The Unsung Heir

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

            The audience broke out into chaos as everyone began talking, and yelling their opinions. "Guards take her away." stated the King. Quickly, the same two guards came and led Jane by the arm. They began to walk her to the side door that would lead to the dungeon. All this time, Jane began to worry. She refused to accept that her death would be so soon. Surely Collin would come.

           "Stop!" The room silenced as the two large, wooden doors in the front of the courtroom burst open. "I can prove she did not do it! "The surprised guards loosened their grip on Jane's arm and she turned around to see Collin walk in, holding a small book and a white, slightly torched envelope. He walked up next to Jane and ordered the guards to take their hands off her. "It looks like your prince charming has come to rescue you, Lady Jane." smirked Collin, taking Jane away from the guards and leading her back to the center of the room.

          Turning to face the council, Collin held out the book. "This is Lady Jane's journal. If you look closely at the handwriting, you will see that the one in the book and the one on the paper are different. Holding, up the white envelope, Collin looked at his mother, standing on the side, to see her eyes widen. Her eyes filled with fear as she silently pleaded him not to present it. "You were right Mother. I'm the son that cannot do anything right." thought Collin. "This envelope is proof that Jane was framed. It says here that there was a spy planted at Lady Jane's estate." The audience gasped. "It says here that if the spy was unable to prove she killed the Duchess, she was to be framed. I found this-"

            "Alright Prince Collin, we understand your argument. Go and take those evidences to study." interrupted the King. After a few minutes, the council members returned to their seats from studying the evidence. The room was dead silent as everyone held their breath, waiting for the new verdict. Finally, the King stood up with a slight disappointed look on his face. "This council has concluded that, with this newfound evidence, Lady Jane is innocent."

             Jane sighed in relief as the guards unbound her sore wrists. Rubbing her sore wrists, she turned and smiled at Collin appreciatively. "I cannot thank you enough. I am glad you were able to find my journal, but what of the spy?"

           Collin grimly looked back at Jane. "That is another problem, but we will take care of it."

          "What happened?" asked Jane as Lance and Aaron walked over. Collin remained silent. "She is dead."

           "Wait, who is dead?" Are we really going to have to deal with more deaths after everything that has happened?" Aaron asked, hugging Jane. "I was so worried. I had thought you actually killed the Duchess. But I knew you could never do that." Jane looked at Collin, who looked back at her and shrugged his shoulders. 

         Collin turned to Lance. "The spy, she is dead. She fell off one of the balconies. You should do something about it."

           "Mother will take care of it. I will tell her. She wouldn't risk being discovered in case the spy is carrying all the letters they have been corresponding." answered Lance. "Jane, you should remain here in the meantime. We have had enough of these incidents." With that, Lance stalked off with the rest of the crowd. Aaron soon followed.

             Collin looked at Jane and nodded. "Lance is right, it is probably best if you remain here at the palace while we set things right. You can stay in your old chambers. It hasn't been touched. It is just how it was when you left it."