Heartglass

Heartglass 33: Funeral

AZALEA

With an unreadable expression on my face, I scanned the room as the nobles gathered for an urgent meeting. Dion watched them with a stony gaze, probably upset that the nobles insisted on including me in the court affairs. Well, I was the center of all the rumors going on around the kingdom so maybe they wanted to hear my opinion.

It had been six months since we ascended to the throne but the rumors were getting worse day by day so the nobles wanted to find a way to extinguish the fire or maybe some of them just wanted to benefit from it and make the situation worse.

Tension filled the air as the nobles eyed me with caution but that didn't stop them from voicing out their concerns.

"Now, speak," Dion ordered in a displeased tone.

"His Majesty, we can no longer control the rumors circulating in the capital about the queen. These rumors even reached the countryside and some faraway fiefs," Marquis Robert started. "The people are wary that the queen is actually the reincarnation of the witch. They believe that the witch wants revenge and vengeance and this kingdom is already doomed because of the queen's reign."

My eyebrow arched in surprise when he mentioned that I was the witch's reincarnation. Only a few people in the palace heard about it. And one of them was Lady Candice who was already exiled. I suddenly got a bad feeling about this. Did she start all these rumors? To taint my honor? To get back at me? It seemed like she was not yet done with me and she was out there to ruin me.

Even Dion's expression did not look good at the mention of such a rumor but he let the nobles continue.

"His Majesty, they also believe that you're keeping the queen by your side because only the queen's death can free us from the curse. They said you're actually planning to kill the queen when you find a chance," Earl Gert seconded with a calculating gaze. He was definitely watching how we would react but we remained unbothered and unaffected.

"No. I heard a different rumor from that. Some said His Majesty is not actually planning to kill the queen. But instead, His Majesty is protecting and hiding her. They believe His Majesty is not actually planning to end this curse. They are all anxious. The people are divided," Count Theodore said with concern.

Dion watched the anxious nobles with a cold gaze.

His eyebrows slightly furrowed. "So what do you suggest now?" Dion asked.

"We're afraid that the people will rebel if this continues," Earl Gert insisted to escalate the issue.

My father cleared his throat. "Then maybe we just need to prove that the queen is not the witch's reincarnation. That they are all wrong," Marquis Frederick suggested with determination. He was the only one unfazed from this issue. I was just glad he didn't believe all this rubbish circulating in the kingdom. I was grateful for his silent support. Despite him not openly showing his concern, I felt a little warm inside.

Some nobles turned silent because of my father's suggestion. My father managed to somehow quell their worries but some nobles definitely didn't like it.

I cleared my throat. "But who started all these rumors?" I asked with authority as I scanned all their faces without fear.

Dion let me question the nobles with a little smirk tugging on his lips. It seemed he would let me handle this matter on my own. It was also another way to strengthen the queen's authority.

The nobles turned to each other with uncertain gazes. "Her Majesty, it's impossible for us to know. The word already spread throughout the kingdom that it is already near impossible to find the actual source," Earl Gert answered.