Lèse-majesté

Part 26

Chapter 25

Rosalinda was beside herself. Fear gripped her in its cold palms with ease as she thought of the worst scenarios. Hours earlier she had lashed out and with deadly consequences too. When Edwin had fallen Rose's scream had alerted the butler who had immediately sent a maid out for a physician before checking the young man over and carefully taking him up to his room.

Said physician and his nurse were currently still in Edwin's rooms while Rosalinda stood outside in the hallway pacing. She prayed to every deity that would hear her. 'Edwin couldn't die. He just couldn't. She had never meant to hurt him. This had all been an accident,'. Biting her lips and pacing she had failed to see the butler approach.

"Miss Rose..." William called out startling the young lady. "Perhaps it would be best for you if you returned to your rooms and took a calming bath." He then suggested.

"I... I can't...." Rose uttered. "I have to be here... I have to know that Edwin is alright..."

"Miss Rose, you need to get the blood off yourself as well," The butler pointed out. It was then, and only then, that Rose realized that her skirts had been soaked in blood. 'Had she been kneeling by Edwin in the pool of blood when the staff rushed over?' Looking at her arms she also saw smears of blood. 'Had she been cradling her brother, trying to wake him up?' She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember her body moving at all.

"Miss Rose, please." The butler said as he urged her to go to her rooms to get cleaned up. "If there is any change in Mister Edwin's condition I shall report it to you post-haste."

"It's my fault...." Rosalinda whispered. "Everything I touch... and now Edwin....."

"Miss Rose, it was clearly an accident. You didn't mean to...." William tried to comfort the crying girl though it didn't have much effect.

"Y-You don't understand..... No one does!" Rose blurted out. "I will always be the unwanted child in mother's eyes. Edwin is really all she cares about!"

"You and Mister Edwin are twins. Surely you're exaggerating," William murmured. He honestly didn't know how to handle Rosalinda. On most days she was haughty and composed, trying to be the perfect daughter. On other days, which he will not elaborate on he had found her crying in alcoves. She had looked so vulnerable then and more than once William wondered which one was the real lady's personality.

The butler was snapped out of his musings when the young lady excused herself, trying to hide her tears. 'Perhaps there was something more going on here,' he thought as he watched Rosalinda make her way down the hall opposite of where he had been standing. He would need to write to Lady Hofferson about this incident. Perhaps he should add his own observations in the letter as well. His mistress might not show it but just like her mother, she had a tender side as well. Surely she would be able to resolve this... whatever this was.

Meanwhile, at the Markison mansion, Theodora was pacing as well but for a wholly different reason. She had been sending missives to Lady Evelin but all the messengers came back, each telling her that they had not been allowed on the property by the guards.

Theodora had been so preoccupied with returning to the Capital and then Drago's death, probably just hours after they had conversed, occurred. She knew her grandson had some hand in the matter yet she had no evidence. Whoever had done the deed had been thorough.

She felt bad that she had not spoken to Lady Hofferson yet about the matter she and Evelin had talked about and had sent a missive, explaining the circumstances. Yet, the letter came back unopened. The messenger stated that he had not been allowed on the grounds even after reciting who the sender was.

She composed a new letter and sent it the next day. It too came back unopened. Theodora's blood ran cold. What if something had befallen Lady Evelin? She had heard absolutely nothing from the woman after she returned to the Capital. 'Was this what Evelin was afraid of?' Something must have happened for the Lady in question not to reply. 'The knights guarding both her and Lady Evelin's palaces were part of the Second order. While the First Knight Order guarded the King, the Second guarded his wives and children.' Theodora stopped for a moment as she realized it. How in Thor's name could she have overlooked this. Both Orders answered to the King. He must have ordered them to not allow anyone through. But why?'

Theodora had to get answers and thus she ordered her Ladies-in-Waiting to help her get ready for a Royal audience. When she exited her home she looked every bit the regal Queen she had been in the past. Her indoor dress had been replaced with a dark blue dress, adorned in pearls. It sported a wide neckline with drop-down pagoda sleeves that reached her elbows.

Theodora was certain that she had asked the butler to call forth her carriage, yet when she stepped outside she was met with two knights blocking her way.

"Madam, I ask that you return inside," One of the guards stated as he stood before the Queen Dowager like a mountain.

"How dare you!" Theodora uttered. "I am on my way to see my son. Let me pass!"

"Madam please," The other guard implored. "We cannot let you pass,"

"On whose order?!" Theodora became incensed. No one, and she meant no one had ever blocked her path. Not when she was Queen and certainly not when she became a Dowager. That was until today.

"On the King's order madam," The guard replied.

"I don't care if he's King! When I get my hands on Quintas his behind will feel my wrath!" She uttered angrily.

"Madam there is a reason we cannot allow you to leave at this time," The knights stated. "Recently the Colleseum had been attacked. Several dangerous criminals slated to fight escaped. This restriction is for your own protection as there is word that they have not left the area." The man explained. "I implore you to please understand. You will be allowed to leave as soon as the situation is under control. Crown Prince Grimmel thinks that this might be the work of Anti-Royalists as the attack happened so close to the Kingdom's Founding Day,"

Theodora hated that the explanation sounded so plausible. Yet the thought of an Anti-Royalist faction... a bit farfetched yet not impossible. Her husband's reign had not been peaceful yet there were no Anti-Royalist uprisings during it. At least from what she remembers. Quintas was not as passive as his elder brother Alexander had been but even his rule would not warrant any Anti-Royalist actions. The last mention of them, she knew from the Kingdom's history books. Selwin's great great grand-uncle had started an uprising against the Crown because he wanted the throne for himself. When it came to light that he was not fighting for the abolition of the monarchy the people allied to his cause, whom he had tricked with flowery words, turned on him. Yet none survived as the man had set fire to the building that they had been in. A building that housed several powder kegs.

"Very well," Theodora uttered through gritted teeth as she turned her back to the knights and went back inside. Once behind closed doors, she ordered for her trustworthy messenger to join her in the study. She had two letters to craft. One for Lady Evelin, which she knew now would not be delivered, and one for a young Noble that might help her to clarify several things. The letter to Lady Evelin was just a smokescreen this time. Hopefully, her messenger would prevail this time.

'Esteemed Lord Deranged.

It is with a worried heart that I write this.....'

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AN: (Porg waddles past while wearing a small pink tutu)
Harry: "You know what... I'm not even going to ask..."