She stared out the window as the carriage left, all draped in black. Henry didn't deserve this. Whoever eliminated him must have known he was one of the last to stay, but how? I only told Ulric this morning. How could anyone have known? Unless, the target was never Henry but rather just a suitor.
"Your highness, your tea," announced the maiden who she saw in the kitchen. Riona nodded towards the desk. The young maid steadily set down the tray yet her eyes stared up towards the queen. "You haven't had any breakfast yet, your highness, should I bring you a jammed toast?"
Riona shook her head slowly. "How can I eat if someone died?"
"It might not be my place to say, but you are always so good to us. Let us be good to you. You haven't eaten either when the groomer was harmed. Do you not feel weak?"
"I am queen. I stand strong."
She sent a sympathetic look. "But even a queen's legs can grow weak from malnourishment."
Riona paused to think of what the young girl said. It was true, she had become a bit frail since her appetite had vanished. The idea of enjoying a meal had left her mind completely for almost a week. How very pitiful indeed.
"Perhaps a bite won't hurt, I would appreciate it," she admitted to which the maiden curtsied and rushed out of the study. Riona stared after her, watching as the door closed, she lifted her hands to rub them together. The tips icy against each other. She wouldn't dare touch another part of her skin, all in fear that it might just freeze her. Instead, she lifted a cup of hot tea. The warmth melting into her touch, sending prickles of heat through her hands. Content left in the form of a sigh and she lifted the aromatic liquid to her rosy lips to take a delicate sip.
Careful not to burn her tongue, she leisurely consumed the vanilla tea. Something she hadn't done in what felt like decades. Something she hadn't done with such content in three years. Something she thought would never send pleasure dance over her tastebuds again.
Outside, the next set of carriages set off towards their homes. Had she made a mistake sending them back? What if the killer was one of them and not the one she had suspected?
Riona set down the cup. Perhaps she should find Vally — to make sure that he's all right; wether or not he's undoubtedly going to tease her as he always does.
The maiden had returned with a covered plate. "Here you are, your highness! Still nice and warm for you."
"Oh thank you. But would you not like one yourself?" kindly offered Riona lifting the cover to see two pieces of sweetly glazed toast. The maiden smiled but shook her head. "No thank you. You'll need every bite to gain strength."
"That is thoughtful."
The maiden excused herself as the woman took a crunch of the bread. It was indeed what she needed. Her stomach instantly yearned for another bite to fill her now triggered hunger.
A good hour later, she received a visit from the loyal butler. He had come to ensure she had in fact eaten. "Should I send for more tea?" He asked brightly, gathering the empty teapot and cup on the tray. Riona shook her head. "I'm satisfied for now, thank you, Ulric."
"Then that satisfies me, your majesty. Should I allow the lord to enter again?"
"Why does he not enter on his own?" She rolled her eyes. "Why must he wait for you to announce him?"
"My guess is that he likes the attention," whispered the butler cheekily.
"Just let the man inside," she laughed waving him off. Ulric laughed with a nod. His hand reached for the door to allow the abnormal lord to enter. Not even a second and he marched in declaring aloud, "May our gracious Father God guide Lord Henry to the heavens. May we celebrate his return to home and not mourn over his passing on."
Riona's complexion scrunched up. "It is not us who are mourning, clodpole."
"Oh..." he frowned, "I was informed you were close... my mistake."
"We were nothing more than peer friends. That is all," stated the queen monotoned, as if she had never initially possessed emotions.
Vally awkwardly nodded, a hand reaching to scratch the back of his shoulder. "Well then, what is on the schedule for today?"
"Nothing too energy absorbing. Only a few simple letters to send out."
"Do you ever go out to inspect towns?"
"Not anymore. I have employed someone else to do so for me. I find it much safer."
"I understand. Have you taken your daily stroll?"
