Aragorn and the Phoenix of Caspian (ENGLISH)

Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

“Greeting, Your Highness. Apologies if we can’t be with you throughout the queen dowager’s burial,” Hideo greeted. Azrael and Yosef were behind him. The queen dowager was buried yesterday and their one-week break was finished. Leo asked them to join the prince first throughout the investigation on the death of the queen dowager before heading to their training in the hut.

“It’s fine. I understand that three of you are already missing your families. Having a one-week-long break will replenish your state of mind for the training.”

“I heard that investigations are happening in the palace. They should free you, Prince Aragorn. You’re not staying here for a long time because of the training.”

“I am free in the investigation. I only want to stay for my parents and the answers.”

“He’s right, Yosef. We shouldn’t ask more about why the king is in the palace. The queen dowager had taken care of Your Highness since he was a little. It is pretty obvious why he wanted to stay during the investigation. Who could be the one to poison the queen dowager when everyone knows that she’s already dying?” Azrael placed his hand below his chin. Just like ordinary citizens, he’s also curious why and who can do such a thing like that. Once the king knows, he or she will be imprisoned.

Three investigators gathered in the hall of the royal palace along with the current king and queen and other members of the royal family. The three investigators had completed investigating the matter. Finally, the queen dowager’s death will be at justice.

“Greetings, Your Highness. Dayanara had helped us in investigating the death of your mother. She contributed a lot but she didn’t want to share her conclusion with the two of us. She’s cunning and I think she’s a good addition to the two of us,” said the investigator with hair that reached his shoulders.

“He’s right. We were pleased that you let her became part of the investigation. If she wasn’t here, we will not get the answers for the death of the beloved queen dowager.”

“Don’t be pleased to me. I just did my job and I did this for the king of the palace of Caspian.”

“What are your findings?” asked the king dowager.

The first investigator stepped forward and smiled confidently at all of the people inside the hall. “The poison that was given to the queen dowager was difficult to find out because the queen dowager is naturally weak and requires care. We have to trace who gives the poison and the only cause of this is her food.”

The second investigator followed him. “The poison was added in the queen dowager’s food. We were also shocked when we found this out. We thought that the queen dowager is getting enough energy by the means of her food. We don’t know that her food contains dosages of laxatives. They were beneficial in small doses but can cause weakness and stomach pain when consumed in large quantities. Dayanara has a better explanation for the queen dowager’s death.”

Dayanara walked past the two investigators. She bowed and her smile reached from ear to ear. “The two investigators were correct. The food that was given to the queen dowagers contains arsenic. The queen dowager had been one of the greatest women rulers in this palace. She contributed a lot and because of her kindness, women in the palace gained rights that we thought we would never have. After asking different people inside the palace, I’ve concluded that most of the food that is sent to the queen dowager comes from the current queen.”

People in the hall started to whisper to the people beside them. Queen Amira? How can the current queen which was full of grace would kill the queen dowager? What are her intentions?

“Is it true, Queen Amira?”

Queen Amira froze. She stuttered but she nodded. “Y-Yes.”

“It only means that the food that contains arsenic is from the queen also.”

“Are you saying that Queen Amira is the one who killed the queen dowager?” Enzo asked.

“No! My mother can’t kill anyone. She won’t kill grandmother!” Aragorn shouted.

“Queen Amira wants to kill the queen dowager for her use. The queen dowager is still the most powerful woman in the whole palace even though she’s weak and the current queen was on the throne. There must be a misunderstanding between Queen Amira and the queen dowager before she got weak so Queen Amira used that opportunity to kill her!”

“Dayanara, there must be a misunderstanding with this. My queen cannot kill anyone especially my mother.” King Argon said as he stared at her wife who was completely shivering because of fear.

“Your queen isn’t an angel, Your Highness. You’re obviously protecting her because you love her so much. Your love towards her lead to her greed to kill your own mother to become the most powerful woman in the whole palace. If you don’t make your decision right now, citizens of the palace will think that your bias and you only favor the current queen. Even if she loses the position because of the crime that she did, you can still pick another queen who can treat your family members as her family also and will not kill them," the king dowager argued.

“I-I didn’t kill the queen dowager. I didn’t kill anyone,” Queen Amira whispered to King Argon. He’s still believing her but the other people inside the hall were blabbering about her.

“Argon, the evidence that points your wife to be the killer is already present. If she’s the one who killed your grandmother, we can let her go and not punish her, but she can’t stay in the palace as the queen. We can’t tolerate an act like that especially to a woman.”

“She’s not a killer. My wife is not the killer!”

