OH! My Lady |FAIRVERSE Book - 2|

Chapter ♦ 28

ZYLITH.

I can now see that; I get enough exercise just by pushing my luck.

Glaring at the letter by the duke of Ronales was enough to see that God plans to stick the paramount sticker of bad luck to my pretty temples for this lifetime. With this kind of luck, I will probably be reincarnated as me in the next life as well.

“Elizabeth dear, what is the matter? Did something happen to the grand duke Ronales?” The syrupy sweet voice of the Queen Dowager reverberated into my ear drums as she cooed in a concerned manner, her eyes literally dripping with distress. Ah! Why did I have the urge to punch her in the face, I wondered.

“Haha... It doesn’t seem like Queen mother is not aware of the situation of the Ronales dukedom in Ronan. I should say, since you were concerned about the situation is why you had me called this early in the morning for morning tea.” I smiled humbly, for that was all I could do now. My face had gone pale as that of a sheet of paper and I felt the nervous sweaty palms of my hands. God! Why did I have to take so much pressure alone?

The Queen Dowager had literally decided to tear her face off with me.

“Oh dear. I really didn’t mean to pry lovely Lizzy. It is just that, I couldn’t really turn a blind eye when my daughter-in-law’s family was in dire distress now, could I?” She spoke in a warm manner.

I gnawed onto my inner cheek as I fell into deep contemplation. Overnight, the Ronales dukedom fell into urgent crisis of bankruptcy due to the sinking of all the cargo ships on their way to overseas business and the vassals of the fief had also suddenly filed for illegal embezzlement of the royal funds given for disaster relief two years back. Now, how was it possible that all the ships in the middle of the ocean would suddenly sink without a gale or a storm and the filing of a report about illegal embezzlement only two years after the deed was done without anyone’s instigation from behind the scenes?

I could most probably guess who the said transgressor was as the Queen Dowager sat beside me, looking poised and dignified as ever, waves and waves of deliberations hidden in her dark beautiful eyes.

In a nutshell, the Duke of Ronales had asked for my help and of course had warned me to not do anything to impede the Queen Dowager’s path. From the letter, anyone could tell the he was threatened. However, it seemed like he still did not reveal my identity as it was his last trump card to keep me in check. But he severely reprimanded me and directly ordered me to cooperate with the Queen Dowager, as quoted ‘If you don’t want to sink along with the Ronales family, you will do whatever the Queen Dowager asks of you.’ 

I couldn’t help but frown at the words. The duke must’ve known that I was in cahoots with His Majesty, Reuben. No wonder, he didn’t seem so foolhardy in the letter and just pretended to be a loving father who bitterly missed his darling daughter.

“You know dear, I would really like to help you with your troubles. I can hardly stand to see your maternal family go down like this.” The meaning in her words could not be any clearer.

She wanted me to work as her double agent. She wanted me to betray Reuben. A betrayal so worse that it could take him down in one fell swoop.

For a second, my head was blank and I didn’t know what to do. The Queen Dowager had already torn off her face with me, which meant she had become even more dangerous now. I was walking on eggshells and landmines everywhere and Reuben was not by my side at this crucial moment. I think, even my back was all wet due to sweat right now.

“I feel I have no longer use to pretend in front of you, my daughter-in-law. Me and my step-son, His Majesty Reuben had never had a great relationship to begin with. As a mother, I had hoped I could forgive his many transgressions, but lately, he had become more and more presumptuous. He dared to plant spies in my palace and try to assassinate his own mother Dowager. How preposterous is that!” Her eyes turned cold as she talked of him, naked hatred sipping out of them. She was no longer covering up her feelings and I felt like I was about to have a mini cardiac arrest right then.

“I have decided to commit regicide if need be, and I want you, the esteem and wise eldest daughter of duke Ronales by my side.”

‘(Scoff!) As if you didn’t try to commit regicide before. Even right now, Reuben is under your murderous raider. What are you even trying to justify in front of me for?’ Yes, I thought all of these things inside my head. I was very sure I would be assassinated on spot if I were to open my mouth to say such preposterous words in front of her now. 

“Your Majesty, Queen mother. I do not want to be dragged into a fight between you and His Majesty. I hope for your forgiveness, but I don’t think I have it in me to backstab my husband.” I still tried to change her mind, .... well, divert her attention from me at least, but it seems like she was having none of it.

“....Is it because you fell in love with Reuben?” And I had the urge to spill out the tea in my mouth once again.

TO BE CONTINUED............