The Emery Chronicles: The White King's Woman (FIRST BOOK)

Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four- The Truth

They entered the room, Gavin and his councilmen seated at the table in the center, all watching them as they made their way to two chairs in front of the table. All but Gavin, whose eyes were downcast, his chin leaning heavily on his hand as he ground his teeth. He would not look up at Arwen.

"My Queen," Finnian said, sarcasm oozing from his tone.

Arwen glared at him, not bothering to hide her contempt before replying, "Lord Finnian?"

"It has come to our attention that you have performed certain questionable acts that must be looked into." He smirked, his pride growing.

"What do you mean?" Arwen's heart raced and her skin broke out in goose pimples.

"Upon request, your old property in the village of Brigantia was searched. This property had not been touched since you last saw it. And on this property, it was discovered that a spell had been cast by the riverside." Another councilmen presented what looked like burnt out candles and an old piece of tree bark. Arwen breathed deeply, catching whiffs of yemonja, heartsease, and plaintain. A strong scent of apple also permeated throughout the room. Her heartbeat quickened even more, though she thought that'd be impossible.

"Sir, it is a known fact that my daughter and I are practicing witches. I don't understand the significance of your findings," Bianca stated coolly, not a single hint of nervousness present in her.

"Yes, it would seem these findings are futile. However, upon further study of each of our findings, we discovered that when combined, these materials can create a powerful love spell. Judging by the age of the bark, this spell would've been cast right around the time His majesty was badly injured in a hunting accident, only to be healed by your daughter." Finnian turned to eye Arwen, unable to hide his grin of success.

"Forgive me, I'm not as young and keen as I once was. What exactly are you trying to say, Sir?" Bianca stared Finnian down, her tone harsh and unwavering.

"I am accusing Her majesty of cursing our King to fall in love with her, wed and bed her, all to make her Queen. I think it was a plot from the beginning so that a pauper girl could rise to power." Finnian said the words he had waited so long to let out of him.

"This is outrageous! Surely His majesty can see that this is just a coup of lies created to desecrate my daughter," Bianca cried.

"Why would that be?"

"Everyone with enough sense knows that you have been after my daughter since even before her wedding to the King. You must've cooked this all up to finally exact revenge on her."

Finnian chuckled and said, "I have been suspicious of her from the very beginning only because I could sense the fallacy! And now I have proof that she seduced the King to gain her own means."

Arwen looked desperately to her husband. "Gavin, please, let me talk to you and explain. Please, come with me to our chambers, let's talk--"

"Why? So you can manipulate him further? Whatever you have to say to the King you can say here, in front of his trusted men!"

"What trusted men are you? To claim to love your King, and yet find every excuse to tear him down and control him!" Arwen stood and ran to where Gavin sat. She kneeled before him, placing her hands on his lap. "Gavin, please let me explain. Please, if there is any love for me in you, please believe me."

Gavin finally looked into her eyes, but instead of anger, Arwen found distress and sadness so deep it pierced her heart like an arrow to see it. "Did you do it? Did you cast a spell on me? Was it a lie all along, loving me and caring for me, was it all lies?" He practically whispered with a cracked voice, tears welling in his eyes.

"No," Arwen quietly wailed. Tears filled her own eyes as she continued, "It wasn't a curse, believe me, please. My mother and I did perform a spell before your hunt, but it wasn't a love spell. It was simply to draw you to me. That's all, I didn't make you love me I just lured you to our home."

"So you purposely injured our King so you could draw him in and seduce him!" Finnian slammed a fist against the table.

"No!" Arwen yelled at him, then turned back to Gavin. "It wasn't to seduce you so I could become Queen for my own well-being. It was to convince you to marry me so I can help you win the coming war."

At this, the table of councilmen muttered and rumbled. "What war?"

"There's more to this story than this one spell. My father's name was Whitewing, but there is no coven of Whitewing witches. My mother and I are descendants of the Darkwhite clan." The table erupted at this, shock and fury and confusion on everyone's faces. "Yes, we are from the clan that predicted a war among the cousins. And our predictions are right; relations are strained in all the realms, and though some deny it, war is coming. But that is why I married you. So I could bring the power of witches behind you, so you could conquer in the war and win power over all of Emery. We knew our predictions would come to truth, but we want to secure a victory for Brigantia! Please believe me!"

"This is an outrage!"

"War? When? How?"

"She's a Darkwhite, a traitor!"

"Let her hang for her crimes!"

"Let the witches burn!"

"Traitor!"

"No please! I'm here to help you!" Arwen took Gavin's face in her hands. He was confused, so confused. "Please, Gavin, believe me! I love you, I am here for you! I am yours to love and to use to your advantage, to help let Springtime rule! Please! Please believe me, please don't let them hurt me. I am expecting again!"

At this, there was silence.

"I'm with child again. Please, I am carrying your child! Please believe me," This last plea she whispered, putting her head on his lap and letting her tears flow freely.

"Expecting?" Gavin's voice was still weak, but he managed to muster this out.

Arwen looked up quickly, holding both his hands in hers. "Yes, yes I am. We're going to have more children, a prince!"

"And how do you know that?" Finnian finally spoke up again. "After not one, but two daughters, how can you promise the birth of a strong White heir?"

"I promise nothing. But I am healthy and so is Gavin. We will have our prince someday."

"Someday? That's not reassuring enough." He paused, then smiled wickedly. "I know; a test to prove your intentions have been true all along. If this next child is a prince, you are telling the truth and you will help our Kingdom strive to glory. If it is another girl, you are a seducing liar and will renounce your claim on the throne."

"But I have no control over the unborn child!"

"Exactly! The gods will decide. If they know you are honorable, they will reward you. And the gods know all. Do you deny that?" Finnian smirked, tasting his victory, savoring it.

Arwen looked up to her husband who only looked confusedly back to her, trying to read her, to understand what to do.

"Yes, the gods know all." Bianca spoke up, rising from her seat behind Finnian. "They have been watching all along and always, and they know my daughter is true. They know we are here to bring Brigantia to glory. They will reward her." She stared Finnian straight in his eyes, daring him further.

"Then the test is accepted! Let it commence, and let us see what fate the gods have in store for your daughter."