Lily inspected the surroundings. It was that very place where she had once found herself after the reception with the king. Back then she didn’t know the palace too well. Her knowledge of it hadn’t improved since.
“Who put her picture here?”
“It was the king’s order. They put it in a central spot to preserve the queen’s dignity. However, almost no one comes this way.”
Lily nodded. It’s difficult to spot the similarity between the sick child and this woman, but damn it! The resemblance is certainly there. If the girl wasn't sick, she would have been the queen’s spitting image! Those eyes…their shape and color. That could be attributed to Amalia, who is after all related to Edward. But why does the girl look so much like Imogene? The same nose and lips…Damn it!
The pieces of the jigsaw pulled together so suddenly that it made Lily flinch.
“Countess?”
Hans became genuinely worried when Lily’s green eyes flashed in the dark.
“Everything is fine, Leir. It’s just —it finally came over me.”
“Let’s go then?”
She realized that she wasn't the only one who understood.
“Leir?”
“Yes, Countess. Your assumptions seem right…”
“But it is nonsense!”
“I’m afraid that it’s true.”
“Hans, you shouldn't go to the king alone. It could be—”
“This is not a good time to argue, Lilian.” So metallic was his voice that it gave Lily shivers. “Right now you have to put your trust in me.”
Lily sighed and nodded.
“Fine.”
“Would anyone care to explain what’s going on?” Alicia was slightly annoyed and didn’t think it necessary to hide it.
Hans and Lily simultaneously shook their heads.
“No.”
“Really?”
Lily raised her hand.
“Alicia, darling, I will tell you everything later. Such trifles are not worth our time right now.”
Soon, everyone went their separate ways. Hans hurried to the king, Lilian followed Alicia.
Edward was waiting for the guest in his study.
“Leir Tremain?”
The man bowed.
“Your Majesty, I am grateful for your generous—”
“No need for eloquence, Leir. What happened to the countess and Miranda?”
“They are fine, Your Majesty. I wish to apologize in advance for misleading you. There was no evil intention behind it.”
“Is that so?”
“Your Majesty, I deliberately didn’t write about the true purpose of my visit.”
Edward nodded in the direction of a chair.
“Well. Sit down and tell me, Leir.”
Hans bowed, sank into the chair and spoke softly.
“Your Majesty, I must inform you that the Duke of Ivelen is plotting against the Crown.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And how did you find out?”
“They first tried to assault the Countess of Earton—”
“There she is again!”
“It all began with her, Your Majesty. I apologize for the bad news which I brought you.”
“Go on, Leir.”
Hans told him everything. Edward got progressively gloomier. The plot wasn't too complicated or ambitious. Only some twenty people were involved, but all of them were of high rank. Everyone had their own problems. Some had debts, others, children, and the rest were either cuckolds who saw it as an opportunity for revenge or held an inherent grudge against the Crown. Except for the Ivelens, there was not a single duke among the plotters—only earls and barons. Some captains, some maps…all had been planned quite well.
The whole thing began around three years ago. It was then that the Ivelens began writing to Avesterra; when being very offended by Edward’s treatment of Imogene, Leonard helped them; Richard added to his offense when the former rejected his daughter. With Leonard’s help, the Ivelens hired a lot of killers and engaged many other dissatisfied individuals (there were always plenty of them).
There was never much money. Having been financially strained, the Ivelens decided to kill Lilian once they found out that she was pregnant. They planned to murder Miranda afterwards because she had a right to inherit. As for Jerisson, they planned to get rid of him long ago, together with Richard and Edward. As a result, Amalia would inherit everything. They could always give Mirrie into marriage with someone trusted but decided not to risk it. Killing her was easier.
“The Ivelens, you say. Sounds delightful! Does the countess know about it?”
“No, Your Majesty. She knows some things, but not everything.”
“What does she know about?”
“She knows there is a conspiracy. She knows that the Ivelens are involved. She doesn't have to know everything.”
“Good. Amalia, Amalia…”
“They were out of the spotlight. No one ever suspected or checked them. That left them enough space to weave their spider’s web and recruit allies. There are not a lot of them. However, the capital is also not particularly armed?”
“We only have the archers and the guards.”
“Don’t trust the Shooters Squad,” Hans said. “They have long been bribed by the Ivelens.”
“How do you know this, Leir?”
“Every crime leaves a financial footprint,” Hans grinned. It was not worth mentioning that those words belonged to the countess. “Even cash doesn't come from the air. One could always talk to tailors, artisans, and peasants about how much tax they pay; the servants could tell you about their mistresses’ dresses; the armorers are quick to complain about how much they are owed—”
“How did you manage to investigate this so quickly?”
“I got a couple more representatives involved,” Hans honestly admitted. “As soon as I realized that there was more to it than the attempt on the countess’ life, I didn’t trust myself to work alone. We joined forces. Our intelligence office and the Virmans were the additional support. You can order to execute me, but if I hadn’t involved them, I would have never found out even half of the truth. As soon as the whole picture became clear, I hurried to Your Majesty.”
