End is near

"Who was it who had spread the rumors about our Prince?!" The royal in charge-lady's voice boomed in the corridor as she interrogated the maids.

None of them spoke. They didn't even plead on their behalf as they were petrified about the consequence that was going to come to them. It was an old tradition of the palace; if one was guilty all the others around them were punished to give everyone a lesson.

As unfair as it was, no one ever dared to stand against it. It had turned out to be a rather successful strategy as instead of witnessing crimes silently and supporting them, everyone strived to stop them and keep an eye on the others for any kind of wrong doing as they knew that the outcome will affect all of them equally.

The maids were trembling in fear when the lady slammed her metal rod on the wall. "Looks like I'll need another way to get it out of your pretty mouths which very fluently give away all the other unnecessary details, huh?"

A man dressed up in a navy blue uniform came to stand by the lady's side. He was the chief guard, Mr. Carson who dealt with the matters inside the castle. "Evelyn, her highness has demanded your presence. Leave it to me from here." He glanced at the girls who were the only ones allowed near the chambers of the royalty. If anyone knew about the Prince leaving on the journey of the sea besides the family and important members, it was them.

He very well knew how to deal with them. Gritting his teeth, he took the metal rod out of Evelyn's hands. With the gesture of an eye he commanded the guards to bring the women to the dungeons as he led the way. That was when the women started struggling and pleading for mercy but no one was going to listen to their calls under their. Not even their so-called lovers who waited for them outside the walls of the castle every night but never dared to own them during the day.

It was a common belief that the women who worked at the palace, especially the young maidens were never left pure and that their innocence was tainted by the influential men around the palace or even by the King or the Prince.

Nobody ever married them and they were looked down upon when returning to their homes thus usually the women stayed at the palace and were added to the harem. Only the monies were sent back to their families. Mr. Carson wasn't going to listen to any of their pleas as it was already too late. They have committed treason. Their mistake could lead to a chance of rebellion among the commoners and evoke courage amongst enemies.

Inside the chamber of the Queen, she sat on the chair, her face resting against her palm.

"Good morning, your highness." Evelyn greeted her with a bow as she entered.

"It's certainly not a good morning," the Queen tilted her face upwards and moisture could be seen under her eyes. Her eyes were swollen and red. She appeared tired. "We are finished, the end is near."

"God forbid, my Queen. May our King, his highness recover fast and may his shadow be upon us longer." Evelyn couldn't understand what else to say. She was one of the oldest here and one of the King's mistresses once when she was young and beautiful.

She, like many others, couldn't conceive his baby and was discarded. However, the Queen didn't know about this particular detail about her because this was of the times when she wasn't married to the King.

King Bastian had fallen in love with Norma, an ordinary townsgirl while he was out on a journey and brought her home with him. She turned out to be the only woman who conceived King Bastian's child but it only happened once. They never had another child despite trying everything.

However, to their content the first child was a boy, supposedly the next to continue their name and blood. As she had provided him a son, she became the king's most beloved and it ended in them getting married. She was the only rightful Queen anyways.

"Even if he recovers, we have no one left to live on for. Our son is gone…he only left me with a letter. How could he do this to me?" She bursted into sobs and Evelyn was too stunned to react. She had never seen the Queen cry like this before. She doesn't know if it was right for her to go near and comfort her. She was merely a servant.

"Our brave Prince knows how to protect himself, my lady. He has done this for his father. I am sure he will return home safe and sound." Evelyn tried to comfort her but deep down her words felt shallow even to her own ears. She knew he would not return now. They will not see their Prince again.

"Have anyone ever returned from those sordid creatures?" The Queen mouthed her thoughts.

"I lost my father to them." She stood up from the chair and almost yelled. "I saw my mother slowly die everyday waiting for him. He never returned till this day. Now I will die waiting for my son." Her voice changed to a whisper and she almost fell back to the chair. That was when Evelyn instantly came forward to support her.

"Make sure no one hears about it. Whatever had been spread out must be erased. Make sure to keep a stringent hold upon everyone and those who have talked about it shall be made a sign of castigation for the others to see." She finally said, composing herself back to her usual self.

She was the Queen and in charge of this Kingdom after her husband. This weak demeanor didn't suit status but she was merely a human and a mother, broken by the emptiness of her lap.

"As per your command, your Highness. Mr. Carson is taking care of it himself."

There was a knock on the door at the same time and after approval from the Queen, a man walked in.

"Speak, Rescues," She remanded, the authority back to her tone as she held her head high.

"A court session is being demanded by the ministers, my Lady. They want to see His Highness about the matter of the Prince."