"Ouch"! A sharp, searing Sensation engulfed Queen Marsh, causing her eyes to widen, Where was she?
Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed in her ears.
"Bailey Noel, this hundred lashes are supposed to teach you a lesson, you dared to cruelly murder people around princess Aimee. Even if you are the Queen consort, I cannot condone such act! Again with such act, you will be met with merciless punishment!"
Bailey Noel, is that my name!
Queen Marsh's mind was in chaos as countless memories flooded her body. These belong to Bailey Noel, the infamous Queen consort of Cruylia, known to be infatuated, ill mannered and hot tempered!
" please...I beg you...help me"
"You are the Queen of Ufrurg, loved and feared by all. you must be able to help me... "
"l can no longer go on, please... help me get through this"
A feeble voice resounded in her mind then faded away.
She sat up in astonishment, unable to believe that she had been reborn and now lived as someone else.
Ufrurg and Cruylia were sworn enemies!
She had gone from being the revered Queen of Ufrurg to the despised waste of a Queen consort in the enemies country!
Queen marsh sighed and realized that she was now Bailey.
Even though she was the Queen consort, she was beaten to the point of bloody wounds. How much hatred must reside in this person's heart to pull Her back from the dead?
"Bailey, do you plead guilty" the clear voice resounded again!
Bailey raised her head to see the person who has just spoked.
Although she has seen many men, she must admit that he is the most handsome she had ever seen. Clad in a white robe, his every countenance in every line of his face and every arch of his brow.
This man was non other than her current husband, the reigning king Rory, Rory Lowery.
Unfortunately, what good was a handsome appearance when concealed with a ruthless heart.
Looking at the blood stains and whip marks on her body, Bailey let out a cold laugh and fixed her gaze upon this man, hoarsely asking "Rory, would you believe if I tell you I was framed?"
Unlike her previous cries of grievance, her words were delivered calmly,leaving everyone present dumbfounded.
Princess Aimee wore a disdainful smile on her face "how absurd! Who would falsely accuse you without a cause? It was clear that you held a grudge against me for speaking ill of you, and in your hatred, you pushed my maid into the river to drown! Even my butler witnessed it, yet you still refuse to admit it?"
Bailey let out a scornful laugh, how dare they bring such a low-level trickery before her.
Bailey coldly asked" if your butler saw it, why didn't she call for help on the spot?"
Aimee Cook hadn't expected such a question from her, her lips twitched and she quickly retorted" you are the Queen consort, the butler feared your status and didn't dare to offend you "
Bailey chuckled hearing that" if she truly feared me then she should have kept silent to the death, why did she hastily expose me as soon as the maid died? Could it be that she killed the maid and framed me?"
" impossible! My butler and my maid had a strong bond. So how could she resort to murder, it is only you and I, the princess, who have a grudge. You, relying on your position as the Queen consort, are the one with the audacity to kill!"
Aimee grew arrogant and increasingly addressed Rory, saying" I see that my sister-in-law shows no signs of remorse, the whipping must continue!"
She didn't even spare Bailey a glance.
Bailey, calm and composed, questioned once again" the maidservant around the princess possess martial skills, but I lack such expertise! How, then, could I have killed her?"
"Surely! You attacked her from behind,"
"At night, there are regular patrols by the guards every half an hour by the lake. She would have called out loudly and attracted the guards, but why did she drown without making a sound?"
Aimee continued to argue cunningly, "she must have choked when she fell into the water,unable to make a noise!"
"That's utter nonsense! " Bailey calmly corrected her" when a person falls into the water while conscious, half-drowned and choking, they instinctively screams for help. It's an instinctive reaction. Besides that maid is not mute. Or perhaps, she had already lost consciousness before falling into the water?"
Aimee's eye's revealed a flicker of guilt. She had thought that Bailey could only make a scene, but she never expected her to be so sharp and clear minded!
Despite being beaten severely, she had become much more astute.
Rory, too, was taken aback. He never expected that this woman, with her infatuated mind, could raise such doubts. It was truly an eye-opener!
