Power and Love

Chapter 30: Meeting

Alfred's POV

The rest of the day was a blur. I had eaten already, and next stop was the meeting with nobles and other important persons. Yao had tried to chat with me at dinner, and I tried to be my old self, but the emptiness stayed.

I sighed, wandering towards the map room.

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There was practically a war going on, when I opened the door. The heads of the most powerful families in Spades threw insults like daggers, said words which hurted like a sword and told secrets, which stung all. And I was going to be involved in this war. I walked to my place. The seat on the left was empty, but Yao was sitting on the right side. He nodded to me. The table was a mess, and there were papers everywhere. The servant, who came in to bring some water, looked nervous and flustered. His hands trembled violently, when he filled my glass.

"Silence!" I exclaimed, and almost immediately everyone took their seats. Someone muttered something.

"As you know, I called you here to tell you important n-"

"Where's the Queen?" A young looking noble yelled. He earned some angry glances, but he didn't care.

"Queen is dead." I replied blankly. Some gasped, some looked shocked, some had a neutral expression. A flood of questions started.

"When?"

"How?"

"Where?"

"Was he murdered?"

"Was it an accident?"

Yao slammed his palm on the table. "Let the King speak!" Everyone quieted.

"As you know, I lost my brother, when I was young." Some nodded. I wondered, if I should tell them the truth. I decided that it wouldn't hurt anybody, so I told them all what happened that day. When I finished my story, everyone was quiet at first.

"That's bullshit! Jokers belong to tales, your Majesty." Old, chubby noble said, his eyes shining with disbelief.

"How do you expect us to believe that?" Another one shouted.

"Maybe your Majesty killed his Queen himself and now blames for the creatures, which ain't even true!" Someone yelled. I noticed him near the doors. Anger rose in me.

"How dare you to say that I killed my future husband? I loved him. Say one reason why I would've done that." My voice was low.

"You would've gotten the power to yourself!" That silenced all.

"I may be Aedan's son, but that doesn't mean that I am a murderer myself." I said, wanting to break something. Practically I would be able to break this table..

"But how Queen Arthur died?"

"I told you already!" I exclaimed impatiently.

"We don't believe it!" Tensions in the room started growing. Some believed that I didn't kill Arthur, but they didn't believe what I told them about the Jokers, but the rest believed that all I told them was bullshit, despite the fact that my Queen was dead. The nobles were in two different groups. I feared that a civil war would broke, and I wanted that the least.

"Let's go outside and take a break. This meeting will gather again at 19.25." I said with a loud voice. Someone mumbled something, but everyone listened what I said. They slowly went out, muttering to each other. I sat down, burying my head in my hands.

"Alfred, do you feel alright?"

"Yeah. I'm just... Angry. How they can assume that I killed him?"