Riona sighed. She hadn't had the time yet; plus, it was so exceedingly cold these days. How was she ever supposed to leave the walls of her study if it was one thing after another. All along with piling stress and lack of self care. All of a sudden, she covered her mouth to cough loudly. A rather dry cough, not too serious, but it had caught her off guard. With wide eyes of surprise she mumbled, "I sure hope I'm not catching a cold. It would be a terrible drag..."
Vally immediately leaped to usher her from the desk. "Not this winter! Off to bed with you at once! You will not be catching a flu on my watch! Having a runny nose is a form of torture that is best to avoid." He could pretty well have just draped her over his shoulder for the way he dragged her had caused all eyes to flick towards them passing by.
Riona hadn't even gathered herself and was already pushed into her room, almost tripping and face planting into the carpets. "Easy with the heels!" she yapped, her throat now scratchy. Vally peeked inside apologetically yet couldn't be bothered by her fuming expression. "I'll fetch some water," he announced, twirling to dash off.
Riona rubbed her face. "That man could accidentally bump me off a cliff because he was leaning to look at a daisy. Honestly, what am I to do?" No library in the world could provide her with an answer she was seeking. Not even a mere guideline to put up with him. With that, she simply carried on to change into a nightgown.
With shivering limbs and numb feet, she pushed back the heavy covers to slide in. She strangely felt tired so soon. I sure hope I'm not catching a cold. It will set me back too far.
"I'm here!" announced the man rushing in to only set down a cup of water. "How are you feeling currently? A fever? Dizzy? Headache?"
"Cold," she replied, her droopy eyes peeking from under the blankets. The lord paused to think. His body lowered to settle on the edge of the bed, a hand rubbing her back, gently offering, "Should I ask for more blankets? A fire to be stoked in the fireplace?"
Riona stared up cutely like a child being spoiled. "I'd like that please."
"I'll be right back, precious treasure."
She frowned as always. This time questioning instead of threatening. "Precious treasure? I am no precious jewel." The lord's lips turned up into the softest of admirable smiles, his eyes twinkling with adoration, beholding the lady not as a shining diamond but rather as the last rose to ever exist. He leaned down while lightly placing a warm palm to her cheek. "What can I do to make you feel as beautiful as you are to me? You are no limited jewel, no. You are the moon, the blue ocean and the sunset. You are an infinite treasure to witness."
What was the woman to do. The man had snagged her breath right from her lungs and left her overwhelmed with the suffocating fact that he was all she could ever want. Though we can't all have what we want... A heart is an expensive treasure to hold. A delicate possession to take care of. Was she even worthy of obtaining his?
She stared as her arms pulled from under the blankets, reaching for him. Her arms snaking around his shoulders and her head buried in his chest. "Why do you make my heart yearn for you, Valleric?"
"You yearn for me?" He asked, as if it were to be a dream, something he had to be sure was nothing surreal. To his astonishment, she nodded guiltily like a child who admitted its fault. Not that there was anything at fault with her confession at all — it was rather something to be bewildered about.
His heart clenched tightly for her. How could I ever leave... such vague and chaotic woman... How did she snatch my heart with her convoluted ways? Was it her eyes? Her kingdom? Her story? No. It was her determination to push through. Push through death, disgrace, betrayal and even her own desires. Oh how wrong I truly was to put myself in her way.
His hold pressed her tighter against his frame. His nose buried in her hair and with a voice of velvet he whispered, "You've entirely stolen my heart. It has never been mine to keep ever since the first day I had met you."
Her chest had quivered. A cold delicate hand hastily moved to cover her mouth as violent coughs fought her lungs for exit. Vally held her to his gaze with sudden unsettling alarm. He shifted to reach for the cup for water and offered it; however, when her hand had left her lips, her eyes didn't leave her palm. "Vally," she mouthed with concern, "There is blood."
"What?" He gasped, grabbing her arm to see for himself. There the evidence was, speckles of scarlet painted her palm. Not for long, Riona had leaned over to cough up ghastly splotches along with vomit. Vally gritted his jaw as he could only stand with his thoughts conjuring up possible reasons for this terrible scene. Riona wiped her mouth sloppily with the most pained expression. "Go find Ulric, please. Tell him to bring a maid along with him. Hurry," she chocked, her mouth filled with the disgusting taste of blood and digestive acids.