Soon, Aimee regained her composure. Bailey was just a fool, no matter what she said it was all empty threats.
"Rory, the evidence is right before her, yet she still wants to argue. She really has a thick skin!"
Bailey ignored her and said "I want to see the maid's body"
Witnesses may lie, but a corpse couldn't.
Rory stared at her, his face turning as white as a paper as if a gust of wind could knock him over. Yet, this fragile looking Bailey has a fierceness in her eyes that sends chills down his spine.
For some inexplicable reason, he nodded.
The guards carried the maids body.
Bailey struggled and called out to the crowd, "Meghan, help me over there"
Meghan Garza rushed to her side, her eyes red, and she carefully supported Bailey "Allow me to assist you"
Though her wounds were agonizing, Bailey stood tall, exuding an aura strength.
The maids face was swollen from being submerged in water, her hair disheveled, devoid of any signs of life.
Bailey carefully observed the maids hands, noticing that her nails had a faint blackish-purple color, yet spotless.
She calmly spoke" this person was poisoned, when someone usually drowns they sink to the bottom of the water and resurface after losing consciousness. The lake bed has a lot of mud and sand, if she really drowned, then her nails should be covered in sentiment. But this maid's nails are clean, yet her nails are blackish-purple. It suggests that she lost consciousness before falling into the water, probably due to poisoning"
Aimee was now completely panicked, staring at Bailey in disbelief.
This foolish woman had managed to reveal the truth in an instant!
What sent chills down her spine were Bailey's next words "this poison must be Othalda, a unique toxin from Ufrurg. It is wildly know that your mother hails from Ufrurg. If I were to report this matter to your father truthfully, I wonder how he will react."
Aimee face turned pale with fear "i don't what you're talking about!"
Her father was intolerant, with no room for even a grain of sand. If he were to discover that she and her mother carried the deadly Ufrurg poison, it will spell disaster.
Bailey smiled knowingly "you've poisoned the maid, framed the queen consort, princess Aimee. You have quite the audacity!"
Despite the blood still flowing from her back, Bailey stood resolute, her gaze filled with commanding and austere presence.
Aimee was utterly terrified, her words stumbling and incoherent.
Rory, who had been observing the scene coldly, never expected Bailey to present evidence of her innocence, leaving Aimee frightened.
He masked his astonishment, and addressed Bailey coldly " As for the previous incident... I will let them slide due to our sibling bond. But Aimee, you are the princess of our nation. If you continue your cunning intentions, pack up and return, lest you be disgraced!"
Aimee dared not utter a word and hastily left with her entourage.
Before she left, she couldn't help but glare fiercely at Bailey, wishing she could devour her alive.
With crisis resolved, Bailey finally succumbed to her weakened state and fainted.
Meghan held her in her arms, tearfully begging the king. "please, for the sake of justice, find a physician for the Queen, she can't endure the aftermath of all those lashes...."
Rory coldly watched her, the one who had boldly questioned the truth a moment ago, now weak and helpless, relying on Meghan's embrace. Unable to open her eyes.
This woman deserves her fate!.
He wishes for her to just die, for her presence tainted his sight everyday!
Yet, she seemed like a stranger just a moment ago.
The king's side cuncubine, Brenna Mack, who had remained silent all this while, raised and eyebrow. She noticed the confusion on Rory's face and spoke understandingly,"my king...., the queen is innocent, she has suffered injustice this time and... her wounds must be treated."
Rory looked at her with indulgence. Indeed Brenna was kind and considerate, far better than Bailey in every aspect.
Impatiently, he ordered, "Danny, go and call Vic Odom to attend to her wounds"
"yes, my king"
Brenna glance disdainfully at the barely conscious Bailey on the ground and sighed inside. It was such a pity. She was so close to been beaten to death by that cudgel!
Well, what difference would it make to let her linger on?
That bloody and gruesome sight would only disgust people more.
The Queen consort? So what? In Rory's heart, there was only ever room for one person.
Whether in the past or now!