"What do you mean Aria had a miscarriage?" Rasheen asked, his voice tinged with disbelief and concern.
They gathered somberly outside Aria's room, they were all worried.
"The doctor is still assessing her condition, but unfortunately, the baby is gone." Cedrik explained with a heavy heart.
"How did this happen?" Gawain asked, struggling to come to terms with the tragic news.
"William suspects it might have been because of the tea she drank. They're still conducting an investigation." Cedrik responded, his eyes reflecting the sorrow of the situation.
"The tea? So someone deliberately poisoned her tea to harm the child?" Claudius vented his frustration, he punched the wall. "Damn it! When will they stop harming Aria?"
"Who served the tea? Have they caught the culprit?" Gawain pressed for more details, wanting to understand the extent of the betrayal.
Cedrik averted his gaze, hesitating before revealing, "I-It was Jenny."
Surprise and disbelief rippled through the men.
"What?" Rasheen exclaimed, his mind struggling to grasp the revelation.
"But I believe she's innocent; she simply served the tea, completely unaware of any poison." Cedrik pleaded for understanding.
"I trust Cedrik's judgment. Jenny is Aria's dear friend. They treat each other like sisters. It's inconceivable for her to harm Aria. Someone must have framed her." Gawain stated, defending Jenny.
"Tsk. If only Xerxes were here. He could be of great help." Rasheen muttered, grappling with their current helplessness.
"I suspect Ludwig." Claudius asserted.
They turned their attention to him, waiting for an explanation.
"He consistently appears suspicious within the palace. Moreover, he has a history of transgressions against Aria." Claudius elaborated.
"You might be right. Let's find him!" Rasheen declared, firm determination in his voice.
Gawain sighed, wrestling with the relentless chaos. When will this chaos finally come to an end?
.
.
....
Blood dripped from Ryu's hands as he stared at the lifeless bodies of the servants.
Traitors...
Jenny had mentioned that she only brought the tea into her room, and these servants were the ones who had prepared it.
He searched in their clothes and found a small packet of powder inside one of the servant's pockets.
Drugs?
A drug for inducing a miscarriage...
.
.
....
Aria slowly opened her eyes. The distant echoes of Izekiel's shouts reached her ears from outside the room.
"Your Majesty, you're finally awake!" said the doctor.
"What happened?" she asked, her head throbbing in pain.
"You fainted earlier and..." The doctor trailed off, his gaze falling.
Aria froze as the memory of what had transpired rushed back. "M-My baby!" she stammered, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Y-Your Majesty... your baby is... gone. You've had a miscarriage." the doctor said, kneeling before her.
"N-No... NO!!!" she cried out, unable to contain her grief. "You're lying! No! It can't be! My baby is still alive!!!" she wailed.
The door swung open, and Izekiel rushed to her side. "Aria!" he exclaimed, enfolding her in a tight embrace.
"N-No!" she sobbed. "K-Kiel... Our child!"
Izekiel bit his lower lip, his own grief threatening to overwhelm him. He hugged her tightly, trying to provide some comfort.
After Aria fell asleep again, he went outside and summoned the knights.
.
.
Ludwig fell to the ground as Rasheen's punch landed hard.
"What is your problem?" he spat, blood staining his mouth.
"You're the one behind Aria's miscarriage, aren't you? Don't deny it, we all know it was you!" Rasheen yelled at him.
Ludwig wiped the blood off his mouth and rose to his feet. "Me? Do you have proof that I really did that? I was with the Emperor when your Empress fainted. Why are you accusing me?"
"With proof or without, we all know it was you. Ludwig Adrichem... From the family of traitors!" Rasheen seethed.
"How dare you mention my family!" Ludwig's eyes burned with rage.
"Enough of this!" Claudius intervened, glaring at Ludwig.
"You can't accuse me without evidence. Instead of causing trouble here, why don't you visit your wife and comfort her? Ahh," Ludwig sneered. "The emperor is with her right now. You can't come to her room because she needs the emperor more than you." He wore a scornful smile.
