C04: First Suspect (1)

Day 3 - Daytime - Morning

24th Second autumn, 1152

...

...

...

Two figures are standing next to each other. One is watering the flowers on the ground while the other one is watching and chatting. Around them are the other maids who are also doing the same thing, watering flowers. The atmosphere over there appears to be peaceful and beautiful, everyone is focusing on their job with utmost attention.

The wide area where those maids are standing at is the backyard of the palace. It's wide and very big. However, the scenery around the area seems bland. Only a wide flowerfield located deep in the corner is the most special thing. Without it, the backyard is just nothing but an empty area, bland, vast but boring. The two figures are still there, taking care of the flowers.

From afar, another figure can be seen glancing at the yard. However, that figure focuses on the two figures instead of the flowerfield. That's Jeanne - the female investigator. She's secretly following suspect Selena Breima.

Last night, Jeanne was supposed to pick her daughter Hannah to be the one to follow Selena. However, she turned back her choice and decided to be the person to do it. Her daughter is either currently searching in the jail basement or resting until she has the mood to do the duty. That girl is a bit lazy.

Jeanne took a light breakfast much earlier than the others in order to start her day sooner. She has been watching the suspect in secret for two hours now, the only problem is that she finds nothing suspicious.

Selena was ordered to take a day off from last night. But that maid still works today, at least she seems to be doing daily duties. Cooked breakfast for the prince, cleaned up the dishes, now is taking care of flowers. Everything about this woman is completely normal, there's nothing suspicious.

But according to the information Jeanne found. Selena is one of many prince Koenig's concubines. She is his maid, can be around him all the time have access to most information. She was suspected to be the culprit of the tea incident, but was soon released since there was no evidence against her.

Jeanne always tries not to put her personal bias on the suspect to fasten the case. She always does her best to investigate, the culprit, to Jeanne, can be anyone she sees every day, so it's unpredictable.

The investigator approaches the suspect as she saw her leaving the flowerfield. Jeanne always wants her investigation to happen as quietly and naturally as possible. That's why she is now about to face the suspect. When she gets along with the suspect, she will find a way to arrest them when she finds enough evidence for that.

Not so long later, the two meet each other. But they don't face. Selena and Jeanne just passed each other because each one of them was focusing on something else.

Jeanne was gazing at Selena while the suspect was too busy chatting with her friend.

"Hi". - Jeanne suddenly speaks up, she comes towards Selena

Selena and her friend stop chatting, they focus on Jeanne.

"Lady Selena?". - Jeanne thinks of the right words to address a young girl.  "Well... His Highness told me he wanted to know if you were alright in case I met you".

"Oh, thank you. I'm doing good". - Selena talks back, she opens a smile

"Are you new here?". - Selena's friend who appears to be a royal guard asks Jeanne

"Yeah, you can say so. I'm an investigator, working under the prince to solve the missing case".

The female guard puts her right hand on her chest. She bows a little towards the investigator, standing firmly with her face being serious.

"It's an honor to see you, madame. I'm Braun Frieden, a royal guard, from the Frieden family which has a long history of knighthood".

"It's an honor to see you too, Miss. But please don't be too formal, both of us will surely become friends sooner or later". - Jeanne greets Braun - the 2nd suspect

"May I ask you how is the investigation going, madame?". - Braun asks in a formal way

"We're doing the best we could with everything we have".

"If you're looking for someone to help you, please come see me if you have a need. I thought everything would be back to normal but the recent incident broke it", - Braun looks at Jeanne with her willingful eyes.  "I'm here to keep everything stable, come to see this knight, I won't disappoint you". - Braun bows slightly towards Jeanne before she gets her face up

The investigator is focusing on Selena, but she tries not to let the suspect know. Jeanne wants to make up a scenario where she and the suspect would be together, so that she could concentrate better. However, she's still thinking of the way to launch it.

"I guess I'll go back to my room. Would you be free later, Brau...?". - All of a sudden, Selena speaks up

"I'm afraid I can't, sorry". - Braun replies.  "I was chosen to join a hunt, it's Prime Minister's order".

