The Dragon Bride | ✔️

Chapter Seventeen

Kora's POV

"Right. I will only ask once. Who made the tea?" King Isin growls, his fiery eyes intimidating as he stares down everyone in the room.

"If I may, Your Majesty..." a small voice pipes up. Everyone turns to look at Crowned Concubine Aria with a questioning look, "I made the tea. But I would never harm an innocent empress, Your Majesty, especially when she was with child..."

I grit my teeth at her seemingly sorrowful expression. What a pretentious little viper! The physician enters the room, looking distraught.

"Physician. How is my progeny?" the King demands. I scowl at him. Won't he even bother asking how poor Velia is?

"I... I bear bad news, Your Majesty... I tried everything I could, but... Crowned Concubine Velia had a miscarriage, sire..." the physician speaks quietly, politely, as if truly sorrowful, "The Concubine should make a full recovery, Your Majesty, but she's currently in an extremely depressed state-"

The King groans with anger, turning his attention back to the room of nobles. "Who delivered the tea to Velia!?"

I gulp. Please, no one say it, please-

"I believe it was Lady Azura, Your Majesty," Aria says airily, as if it's no big deal, "I believe it was her who delivered it to poor Crowned Concubine Velia,"

Azura is suddenly hit with a wave of fear, and her attention quickly turns to the King, "No, please, Your Majesty, I- I had no idea the tea was poisoned, I-"

"You better have a good alibi, Azura," Queen Alexandria says calmly, looking quite level-headed about the whole thing. She is more composed than her husband, after all.

"I... I was just helping Nova sort the vellums drawers when Her Grace told me to deliver the tea as she'd injured her ankle. So of course I obliged. I never poisoned any tea, Your Majesty!"

"Nova?" the King says, "Is this true?"

Nova, the Royal Quarter maid, snags a quick glance at Concubine Aria, who is shooting daggers in her direction, indirectly intimidating her. Taking a deep breath, she shakily replies to the King's question, "No, Your Majesty. I have no idea what Azura is talking about."

I almost gasp at her audacity. Surely the King knows her words can't be true?

"Well then. There is no more to it. Azura Valus, you have committed murder by poisoning a Concubine, and therefore resulting in the murder of my progeny. You will be taken to the gallows and hung-"

Shocked, I speak out, not willing to let Azura go this easily.

"If I may, Your Majesty," I interrupt, "There may not be proof of anyone else poisoning the tea, but there also isn't any proof of Azura poisoning it. Why hang someone who could be innocent?"

There is a sudden chatter amongst everyone in the room. I feel Concubine Aria's blue eyes piercing into my skull, but don't dare turn around. She won't win this battle – I won't let Azura get hung, one way or another. I'll offer myself up instead if I have to.

"Excuse me?" Crowned Concubine Aria demands, looking furious, "Are you implying I am lying, dragon bride?"

I roll my eyes, "I'm not implying anything of the sort. I'm simply pointing out the obvious, which is that there is no solid evidence against Azura. Which means she cannot definitely be the perpetrator."

Of course, pretty much everyone in the room already knows it isn't Azura. So why didn't anyone else say anything? Are they so scared of the King that they'll let an innocent die? Or is there more to it?