his eyes flashing a challenge. "Now, can you please plead to the temple that this was done by Avyanna? Can you bring forth the proof you claim to have that she was the one who did it?"
"Yes," Phaedra hissed in a low, dangerous tone, her voice dripping with disdain as she spoke the single word. Her teeth were gritted, and the fire in her gaze was almost palpable. As she said it, my mother and I exchanged a quiet glance, our eyes meeting in silent understanding. This confrontation wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.
"Then it seems like we have an appointment with the temple," Rai stated firmly, his tone hardening, and the tension in the garden thickened. He stepped forward, his hand reaching out to help his sister, who was still seated, to her feet. He moved with the measured calm of someone who had seen this kind of thing before, but there was a quiet defiance in his eyes, a certain resolve. "You questioned the integrity of the people of my house, of House D'Arcy, even though our houses have been allied through honesty and truth for generations. This is disappointing, but I can't say I'm not surprised. After everything that has happened, I should have expected this level of disrespect," he continued, his voice low but carrying a weight that made it clear this was a matter of deep personal importance to him.
"You can't fool the temple, Nsomi," my mother interjected, her voice sharp and unwavering. It sliced through the tension like a blade, and she added, her tone colder than ice, "The truth will come out. You can't avoid it."
"I have no reasons to do that," Nsomi replied, her voice tight with restrained fury, each word deliberate as if trying to maintain control. Her eyes flashed with the anger she had been holding in check for some time now. "Because I am not the liar here. Until then, it is not befitting for Your Majesty to be wronging me without any proof. How will the citizens of the Kingdom see our Queen if you act in this manner? What will they think of your judgment? How will they view you, a ruler of our people, if you tarnish your own name without cause?" Her teeth were clenched as she spoke, her fury seeping through despite her best efforts to remain composed. "I am free to have an audience with the temple at any time, whether it's public, broadcasted, or private. Whatever you decide, Your Majesty. I have nothing to hide regarding this situation."
With that, the group gathered themselves together. They bowed curtly, stiffly, each movement deliberate and full of restraint, and without another word, they turned to leave the garden. Four of the D'Arcy Duchy Knights, ever vigilant, followed them closely, their presence more than just a symbol of protection. It was a reminder that they were not leaving anything to chance, ensuring that no further escalation would occur. The entire scene felt like an orchestrated exit, designed to leave an impression—whether they intended to or not.
"House D'Arcy has no idea of what they are doing," my mother muttered under her breath, inhaling deeply as if she were trying to expel the tension from her body. She spoke as if dismissing the entire encounter, pretending as though nothing significant had happened. Her words were casual, but the undertone of frustration in her voice was unmistakable. "The first contestant drama aside," she continued, throwing a sharp glance at Phaedra, "shall we go on with your performances, Ladies? And don't lie like Princess Nsomi did, alright?" Her words were coated with an icy edge, a warning that was clearly not meant to be ignored.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but can I say something?" Rebekka's voice broke the tension, soft but resolute. She stood a little taller, her posture firm despite the undercurrent of nervousness in her words. Her expression was determined, as if she had something important to add, something she believed was necessary.
Mother gave a quick nod, her gaze narrowing slightly as though assessing Rebekka. "Anything, dear," she said, her voice laced with skepticism.
"About what just happened," Rebekka began, her voice steady but filled with a quiet confidence. "I believe in Princess Nsomi. And I know Her late Highness was no liar, but didn't she lie about being healthy and not being affected by the rosé disease for three years, according to the temple's testament?" The question hung in the air, and the garden went deathly silent. All eyes were on Rebekka, and for a moment, it felt like time itself had paused. "When we began the Trials, Your Majesty, you told us that a Queen should never accept injustice and always stand up for what she believes. I hope you won't punish me for doing exactly that. If she lied about that, then what if she lied about this too?" Rebekka continued, her voice carrying a quiet defiance. "Not to take credit for it, but maybe to keep Nsomi's abilities a secret, since none of you would have believed she was capable of all this. None of you truly know Princess Nsomi, but her brother, Prince Izan, does. He knows the truth about her."
"Enough," Phaedra hissed, her face twisting in fury, her voice rising to meet Rebekka's words with venom. "You think you know that disgraceful girl? That murderer? You know nothing, Rebekka." Her words were laced with contempt, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity.
"The entire Kingdom, even if you all deny it," Rebekka shot back, her voice rising in defiance, "knows she is not a murderer, Your Highness. She is not disgraceful. Disgraceful is blaming and wronging an innocent girl for something she didn't do. Disgraceful is trying to destroy her integrity, even when she's not around to defend herself. Your sister just forced her to witness her death, and you keep blaming it on Princess Nsomi when the one doing unethical things here are Your Highnesses." Rebekka's words were sharp, each one cutting through the silence with precision, carrying the weight of truth. "Do you even know how those visions affect her mentally and physically? Do you think torturing her physically, like His Highness has been doing since she arrived here, is not enough?"
I didn't even torture her, I thought, but the words echoed in my mind. The discomfort lingered, but I pushed the thought away, trying to silence it.
"She saw my sister's death and said nothing!" Phaedra snapped, her voice filled with accusation, as if my silence somehow justified everything she had said.
"And you think you would be able to reverse an already advanced Rosé disease when not even the temple could?" Rebekka gasped, her disbelief clear. "And what do we even know? Princess Avyanna could have made Princess Nsomi swear she would never tell anyone, because she knew that would throw chaos in the Kingdom. Maybe she didn't want to burden you all with the truth. You never asked the Princess, did you?" Rebekka's final question hung in the air like a challenge, daring them to respond, but none of us had an answer.
It was a question that none of us could easily ignore.