by Nikki Gaspar
Chapter Twenty-Two
Hmmm…What time is it? Why are my eyes heavy?
I tried to turn over, but I’m glued to the bed. All those crying really took its toll on me, so I just let sleep consume me again.
It was morning when I was able to open my eyes. The sunlight peeking through the curtains made me wince, and it was moments before I saw my surroundings.
Wait. That’s not my curtains…and where’s my huge television? This is not my bedroom! Am I kidnapped?
Heart racing, I turned my head and saw Sofia curled up on a chair beside my bed, asleep.
“Sofia?” I only managed a whisper. My head was pounding, and my body felt like I ran on the treadmill until I passed out.
Sofia woke up with a jolt. Her eyes popped open and moved straight to my face. “Claire! Oh my God! Thank goodness you’re awake,” she said, sitting straight and then grabbed my hand.
“Why are you crying?”
It took a few minutes before she controlled her sobs and managed to speak. “You were poisoned. The doctors were able to save you…wait! The doctor said I need to call the nurse when you wake up.”
She stood, wiping her face with her sleeve, and went to open the door. She looked to the left and said, “Please tell the nurses that Princess Claire is awake.”
“Yes, Princess Sofia,” a man answered—probably a king’s guard.
“Thank you.”
“What happened to me?” I asked after she closed the door. We’re obviously in a hospital because there’re no doctors and nurses in the palace, as far as I knew. She also mentioned that I was poisoned, but how, was still a mystery.
Sofia was about to speak when the door opened, a doctor and a nurse came in, followed by my pale grandma.
“You need to stay hydrated, Princess. I will send some ice chips that you can suck on,” the doctor said after he and the nurse checked me. “In the meantime, please don’t move so much and relax.”
“Can I go home?”
“I want you to rest here in the meantime; I will tell you tomorrow if you are ready to come home.”
That’s probably better because I felt really tired.
The doctor and nurse excused themselves and left the room.
“What happened to me?” I repeated my question.
Grandma wiped a tear from her cheek. “You were poisoned. We are just lucky that Sofia decided to go to your room because she saw you the moment that you passed out. The guards rushed you to the hospital, and then the doctors pumped your stomach and managed to siphon out the poison.”
“I went to your room because I can’t sleep. I knocked on the door, but you didn’t answer, then I heard a glass break, and then a loud crash. I opened the door and saw you lying on the floor, unconscious, the glass was broken, and milk was spilled all over the floor,” Sofia said, tears flowing from her eyes. “I ran outside the room screaming for help, the guards came, and brought you here.”
“But how was I poisoned? The milk?”
“Yes, Claire. Major Krisham took a sample of the milk spilled on the floor and had it checked. It contains a poisonous substance,” Grandma answered.
“I remember that the milk tasted different, and I felt dizzy. But I don’t understand how it was poisoned.”
“Mari was captured, Claire. Dad said she poisoned the milk.”
“What?” I sat up abruptly, and my surrounding dimmed.
Grandma pushed my shoulders, forcing me to lie back. “Please relax, you need to rest. Do not worry, Mari will face the elders soon, and we will make sure to investigate this matter fairly.”
“Grandma, please, believe me, Mari will never do that. She’s a good person,” I whispered.
A loud rapping on the door interrupted us. Sofia opened it, revealing Mr. Taz and Mrs. Luminaire.
“We will go home for a while, Claire. Mr. Taz and Mrs. Luminaire will stay with you in the meantime. We will come back later. Please relax, trust me that we will treat Mari’s case fairly,” Grandma said and kissed my head.
After Sofia closed the door behind her, Mrs. Luminaire let out a loud sob. “I am so worried, Claire, so worried. Thank goodness you’re alive.” She leaned on the bed and hugged me.
“Jazaael informed us this morning, kid. How are you feeling?” Mr. Taz asked.
“My head is pounding, and I feel weak.”
