Chapter 24- Dethronement of the Illegitimate Queen

When it occurred to Reis that Iris's wounds would be in places that she would have to undress for, he immediately wanted to take his offer back. 

This was going far beyond the relationship they had. It was unlike him, to be this impulsive. Just because she had injuries doesn't mean he had to tend to them. He could call over a doctor, or anyone really. Anyone but him. 

Yet as Iris' wounds began to be revealed, it felt like his feet were bolted to the floor. 

He would do this one thing for her. Then they would return to normal. They would return to the rival 'siblings' that they truly are. 

"Would you like to move to a different room?" Reis offered. 

"Why?" Iris stared at him confusedly.

"Well, because…" Reis said, but didn't finish his sentence. The study was one of the more busy rooms in the building, anyone might enter at any moment. And while Iris wasn't completely undressed, she was certainly wearing fewer clothes than was appropriate for the Queen. Yet she didn't have any awareness of this. 

"Come closer." Iris suddenly commanded.

"I don't know if that's necessary-" Reis refused.

"You're going to tend to my wounds right? Come closer." Iris didn't need him to tend her wounds. She didn't care whether they healed or not. Her stay in this body is temporary.

But she wanted him to. She didn't know why, but she wasn't going to refuse the impulse.

Reis walked closer with a slightly resisting expression, but it fell from his face when he neared. Among the moderate wounds that littered Iris's body, the one on her stomach stood out starkly. It looked irritated and infected, the skin around it black. While the other wounds had begun to heal, this one hadn't. 

"What…Is this?" The words barely made it out of his mouth as he felt an ominous lump in his throat.

"Poison." Iris said simply.

The words slammed into Reis's mind, tumbling around before he fully understood it.

"How bad is it?"

"It will kill me. Probably not for another year or so though."

Reis stared at her in shock. He suddenly felt as if all his scheming and planning for the throne was ridiculous.

The Queen was going to die. 

If he knew this a month or two ago he might have been glad, maybe even happy. He would simply think that it saved him a lot of trouble. He didn't want to kill her himself, but her dying would be for the best. 

But he didn't feel any of those emotions. The few interactions he had with her recently had changed the way he viewed her. Right now he felt so many emotions that he didn't understand, but none of them were congratulatory.

"Who did it?" Reis's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. 

It was no wonder she had changed so drastically. Any one would change when faced with death. 

And it was no wonder she hadn't seen a doctor, this information could never be let out. And yet, she had told him. Why? 

"I don't know. I thought it was you." She told the truth.

"...What?" So she was aware. That he didn't like her, that he was her rival for the throne. He had wondered if her sudden trust for him was because she genuinely thought of him as a sibling. 

But then why?

"You know what I mean. You and the county would see me beheaded if you could." Iris said flippantly. Netra's reputation was widespread.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You're my sister." He began tending to her wounds, his mind spinning. He had found out so much new information in so little time, he didn't know what to make of it.

He was absentmindedly wrapping bandaging around her waist when he accidentally brushed her skin with his fingertips. Iris looked down with a frown and Reis's usually stoic face had a slight blush to it. 

But his somber mood quickly overtook his shyness. He stood up and began packing up the medicinal supplies. 

"That's all you have to do today. I'll see you tomorrow." Iris said from behind him, dismissing him.

Reis turned to look at her complicatedly. He didn't know what to think of the Queen he supposedly hated.

"Yes. See you tomorrow, your majesty." 

-

The empty study room was a stark contrast to how it was a few weeks ago. Before Iris could barely be called out of the study room to sleep, yet now it was rare to see her here. Reis had been her assistant for a while now, yet recently it felt as if he had taken over.

Reis scanned the empty room with a frown. He didn't want to believe the Queen had suddenly returned to her old ways. After all, she was still managing everything correctly, even from afar.

But he had no idea where she went every day. She would suddenly disappear from the castle for a few days then return with new and re-opened wounds. She would tend to the kingdom's affairs, meet with some people, then disappear again for a while. 

He had done his best to resume normal behavior around her, but it wasn't even necessary, as he barely saw her anymore.

Reis was irritatingly flipping through paperwork at his desk when the study room's doors suddenly flew open. He started as Iris suddenly rushed in, grabbed some papers, and left just as quickly. 

She had returned for one of her routine short stays in the castle. He knew she was still performing her duties while she was out, he would have much more work if she wasn't, but it was still a bit annoying. 

Iris was walking quickly through the large hallway, she wasn't going to be here for long and she had a lot to do. Her quick steps were suddenly interrupted.

"Netra!" Salina rudely intercepted her.

Iris frowned. Salina's voice had become grating.

"Where have you been!"

As Salina began yelling, Iris saw Reis exit the study behind her. He glanced at her and Salina before walking away. He had been very distant and alienated recently. Even when she was here she barely saw him. 

But that was for the best.

She didn't understand what had come over her last time, but it would never happen again. It wasn't particularly harmful to her that he knew she was poisoned, but she hadn't planned to tell him. Somehow the strange atmosphere had affected her in the moment and she let it slip.

"Can we talk later?" Every time Iris returned to the castle, Salina would confront her. Iris did want information from her, but she truly didn't have time right now.

"No! Don't you dare ignore me!" Salina's poison had progressed well. She had truly become mad.

"I know what you're thinking! You think now that your position has become more stable, you don't need your poor old mother anymore! You have taken for granted what me and your father-" Iris clamped a hand over her mouth. This was not the place for them to converse. Servants glanced at the mother and daughter pair as they did their duties. 

Iris glared at Salina. She couldn't deal with her at this moment. 

Quickly, before anyone could understand what they were seeing, Iris knocked Salina out.

"Come quickly, my mother has fainted."

The servants who rushed over looked at the Queen in doubt. Iris's words were urgent, but her face and voice were flat and annoyed. 

But no one challenged her. Iris had done well to consolidate her position recently. Her reputation in the kingdom had not changed. But those inside the castle were aware of Iris's growing power. She had begun making changes to the kingdom that attracted the attention of many nobles who usually disdain her.