As the butler ushered us into the room Duke Glenmore had arranged, we settled onto the plush sofa. Glenmore gestured for the servants to leave, allowing us an undisturbed conversation over our drinks.
Glenmore, with great care, poured the 'Dwarven Forge Ale' for both Stalworth and me. We raised our glasses in unison, savoring the rich flavor of the ale.
"Mhmm, just as I thought..." Glenmore emphasized, taking another sip, his face a canvas of pure bliss.
"It seems you really enjoy the ale, Duke." I observed, glancing at Glenmore, who nodded, still relishing the Dwarven brew.
While the Duke was immersed in his drink, I signaled to Stalworth, silently instructing him to commence Lady Aurelianne's rescue.
"I will stand guard outside, Your Highness," Stalworth requested, rising. "It was an honor to share a drink with you, Duke. But as His Majesty's Royal Knight, I can't risk getting drunk and forgetting my duty." Stalworth cast one last glance at me before departing.
"I'm sorry, Duke. He's always been an upright knight." I offered a smile, taking a sip of the ale.
"It's alright, Your Majesty. It's clear Sir Stalworth takes his duty very seriously. I envy you, having such an exceptional and loyal knight." Glenmore chuckled, pouring another round of the ale.
Observing Glenmore enjoy the drink and let his guard down, I sensed an opportune moment to delve into Lady Aurelianne's predicament and question Glenmore.
"It's not just you, Duke. I also envy you for having such a lovely family. You all seem genuinely happy." I smiled at Glenmore, checking for any reaction behind his awkward smile.
"I bet your children adore you. A Duke who would never let down his child." As I mentioned this, the Duke's countenance fell, his fist clenched.
"Duke, are you alright?" I inquired, smiling as I refilled his ale. Glenmore maintained his poker face. How long could he keep it up?
Smiling, I continued, "By the way, Duke, I've heard the Duchess is your second wife, is that correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Seraphina is my second wife, but she's probably the first love of my life." The Duke smiled, reminiscing about Seraphina.
"Did you not love your first wife, Duke?" I wondered about the apparent insensitivity of his words regarding his first wife.
Glenmore paused, downing his ale in one gulp. "Don't get me wrong, Your Majesty. I treated my first wife well, and she was a great lady. But we had an arranged marriage for political reasons. I liked her, but before I could truly fall in love, the gods took her away from me."
Tears welled in Glenmore's eyes as he remembered his first wife. "Do you miss her, Duke?" I asked quietly, offering a handkerchief.
Smiling through tears, Glenmore replied, "I do. I may not have loved her with all my heart, but she was the perfect wife anyone could ask for." Glenmore wiped away his tears, murmuring his first wife's name. "Elara, Oh my Elara, I wish I could have tried to know you better."
Feeling Glenmore's openness, I sensed the moment to question him about his daughter had arrived. "Then, Duke, do you not miss your daughter, Aurelianne?"
At the mention of Aurelianne, Glenmore's glass slipped from his hand, his face frozen in shock.
"Your Majesty, how..." Glenmore's voice shook as he struggled to comprehend.
"How do I know about her?" I finished Glenmore's sentence. "Well, Duke, there is one thing I would like to know before that: where is Aurelianne?"
Glenmore, now sober, sat in cold sweat. "My daughter has been sick for years. The illness has made her mad, barely able to speak or comprehend her surroundings. We kept her hidden while Seraphina took care of her treatment."
No lie detected, yet Glenmore's blind trust in his wife's ludicrous explanation infuriated me. Unable to contain my anger, I rose, grabbing Glenmore's collar.
"Do you truly believe that, Foolish Glenmore?" I shouted, clenching his collar. Glenmore looked confused, a scared expression on his face.
"Did you think your daughter was sick all these years, untreatable?" I pushed Glenmore back into his seat, my voice growing louder. "You didn't check on her, let her be under your wife's surveillance, believing her lies."
Glenmore, bewildered, pleaded, "Your Majesty, what do you mean? Please calm down." As he attempted to soothe me, my rage intensified at his obliviousness.
"My wife would not lie! Even if it's you, Your Majesty, I won't let false allegations on my wife!" Glenmore stood, displaying anger and hostility.
"False allegations?" I chuckled, getting madder, shouting at Glenmore. The door burst open, servants and the Duchess with her daughter Aria entered.
"Right on time, Duchess," I smirked, presenting the evidence to Glenmore.
"While you were away, see what your wife and her son did to your daughter, Aurelianne. Lies about her condition, attempted poisoning, and isolation to let her rot and die slowly."
Glenmore broke down, his legs giving way. Aria, in disbelief, refused to accept the truth about her mother.
"My mother would never do this! Why are you lying, Beast?" Aria shouted, rushing to hug Seraphina.
"Forgery! This can't be true! My wife would never do this. I won't trust this, nor will I trust you!" Glenmore drew his sword, pointing it at me.
Seraphina, frightened, sought refuge behind Glenmore with Aria.
"Insolence! Know your place, Glenmore! You claim I lied?" I shouted, recalling Alistair's assurance about Seraphina's inability to deny the evidence.
"Why not ask your wife?" I turned to Seraphina, walking slowly towards her. I trusted Alistair's words and hoped for the best.
"Tell me, O' Duchess. Do I lie? Have you done nothing to your stepdaughter? Is the evidence I provide forgery?"
Seraphina smiled confidently but faltered. "You do not lie." Her expression shifted to confusion. "I hate Aurelianne." Covering her mouth, she looked at me in disbelief.
Glenmore, still confused, held Seraphina's shoulders, Aria backing away in shock. As for me, I stood there just as shocked as anyone else.
"Is it true? Did you lie and poison my daughter?" Glenmore's voice trembled, hoping for a comforting denial.
Crying, Seraphina denied, "It's true! I despise your daughter, mistreated her until she stopped speaking, and a couple of years ago, I started giving her poison."
As I faced Seraphina, I finally comprehended Alistair's cunning move. He had administered the sacred truth serum to Seraphina. That fool, using it in this manner makes us nothing more than criminals. The truth serum is a forbidden magical potion, and its usage requires proper justification and permission from the kingdom's government. Yet, given the circumstances, I could only begrudgingly acknowledge Alistair's actions; it was perhaps the sole method to compel the Duchess to confess her crimes.
As her confession unfolded, Glenmore's shock turned into fury. "I loved you, turned a blind eye to your mischievous nature. But to think my love turned me so blind..." Glenmore drew his sword, rushing to slash Seraphina.
"Honey, please don't do this..." A loud screech echoed as Seraphina fell, terrified.
"Stop, Glenmore!" I intervened, grabbing his arm. "Don't kill her here. I've sent a messenger for aid from the King. They should arrive soon." Glenmore sobbed, the Duchess fainting from the shock.
Aria, broken, embraced her mother, begging her to wake up. Glenmore and I watched, as I took his swords, ensuring he couldn't harm himself or Seraphina.
"Glenmore, even though it was your wife's plan, you're responsible for ignoring your own daughter. You may not be imprisoned, but you deserve punishment for betraying your first wife and daughter's love and trust!"
As I spoke, an explosion resounded from the manor. Everyone tensed.
"My daughter..." Glenmore uttered, trembling. "Your Majesty, that's where my daughter is kept. Please save her."
As Glenmore spoke, my legs moved automatically, rushing toward the source of the explosion. My thoughts filled with concern for Aurelianne and Stalworth. "Stalworth, Lady Aurelianne, stay safe until I reach you." I whispered to myself.