"It's bad then...". - Selena sighs.  "Well, bye. Have a nice day". - She walks away, waving at the knight

Braun doesn't do the same but she nods to reply. From the two behaviors, Jeanne assumes these two girls are close friends.

Jeanne follows Selena as she sees the opportunity for her and the suspect to be together. They both walk in the same direction, no one says to each other, just walks.

Selena seems to notice Jeanne following her. But she ignores it and keeps going until she reaches her room, it does not bother her. When Selena is at her room, she turns around to face Jeanne.

"May I ask you why you keep following me, madame?".

"I can't find the prince, so maybe I can see him by following you". - That's just a lie Jeanne made to approach the suspect, but it's still true because prince Koenig now is not in the palace

"His Highness has joined a hunt with His Majesty. This happens once or twice every month".

Jeanne nods.

"Is it something important?". - Selena asks

"We don't have enough men for the investigation, I wanted to see him to ask for more". - Jeanne wants to do something to get closer

"I'm a bit free right now. Are you?". - Jeanne asks

Selena nods.

"I guess you're looking for friends here, being alone for too long is not so good". - Selena talks to Jeanne.  "Wanna go inside, madame?".

Jeanne nods.

The two women later enter the room, Selena closes the door.

"We haven't introduced ourselves yet, have we? I'm Selena, call me Selena, no need to be so formal". - Selena approaches a tea pot.  "Would you like some tea?".

"Call me Jeanne. I'm sorry but I'd like to refuse". - Jeanne replies, she is in cautious mode while she keeps herself looking normal

"I'm going to get changed, please wait for me a bit". - Done speaking, Selena enters another room which appears to be her bedroom 

Jeanne stands still. The investigator glances around the room, looking carefully at everything in her sight for clues. She walks silently and approaches a desk. The drawers have been opened in silence, but nothing unusual is found so they're closed.

Not much time for Jeanne, she takes a seat and behaves as if she is intrigued by the beautiful scenery of the room. With Selena as the suspect, Jeanne wants to wait for the right opportunity until she and Hannah can get in this woman's room to make a full search.

However, getting a search warrant isn't in Jeanne's plan. It's about quietness in the investigation.

A while later, a figure comes out of the other room. That is Selena. Now, she is not in her maid outfit but a blue dress. She smiles at the investigator as if to greet again.

Unlike the girl in the maid outfit, Selena now appears to be a very gorgeous girl. Her long blonde hair is very tidy, her dress is luxurious. Her blue eyes are very bright, she keeps that smile very well.

"It took me a while, I'm sorry". - Selena apologizes

She fills the tea in a cup and sips a little bit. Then, the young girl slowly sits on the couch at the position opposite to the investigator. Everything seems fine, the atmosphere only lacks one thing, the chattings of the two people.

"I don't think His Highness would hire a lazy. Weren't you supposed to be working instead of being here?". - Selena comments as she was drinking tea

"Sometimes I'm working but people don't think I am". - Jeanne replies

Selena doesn't respond. She keeps drinking tea while her eyes look at the investigator for a few seconds.

"I like your room. It's very well decorated... I don't think a servant would be able to get this life".

"I'm not a peasant, I actually am an aristocrat". - Selena answers.  "Saying I'm a noble but... my family isn't wealthy at all". - Selena giggles a little as if trying to forget what she just said.  "Ridiculous, isn't it? Being a noble but a poor noble".

"I grew up as a peasant, so I understand what you mean".

"Tell me about what you just said". - Selena is a little curious

"We all want to be rich".

"Well... but we don't eat at the same table, even if it has the same color". - Selena giggles a little

Jeanne doesn't want to provoke the suspect at the moment. She wants the investigation to be as quiet and preserved as possible, so Selena won't notice she is being watched. Earlier, the investigator spent most of her time observing Selena's behaviors. She is old enough to understand that this girl's smiles are just a formal and polite way when she is before people.

