Knowing full well that once Wolf was poisoned and his body was found, the blame would fall onto them without fault, both Robert and William headed for the dungeon to be conveniently absent and form an alibi. Making their way down the dark corridor running single-file, the two kept a close eye on the angelic statues rumored only to move when a prisoner–corrupt of both action and heart, attempts to escape from their cell.
Although far from prisoners themselves, the two were no strangers to their corruption. Thus their eyes refused to budge from the angelic guardian of the dungeon. Walking down the spiraling lone path with cells on both sides, they could feel the hands of humans, faunan and monsters trying to reach out and grab them. Dry to the bone, the prisoners were starved to death and thus, every time someone walked down the corridor they tried to snatch a piece of their flesh.
Escaping their touch, the two eventually reached the end of the corridor. But upon getting there, however, their minds froze up to the sight of the open door. Looking at the statue by the cell, the two wondered why the angel didn't stop Sola from escaping, however, their corrupt ways had distorted their minds too much for them to realize that her betrayal was the furthest thing from anything wrong.
"Where is she?" The prince huffed as Robert moved closer to the cell door, having noticed a few broken hair clips right where the lock would have been with the door shut, the swindler quickly recognized his fault.
"She used the pins in her hair to get out?" Shocked by the revelation, he turned to the prince at once. Wearing scorn already, William was visibly frustrated and although a shrewd man when calm, his anger masked his intelligence.
"She was a runaway slave and you threw her in without taking everything off of her person?" Moving closer, William gritted his teeth and kicked Robert into the cell. As his master fell to the ground and groaned in pain, the prince slammed the door shut.
"NOW ROT THERE, YOU IMBECILE!" Turning around without allowing his master to get to his feet, William marched for the exit while racking his mind for what needed to be done. With Robert thrown to the cell, he had a much stronger case for an alibi, for even when mistreated, the swindler wouldn't dare go against him, as long as he ends up becoming the king's advisor.
'Sola must've gone to Mother's room, I need to get there before it's too late.' Abandoning his original plans, William decided to act oblivious to Robert's plans to poison Wolf. Giving up on his master, he intended to gain the queen's trust before anyone else breathed poison against him.
To make matters worse for him, however, Sola was already done talking to the queen. Paired with the chaos that was brought up this morning, it quickly became clear to both Astoria and Hestia, as to exactly who was behind the whole ordeal.
'Murdering his brother…No, I don't believe he'd go so far!' Thought the queen, unable to accept that things between her sons had escalated so far. William, her own son–attempting to kill his brother? She knew it could happen, but to see it happening? Her motherhood wouldn't allow her to accept it on a stranger's words.
"You heard a name and something about a poison, that proves little…" Still in denial, Astoria folded her hands and looked away from the maid.
Surprised by the queen's defiance, Hestia frowned while looking at her.
"Isn't it clear what's happening, Your Highness? Your son tried to poison his brother, this is his own personal maid telling you this!" She tried to convince the queen but still holding on to hope, Astoria didn't wanna believe it. "This is treason, my lady, we can't afford to be lenient about this~ What if he comes for you next? What's stopping him from forcefully taking the crown if you defy him too?"
"You and I both know that no poison in his possession could kill me, so don't espouse that nonsense," Astoria replied, slowly trying to accept reality.
Still gazing at nothing, she took a deep breath and turned to the other two. Glancing between the two, Astoria heaved a sigh and ordered.
"Don't speak a word of this with anyone yet, if anything happens to the prince so close to the competition, his supporters will cause a scene–not to mention, that people will lose their faith in me and assume that I favored Wolf and that's why I got rid of my own son." Even though the other two thought she was being lenient, Astoria knew better to play politics; otherwise, if Wolf took over and his opponent was anyone but William, the citizens wouldn't accept him, not in a million years.
'Not like they would accept him either way–' Interrupting her was a scream coming from the corridor. The screaming of a soldier and the stampeding steps of people running around had erupted out of nowhere.
"What's happening?" She whispered, but then came the voice.
"T-THE PRINCE IS INJURED, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Hearing those words from a presumed soldier, all three of them inside were struck with shock. "H-HESTIA! MISS HESTIA, WHERE IS SHE?!"
"Y-your Highness?" Unsure of what to do, Hestia turned to the queen for an answer.
"GO!" Fear having gripped her heart, Astoria urged her to check on her son.
Nodding back the head maid wasted no time in rushing out. And while she was calling out to the soldiers to bring the prince to the queen's room, Astoria closed her eyes and with a few flicks of her fingers changed out of her praying gown into something more dignified, and more appropriate given the situation.
'What in the goddess' name is happening?' Wondered Sola, having lost track of why she was even there.
In a matter of seconds, everything had changed, but the moment Prince William was brought into the queen's room, her suspicion towards him dropped. Why was he injured? Why were cuts and bruises all over him, along with burn marks from magic spells? The bunny girl had no clue, and that was exactly what the prince was shooting for.
Chaos and confusion often made the most absurd of claims appear more likely than they were. Having learned that from his master, William wished to exploit each and every one of them present inside the queen's chambers.