Alaric's brows furrowed, his frown deepening into a scowl. He took a deliberate step toward Margaretha, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her smaller frame.
"Are you suggesting," he began, his voice low and laced with menace, "that I don't know how to conduct a search?"
Margaretha froze, her lips parting but no sound coming out.
"Or," he continued, his tone sharpening like a blade, "are you accusing me of lying to this court?"
The air grew thick with tension as Margaretha's confidence visibly crumbled. She gulped, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "N-no, Your Highness. I would never…"
"Good," Alaric interrupted, his voice steady but with an edge that promised consequences. He turned his back on her dismissively. "Because I don't take kindly to baseless accusations."
Behind him, Salviana and Jean exchanged relieved but wary glances. Jean's lips twitched into a faint smile, but the tension in her shoulders remained. It isn't over yet.
Margaretha's face flushed with humiliation as the guards moved back, following Alaric's lead. The group turned and began the walk back to the royal court.
Margaretha was dragged along, her protests growing louder as they marched down the hall.
"I'm telling you the truth!" she cried, her voice echoing against the stone walls. "There is a man! I saw him, I swear! I was only trying to save Jean—"
The guards silenced her with a sharp tug, pulling her forward. Her protests fell on deaf ears as they reached the courtroom once more.
The court reconvened, the weight of authority settling back into the air. The King sat at the head of the room, his expression impassive but his sharp eyes trained on Margaretha.
She was forced into silence, her voice cracking as she tried to explain herself further. The courtman raised his hand, cutting her off.
"You've made your accusations, Lady Margaretha," he said sternly. "And we've searched the premises as you requested. Nothing was found."
Margaretha opened her mouth to argue, but the King's booming voice silenced her.
"Enough," he said, his voice like thunder. "You've caused enough disruption in this court, and your baseless accusations have wasted our time."
Margaretha's shoulders slumped as she realized the severity of her predicament.
As everyone settled back into their seats, Jean and Salviana exhaled quietly.
But beneath their composed facades, their hearts still raced. They were safe for now, but they knew all too well how fragile that safety was.
Alaric sat back, his gaze calm but calculating as he stared at Margaretha. The time for punishment was approaching, and he would see to it personally.
The court grew quieter as Margaretha stood in the center, her once defiant demeanor now reduced to a defeated slump.
Beads of sweat trickled down her face as the judge began to list her crimes, each word hitting her like a hammer.
"You attempted arson," the judge declared, his voice cold and unwavering. "You endangered the life of Lady Jean and sullied the peace of this court with your baseless accusations. If your intentions had been realized, the consequences would have been fatal."
Margaretha's breath hitched, her knees nearly buckling beneath her. "Your Grace—please—" she tried to plead, but her voice was swallowed by the heavy silence of the room.
The judge continued, ignoring her interruption. "Because you failed in your attempt to take a life, your punishment will not be death. However, you will face severe consequences for your actions. You are to be cast into the darkest depths of the royal dungeons, where you will remain indefinitely. The only time you will see light is during winter, when you will clean the horse dung."
Gasps rippled through the court, followed by murmurs of agreement.
Margaretha wailed, falling to her knees. Her hands clutched at her chest as if trying to stop the weight of despair from crushing her entirely.
She turned her tear-streaked face toward the King, who rose from his throne without a word.
"Your Majesty, I beg you! I've always served faithfully! Please, reconsider!"
The King did not spare her a glance. His heavy robes swished as he exited the chamber, his back a cold wall of indifference.
Margaretha's pleas became more frantic. She reached out toward Salviana, who stood tall and unyielding. "Your Highness! Princess Salviana! Please, I was only trying to protect you! Don't let them do this to me!"
Salviana's eyes were sharp, her face an unreadable mask. She took a single step forward, her voice cutting through Margaretha's cries like a whip.
"Make a loud entrance you said to me once, not a lousy departure," she said, her tone icy, "Lower your voice."
Margaretha froze, stunned into silence. Salviana's lips curled into a faint sneer, her disappointment palpable.
"You were sent here by Crown Princess Lilian," she continued, shaking her head. "You've never been qualified for anything else. And now, this is where you've landed yourself. Pathetic."
Margaretha's bitter heart shattered. Tears streamed down her face as the guards seized her arms and dragged her toward the exit.
Her cries echoed through the court, but no one moved to help her. The courtiers murmured amongst themselves, their expressions ranging from disdain to indifference.
All the while, Alaric sat quietly, his dark eyes scanning the room. He barely noticed Margaretha's departure, his focus instead lingering on the faces of those present. Somewhere in this court was the person responsible for poisoning his wife, and he was determined to find them.
A soft touch on his arm brought him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Salviana, her expression calm but her eyes filled with resolve.
"Let's go," she said softly, her voice a gentle invitation.
Alaric exhaled deeply, nodding as he rose to his feet. Together, they made their way out of the courtroom, Jean trailing behind them.
The court, following the King's departure, also began to disperse. The murmurs grew louder as people discussed the shocking events, but to Jean, the noise felt distant. Her mind swirled with mixed emotions—relief, unease, and a hollow emptiness she couldn't quite name.