Chapter 173: Chapter twenty-two (6)
***
Queen Raine opened her eyes to a dark oak ceiling. She looked around, trying to get her bearing. Her eyes met the inside of a wooden cottage. She found that she was lying on the soft beddings and confusion set in. She could hear voices from behind the closed door. She groaned at her stabbing neck pain as she tried to get up. She made her way to the door and pushed it open as softly as she could, but the door betrayed her; creaking loudly, announcing her presence to those on the other side.
She recognized those in the room, they were Lord Morge, her mother and two ministers.
"Mother," she greeted. The ministers dipped their heads in a bow when she walked in.
"What is going on?" she asked.
"You are awake, good. We are about to leave," Lady Teel said.
"To where?" she asked.
"Back to the capital. It has been almost two weeks since the invasion. I hear the prince's coronation is near," Lady Teel answered.
"Coronation? What about His Majesty?" Queen Raine asked.
"Dead," Lady Teel answered coldly. Queen Raine felt the floor shift and she tried to maintain her balance and stand upright.
"Then why? Why are we returning? I... I have nothing to return to," she whispered softly.
"You are still queen. Besides, Lord Morge promises that this will be resolved. Lady Wickshire has had everything taken care of," Lady Teel said.
"She knew?" Queen Raine asked as the idea came to mind.
"We should be leaving," Lord Morge said.
"Did she know?!" Queen Raine shouted in anger. The rising group paused at her outrage.
"Yes," Lord Morge answered. She had already known the answer that was coming, yet she was still unprepared for it.
"Why? Why did she do nothing?" she choked at her words. "You still wish for us to return after this? Mother, does this make any sense? What if she decides to do nothing if we get harmed. How can you trust our lives to someone who let the king die!" Queen Raine was fuming now.
"Raine, you put yourself together or I will put you to sleep!" this silenced Queen Raine. Even though her chest heaved in anger, she no more uttered a word.
Lord Morge led the way into an unmarked carriage and they started their journey back to the capital. The silence in the carriage was deafening. Lady Teel was tensed, Lord Morge closed his eyes and relaxed, Queen Raine stared blankly at the leather seats; the location of her thoughts, only she knew.
"We are here," the coachman announced and Lord Morge opened his eyes. This caused the two women to frown. Didn't they just leave? Not much time had passed since then, yet they had arrived? Cautiously, they stepped out of the carriage after Lord Morge and found themselves in a dark tunnel. Torches lit the way, allowing one to see its brick walls and paved floors.
"Where are we?" Lady Teel asked.
"This is the Merve manor in the capital," Lord Morge answered.
"How?" Queen Raine asked.
"Lady Wickshire had a short-distance portal installed here, so Lord of Merve can move unhindered," Lord Morge answered.
"Yet, you tell us this?" Lady Teel was suspicious.
"The lady thinks it matters not if you know of it now," Lord Morge answered. He led them through the tunnel, up a spiral staircase and out into a bright hallway. The bright light streaming from the windows told them they were out of the tunnels.
"Someone, come!" Lord Morge called.
"My lord," a maid greeted.
"Lord of Merve?"
"He has been awaiting your return," the maid answered.
"Lead the way," Lord Morge and the rest followed the maid to the study on the second floor. Inside the study, sat Lord of Merve with a glass of ciere.
"You took long," Lord of Merve commented as Lord Morge walked in.
"Queen Raine was asleep," Lord Morge answered lazily before taking a seat. He gestured to the others to do as well, and immediately the room seemed smaller than it actually was.
"I want to know of your plan," Lady Teel went straight to the point. It was not just her, Queen Raine was curious as well. The ministers, on the other hand, had already been told their role in this play. They only went along to pick up Queen Raine so that Lady Teel would trust them.
"You do not need to know. You only need to do as told," Lord Morge answered calmly. Lady Teel's eyes narrowed at this.
"Do you know who I am?" she threatened.
"Someone still hoping for her daughter to be royalty in a first-rate kingdom," Lord of Merve answered.
"Do you think that matters right now? As the head of the Teel family and the..." she started to say.
"The Teel family? The ancients set eyes on your Jade hand years ago, but you suddenly went missing with the Jade token; the only thing that can control the Jade hand. Then your daughter suddenly appears after so many years as queen of Juhntt. They had no choice but to step back," Lord of Merve said.
"You speak rubbish," Lady Teel answered coldly.
"That is why you have remained in Juhntt all this while. Juhntt is Lady Wickshire's kingdom. Ancients would not dare make a move on the queen of Juhntt. Lady Wickshire predicted this long ago, do you think she speaks rubbish?" this silenced Lady Teel.
"After all, it is better for your daughter, who has not your skill in martial arts to be queen of a first-rate kingdom; her rule over the Jade hand and the Teel family will be stronger,"
"Lady Wickshire thinks far ahead," Lady Teel complimented, "But why? She does not seem to care much for Juhntt, it is as good as any place in her eyes. You don't expect me to believe that she allowed me entrance into the kingdom, because she believes I will make a good addition, do you?" Lady Teel sneered.
"Only she can answer that," Lord of Merve answered.
"Then what? What does my daughter get out of this? She is still queen. The king's only heir is a traitor,"
"The lady has it all planned. Worry not, your daughter is queen. No matter who becomes king, the lady will make sure her title as dowager queen is stable," Lord Morge answered.
"She really does plan to the last detail, Lady Wickshire. Did she also plan His Majesty's death?" Queen Raine spoke for the first time.
"Why should she protect him? Like your mother said, Juhntt is as good as any other place. Besides, His Majesty made a deal with Lady Wickshire. She would not interfere with the ruling of the kingdom," Lord of Merve smiled.
"Then what has she been doing all this while?" Queen Raine scuffed.
"She only does things that benefit her. Lady Steinhouse's marriage, the last queen's death; everything was to her benefit," Lord Morge said.
"Worry not, Your Majesty, you will be taken care of," Lord of Merve said.
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