The Queen of Hearts (An Anthony Bridgerton Story)

"I hope you get what you deserve Richard"

"What is the meaning of this?" I shouted, filing my parcel to the ground as I saw surgeons, fourteen of them. "What has happened?" Cold fear flooded my system. Where was Mama? Father? "I demand to know what has happened in my own home?" I shouted, none of the surgeons even looked at me.
"It was your mama?" I froze, I cleared my throat.
"What happened to my Mama?" I asked, my voice shook as I spoke.
Charlotte cleared her throat and wiped a tear from her face. "Your father . . ." Her lip quivered. She exhaled and spoke again; "Yout father pushed your mother down the stairs during one of his drinking stints"
"Oh god" I sobbed, feeling my chest begin to burn. "Is she alright? Where did he go?" I choked out. I put my hand on my chest, hoping to calm my breathing, instead I pressed my palm to my mouth, stifling my sobs. Oh god it hurt.
"She hit her head, we haven't gotten word of her status yet, and he was taken away"
I sobbed, over and over again. Choking on my own saliva, my chest hiccuping with every breath. I trudged up the stairs, trying my hardest to ignore the blood splattered down them. "Where is my mother?" I yelled.
"She is her room your Grace, she is being tended to"
"Does she live?" I yelled. She flinched away and looked at the ground. "Does she live?" I asked in a quieter tone.
"I think you must come see her," The maid suggested.
"Oh my god," I muttered as I walked into her room. She was laying there, still as the pond during winter. Her skin was pale, much paler than usual. Her eyes were closed and her hands were folded eloquently across her chest, the white sheets and towels that surrounded her were stained with blood. Her brows were no longer furrowed, her lips no longer pursed and angry. "She is dead." I said, assuming her fate myself, her chest was still, her eyelashes didn't flutter slightly as they normally did while she slept.
"I wish to offer my sincerest condolences" The surgeon said, wiping his bloodied gloves on a towel. I felt my lip tremble as I looked at her, at my mother. My mother was dead, because of my father.
I cleared my throat. "Thank you sir," I said. "Will you call the mortician so her body is ready for burial and out of my house, I cannot bear to see the shell of my mother any longer" I said, my voice growing louder. I could feel the smell beginning to run through the house, overriding her smell of lilacs.It all became too much, the smell, everything it became like a cage. I clawed at my chest, hoping to escape this cage my father had put me in, that he had forced me into.

"I wish to invite my father to my home, for a short talk" I said to Charlotte, I patted at my tears with a handkerchief. "Do we still have aconite in the pantres?" I asked.
"You grace, that herb is dangerous, fatal even" She stressed.
"Brew the tea with it tomorrow" I ordered. "But stir in extra honey, to cover the smell, three flowers of it please"
"You do not presume to drink this tea do you, Your Grace?" She asked, her voice growing higher. "For even one flower would kill you, what of three?"
"I will not drink the tea, My father will. A life for a life? Correct Charlotte?" I asked, pressing the teacup to my lips.

"Goodmorning Richard" I greeted coldly. Guards from the jail lined the room, making sure Richard behaved.
"Why am I here?" He asked, he looked down at the ground.
"Did you mean to kill my mother?" I asked. "Your wife, I might add."
"I don't know what you mean?" He sneered.
"Answer the question goddamnit" I shouted, I slammed my tea cup down and waved my hand to Charlotte. "Bring the tea" I asked, calming myself. The rage in my system was almost consuming, I wanted to stab him, to watch the hounds rip his throat out.
She nodded. Moments later she brought out a tray, a teapot and a single cup and saucer. I poured the tea into the glass slowly. "Charlotte has begun to add lavender to her tea, I remember, before you turned to alcohol you liked your tea with extra honey" I remarked, adding honey to the very, very not sweet tea. "Drink it" I ordered.
His hands shook as he reached out for the cup of tea, he lifted it to his lips and downed it in one drink. Wonderful.
"I imagine you do not have tea time in a cell?" I asked, raising my brows and smiling at both the guards.
"Well, not really" The guard on the left chuckled. I beamed at him.
"Charlotte, I must get to Madame Delacruix's before six o'clock, would escort these fine men out" I asked, politely. "I hope you get what you deserve Richard"

-authors note-
I do not know if I would call this a filler or not, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the Bridgertons just inside tea 😉
Much love
Slythtpsq0c 💕