A month goes by, and I am still waiting for word from Soft Shore Kingdom. Things had cooled off in the castle but were in no way better. Daphne hadn't bothered to come back to the palace. She stayed out with her friends in the village. She has been an extrovert since childhood, always surrounded by people. The complete opposite of me, always holed up in my room with a book or listening to the music and villagers singing from afar.
I didn't mind it much. I'd rather her get along with people than stay home alone.
I left my room to walk around the gardens and get some fresh air.
"Did you hear?" One of the maids whispered from behind me.
"Hm? What?" Another asked
"Well, apparently, there's going to be an attack by the fall festival."
"Seriously? By who?"
I turned back and waited for her reply.
The maid opened her mouth to speak but froze when she saw me intensely staring at her from the other maid's shoulder.
"Well? Spit it out! Who?" The other maid asked
"Yes. Tell us who." I said
Both maids flinched and mumbled something before trying to run off. I caught the first maid before she got too far.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to speak in your presence! I didn't know!" She kept apologizing.
"Who?" I asked
"…oh. Um. It's just a rumor, but I think it was someone from the Soft Shore Kingdom…but it's just a rumor! Nothing more." She said
"Most rumors have some truth behind them," I said
I felt something looming behind me, but there was nothing when I turned back.
I turned back to the maid, who was still crying, and told her to return to her duties. She bowed and scurried off.
I walked towards where I felt the presence and turned the corner. That's where I saw the butler fumbling with the tea cups he carried on a tray. When he saw me, he shoved something in his pocket and bowed.
"Your majesty, I wasn't aware you were still here. I thought you would be tired from your walk and would want a cup of tea." He smiled and lifted the tea in his hands.
I peered down at the cups before looking at the older man's smiling face.
I smiled back. "I would be delighted. Come. Bring it to the green room."
We walked together to the green room, which was filled with exotic plants and trees that had been carefully cared for.
I sat at a small table in the messy plants.
The butler set the cups down and poured the tea in. I raised one of the cups to my lips and sniffed it. Nothing. I couldn't smell anything.
I looked at the butler, who was watching me with hawk eyes.
I squinted at him and asked, "Who are you?"
He blinked in surprise, "Sir?"
"Who told you to do this? Who do you work for?" I set the cup on fire. A soft blue hue rose from the cup, and a strong odor of rotting corpses erupted from the drink.
"I…I didn't. Sir, I've served you since you were only ten years old! Seven years ago, you appointed me to be your personal butler. How could I ever poison you? I'm loyal to you and this kingdom." He asked
Sure…loyal my ass.
I looked down at his bottom half. "I've heard rumors of you spending lots of time with my maid. It would be a shame if your mini-member were to go missing."
"I-I d-d-don't! Not that much! This-this is jealousy? Of the maid! That's it!" He exclaimed
"No," I waved him off, "Not even a little bit."
I know how notorious he is for spreading rumors, and I don't want him to spread that one.
"Look, if you tell me who the attacker is, you get to keep all your body parts," I promised.
"But I don't know! I only know of the rumors of some Soft Shore soldiers who would attack the festival. That's all." He exclaimed
"Promise?" I asked
He nodded.
I reached for his clothes to search him but as i was reaching for his pocket, he pulled away before I could slip my hand in.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"I just…there's something private in there." He mumbled
"It's just you and me here. It'll be fine," I said, reaching out again.
He stood stiff as a board until I pulled out a ring.
"That's just a ring I saw. I thought it looked nice. Not that I stole it! Not that I'm complaining about my wage! I mean…" he kept rambling.
I zoned him out as I inspected the ring. I pulled my knife from its sheath hidden under my robes on my belt and used it to remove the diamond.
"Your majesty! Is this necessary? That was a precious gift to me!" The butler exclaimed
"From who?" I asked, still getting the damn diamond out.
"From…a lover." He finally admitted
"Oh? You?" I asked
"Yes, me!" He said, offended, as he held his hands close to the ring. As if he would yank it from my hands at any moment.
