It feels good to be back after a few days. The past days have been incredibly tiring, not only did I have meetings till dawn but also the crime that happened here has played a part. I need to get to the bottom of this situation. I need to figure out what happened and how.
As I walk to my room, I see her, standing in front of my brother. I wanted to leave court so that I didn’t need to see her, but everywhere I went she haunts me. I stay still for a moment and look at the smile splattered on her face, laughing at whatever my brother is saying. A bitterness stirs in me when she shows him such an expression, I feel like I’ve gone mad. She has been through so much trouble, but joy at the same time, and her mind helped France so much, I am convincing to myself that the only thing I feel for her is gratitude, but my heart is showing something else.
She spots me and I look at her eyes only, the smile drains from her face and a shocked expression is only left. She quickly puts on a polite smile and bows her head in elegance. I do the same before I walk away. Why is she getting on my nerves this bad? Why is the only thing that I want to do run to her and hold her in my arms? I feel like a mad man.
“The meeting will take place at sunset, Your Majesty.” A guard that escorted me tells me, I give him a nod and he leaves me alone in my room.
I walk towards a folder filled with papers that contains information about the crime. I sit down on my chair and look through the folder. I place my crown in a drawer and unclasp my cape. This feels better.
After spending hours of writing, reading and analysing I take a step back and walk out of my room. I examine my home, now that the weather finally became better it makes the castle fill up with joy more, the maids are finally enjoying the fact that they are not freezing everytime that they leave the castle and the guards are happy that there is more to watch than rain, rain and rain again.
“My dear son, you have finally returned!” I hear my mother before I can put a smile on my face. She makes everything so incredibly irritating that I’ve come to dislike her, but she is still my mother and she knows more about a few matters of state than I do.
“Mother.” I answer unemotionally. She hugs me anyways. I never liked physical touch, I hate the way that other people touch me and try to comfort me in their arms.
“How have you been? Are you hurt anywhere? Did you make deals on your trip?” That’s all she cares about, deals. She wants gold and jewels so that the entire castle is filled with expensive gold statues. I scoff at her questions.
“I am fine, mother. There are a few deals happening, not that it is any of your concern.”I continue walking away but the old woman continues following me.
“What did you do? Will we receive gold now?” I turn around and face her.
“Mother, please, don’t interfere with my matters.” I speak before I walk away. I let out a sigh of relief when I don’t hear her footsteps echoing against the marble floors.
As I enter the conference room, the room is filled with people and to my surprise I see Arthur and William. William is mostly here for my protection but today I see him carrying a folder of papers around so he must have something to state. But Arthur is in a strange situation, most of the time I don’t see him in the castle and certainly not in a meeting.
“Good Evening, everyone.” I greet, as I sit down at the end of the table everyone else sits as well.
After the first hour most information is being said, now everyone will state their theories. This is the most excruciating part, because most people come up with stupid ideas but I still have to listen to it because I am a King that treats everyone as equals or at least I try to.
“William.” I give him permission to speak after the first two people have claimed something ridiculous. I am curious to what my half brother has to say.
“I believe that this crime has a message.” Those were my exact thoughts.
“Go on.” I told him.
“If you think about the fact that there were five men who hung themselves, all German. And one French woman was brutally slaughtered. It tells me about the situation between Germany and France. Germany lived a peaceful life, as they died with peace and rest, while all the French paid for the consequence, as she died horribly.” Since when is my brother so interested in the matter of crimes?
“Also, when the examiners examined the location, they found out that one rope was almost cut through with a knife, the person who hung here was Frank Gellman. The physician said that all five men died at the same time. So the only possibility is that the woman, Emilia Gellman, tried to cut down her own husband.” This is an incredible theory which is most likely true.
“But this leads to a couple of questions. Who killed Emilia Gellman? How did the commoners get in? Why did they do this?” William finishes.
“Thank you, sir William, that is indeed a good theory, I wonder how you got interested in these situations.” He looks down at my statement and gulps. He is hiding something.
“Does anyone have objections against this theory?” I ask. Arthur puts his hand up.
“Prince Arthur.” I give him permission to speak.
“I find it a strange theory, because this would mean that people let in these commoners, these threats to our home. The Queen was in charge of the house during this time and she was very scared and felt threatened when she found out about this, so this must mean that there is a traitor in French court who is against the Queen.” What is this, Arthur?
“Who are you accusing as a traitor?” I feel a bitterness building in me.
“Think about it, a woman arrived almost two months ago and suddenly thing went downhill.” Victoria? He is bringing Victoria into this?
“You are accusing someone without zero proof.”
“I do have proof. A guard was bribed by the young lady, she let all those people in, so they could hurt the Queen, but they changed their mind and hung themselves in a cottage.” My eyes widened at his statement, my brother is a very stupid man for saying this, because if anything happens to Victoria I will know who to kill myself. My head is filled with rage and I get more angry with the second.
“Why would she do that?” William suddenly says. I look at him in shock, since when does my half brother know about Victoria?
“Because she wants to get rid of the Queen, and become the Queen of France herself!”
This is getting out of hand.
“The meeting is over! Everyone leaves, except Arthur and sir William.” I shout into the room.