The Murder plan

Mortens

"Dahlia Eisen!" Someone leaned over me, I got up in a flurry of movement knocking flour everywhere, causing my seeker to wheeze and cough. I left out a sigh of satisfaction seeing my seeker was the person I was here to seek.

"I need a service of you, Mortens." I spoke monotonously and darkly, and addressed her by her last name which I never do.

"What - what do you wish, young Dahlia? I am sorry but I am rather busy- " Princess Jane looked at me, taking a few steps back. Intimidated.

"I might look young, but the world needs truth. It is murder, not assassination and don't mistake this 18-year-old. Can you come with me up to your room?" 

I stared coldly at the Princess, not the way I had looked at her 15 days ago, when I knew Princess Mortens to be a sweet, young girl princess with flowy jet black hair and muted blue eyes which were now fixed at me in fear, her pale face paler than ever and not happy and bouncy in a frilly affair of a dress which reminded you of flowers. 

I made sure to lock the door and keep the key with me. The room was exactly how a princess's room should be - an excess burst of pink and gold adorned with jewels everywhere leaving no thought left of ever wanting more luxury and beauty in the smallest area. I looked at the girl again, who was fidgeting and playing with her fingers. I had no idea why Jane Mortens was not being curious or do anything about the fact I was imprisoning her in her own bedroom. 

"Shall I start talking first, Jane or will you?" I stared intently to intimidate her. It wasn't hard although she was 7 or so years elder to me.

"I can start first, I just want to talk about a small issue."

Great! Now Jane would ask why have I become all cruel-hearted all of a sudden to her, and that if you please, give me the keys. 

"How did you get in the kitchen? I heard a noise, and followed."

"Oh, so you ended up hearing me, followed to the kitchen and then I got you here?"

"Yes, but answer me."

"I just... did. That is quite enough of an answer, and now let me begin with my work."

"Of w-what, Eis-Eisen?" Jane tried being bold, but her voice was too shaky.

"Give me the hairpins in your hair." Her hand hovered over her head, but then swooped and collected a few hairpins. They were elaborate with ornamental gold flowers on them composed of gold and orange shades lined with real diamonds, shining like stars in the already dazzling room. "The other hairpin, Mortens."

"I don't have any other!"

"Fine, we'll see about that."

My hand flew to her hair before the girl could do anything and pulled out a black hairpin. Thin, slender. The same color of Jane's hair. The weapon which murdered King Esbon. 

"You murdered King Esbon with this weapon, Janessa Mortens. Your motive is to be determined, but evidence could only point to you while omitting framery against Bright. It only deems true." She stood speechless. Good. I continued. "The wound was not found, though he bled a lot. Murdering - stabbing with a hairpin takes time. 

You did have it, didn't you? I discovered this dangling from your hair the day after, when I was disguised as Kenna Richard."

Her eyes widened, she didn't dare to speak a word.

"I did not find it odd at first. Then, you showed me your room and all your jewelry and accessories. Only these flowery gold pins and many elaborate ones were there. How, I thought, did you came to be in possession of a plain black one? One doesn't buy a single pin here, they get it in a set and you had no set of plain black. You had enough pins to hold your hair, you couldn't have borrowed one. You wanted it for the murder. You planned it beforehand ; you took this because your normal pins were too big and would have made it too obvious, but a plain black camouflaged in your hair. Perfect as a plan."