He frowned. “Did they say how you are poisoned? We ate the same dinner, and nothing happened to us.”
“It was the milk that Mari brought last night. They said she put poison in it.”
Mrs. Luminaire released her hold on me, surprise showed on her face. “That timid girl who is assigned as your personal maid? She seems very nice, she visited us a few times and made sure that we are comfortable.”
“I don’t believe that she did it either. And I told Grandma that. She can do something about it because she’s part of the royal court.”
“But who will do such a horrible thing? Do you think it was an accident?”
“You know, I have a suspicion. Who is the only person in the palace with anger towards you, Claire? And she professed that she is mad simply because you exist!” Mr. Taz growled.
“Don’t say that, Bert! Someone might hear you!” Mrs. Luminaire hissed.
“What I said is true!”
“Even so! You could be imprisoned because of that.”
Mr. Taz rolled his eyes. “I don’t care! Claire’s safety is more important,” he said, his hands gesturing in my direction.
“Well, you can’t protect Claire if you are behind bars.” Mrs. Luminaire placed her hands on her hips and stuck her chin out.
“Please don’t fight,” I whispered.
Both of them stopped talking at once but continued a staring match. I sighed and moved my weak body in a more comfortable position.
“Where are Ysabel and Uncle Ant? Why are Grandma and Sofia the only ones who stayed with me?”
“Jazaael said that they all followed you here in the hospital last night, but as soon as the doctors confirmed that you are saved, the king left to take care of the investigation. Princess Ysabel went with him,” Mrs. Luminaire said.
Mr. Taz huffed, obviously convinced that leaving the hospital was evidence against Ysabel.
“When the doctors release you, do you think you can stay in the cottage with us?” Mr. Taz asked.
“We can tell the king and queen mother that we wanted to take care of you while they are busy with the investigation,” Mrs. Luminaire suggested.
“Okay, that’s probably a good idea.”
I hope that Mr. Taz was mistaken, and Ysabel was not behind the poisoning. She may not be nice to me, but she’s family.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The doctor allowed me to go home the following morning. I was told to take a rest, continue to stay hydrated, and to avoid foods that are tough on my stomach.
It was only then that I found out how many guards there were outside my room. That was too much protection. It’s not like someone would attack me, guns blazing. When I pointed this out to Sofia, however, she said that if I almost died inside my own bedroom, in a gigantic palace, with hundreds of king’s guards, it’s clear that this was not too much.
Grandma allowed me to stay in the cottage. She agreed that my neighbors could take better care of me while she and Uncle Ant were busy, and the fresh air from the garden was best to help me recuperate.
“You have a visitor.” Mr. Taz came inside the cottage that evening while I was watching the television.
“Who is it?”
He looked annoyed for some reason. He just gestured behind him before walking towards the kitchen.
Vincent came in behind Mr. Taz; he looked pale and sick but gave me a tight-lipped smile. “I just found out what happened. Are you feeling better?” he asked, fidgeting.
“Yeah, I’m fine now. I’m lucky that I was brought to the hospital immediately.”
He glanced at the kitchen doorway. “The couple staying here, your
neighbors, are they good people?”
“They are like family to me and my mom.” I frowned. “Why are you asking?”
“You will stay here tonight… Yes. You should stay with them tonight. That’s a great idea.”
I have no idea if he was talking to me or himself.
“Vincent?”
He doesn’t seem to have heard what I said because he was pacing back and forth and pulling his hair.
“Are you okay, Vincent? You’re acting—”
“There is something I need to tell you.” He interrupted, clearly not listening to what I was saying. He stopped the pacing and hair pulling and stood still with his eyes shut tight.
“What is it?”
“But I’m not sure…no proof…but you need to know…need to be vigilant…”
Vincent looked like he was going crazy, but from what I understood, he might know something about the poisoning.
“If it’s about the poison, please tell me.”
