20 Death Comes for Traitors
"What if someone helped them?" King Maximillian asked His Royal Highness of Verváli in a discreet tone.
They were all in the private room of the castle, usually called the Cabinet, which served as a study or retreat for the King.
It was filled with books and works of art. A large map of the world hung at the wall and tables with carved countries were also placed in the center as if it were a chessboard with tiny chess pieces of ships and soldiers.
The Queen stood beside the King who was sitting on the couch, his hands placed under his chin. He didn't answer immediately. He was thinking, calculating. How could all these happen under his nose?
"Don't give me that stare, Maximillian. We all know she couldn't be capable of doing such thing," the King declared.
King Maximillian scoffed in disdain, "What if I'm right? What if she knew all along?"
The King dismissed his statement by waving a hand in front of his face, "Impossible. She—"
"You keep saying that as if she's not the enemy but you were the ones who kept her here in your home. You fed and nurtured the beast," he said through gritted teeth but his voice remained calm.
"I know her, if she would—" the Queen was cut off by a hand slamming on the table.
"You are wasting everything your father worked so hard for. You should have killed her a few years ago!" this time, the contained anger finally exploded in four corners of the room.
King Averardus looked at him in the eye, his forehead creased, "Stop telling me what needs to be done. I am well aware."
"Well aware? And you will do nothing? Do you hear yourself, Averardus?" his hands flew in the air, a sign of surrender. The King and Queen remained silent, staring at the Cesparian King who was walking back and forth like a madman.
They couldn't believe what had happened earlier. Tons of royal guards were deployed but they were still tricked. Too many casualties. Too many rumors. What would the nobles say after this will all pass?
The King looked at the Queen, her beloved wife, in the eye, asking for a piece of advice but even without any word uttered, he already knew the answer in her expression.
They had no other choice. It was the only way.
"You already knew this would happen, Averardus but you—" King Maximillian didn't finish his sentence and just pursed his lips in disappointment.
A sigh was all King Averardus could muster.
Finally, after a few minutes of contemplation, the King rose and met the King of Cesparia eye-to-eye, "I give you my approval. Do what needs to be done and don't fail me."
