The Heiress Queen (Season Series Prequel)

Chapter 50 - Part 2

Lord Callum Winters stood, his chair scraping the floor in the silence as he squared off against Lord Hadrian Amberly. Isabelle's heart was pounding as she looked towards the head of the table. But Graham did not look the least bit surprised. Instead, the corner of his lip twitched ever so slightly, a tell that he was fighting a grin. His eyes darted to hers, softening for the barest of moments, before he rose as well.

"What do you mean, no?" Graham asked, his eyes glacial once more when he turned to Callum Winters.

"I will never bow before a traitor who allows the murderer of one of his highest ranking nobles to flee, unpunished," Callum Winters said. Graham reached into his pocket, producing a copy of the document Isabelle recognized from the dungeon in Inverloch.

"Unpunished, you say?" Graham asked, throwing the treaty down onto the table. "Perhaps you ought to have done your research before assuming the worst about me, Callum. Prince Leopold of Germania has signed a peace treaty on behalf of his father, agreeing to henceforth end all hostilities against Pretania in return for sparing his life."

Isabelle had to bite back her gasp when she realized what Graham was doing.

He had anticipated that someone would question him if he dared to lead the council session in the king's place. Hadrian Amberly's report on the king's health had been first on Graham's agenda all along, as it made for an easy segue into securing his place as ruler of Pretania while his father remained bedridden. Had he allowed the question of being named Prince Regent to wait until later, he would be giving the recently arrived Lord Winters time to speak to the other nobles and recruit them to his cause when they paused for luncheon.

It was clear that Duke Carveston had already sided with Winters, but whether Winters had left out the details of the peace treaty was unknown. Much as Isabelle had been hesitant to accept a peace treaty in the place of Leopold's punishment, Carveston would no doubt see the logic in what Graham had done if Graham was the one to explain it to him. Perhaps Carveston wouldn't change allegiance, but the lesser lords that Winters hadn't yet had the chance to coerce would hear Graham's version of the story first.

Isabelle gripped the armrests of her chair as the fate of her future husband and his kingdom hung in the balance.

All I ask is that you follow my lead...

"Her Grace served as a witness," Graham said, his words bringing all the eyes in the room to Isabelle. Refusing to cower beneath the gaze of so many powerful men at such a crucial time, she held her chin high.

"What good will a piece of paper be against an advancing Germanian army?" Callum Winters demanded angrily. At the other end of the table, Duke Carveston was watching the heated display with narrowed eyes.

"Your Grace?" Graham said, his voice tearing Isabelle's attention away from the older man. "Perhaps you would care to explain our logic to Lord Winters and the council."

Isabelle did not hesitate, rising to her feet and pressing her hands against the table to keep them from shaking. Now was not the time for any displays of weakness, she thought, as she steeled her expression to match Graham's.

All I ask is that you follow my lead...

"Prince Leopold signed copies destined for each of Germania's neighbouring countries, as well as for the colonies of the New World," Isabelle said, shocked at the force and clarity of her voice despite her pounding heart. "If Germania breaks the treaty, all of their allies will know that Prince Leopold's word is worthless."

"Did he promise you a crown for standing with him, Isabelle?" Lord Winters scoffed from across the table. Isabelle turned her eyes to the angry northerner as other men whispered at the slight of using her first name so disrespectfully.