The man sprinted from the room straight for the kitchens. "Ulric! Where are you? Get over here immediately! We have a bloody crisis!" He heaved for oxygen. Strands of dark hair hung over his forehead. "Ulric!" he yelled. The butler came rushing from the hall a minute later. "What on earth is going on?" he asked, "Are you quite alright?"
"I'm fine for goodness sake but the queen isn't," huffed Vally, "Go straight to her room, she's coughing up blood. Where's a maid? She vomited on the floor right next to her bed. Do I need to bring anything?"
Ulric blinked. His mind had hit a blank. How could this have happened all in the matter of hours? Ulric snapped out of it. "Yes! The doctor is right on the other side of the castle. Ask for her, then bring a bucket, bowl of water and a cloth. A fever is bound to strike next."
Vally had wasted no time and neither did Ulric. The men had both bolted to take action. Vally had barged into the kitchen, demanding a bucket and cloth along with cool water. "Call the doctor to aid Riona!" He hollered as he marched out towards the halls.
With all the ruckus, Caspian had jogged from another a corner with the look of someone who had seen all the horrors possible. Of course, he was yet to see the current cruelty taking place. "Help me will you?" Frowned Vally, shoving the bucket into Caspian's chest and proceeded running up the stairs. Caspian's eyes widened and his legs followed after with the same urgency to succor in what was taking place. "What's happening?" He panicked.
"The queen is sick. Those bastards must have poisoned her. How could we have been so unmindful, thinking we were the only targets," grumbled Vally venomously.
"You really think she's been poisoned?" quizzed the lord, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Why else would she be so ill so soon?"
"I don't know! Pregnancy?"
"Pregnancy? Why the hell would she be pregnant, dimwit! She's yet to be married, how could you think that!" fumed Vally, turning into the next hall. Caspian sent the man before him a look. "How am I supposed to know, you're together all the time. She could have been by all means!"
"Don't be daft," mocked Vally, glaring at the man beside him. "She won't even let me kiss her, what makes you think she'd... never mind! We have an emergency at hand!"
Vally pushed open the chamber door only to find the room in a worse state than before. Right before him were both the maid and Ulric pale with their hands holding the hunched over queen from dropping to the ground in her bloodied gown. Caspian covered his mouth with a hand, the other shakily motioning Ulric to take the bucket from him before he too might tumble.
Vally set the bowl down with the cloth. His arms latched around her waist heaving her up into his warm hold. The gentleman did not care for the blood for he only wished to hold her as he set her down properly on the bed. Riona's forehead was slightly damp though she wore a frown of discomfort. Ulric petted a clothe over her cheeks. "Do not worry, your highness, the doctor will be here any moment," he reassured — even though he wasn't sure himself.
Vally's eyes glanced towards Ulric, both eyes glazed in trepidation. The butler could only offer a nod for consolation to the young lord who stood bent with her hand clutched dearly in his.
Caspian — who was stood in the doorway— shuffled aside when he heard an out of breath lady come running. She entered the chaos smothered room with a bag that clattered when she dropped it. She pushed Ulric to the side to allow herself space to inspect. The doctor pried the queens mouth to open, to which Riona grumbled, and with a careful eye the fairly odd lady peered in. What she could have seen would stay a mystery. The doctor spared no time to rummage in her bag and fish out small bottles of green and blue.
"What are those?" queried Ulric side glancing them with some sort of suspicion towards the contents. The woman was silent for a moment, staring towards them herself as if figuring out what was really in them. "Uh," she started, "This ginger? That I tink iz ocean salts."
"You think?" bursted Ulric, "This is the queen you're dealing with! If she dies we have no royal heir to take after!"
Caspian leaned against the wall with arms folded. "Now if she were pregnant, this would have been double trouble, yes?"
"I swear I'll smother the living daylights out of you if you don't drop it," threatened Vally glaring darkly over his shoulder towards the lord who had the audacity to joke in such grave situation. Better not, about the queens life.
