Destined To Fall

Chapter eight

"She's laughing". I'm standing at Vesper's bedroom window watching my wife and my mother converse away with smiles and laughter filling the air. "Vesper, she's actually smiling" I paused "and laughing" I'm amazed. Ever since I met her she has done everything but smiled at anyone. I have never seen her smile, not once even by a slight mistake, never. And right now she's sitting down there with my mother and she looks happy.

Vesper looks amused at my reaction but I couldn't care less, I don't want to look away. "Her smile enchants me cousin" I say still looking at the lady in blue sitting in the middle of those tulips. "She is enchanting" I can't stop starring, not until Vesper pulled me away from the window "You're acting like you have never seen a smile in your life before brother" a ladylike voice says from ahead of me and I look up to see Astoria, snake.  "Never before have I seen one like that sister" She moves forward in slow steps "like what ?" She asks. "Your questions make you sound like a jealous ex wife Astoria, cut it out" Vesper glares at her and she glares back "That is utterly ridiculous" she spits looking disgusted "besides he's not my type" a pause, she studies me from head to toe and back up again "I prefer someone who isn't my brother" she said. I gave of a dry laugh, "what are you doing here?" Vesper questioned. Astoria and Vesper might becousins but they never really got along so well. Whenever both of them are in the same room something goes off.

"Father sent me to call both of you" she says and walks out of the room but not before shouting "immediately" and Vesper jumps off his bed and we follow Astoria out of the room. The way to his private room was silent only Astoria's shoes dominating the air with sound. We entered the room to find him sitting behind his desk looking rather not so okay. "Father........Uncle" Vesper and I chorused. "Take your sits" we did and we sat silently waiting for him to say something. "Father"  I called once again "Vesper..." he rubbed his temples not looking at anything specifically. "You need to go home" he said "Are you kicking me out dear uncle ?" He asked jokingly. "Your mother....." he trailed off and looked at Vesper. His face held concern and he seems worried about something. "My mother ? What is wrong with my mother?" Vesper now looks alert and worried. "She.....she fell ill" Queen Stella is ill? My aunt ? "Father that is the healthiest woman alive, how could she fall ill?" It didn't make any sense. "She was poisoned Zyair"  SHOCK, that was all that floated in this silence. Shock and fear and confusion which turned into anger and frustration. Vesper didn't say a word, he couldn't utter a single word, too shocked to say anything. "Who would do that father ?" I questioned trying to make sense of this situation. "they are still searching for them, they don't know" but how and why. I was taken out of my thoughts when I heard the noise of my cousins chair falling down, I turned only to see him running out the door. "Go after him Zyair" and I did.

"Vesper!!" I called from behind him "Vesper!!" I caught up to him and caught his arm. He jerked back and all I could see was anger written on his face "where are you going ?" He looked at me, this is not good. "Home, now let me go" he spoke calmly. "Brother you cannot ride in this condition" I tried to tell him " I can Zyair and I will" he tried to break free from my hold but I didn't let him "Vesper listen to me!" I said now raising my voice at him which earned the attention of the guards and maids near by. "Calm down, you cannot ride in this state, you will cause yourself an accident. Travel with me tomorrow. I'll come with you" I tried convincing him. He was calm now but the look in his eyes never faded. He was out for blood. "Go to your chambers cousin, take a rest and calm yourself down. Prepare yourself for tomorrow's journey" I told him and he did as I said. He walked up in slow movements with me tailing behind him. We reached his chambers and he hopped on his bed looking away. I left him.

I walked in my own chambers to find Elayne standing by the window, I walked to her and stood beside her. "Beautiful isn't it" I asked looking over the grassland visible from my window. "What is the matter with Vesper ?" She asked, ignoring my question her focus still on the window. "How...." she cut me off "I heard you shouting at him from here" she explained. "Nothing much" she takes her focus away from the window and looks at me. "You're leaving tomorrow Zyair, if my husband is leaving I should at least know why" I looked at her, did she just call me her husband ? Did I imagine that ? "His mother fell ill.....food poisoning" she's again looking at me which forced me to look back at her "by who?" She asked. "So many questions Elayne" I said moving away and to the bed "why ?" I questioned "just curious" she said casually. She took slow movements towards her closet "if you're going to look for the traitor, look within the palace. She's still there " She said before disappearing into her closet. She?

"How do you know it was a woman ?" I asked her when she came back. "I don't Zyair, it is only a theory" a pause and she turns around to look at me "It should be one of her personal maids, no one but them or her husband could get as close to her as spiking her food" she told me "She could've been sent by someone from the outside of course but she's still there" she said and disappeared behind the bathroom doors and i was left alone to process her words. "Within the palace" I said to no one but myself. Could she be right about this?