All eyes in the room were on the lady, eager to hear what she has to say. She curtsies to the king and says, 'Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I am Melissa, the second child of the Duke.' A smile plays across her lips.
"And what is it that you wish to share with us?" the king asks.
"I have come to inform the people that..." She pauses, glancing at her brother, Richard. He looks at her with a pleading expression, begging her to lie for him.
"My brother, Richard, is the one responsible for Lady Beatrice's broken fidelity," she says, a smirk playing across her lips. Richard looks at her in horror, begging her with his eyes to stop.
Beatrice's face burns with shame. This is not the way she has wanted things to play out. How does Melissa even know about all this?
"Melissa, stop saying things that are not true," Richard says, his voice trembling. "This could ruin my career!"
