"Your—" Before Maxine could let out the words betraying her confusion and her ignorance, the grip on her arm lessened. She swallowed as she stared at the king in front of her, who looked at her with total loathe before he walked away from her sight. The guards followed suit, their footsteps, heaving and causing not less than a headache to her already known predicament.
At that moment, Maxine felt her heart constrict and her knees became numb suddenly. Unaware of her next course of action, she lazily sat down on the chair, watching the throne room in horror with her eyes staring at nothing in particular.
She whispered, 'Poisoned? How dare me poison the queen?'
Tears hurriedly ran down her eyes, and the realisation that the sick middle-aged woman she had been treating finally died despite all her hard work sank through her. In her eight years of experience, she had never experienced any of her patients dying in her care. It was either they got healed or they retreated because they could not handle the heavy payment required.
The Queen was more than just a queen to her. It was one of the reasons she had grown to love coming to the palace. Maxine stood up abruptly, her eyes went to her hands, the ones which had numerously aided her in healing people but was now responsible for someone's death.
That was not possible.
She ensured the pot was kept in the carriage and there was no point in saying that the medicines she had given the queen were poisoned. The queen was worse before she started the treatment, how could a poisoned medicine make her better?
On what course were the words of the royal healer true?
Shaking her head, feeling her breath heavy every second, she walked out of the throne room, her feet heading towards her chamber.
Her chamber was located in the women's quarters, it was the reason she was greatly surprised when she heard that her brother's chamber was situated on the left-hand side of her chamber, however, she found it hard to understand why the King would grant her little brother's request despite the death of the queen that was allegedly caused by her.
Getting to her chamber, she swiftly sat down in her bed. Her muffled cries laced every corner of the chamber.
Her life was ruined.
Whatever the King had said meant that she had committed treason, however, it wasn't what bothered her the most.
Queen Mirabel was dead!
And it was caused by the medicines she had given her!
What would Prince Maverick say when he hears that?
As she kept on with her tears, Maxine heard the footsteps of someone from the inner chamber. She immediately raised her head in alert. However, she was met by the mute maid she saw the other time. Not knowing how to converse with her, she only watched her make some hand gestures.
Trying to assimilate what she was trying to communicate with her, Maxine raised her head, her brows up, less evident of tears she had shed. It was as if she never shed even a single. "You...you mean the bath is ready?"
The maid nodded in argument and demonstrated her hands, saying she would love to bathe for her now.
Maxine blinked, on the first thought, she had no idea the mute maid was her maid. She thought it was Hannah, however, it seemed they had appointed someone else as soon as possible to fill up the space. But Maxine knew she would be finding it hard to converse with her. "You are not aware that I take my bath myself?"
She questioned, knowing that it wasn't what that maid had meant. She added, "You can have your rest now. Thank you. I will give you a call if necessary."
The maid bowed before walking out of the chamber.
Maxine sighed as she walked into the inner chamber. There was nothing to shed more tears on. The deed had been done and she would just have to do all her possible best to keep herself out of trouble, else, her whole life would be ruined.
Forgetting that she was yet to take a night robe from the wardrobe, she walked out of the inner chamber to her bed-chamber and then approached the wardrobe. She took a plain white night robe from the wardrobe and then hung it over her shoulder.
After a moment, she was completely naked, her whole body was immersed in the warm water in the bathtub that was filled with rosemary petals, calendula flowers and Epsom salts. On looking at the tiny lines formed on the warm water, Maxine knew essential oils had been added too.
She rarely took warm baths and right now, it was what she needed.
As she sat down in the bathtub, her mind was immediately occupied by a lot. However, she turned around to take the soap and the sponge at the corner and slowly, she made bubbles, feeling her mind lessen a little as she stared at the white painted walls of the chamber.
She scribbled the sponge all over her body and after a while, she rested, her body occupied with foam, the same way her mind was occupied with different thoughts.
"Where is Maverick?" She asked no one in particular. She swallowed and then sank further into the warm water. "What would he do when he hears the news about his mother's death?" She let out a deep sigh as she added, "Worse, that I am responsible?"
Her subconsciousness replied to her, 'The marriage would not hold.'
"It won't," she replied.
Pain seared every layer of her heart. She truly loved the crown prince and she had waited for the day she would get wedded to him, unfortunately, she didn't think something like this could happen, hindering their possibilities of being together.
She took the sponge and slowly scrubbed her back, when she was done she immersed herself further into the water, washing away the soapy foam on her. "Would I ever get married if Prince Maverick decides to leave me?"
For a woman who was rejected by her groom, there was a low possibility other gentlemen would ask for her hand. Especially the fact that her groom was a prince, she would likely stay a spinster forever. But then, she was definitely not going to be a spinster if the King executed her for treason.
Despite the warm water in her bathtub, Maxine suddenly felt cold, as if someone had let the window open. She pulled herself together and slowly scrubbed her back.
However, when she heard soft footsteps approaching, thinking it was the mute maid, she turned backwards, looking at the entrance, only for her eyes to catch up with no other than a male figure.
"There is actually no need if you already have a husband, My Lady." He stopped in his tracks, as if just aware that she was naked in the bathtub but Maxine knew better. This man was no gentleman at all.