"You!" Rasheen lunged, ready to strike, but Claudius held him back.
"Shut your filthy mouth. We are not done with you. I will ensure you rot in prison." Claudius warned, pulling Rasheen away. They left Ludwig seething.
Ludwig rolled his eyes. "You're only good with words, but you haven't done anything yet." They were all full of themselves.
He smirked. Finally... Her downfall had begun.
.
.
....
Ryu held Aria's hand as he watched her sleep.
"I killed them." he said, speaking to William, who stood behind him.
"Did you get any information from them?" William asked.
"I found a drug in the servants' pocket; I believe it's the one they used." he replied.
Standing up, he faced William and handed him the drug. "Give this to Lord Claudius and request the emperor to search the palace. They won't stop harming Aria."
William nodded, discreetly placing the small packet in his pocket.
They both looked at Aria.
Kaye... Since she came here, her life has always been in danger. They are still attempting to harm her.
.
.
....
"P-Please.. Y-Your Majesty.. P-Please spare me!" Jenny begged, kneeling in front of him.
She was crying and trembling in fear.
Izekiel stared at her. This woman was Aria's most trusted servant.
Ludwig walked closer to him and whispered, "She's the one who killed your child... The Empress trusted her, yet she harmed her. She's a traitor."
Izekiel drew the knight's sword and pointed it at Jenny. "How dare you kill my child! Aria trusted you so much! Tell me, who ordered you to kill my child!"
"P-Please, Your Majesty! I'm innocent! I have no idea! P-Please..." she cried.
"Liar!" Izekiel shouted.
Jenny couldn't stop shaking. He's scary...
"I will not forgive you, and I'm sure Aria will never forgive you either." he said.
Jenny closed her eyes. Your Majesty... I'm innocent.
"A life for a life. You killed my child, so you have to die too. Behead her!" Izekiel ordered.
She turned pale. "P-Please! Your Majesty!" she continued to cry while the knights were pulling her.
Ludwig smiled secretly.Izekiel sat down on the floor and began to shout while crying.
"M-My child... Ludwig! My child is gone!" he cried, holding his head.
Ludwig patted his shoulder."It's not your fault, Your Majesty. It's the empress... She's irresponsible, letting those traitors kill your child. She's the one to blame." Ludwig said.
He took out the drug from his pocket and handed it to him. "Here, take this Your Majesty. This will help you to relax your mind."
Izekiel stared at the drugs.
.
.
....
Aria whimpered while Gawain rubbed her back.
"It's not your fault," he said."It's the people who wanted to kill your child. Please don't blame yourself." Gawain said.
"Aria, I promise we will catch them! So please..." Rasheen held her hand. "Please.. Stop crying now. I can't bear to see you like this."
But she can't help it.. It's her child. There is no mother who does not weep when their child dies.
"Your Majesty!" the door opened, and they saw Cedrik panting."What's the matter?" Gawain asked him."Y-Your Majesty!" Cedrik kneeled while crying. "J-Jenny..."
.
.
Aria covered her mouth when she saw Jenny's head being displayed in the plaza.
"I heard the Empress had a miscarriage, and she's the one behind it."
"How dare she kill the Emperor's child?"
Aria heard what the people were saying.
The traitor?
No! Jenny didn't do that. It wasn't her.
"N-No!!!! JENNY!!!" she burst into tears and ran to her.
"Your Majesty!" William tried to stop her.
The knights blocked her way.
"She's innocent! She didn't kill my child!!!" she screamed. "Jenny!!"
This is not happening! Jenny is innocent!
She pushed the knights. She was shouting as she cried.
People began to murmur; they were all confused.
"Your Majesty, please get a hold of yourself!" William tried his best to calm her down.
"W-William..." she looked at him. Her tears continued to pour down her face. "Jenny..."
William embraced her. She bawled while he was hugging her until she fainted again.