"You said you didn't want any bloodshed." Harold calmly said to Alicia, who was waiting for an explanation about what had just happened in the assembly hall.
They were both in Harold's chamber now, alone. Except for Alvin, who was still sleeping on the bed. As for Paulina, they had no idea where she was hiding, and Susan was still fast asleep in her chamber.
"What happened? Didn't you say she died? Why did she suddenly say it was the queen? It wasn't the queen, right?" Alicia asked a barrage of questions, as what had just happened didn't make much sense to her.
Harold almost laughed, remembering the queen's reaction when Agnes pointed her out as the true culprit. The woman went berserk, pulling Anne's hair and asking her to stop lying before she killed her. It was a good thing there were people present to save the poor maid from her clutches.
It was safe to say the last shred of dignity the queen possessed had completely disappeared today.
The queen hadn't been able to accuse Harold, so she faced Alicia, pointing at her with eyes red with anger, "IT IS YOU! YOU MUST HAVE ASKED HER TO LIE!"
Since Alicia was obviously innocent, she denied her involvement in it while the rest of the noblemen looked at the queen suspiciously. Even Damon seemed to be doubting her at that point. The same could be said about her brother since they both knew that she was aiming for the throne now.
"It isn't me! It's not!" The queen yelled defensively as she looked at all of them.
The noblemen did not take it easy with her as they threw words at her.
So she had been responsible and tried to get rid of Princess Amber the entire time?
She had also been the reason they all had to endure this much suffering in the palace when they were supposed to be feasting since the banquet ended.
Maybe it was also her plan to get rid of the king and have her son crowned as king. No wonder she had been pushing for the marriage between the royal family and other solid members of the noble court. She must have been up to no good.
Maybe Princess Amber wasn't a witch after all. The queen had been the one to bring the person who claimed he heard the history of Princess Amber's family. What if it was all a lie?
What if she had also sent Prince Ivan to go and kill Prince Harold so he could take over the throne? He had obviously used the poison on his sword when he left the palace; otherwise, the aristocrat he had stabbed would have also died from the poison before he arrived, but the man had not been poisoned and only survived the stab wound. Had Prince Ivan also tried to kill Luciana because he wanted to get married to Benedicta quickly? If that was the case, why had he used Benedicta to escape? Maybe he was insane?
Wow! This royal family was filled with crazy people they could not understand.
That was the conversation going on between the members of the court, and it just solidified the reason why a woman was strictly supposed to stay as a woman and not get involved in anything else other than keeping her home and caring for her husband and children.
These thoughts began to fill their minds, and they didn't hide their grievance.
"IT WASN'T ME!" The queen yelled, almost pulling her hair in anger.
"YOU LITTLE WENCH!" She charged at Agnes again, but this time, Damon was the one who stood in between them, glaring at the queen.
"It's enough!!" He chided her.
"What is enough?!" She snapped at him. "You are just going to believe what a stupid maid says about me?" The queen asked as angry tears pooled in her eyes.
"It wasn't difficult for us to also believe the stupid maid when she said it was Princess Amber. She was almost killed because of the words of a stupid maid." Harvey said it in a bitter tone from where he stood. After all, he was also a member of the court.
The queen ignored him and turned her eager eyes to Tyra. "You! You were also there. She stabbed you, right? It was her, right?" She asked desperately as she pointed at Alicia, who was just watching the entire thing without giving any input. She was still trying to remember what had happened after she saw this girl outside her chamber that night but nothing was coming.
Alicia looked at Harold, not sure how to react to all that was happening. And she saw it. Harold was trying not to smile as he watched the queen go crazy and how the court had turned against her, even demanding for her to be arrested.
Tyra stepped back in fear as the queen continued to prod her for an answer.
"I... am sorry, mother!" She said, bursting into tears as she fell to the floor, where she began to choke and gasp for air. It was so severe that they had to carry her out as she passed out in the arms of the guards.
Tyra's reaction just made everything worse for the queen, and it began to solidify their suspicion. However, Alicia looked at the unconscious Tyra until she was carried out of the room. Was Tyra in on this plan to push it to the queen too? Or was the queen truly involved? She doubted. Something was wrong somewhere.
"AHHHHHHH!" The queen yelled in frustration, almost following Tyra to slap her back awake, but Damon was there to stop her again, making her livid to the point where she didn't know when she slapped Damon hard across the face, making the noblemen gasp in shock.
"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO STOP ME FROM TEACHING THESE USELESS GIRLS A LESSON?!" The queen asked in a bitter tone while glaring at Damon, who was trying so hard to control his temper. If she wasn't the queen, there was no doubt that it would have been over for her now.
The queen on the other hand was beginning to suspect Damon of having a hand in this. As for his motive, she wasn't sure yet.