“Did you come alone?”
“The rest trusted me to report it to the king.”
“What do your people know about the Ivelens?
“Nothing, Your Majesty,” gasped Hans. “Be it in my power, I would have kept the countess out of it. This whole affair is not fit for a woman.”
“Fine.” The king waved his hand. “Let’s agree on the following. I won’t tolerate the hassle around it. I will give you the special squad. Will you be able to put everyone to the Stonebug?”
“Everyone?”
Edward frowned.
“Everyone including the Ivelens. Loran, Peter… Amalia…”
“What about the children?”
“Only the elder ones.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Do it!” Snapped Edward. “The sooner, the better. Write an order, and I will sign it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Hans obediently jotted down a few lines, not without appreciation for Lilian Earton. Her invention of the pen was extremely handy. The king couldn't wait for the ink to dry, quickly signed the order and put a stamp on it.
“Go.”
“I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I must tell you something else.”
“Is there something else I should know?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I beg you to forgive me—”
“Leir!”
“Your Majesty, do you remember that day when your friend and your son…"
“Yes, I do. Why are you talking about this now?”
Edward assumed that the story wouldn’t bring him joy, but he had to listen. He was the king; it was his duty.
“Your Majesty, I ask you in advance to forgive me for all the ill-considered words that might hurt you. I apologize for
those questions that I’ll have to ask. I do not want it. However, I do not have a choice either.”
“How interesting. Ask me. I guess I will be able to answer.”
“When they found Jyce and Edmund dead—I will refer to them as such, with your permission and for the sake of convenience. It was Jyce who poisoned both the prince and himself, right?”
Hans looked straight into the king’s eyes. Edward reluctantly nodded.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“I guessed. If it hadn’t been so—not that you would have hidden the truth—the investigation would have concerned the prince, his motives and the nature of the poison. As for Jyce—you protected your children. You did everything to avoid the erupting scandal. You found the supposed murderer—a butler—and executed him.”
“I let him leave in secret and gave him money in return for his silence. I didn’t want to kill the innocent boy. He was even younger than Edmund.”
Edward arched his back and shoulders. The weakness was momentary. He straightened his back and pierced Hans with a glaring look. Hans wasn’t self-delusional. His own life was at stake.
“Children?”
“You heard it correctly, Your Majesty. Jerisson and Amalia, your children from Jessamine.”
“How do you—”
“I’ve been to Earton. The countess kept some letters.”
“What letters?”
“She wrote to her mother. Before the birth of the children, she implored her mother to forgive her for the sake of her great joy. She said that having children always gives happiness, whether they are born in a marriage or not. I compared the dates and made assumptions. I made inquiries. Alicia Weeks—medicuses and relatives said she was a barren woman. All of a sudden, she receives a marriage proposal and gives birth to two children. Amalia was born prematurely, her mother never cared for her. She didn’t care for Jerisson either. The children were taken to the palace and became the princes’ playmates.”
“I must pay tribute to your ingenuity. Does the countess know?”
Hans shook his head.
“She is not as involved in the affairs of the royal family to be able to spot the truth. Besides, she doesn't care for it.”
“Do you?”
“I tried to understand, to figure out the truth—and it shocked me.”
“What are you going to do with your understanding?”
“I’m going to keep silent for the rest of my life. The secret will die with me.”
The king’s look slightly softened.
“Keep your mouth shut. Otherwise—”
Hans touched the medallion in shape of the sign of Aldonai through his shirt.
“I swear by Aldonai, Your Majesty. Let the way to his kingdom be forever closed for me if I’m lying.”
Edward sighed and decided to explain better—or maybe he only wanted to get it off his chest.
“The pregnancy was accidental. We tried to be careful, she took a potion from one witch, but such herbs are dangerous if taken continuously. I was out of the capital for a long time. Jessie decided to take a break when my father unexpectedly called me in. We were careless, but also madly in love,” he said.
“It was Jyce who pushed the idea of pretending that the children were his, not his sister’s.” Hans wasn’t asking; it was a statement.
“Correct. Jyce loved his sister immensely. He was loyal to Jessamine with all his heart and was ready to kiss the ground on which she stepped. When she fell in love with me, he became my most loyal friend, just to stay by her side. If they had only been cousins, he would have married her. He was ready to do anything for her—kill, die, betray, lie… She realized it well.”
Hans nodded.
“Amalia and Jerisson don't know about it, right?”
“They know nothing.”
“This question kept me thinking at night! May I ask you—did the poison belong to Jyce?”
Edward nodded and took off the ring with the big blue stone. He turned it carefully, and the stone opened, revealing a grayish powder inside the ring.
“I found this on Jyce’s hand. We gave this poison to the dog, and it killed the bitch.”
“So far, everything makes sense. Here is a tale. Five children were growing up together. Peter Ivelen was Edmund’s age and frequented the court.”
“Yes.”
“He was his highness’ playmate—a very simple task, which causes some to advance to new heights and others to fall painfully. I have no doubt about the strength of their friendship.”
