When she was little and her mother was not yet sick. That was the first time she learned she was allergic to raad. Her mother had come back home one day from the market and opted to cook something different, she had bought a Raad from the market and although it was too expensive for commoners like them, she didn't hesitate because she wanted Gwen to eat something nice. If only she knew that Gwen would be rolling on the floor and clutch her chest and stomach after just taking a bite of the delicious looking meat.
The girl was allergic to it, not only would it immediately give her a bad stomach ache but her throat would begin to itch so badly and she would look as if she was going to die. There was only one antidote that could stop her allergies and that was a Nime leaf which could only be found in the Rylica kingdom. Then in order to put her end to her suffering, her mother had asked for help from a conductor who was known to have a secret access from Greecia into Rylica.
He had gotten the leaf for them in return for everything they had and the promise they told no one about him.
When Gwen collected the candy and leaf, she has been reminded of that incident. In the same manner she had seen a way she could attain something that she wanted.
No one knew the pill was a candy neither did anyone know she was allergic to a raad. So she decided to put up an act of poisoning herself and it worked.
Naturally, her allergic symptoms was invoked after swallowing the pill but it would not have killed her like she claimed it would neither was it even capable of making her drip blood from her mouth. She had bitten the inside of her lips then to drown blood out and make her act look realistic
Everything was in her favour.
The Queen believed her and would believe her even more after seeing the Nime leaf. Everyone knows that the Nime leaf was the pride of the Rylica kingdom. It is said to have a subsiding effect on every kind of poison, even those that have no cure. For a leaf as precious like that it was astronomically expensive. Only the royal family could afford it. It only made sense that it was given to her by the Prince or else how could Gwendolyn had afforded it.
It was all a lie but since the Queen doesn't know that Gwen would make up even more lies to patch up her story.
"He asked me to call off the wedding" she started. "But I refuse and then he laid up some threats saying one way or the other I would be the one who is ends running from the wedding. When he said I was going to disappoint him he asked to strike a deal"
"He said if I was to agree to marrying him that the only way I would leave the marriage is as a ghost so he gave the Poison to me and asked dared me to take it. He said if I returned to the palace without taking it then he was going to frame I and my kingdom up and make sure the wedding never holds, then we would become sworn enemies of the Council of Five. But as long as I can dare to take it then he would agree to the wedding and I could live the rest of my life with my life in his hands."
Effortlessly she told a scroll of lies that she hadn't planned to say and surprisingly the story fit perfectly. There was no loopholes neither did it sound unbelievable. It sounded just like what the seventh Prince of Rylica could say and do.
"That bastard!" Queen Jordyn flared up. She had imagined if it was the real princess, so her daughter would have been put to harm by that bastard. She had expected this! That Prince was more than a monster people said he was. Thankfully she was wise enough to not send her daughter to him and had sent Gwendolyn instead.
She looked at the girl standing before her, she was still angry that Gwen had dared to struck a deal with her but at the same thing she saw her worth even more now. She was just a peasant who is meant to be a shield for her daughter Princess Guinevere. As shield from dangerous ventures like this trap of a marriage.
"Is that all?" She asked haughtily.
Gwen nodded "That was what we discussed about. Aside for the little arguments we had in the middle" To serve as an evidence, she lifted her sleeves and showed the bruise that was left behind from Prince Arvcan's grip.
The girl's skin was fair and smooth like that of a newborn child but across her arm was as red print of five fingers. Her skin was too soft and so his grip had resulted to causing inflammations
The scar served as a proof in the Queen's heart. She grimaced at the bruise, yet no ounce of pity for Gwendolyn who was bruised instead she was relieved it wasn't her daughter who had gotten the bruise.
"It's good you didn't agree to cancel the wedding or else... I would have been the one you have to contend with." She said "if that's all leave"
Gwen took a slight bow." Yes your Highness" she turned to leave, the kids were also ushered out of the room through a different direction. Before Gwen could walk out of the room she was made to halt.
"Gwendolyn" Gwen's heart raced when she was called. She didn't turn but stopped in her tracks.
"If what happens today ever repeats itself then I'll be glad to put you to death myself!" Queen Jordyn's cold voice rang in her ear.
'Is that all?' Gwen thought.
"Yes your Highness" when there was no other words coming out, she continued and walked out of the hall without looking back.
She got out of the hall, walked a few meters away from the door and when she was by the corner, she almost collapsed to the floor, all the courage and braveness she was showing few minutes ago left her and she felt limp. The back of her nightdress was soaked in cold sweat to show how much she had been scared whilst in the room. Her heart had almost stopped many times but she kept feigning that arrogant demeanor.
But it worked. It all worked and that was what mattered. Now she could start making her grand plan.