Kaelen marched toward Margret's chambers, his mind racing with the possibilities. If what Evelyn said was true, then Margret's deception was his golden opportunity. If he could expose her, he would dismantle her claim to the throne and finally secure his path to power.
He pushed open the heavy chamber doors without knocking, startling everyone inside. The room was filled with noble guests, Queen Elira among them, all gathered to see the "prince" who had just been born. Margret stood near the bed, clutching the infant tightly to her chest, her eyes narrowing at Kaelen's sudden intrusion.
"What do you want now, Kaelen?" she snapped, her voice laced with both fear and defiance.
Kaelen's lips curled into a sly smile. "Oh, don't mind me, dear sister-in-law. I merely came to see the child. After all, it's not every day a kingdom welcomes its future king."
Margret's grip on the baby tightened, her knuckles turning white. "You've seen him already. You don't need to see him again."
Kaelen's gaze darkened, but he kept his tone light. "I insist. Let everyone here witness the future of our kingdom."
"I said no!" Margret's voice rose, and a tense silence fell over the room.
Kaelen turned to the assembled guests, spreading his arms theatrically. "Do you hear this? Margret refuses to show her child. Shall we wonder why?"
The nobles murmured among themselves, their curiosity piqued. Queen Elira, seated gracefully near the bed, watched the exchange with an unreadable expression.
"What are you insinuating, Kaelen?" she asked, her voice calm but sharp.
Kaelen smirked, turning back to Margret. "I'm insinuating nothing, Mother. I'm stating a fact. Margret is hiding the truth from all of us. She gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl. But the boy is dead. The child she's holding is a girl, and she's pretending otherwise to secure her power."
Gasps erupted around the room, and all eyes turned to Margret. Her face paled, but she stood firm, her voice trembling with anger.
"You're lying!" she spat. "You're jealous because you'll never be king. You can't stand the fact that the throne belongs to my child."
Kaelen stepped closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "Then prove me wrong. Show us the child."
Margret shook her head, her body trembling as she backed away. "No one touches this baby," she said fiercely. "Not while the person who killed my husband is still out there. I won't risk it."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed, his anger bubbling to the surface. "Enough of this charade!" He lunged forward, attempting to grab the child, but Margret slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing through the room.
The guests gasped, and Kaelen froze, his hand slowly rising to his stinging cheek.
"You will not touch this baby!" Margret shouted, her voice breaking with emotion. "I will protect my child with my life if I have to. I know what you did to my husband, Kaelen. I know you poisoned him."
The room fell into a stunned silence, all eyes shifting to Kaelen. His expression twisted with shock and fury. "What nonsense are you spouting now?" he hissed.
Margret's eyes burned with fury as she spoke. "The investigators found the love potion bottle in your chambers, Kaelen. They tested it. It's the same poison that killed the king."
Kaelen scoffed, his laughter bitter and forced. "You're grasping at straws, Margret. Accusing me of murder to hide your lies? How convenient." He turned to Queen Elira, his voice pleading. "Mother, surely you don't believe this?"
Elira's gaze was cold, her lips pressing into a thin line. "The accusations are grave, Kaelen," she said softly. "I have heard whispers, but I wanted to believe they were false. Now I must ask—did you truly have a hand in your brother's death?"
Kaelen's composure cracked. His eyes darted between the accusing faces, his voice rising in desperation. "No! This is all Margret's doing. She's lying to protect her secret."
He suddenly pointed toward the door. "Ask Evelyn! She's the one who killed him, not me. She wanted to seduce the your husband and used a spell, but it backfired!"
Margret's breath caught, her mind reeling at the accusation. "Bullshit!!! You're lying," she whispered.
"Am I?" Kaelen sneered. "Ask her yourself. She's been hiding more than you think."
The tension in the room was palpable, the nobles exchanging uneasy glances. Kaelen turned back to Margret, his voice low and venomous. "Mark my words, Margret. I won't let that child sit on the throne. Not now, not ever."
With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him
Margret clutched the baby closer, her body trembling. She turned to the guests, her voice strong despite the tears streaming down her face. "You've all seen the lengths he'll go to for power. My child is the rightful heir, and I will protect him no matter the cost."
The nobles murmured among themselves, some nodding in agreement while others exchanged doubtful looks. Queen Elira remained silent, her expression thoughtful as she rose and left the room without a word.
As the door closed behind her, Margret sank onto the bed, her resolve hardening. She would protect her child, no matter what Kaelen tried. But her thoughts drifted to Evelyn. If Kaelen's words held any truth, then her sister might be hiding more than she let on.
Margret whispered softly to the baby in her arms. "I'll keep you safe. I swear it."
*********
In the grand halls of King Aldred's castle, the mood was surprisingly light. He leaned back on his ornate throne, tossing the remnants of the torn invitation onto the floor. His piercing gaze lingered on the fragments for a moment before he turned to his queen, who had just entered the room.
Queen Victoria, regal and poised as always, arched a brow at him. "What was that you just destroyed?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity.
Aldred smirked, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. "An invitation. The Queen of Gareth's Kingdom wants the entire realm to celebrate the birth of her so-called heir." His voice was tinged with amusement.
Victoria's expression sharpened as she moved closer to him. "So-called heir?" she repeated, folding her arms. "What are you implying?"
Aldred's smirk widened. "Rumors, my dear. Whispers that the child isn't what they're claiming. Some say it's not even a boy. And knowing Margret, she'd go to great lengths to secure her throne. Especially now, with her husband gone."
Victoria's eyes lit up with intrigue. "I've heard the same whispers," she admitted, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. "Ever since the child was born, she hasn't let anyone touch it. Not even the nobles. They say she's hiding something."
Aldred chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "If that's true, it won't stay hidden for long. The naming ceremony will reveal everything. No one can conceal the truth forever, especially when the entire kingdom will gather to see the supposed heir."
Victoria tilted her head thoughtfully. "And yet, we didn't attend her husband's funeral. If we skip this ceremony, it may raise suspicion. Besides, wouldn't it be amusing to watch her try to keep up the charade?"
Aldred's grin faded slightly as he considered her words. "You have a point. If there's truth to these rumors, being present might offer us an advantage. Knowledge is power, after all."
Victoria stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "Then we should attend, Aldred. Not just to satisfy our curiosity but to remind Gareth's Kingdom that we're watching. And if Margret is truly deceiving her people, we'll be there to see it."
Aldred nodded, his expression hardening. "Very well. Prepare for the journey. We'll go to the naming ceremony with the kids and see for ourselves what game Margret is playing. If she thinks she can manipulate the kingdom, she's gravely a fool"
Victoria smiled, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Excellent. Let's see how far she's willing to go to keep her secret."
As the queen exited the room to make preparations, Aldred leaned back once more, his fingers drumming on the armrest of his throne. The naming ceremony promised to be far more entertaining—and revealing—than he had anticipated.