“Yes, Peter is a good young man—”
“Except he is easily led. He was always second best to the prince. Edmund was your firstborn child. He was jumpy, sensitive, and adored his mother. He also hated the Eartons. Jessie took his father from him, and Jyce was the one who helped her. I don’t know if it was Imogene who turned the son against the Eartons or whether it was the boy himself. Imogene didn’t know about the children either, right?”
“We had terrible scandals,” His Majesty sighed. “No matter how wild and disgusting our arguments were, she did not reproach me about the children once. She would've done so if she had known. We did everything very fast as soon as we found out that Jessie was pregnant.”
“Jyce had surely prepared in advance. I remember him, he was very clever.”
“Yes.”
“So, the children grew up together. Upon realizing that he would become the next king, Edmund was planning to get his revenge on the much-hated Eartons. Amalia was only a year younger than him and Peter. I don't know how, but I am sure that Amalia and Edmund fell in love with each other.”
“What?” gasped Edward.
Hans shrugged.
“They didn't know that they were related, so they felt free to do anything. At the same time, Edmund hated all the Eartons. Amalia was born into the hated family. Now the sad part—your grandchildren Sessie and Jess Jr. I am more than convinced that they are Edmund’s, as well as Amalia’s third daughter. Have you seen her?”
“Only in her infancy.”
“It is not surprising. The baby is the spitting image of her grandmother, only the eyes are yours.”
“Jessie?”
“No, Imogene. They realized it and hid the daughter well. They made a mistake when they called Tahir to see the girl, who refused to go without his beloved student. The countess saw the girl and told me.”
“Does she know?”
“No, she only made a joke that the little girl is a copy of Queen Imogene.”
“How does she—”
“Seeing the portrait once was enough. It suddenly struck me. If the children were Peter’s—forgive me, Your Majesty, but the girl would have been at least your copy, but not the copy of Imogene! Incredible!”
Edward slouched.
“But why—”
“I was surprised when they decided to show the girl to the medicuses,” sighed Hans. “Maybe something else provoked such a rash decision. Tahir is a Khangan, he cares nothing for our courtly intrigues and will forget them as soon as he leaves. As for Lilian, her husband tried hard to create an appropriate reputation for her. She is known to be a fool and a cow, am I right, Your Majesty?”
Edward drew his eyebrows together, but it no longer intimidated Hans. He laid his cards on the table, hit or miss. The second option seemed more likely, but the card was already on the table.
“For once, this has played into our hands. No one expected any trick or comprehension from Lilian. Imogene and the girl look identical. It suddenly occurred to me that the Ivelens had decided to claim the throne. Amalia is your daughter; the Ivelens have a connection to the royal dynasty. When Lilian told me about the child, she said that it could only happen if Amalia was a bride to someone fair.”
Edward straightened in his chair.
“A bride?”
“Yes. My assumption is that although they were never officially married, Amalia and Edmund… When was she betrothed to the Ivelen?”
“He asked f
or her hand in marriage himself and insisted on a wedding. Amalia didn’t object either.”
“Meanwhile Edmund was away, right?”
Edward pondered, calculating something in his head.
“About a month before the wedding, I sent him away to the border for offending Jessie.”
“Presumably the events developed like this. After the departure of her beloved, Amalia realized that she was pregnant. Wild horror overtook her senses when a third person got in her way. It was Peter Ivelen, who had loved and tenderly admired Amalia since childhood. The young man was happy to get her, even that way.”
“What way?”
“She became his wife. It was a matter of formality and not the real state of affairs. She was already married to Edmund. I don't know if Loran Ivelen was aware of it.”
“He wasn't happy at the wedding.”
“Did the couple leave for the estate straight away?”
“Yes.”
“It was easier to hide the length of the pregnancy. I suppose that was the reason why Jess Jr. was a full-term baby, unlike Amalia herself.”
“Do you think that—”
Edward looked aged as if he wasn't fifty but two hundred. It was scary to watch, but Hans could not remain silent. He had sworn an oath of loyalty.
“I’m sure of it. Edmund returned, but the scandal did not break out. You wanted to get him married, so he had to remain silent.”
“I tried to arrange his marriage, but he would find ways to refuse. He slipped through my fingers!”
“What else? He already had a wife and three children, what would he do with another bride?”
“It’s unthinkable.”
“It’s unbelievable! Only think about Jyce’s reaction if he found out that he had a different son-in-law—Edmund; that Amalia had given birth to three of his children; that they loved each other and were going to make a public announcement.”
Edward bent his head slowly.
“It must have turned him mad. I understand why he poisoned Edmund.”
“Me, too. Alas! Jyce hastily made a terrible decision. Edmund tried to establish a good relationship with his father-in-law. He knew that it was important for Amalia. He offered to make peace. Jyce was astonished. Incest, although involuntary, was a continuous affair. How would he stop them? He could speak to him, tell him everything… What if he didn’t believe it? I wouldn’t have believed it myself. What proof could he give?”
The Price of Happiness: A Strong Woman in the Middle Ages (A Medieval Tale Book 5) Page 7