It's just all fake.

"I'm currently having something... very very matters. I can't work well, I can't sleep well because of that". - All of a sudden, Jeanne opens her words with an anxious tone.  "Would you listen to me? I need someone to help me through this".

"If you need a friend, I don't mind doing that". - Selena smiles lightly, she puts the cup on the table

"I'm a mother... I've been living alone for a long time, I raised my child and now she has grown up. I've been alone the whole time and somehow... that man makes my heart pound". - Jeanne pretends to make herself look like an old, desperate woman who is in love.  "You understand that, right...? Everything about him... he cares about me. He told me to rest when I got into work right on the first day although I was supposed to rest". - Making her breaths heavy and unstable, Jeanne holds her face and her chest.  "He's very sweet... his words may be lying, but he truly does his best to make me feel better... I wonder how long I can hold myself until I lose my mind...". - Jeanne bites her lips, she makes herself look like she is touching herself mentally.  "Do you know how hurt it feels when he isn't with me...? He makes me feel good".

Jeanne is disguising herself to be an old mother. Now she looks like an old and desperate mother who feels love and rejuvenation by having attention of a young man. The investigator is expecting some attention from Selena. She wants everything to work well although this plan was made accidentally, it doesn't have a second door.

"Hmmmm...". - Selena closes her eyes, she fills another tea cup.  "What should I say...? I'm not getting old so I don't understand what you're feeling at your age. But... I understand your feelings when you love someone". - She sips a little then puts the cup down

"But... who were you mentioning?". - Selena leaves her seat, she decides to sit next to Jeanne

Jeanne only smiles.

"Hmmm. I have something to say". - Selena gets up, she puts her hands together.  "I'm also in love with a man, I become crazy because of him... he's everything".

"Whenever I'm with him... it makes my heart melt. He's very caring, always does his best to make me feel good, even if he can't do anything, he is... a living god". - Selena closes her eyes.  "But he is too weak... he's pathetic... he always gets distracted easily. Whenever there's something important to decide, he hesitates because... he doesn't think for himself, he's scared of disappointing people around him". - All of a sudden, she shifts her tone into something harsh and extreme

"That's not how a king should live... if he doesn't adapt, he dies one day, no one will care about him". - Selena begins to open both of her eyes.  "Sorry. It's very blatant and insulting when I call my love like that, isn't it? But I'm just saying the truth, I won't do it in front of him".

"So... you're in love with the king?". - Jeanne asks

"No. That's someone else... I'm saying he'll have to adapt or his wife will be taken by another man. Not just his wife... his world, his life, everything will be taken too".

"If that person makes you tired that much, why don't you just leave him alone and find another?".

"Doing it isn't easy like what you're saying. Yes, I'm tired of him, I get annoyed sometimes, but he always strikes, he just can't change because someone controls him". - Selena sits down, she sips a little.  "To say everything honestly, it's because he has money and power. That's a strong wall for my children, but I try not to use him, love... is for both, give and take, take and give". - She looks up at the ceiling.  "I'm scared of losing him... maybe I'll change someday, but I'll try not to ruin his life because of my mood. I'll train him to be a king, he needs ME to control him. When he's strong enough... maybe I'll give him all the way to be the one in control". - The girl looks down, starts looking at Jeanne straightly in her eyes

"Doing it isn't easy like what you're saying". - Jeanne mimics the quote Selena told her earlier

"Yeah...". - Selena smiles, she closes her eyes

"Well... if the person you're in love with is the same man I'm following, I'm afraid you need to leave". - Selena puts her hands on Jeanne's shoulders, she lowers her body a little and looks straight at her

The investigator doesn't respond. Instead, she smiles. The two women stare at each other,  the entire room is filled with silence.

"Oh, sorry. Too much tension". - Selena apologizes, following it is a small giggle.  "It's very boring here, why don't we go out and do something fun? What do you say?".

"I was thinking the same". - Jeanne replies

...

...

...