Heavy footsteps captured the attention of everyone in the hall. Their eyes were focused on the servant who entered the hall. Lolita smiled confidently at the audience. Behind her was Dina also trying to smile at everyone even though what’s in her mind was to pull out all of Dayanara’s hair. She despised her so much for pointing the blame to Queen Amira. She treated Queen Amira as her second mother for taking care of her in the palace. She can’t let anyone harm her.

“Queen Amira isn’t the one who killed the queen dowager!”

“Who are you and why are you joining this matter? You’re not part of the royal family for you to go here. You will be punished by the king!” said one of the elders.

“We are not part of the royal family but we are part of the blame that you are all pointing to Queen Amira,” said Lolita. “Dina, please explain to them.”

“Lolita and I are both Queen Amira’s personal servants. We are the ones who are preparing the food that is sent to the queen dowager. We have to be part of this to prove the queen and our innocence.”

Dayanara gritted her teeth. “The evidence is already present. The queen won’t be punished, but the two of you are going to die.”

“How can some of you believe that Queen Amira is the one who wanted to kill the queen dowager where she’s the one who is favored and loved by the queen dowager when she’s still alive?” Lolita asked.

“The queen is greedy of power so she killed the one who’s more powerful than her.”

“You’re wrong, Dayanara. Someone wanted to frame the queen. If the queen loses her position, the king will be forced to have another wife to handle the affairs in the palace. I assure all of you that the food that was sent to the queen dowager by Queen Amira is clean from any poison. Besides, Arsenic is only found in the queen’s hometown which was very far from the royal palace.”

“Of course! She’s the killer and she even used what’s unique in her hometown to kill the queen dowager.”

“But the queen never leaves the royal palace unless she’s with the king. When I heard that the doctors found out that the queen dowager was poisoned, I thought of the possibilities of the queen being framed by this. How can the queen acquire Arsenic if she’s not leaving the royal palace without the king? Aside from the queen, the only person I knew who’s also from her hometown and can supply anyone with the poison is nobody but Dayanara.”

“You’re just a servant! You can’t point out the blame to an investigator! You’re already guilty of killing the queen dowager. Spare your life and don’t put more dirt in your name,” said the investigator with the long hair.

“Why are you protecting her where in fact, you should be thinking of the possibilities that she might be one who killed the queen dowager?” Dina asked.

“Of course, the investigator with the most unique and pretty face in the whole palace did a favor on the two of them. She’s irresistible and fragrant.”

“You’re just a servant! How can you point the blame on me? You’re only adding punishment to yourself. You’re going to die if those were lies.”

“My younger sister is the one who’s serving Dayanara since the day she entered the palace. Last two nights, she saw her entering the room where the two other servants were resting. She stayed inside until before the sun rises. Tell me, what did you do inside the room of the two men!”

Dayanara fell to the ground. She can’t think of anything to prove her innocence. This servant is pointing the blame at her! This servant is ruining her plan.

“Your Highness, I am not the one who killed the queen dowager. I’m innocent, Your Highness.”

“Last but not least, I still have one more witness.” Lolita clapped her hands to let a woman enter the hall. The woman entered and knelt in front of the king. “This is Jia. She’s the servant who brings food to the queen dowager and she’s saying it was from the queen. Spare your family’s life and tell the truth to the queen.”

“Your Highness, don’t punish my family. I will tell the truth. When the queen asked me to buy supplies for the palace, I encountered Dayanara and she told me the plan of killing the queen dowager and framing Queen Amira. She told me that if that happened, she’ll be the queen of the palace and she’ll make me her personal servant and will double my income. I am willing to die for the crime that I did but please spare my family.”

“That explains why Dayanara traveled far away from her hometown to investigate because she’s actually framing someone a long time ago. Your Highness, you’ll be the one to judge. I spare my innocence along with Dina’s and Queen Amira’s.”

“I’m innocent, Your Highness! I’m the one who’s framed! I just got by here to visit you!” Dayanara plead.

“Apologies, Your Highness. The servant is right. Dayanara served us last night to asked us to point the queen in the investigation,” said the second investigator.

“The evidence is already there. There’s no way we’re lying.”

King Argon touched his chin. He needed to think of a judgment because this is a serious case. He knew her wife’s innocent but he didn’t expect Dayanara to do it for the power. After seconds of thinking, he stood up.

“For killing my mother, this servant will work in the prison without salary until the day that she dies. For letting someone manipulate the investigation, the two investigators will be punished in the prison for thirty years. For planning all of this and for slandering the woman that I love, kill her.”

Silence covered the whole palace’s hall. Justice happened. Queen Amira can’t help but smile at her two personal servants. They did great and protected her. From now on, she won’t let the two of them hurt while she’s reigning in the palace. She’ll even give the two of them responsible husbands that will take care of them. She’s the queen of the palace of Caspian and she won’t let anyone step on her again.