Broken timeline - Part One

Chapter Twenty - A New Ally

Earlier that same day

I had to be certain of her wellness. Lady Emma had experienced a very traumatizing incident at last night's gathering. I cannot give any thoughts to what could have happened to her, had I not stepped in.
These court men are very often abusing of alcoholic beverages, and therefore, incapable of asserting what is right and wrong.
Furthermore, I could not agree with Cardinal Wolsey. To me, she does not seem the type of woman to be dangerous or driven by malice. She looked frightened and uneasy during her questioning in the council room, which was not at all the behavior of someone that was plotting against His Majesty.

I was walking through the castle corridors when I happened upon The King.

"Good morrow my dear friend, I hope to find you well after last evening !" he said enthusiastically. I had so much respect for this young King, as well as I did for his late father. He has such greatness to him and the potential to accomplish prodigious things in this world.

"Good morrow Your Highness, I thank you for your solicitude. I did enjoy myself quite a bit at the feast. Although I cannot say the same for Lady Emma" I answered. His expression changed in a second and he became all of sudden very stiff.

"What do you mean ? Is she unwell ? Has any physician been sent to attend her ?" he asked before he summoned one of his page boys " Go and fetch the latest news of Lady Emma's condition ! She is in her lodgings in the west wing of the palace ! Quickly !"

"Yes Your Majesty" answered shakingly the young boy, "But if I may, I was told by Wyatt, one of the servants at last night's feast, that Lady Emma was indeed not feeling well. She was seen being taken by two men in the main hall corridors"

"What ?!"

Harry, as I liked to call him, looked extremely worried and uncertain of what to do. shouted Henry.

"Harry, do not fear anything, I intervened and made sure of her safety before leaving her side. I left her in the care of her maid" I said, trying to calm and reassure him, "Before alerting the whole palace, let us inquire after her. After all, this palace is filled with ill intentioned people, and she might not be as unwell as it would seem. Come and walk with me."

I attempted to ease any outburst of emotions. Harry was after all, very tempered and found it hard to manage how he felt.

After persuading him for a few seconds, he agreed and we found ourselves at Lady Emma's apartments. She was on her feet and looked very well rested.

'Praise the Lord' I thought for a moment, when I noticed something unusual. Next to her feet, was a very strange pouch that seemed made out of the strongest leather I had ever encountered. She immediately pushed it underneath the wardrobe she was standing next to.

While Harry was chatting with her, and sought information about her health, I noticed the vial that her servant maid was holding in her hand. It contained a liquid, with a bizarre tint to it.
Emma attributed the reason for her recovery in the same medicine that one of the physicians had given her. At that moment, I was perplexed, since before this morning, Harry had no knowledge of her condition. How could she have summoned a physician whilst being ill and without the King's consent ?

I took the vial to observe it, and confirmed what I had previously thought. This was no medicine and Emma could not have made a recovery, by absorbing this, for it would have put her to death.
This was, Aqua Tofana, a deadly poison made with arsenic. You needed a small amount of this powder to get rid of someone. Whoever attacked Lady Emma last night, definitely tried to exterminate her with this, by probably slipping it into her drink or food. Her symptoms matched the effects of this substance, but they must've failed to put enough of an amount in it, for it to be fatal.