Riona flinched to sit up. Sweat beads trickling over her temples. "The bucket," she motioned. Vally quickly set it in her hands right in time. Her head hung and her hand pressed on her stomach as she emptied its little contents once more. The doctor grabbed the cup of water and poured in the salt to dissolve. Next, she pushed the bottle of dried ginger dust in Ulric's shaking hands. "Go make tea," she ordered in her accent, nodding towards the door. "Quick, quick."
The butler did so hesitantly. He feared if he left, he would return to a situation much worse. Vally glanced up towards her, expecting some sort of action to take place. "What do we do?" he asked. The doctor swirled the water in the cup, concentrating not to spill. "She must drink to empty stomach. Get rid of bad toxins," she explained in an outlandish way, yet it seemed to have made perfect sense to Vally.
If she consumed the poison through food, then she would have to get rid of it by exorcism from the gut. Salt would cleanse her digestive track in the most unfavorable way but it was all for the best outcome and fast. He reached for the cup and pressed it towards Riona's lips to drink. Her droopy eyes squinted towards it. "It smells wretched," she muttered pulling up her lip in distaste, though Vally wasn't having any of it.
He pulled her head back forcing it into her mouth. "Sorry, my love, but this is for your own good. Do not hate me, please?" he apologized with greatest regret for manhandling her in such way. The lady weakly struggled in his firm grip though she eventually gave in to his persistence. As expected, she couched viciously, choking on the sharp tasting water. The last gulp left the cup. The maid wasted no time to take it to fill it up with clean water from a jug. Riona had snatched the cup to be rid of the sting in her system as she ran the liquid down her throat.
"No too fast," stopped the lord pushing down the cup. Ulric reentered the room with a tray and another maid. The doctor smiled, "Good, good. She must drink much liquid to wash out ze poison. A cup after every hurl."
"You seem way to pleased to see her endure such torture," mentioned the other lord from the far corner of the room. He had only observed closely and careful not to be triggered himself.
At the door stood Culbert, eyes wide with bewilderment. On how much had he missed out this day? First a murder and now the queen sick to the core. "What on earth is going on? She is ill? Since when?" he questioned walking over to have a closer inspection. "Don't tell me it's infectious."
"It isn't, you idiot! Get out we don't want you here," yelled Caspian protectively marching to push the man out himself. The doctor stepped between the two men. "Now no fighting. Zis iz serious! All men out! Only one maid stay."
"What! You want me to leave my friend alone in this state? I refuse!"
"No, Caspian, let us both go to the parlor and wait," agreed Ulric. The old man sympathetic towards Riona who had to suffer through this unnecessary noise. Culbert was ushered along with them. The doctor stood before Vally with a stern look with hands on her hips. The doctor noticed Riona passed out with the bucket beside her. "You go too. She needs peace."
"Please allow me to stay, doctor."
"No."
"But I must."
"No."
"May I interrupt, doctor," probed the maid, "But he has been with her since a month ago. He means no ill will and will obey."
"You obey? Then why not go out."
"No, doctor. He is her heart," explained the maid patting a hand over her left chest with the hope of convincing the woman. The doctor arched a brow questioning, "He her heart? But he no beat for her. She iz strong independent woman. She no needs a man to hold her hand. She lived without man for three years, why need him now?" She turned towards him pointing a finger. "She lost heart before and was sick. What make you different to ze other man? Hmm?"
Vally stood. His expression plain yet his gaze burning into hers. "You're right, what does make me different? Well I guess coming back won't do it for you, now will it, Doctor Eisenbach."
She paused, mentally gathering her words to scold the man for back talking but then her eyes widened slightly as it dawned on her like a bolt from the mighty heavens. The doctor lowered her chin, now glancing up at the man. Her gaze that was one of mixed emotions but the main factors being worry and anger. "May you live, dear lord. She will no take lightly once ze mask is revealed."
Vally stood his ground. His eyes never leaving hers as he nodded. "I know."