He was about to say something when Mrs. Luminaire entered the living room, carrying a tray with some snacks, followed by Mr. Taz who was holding a pitcher of juice. Vincent opened his eyes when he heard the footsteps and eyed my neighbors while chewing on his lip.
“Is this punk courting you, Claire?” Mr. Taz asked, with an abnormally deep voice.
Mrs. Luminaire swatted his arm.
So that’s why he was annoyed earlier. His protectiveness brought a smile to my face, although, it was short-lived because I remembered that Vincent was acting like he’s about to drop a bomb.
“They’re okay, Vincent. Whatever it is, you can say it in front of them.”
“Alright.” He looked at each of us. “But please promise not to tell anyone else about this. I have no proof…maybe I am just being paranoid…” he sat on one of the chairs and gave the armrest a death grip.
Mr. Taz and Mrs. Luminaire probably realized that this was serious because they sat beside me on the sofa and waited for Vincent to start talking.
“Just say it…” I urged when he still kept quiet.
“During your welcome home party, do you remember seeing me standing in a corner beside some plants?”
“Yeah…”
“That night, I went out of the ballroom to catch some air. I stood in front of the window near the stairs, but I was distracted when I heard two people talking…no, actually, they were whispering. The voices came from the small space between the stairs, so I got curious. I know those voices and I wondered what they could possibly be talking about that they had to hide in such a small space. I got nearer and eavesdropped.”
Vincent paused. He grabbed the pitcher, poured juice in a glass, and drank deeply. He took a deep breath before continuing with his story.
“One person said, ‘It’s unfortunate that Clarissa managed to come back on her own. It would be better if we found her first.’ ”
“Who’s that person?” I asked, but he just held up a hand to signal that I have to wait.
“ ‘Don’t worry, She is just eighteen. Our plan can still work out. We still have time.’ The other answered.”
Vincent frowned, staring at the wall like he was trying to remember the exact conversation.
“The first person spoke again. ‘Yes, it can still work out. But if only we saw her first, the royal family need not know that anything had happened and our efforts are not wasted.’ ”
Anything happened to what? To me? That conversation didn’t make sense.
“The second person answered, ‘You’re right, her way of return made things complicated. We need to use all the stealth we possess to do this under the watch of the entire Bellanmuse. But I will make sure that she follows her father’s footsteps.’ ”
Vincent stopped and turned his eyes on me. I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. It seemed like that was everything he had to say.
“What does that mean?” Mr. Taz voiced out the same question in my mind.
“I didn’t really understand what they meant, sir. I also don’t know if they said anything else because just then, Claire saw me standing in the corner and interrupted me. I didn’t think that what I heard was important, though, so I shrugged it off, and I forgot about it. But when I heard that Claire was poisoned, that conversation was the first thing that came into my mind.
“And now you think that it’s important?” I needed him to clarify what he was trying to say because I did not understand anything from the conversation he just relayed.
Mr. Taz seemed to have understood what Vincent was trying to say, though, because he kneaded his face like what he does when he’s stressed. Mrs. Luminaire held his hand, trying to calm him down.
But I don’t get it at all. Why was Vincent suddenly concerned about the conversation that he did not even understand?
“Do you mean to say, that you suspect those two people of planning to kill Claire?” Mr. Taz finally stopped attacking his face and asked the question he was probably afraid to know the answer to.
“Yes, sir.”
Mrs. Luminaire’s face was full of terror. She grabbed my hand and squeezed hard like she was afraid that if she let my hand go, someone will drag me out of the cottage and kill me.
“How did you suspect that they are planning to kill me just because of that conversation?”
“At first, I thought they just wanted to get the glory of being your savior and bring you back to the royal family. But the part about following Prince Alfred’s footsteps? That’s suspect.”
“He’s my dad. It’s only natural that I follow his footsteps.”