"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry if I offended you." I said as I popped the diamond out.
He cringed as he saw that I succeeded in removing the diamond.
"I hope you know that's a real diamond! Don't lose it, please." He pleaded
I held the ring up towards the sun; sure enough, he was right. It is a real diamond.
I looked at the ring where the diamond had been. There were remains of a type of powdered poison that was unfamiliar to me from the smell. But when I rubbed it between my fingers, a burning sensation flared up on the pads of my fingers. The skin of my finger started peeling and blood dripped down the palm of my hand.
"Sir? What's wrong?" He asked me
I held up my burning fingers. He gasped when he saw the mess my hand was in.
"Your majesty! How did that happen? I will-"
"Quiet." I interrupted him, "There's a traitor among us."
"I swear on my family's gravestones, it's not me, your majesty!" He insisted
"Who gave this to you?" I asked
"Miss…Muku. She gave this to me for our four-year anniversary." He said "But it can't be her. She's been with you for all of the seventeen years you've been alive and more before your birth."
That is true, which is why I had her become Daphne's personal maid.
"Your majesty!" One of my advisors cried out as he ran towards us, "It's the Big Pebble Queen. She's here and has requested a visit."
I heaved a heavy sigh and handed the butler his diamond ring pieces back. He held the ring in his hand and looked down at it with a frown.
I had the advisor bring some guards over to the butler and send some to guard Daphne. Then, I went out to meet the Queen of Big Pebble Kingdom in the garden.
She stood over a small bush blooming with beautiful deep pink flowers, her hair flowing around her. The pink tips of her hair gently flew in the wind in contrast with her long dark roots. Her hair, like mine, symbolizes the mystical beast inside her—the golem.
The golem is known for its protective behavior, mostly toward those it considers family and home. This is why I consider myself lucky to have a good relationship with her. Becoming an enemy with her would be like welcoming the devil into your house.
When she heard my footsteps, she turned and smiled warmly my way.
"Hello, Dahlia. What brings you here?" I asked
She turned back to the flowers. "Nothing much. I was just passing through for the fall festival and wanted to see the castle while I was there."
People from further regions would travel here just to see the fall festival. So, seeing the queen visit the kingdom around this time wasn't unusual. But it was uncommon for anyone to come without at least a few days' notice.
"If that's the case, I can have one of my guards take you on a private tour around the castle," I said
"Hmm. That's alright. I mostly just wanted to see you." She chuckled
I tilted my head and smiled. "Oh? And why is that?"
She looked down at my robe, which, thankfully, I had closed correctly this time.
"I heard rumors that you wore pajama robes around the castle when you have no guests." She laughed, "I guess the rumors were true."
I smiled. "Yes. I guess they were."
She dusted the imaginary dirt off her dark purple dress.
"I should get going. I fear that I have interrupted something important and annoyed you."
Well, she's not wrong. I'm surprised she caught on that I was annoyed, though. People usually have a hard time figuring out what mood I'm in.
"I suppose you should. The festival is only a few days away. Please enjoy." I said
She nodded, but before she walked out of the garden, she turned around and asked, "By the way, there are rumors that there would be an attack. Should I be worried?"
I hesitated before answering, "There are rumors of water soldiers attacking. I would bring extra guards with you to the festival."
"If it were me, I wouldn't continue with the festival." She shrugged. "But that's just me."
She walked out.
I looked down at a crushed black flower on the ground and back at the queen. She never liked black flowers.
I headed back to the butler and contemplated on what to do.
Indeed, I could just have the festival on another date or cancel it altogether, but now that I know the traitor within the castle is making his move, the situation has become more difficult.
The butler and maid have been servants of the royal family. If one of them were to betray the kingdom and word got out, there would be chaos.
I stopped mid-step. The weight of this situation finally settled in my mind, just setting in.
I looked back and made sure no one was around. I then kneeled to the ground, no longer able to use my legs. I took deep breaths to calm myself before standing back up.
I cleared my mind and went to find the butler.