The beautiful woman suddenly dropped the antique locket she was holding. She coughed up blood, her eyes widening in shock. Pain surged through her body, excruciating and overwhelming, until she could no longer bear it and lost consciousness.
She fell to the ground. At that moment, a maid entered her room upon hearing a thud. She saw her majesty, lying unconscious and bloodied. A scream escaped her lips as she quickly called for help.
Many knights rushed in. They were about to lift the Empress when her personal maid arrived. "Don't touch her. A man without Ylliatran blood cannot touch the Empress's body," the maid said seriously. She swiftly ordered the soldiers and servants to leave. They hesitated at first, but seeing the maid's resolute demeanor, they stepped out.
With no other choice left, the maid used the power of nature, the wind, to lift the Empress. She carefully laid the Empress on the large bed. Immediately, she drew the curtains, blocking the sunlight. She blindfolded herself and gently removed the Empress's robe with the help of the wind. She tenderly wiped the blood from the Empress's face, guided by the spirit of her power.
(In Ylliatran tradition, no one is allowed to see the faces of the Ylliatran ladies especially ladies of the royal family members as it will be considered a sin. Only the ladies's husband is exempted.)
She took a new blue robe and dressed the Empress, ensuring her face was covered except for her eyes. Once satisfied, she removed the blindfold and adjusted the curtains.
Quietly, she left the room to summon the physician. However, as soon as she closed the door, she was confronted by the Empress's husband, the Emperor, along with the Empress's lady-in-waiting, Shealrya. The maid was startled but quickly regained her composure.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," she said politely. The Emperor nodded. The maid concealed her disdain while looking at the Emperor and the lady-in-waiting. "How is the Empress?" he asked coldly. "The Empress is currently resting, Your Majesty. She has not yet been examined by the physician, but I am certain she has been poisoned," the maid replied, her voice filled with seriousness and a hint of anger. "I demand that whoever is behind this be severely punished, Your Majesty" she added, kneeling.
The Emperor said nothing, not even sparing a glance. He entered his wife's chamber with only the physician. He saw the slender figure of his wife lying comfortably on the bed, her face obscured by the robe.
After a moment, he signaled the doctor to check on his wife's condition. But then he suddenly spoke, "Stop." His intimidating voice was enough for the physician to halt. "I'll check her myself." He approached and gently took his wife's hand, quickly realizing something was wrong. Her skin was pale, paler than her usual complexion. He rapidly checked her pulse. Her heartbeat was abnormal.
"We need to know if the Empress was truly poisoned, Your Majesty," the physician suggested, receiving a nod of approval from the Emperor. The physician quickly requested a bowl, and the servants hurried to fetch one.
The Emperor held the Empress's hand, slightly pricking her index finger. They let her blood drip into the bowl along with a mysterious liquid. When her blood touched the magical water, it turned dark, confirming that the Empress had indeed been poisoned.
"The poison is unknown, Your Majesty," the physician stated. Instantly, everyone felt a shift in the atmosphere. Tension filled the room. "Pardon my rudeness, Your Majesty, but I will call the Empress's physician from the Ylliatran Tribe," the maid interjected. Others were about to protest, but remembering the Empress's life was at stake, they fell silent. After a moment of deep thought, they agreed.
The Ylliatran physician arrived promptly. In a hurry yet careful, he examined the Empress's condition. He checked her pulse, breathing, and temperature. Then, he noticed the ancient stopwatch that the Empress was tightly grasping. Suddenly, he remembered something. He took out a small vial containing purple liquid.
Turning to face the Emperor, he announced, "If you would excuse my rudeness, Your Majesty, could you please all leave the Empress's chamber? It is not appropriate for you to stare at the Empress with such gazes." The servants felt the sting of shame for gossiping and laughing, and they quickly left. The Emperor, however, remained silent, rooted to his spot like a statue.
"I'm not leaving. The Empress, my wife, is poisoned. I can't let this pass, but I also won't let her suffer because of it," the Emperor said in a cold tone. The physician did not insist further; he simply nodded, realizing the Emperor's determination.
The Ylliatran physician signaled for the servants to draw the curtains. The room darkened as the sunlight was blocked by the drapes. The physician took out a sharp knife. "If you permit me, dear Emperor, may I cut the Empress's palm?" he asked calmly and respectfully.
The Emperor did not ask further questions. He took the knife and held his wife's palm, carefully making a small cut. Blood flowed abundantly from the Empress's palm. After a few minutes, the physician dropped three drops of the purple liquid onto the wound.
The maid wrapped the Empress's injured hand and then adjusted her blanket. "Fortunately, we were able to act quickly to counter the poison; if we had delayed even a moment longer, the Empress might have died," the physician said. The maid remained silent. "For now, let the Empress rest; she will awaken at any moment," the physician added before taking his leave. The maid accompanied him, while the Emperor did not spare a glance at them, his gaze fixed on his wife.
Gratefully, his wife had received immediate treatment; otherwise, another endless war would have broken out between his empire, Flevsarian, and her homeland, Ylliatran. He was thankful that he did not lose this woman lying unconscious before him.