“The prince was intelligent, and he had plenty of accomplishments. But as a king’s heir?” Vincent shook his head. “His accomplishments would really count when he’s the king. He never got that chance because he died when he was only twenty-eight years old.” Vincent stared in my eyes as he said this.
So when they said that I would follow my dad’s footsteps—they meant that I would face death at a young age like him. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought.
“Who are those people? You said that you know their voices,” Mrs. Luminaire asked.
Vincent bowed his head and stayed silent for a minute, while my neighbors and I looked at each other in alarm.
After his internal struggle, Vincent raised his head, looked at each of our faces, and said, “It was my father…and King Anthony.” His voice almost echoed in the quiet cottage.
Chapter Twenty-Four
That’s impossible! I didn’t know Vincent’s dad, but I certainly knew my own uncle. There has to be a good explanation about the conversation that Vincent heard because Uncle Ant would never plan my death. He was a caring uncle, and he never showed anything bad towards me. And what would he gain by killing me? He’s a king!
“Uncle Ant would never do that. Your suspicion is wrong,” I said.
Vincent held up his hands. “Listen to—”
The clicking sound of the doorknob interrupted him, and I froze. Whoever was behind that door heard our conversation for sure. We got caught up in the moment and forgot to watch out for anyone near the cottage.
After a few agonizing seconds, the door opened and revealed Ysabel. She went inside the cottage, followed by Sofia, who was sobbing.
Knowing her, I’m sure that Ysabel was getting ready to call the king’s guards to have Vincent arrested. While the royal family was open to the Bellan People’s complaints and suggestions—which could help the country’s development—hinting that the king was planning a princess’s death could certainly qualify as treason.
“How long have you been outside the door?” I asked.
“Sofia and I heard everything. If that’s what you’re really asking.”
Vincent groaned and faced Ysabel.
“Please, Ysabel, I was just trying to warn Claire. She needs to be vigilant.”
“Shut up, Vincent! I agree with your suspicion.”
That’s not what I was expecting her to say. Mr. Taz and Mrs. Luminaire both had thei
r mouths hanging open, while Vincent sat still.
“What do you mean you agree with Vincent?”
“His suspicion is not wrong, Claire,” Ysabel said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
She sat on one of the armchairs while Sofia remained standing and stared outside through the window.
“You need to know the truth about my dad. I agree with Vincent’s suspicion because my dad is not who everyone thinks he is.”
The night I thought I would spend in bed to recuperate from my recent near-death experience was turning into a night of storytelling and revelations. I made myself comfortable on the sofa and focused my attention on my cousin, who, for the very first time, spoke to me without any sarcasm or anger.
“This happened when I was ten years old,” Ysabel started. “Grandpa just died, and dad was recently crowned king.”
She waited until all our eyes were on her before she continued telling her story.
“I was playing in the corridor near mom and dad’s bedroom when I heard mom shout, ‘Anthony, tell me what’s inside this bottle!’ Mom never shouts, and she was rarely angry. But that time, her voice broke the silence in the corridor.”
“What did she mean by that?” I asked, but Ysabel just continued with her story.
“ ‘What’s inside the bottle is none of your concern!’ dad shouted back. Mom got angrier and said that it was her concern if dad killed someone. I remember that my heart started pounding faster when I heard what she said.”
“Killed someone? How did your mom find out that Uncle Ant killed someone?”
“I don’t really know how. They never mentioned. Mom just said, ‘How can you face your mother and your father, knowing that you killed their oldest son?’ ”
He killed my dad? Oh, God.
Ysabel nodded her head. My facial expression must have shown what I was thinking.
“Wait. Prince Alfred died because of a stroke, Ysabel,” Vincent said.
“I know, but dad admitted to mom that he did kill Uncle Alfred.”
I gasped. “He did?”
Ysabel nodded. “He said, ‘Alfred deserved what I did to him! All our lives, he acted all high and mighty just because he’s first-in-line to the throne. But that idiot did not even realize that the food supplement I gave him was killing him!’ ”
