Today is the day that will register more than 75 cases of infant death with less than 11 months old or below, in just 2 weeks and 5 days in the kingdom. The cemeteries were full of baby graves— and weren't stopping arriving more bodies.
The day was very dark and cloudy, with the sun still reluctantly hiding itself behind the sobbing and crying clouds. And sadly, not even the palace could escape from this tragedy.
Last night, the eight high cocumbine of the king from Liniares, sister of the Emperor, sadly had lost her 4 months daughter in a rainy night with thunders and lightnings, the cries of the cocumbine would echo with the palace. She had come to the palace to pass a little time with her brother, and now she losted the most precious living being that she had for not too long.
And not being enough, the youngest princess, the 4th princess, was becoming sick, with her health deteriorating each hour.
***
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I was in my cooking area, eating breakfast that consists of food for a peacock while looking to the window pondering myself why these weeks where so dark, the mister death was more present in the kingdom than the normal, when I notice Penny, Opaka and Natsumi approaching, rushing over like they have gossip to tell.
"Amethyst do you know?" Penny started, voice very low as she whispers "The eight cocumbine had lost her baby and the 4th princess became sick, all at once in the last night."
"The main reason was that the baby stopped breathing, even though she was full of health and well taken care of." Explains Opaka.
"Some people are saying that this is the work of the devil!-" Natsumi accuses, but because of him whispering slightly higher, he received two smacks on his head by Penny and Opaka. "Ought!"
I just look at them with a distant face before the information sinks in my mind. That is... Sad, actually. I feel sorry for the cocumbine, and sorry for the Emperor and Empress.
"Everyone likes to put the guilt in the devil directly and not in the demons of this world that he didn't crested, but work for him." I shrug while eating a flower. "But yeah I guess he had put his finger on it somehow."
"And speaking of the demon..." I muttered as I notice Nurse Rose entering in the kitchen.
She was... With a good mood?? In a heavy atmosphere like this??? Not even I had woken or had been in a good mood today because of the news, and look that I like the rain.
Nurse Rose searches for Penny before she looks at where she is, with us. She approaches, bowing politely before saying.
"Morning, Cook Penny, I came here to take the princess food, a one last milk and honey, and I would like a cup of water, please." She requested, Penny taking no time to go fulfill the request.
A thunder falls on the sky as our eyes lock with each other, what a piranha.
"Looks like something very extraordinary had happened in your life for you to be in such a good mood today." I say with sarcasm, putting a cricket in my mouth before I swallow.
"Yes it happened. Today is a good day for me, even knowing that it's in a rainy atmosphere." She giggles bitterly. "But anyway. I have more important duties to do, so you better wash the dishes well, cook Amethyst." She waves in fake niceness before receiving the stray with the princess food, the milk and honey, and the water she requested from Penny, striking away from the kitchen.
She even has the audacity to giggle. She must be involved in this sudden death, I am sure.
***
As I do my duties, with the head chef barking orders of the new menu for this week and new plates of food going out of the kitchen, I became curious about something.
A very good baby porridge had started to sell a lot and make success all over the kingdom, right when this outbreak of death is happening. Yet in the palace, it didn't even started to circulate... Why?
I lean close to Opaka ever so slightly, since she's an eagle, she can hear my voice even in the lowest whisper.
"Opaka, do you know, by any change, what this famous baby porridge is made of? Or the principal ingredient?" I asked, in a low whisper.
Opaka turned her head when she notices the small shift of my position, listening intently to what I said before responding in the same low volume as mine.
"If I remember correctly, the principal ingredients are cow milk and honey." She responded. "It says that it can be given to 8 to 6 months babies or even lower." She adds. "Why the question?"
My brows furrowed in contemplation and small shock at the revelation. "Just curiousity." I responded before straighting up, continuing to do my duties.
I took the moment to ponder, a mental puzzle started to form in my mind:
• 2 weeks ago a wave of infant deaths started to spread in the kingdom, registering more than 75 cases of infant deaths;
• Before that, a new brand of baby porridge started to make success in the kingdom;
• The baby porridge main ingredients are cow milk and honey, same ingredients Nurse Rose was requesting every time she came in the kitchen;
• Last night, the eight cocumbine's baby had died, main reason was because he stopped breathing as Opaka said;
. . . . . .
My eyes widen in shock and faint horror as the pieces started to fit together and make sense, the realization hitting my brain like a brick.
The baby porridge is the reason of the infant deaths, and Nurse Rose might had killed the baby of the eight cocumbine just with the main ingredients of it.
How I didn't notice until now? The honey is too sticky for the baby to handle, which would provoke an asphyxia. The cow milk is too concentrated in nutrients that the baby organism wouldn't handle to digest. These two combined are a delicious treat for an adult or a kid, but for the baby, it can be a fatal substance for them.
If my expectations are true, then is probable that Nurse Rose is the one who is deteriorating the 4th princess's health. She's the only one who is picking up the princess food.
I need to do something, to report this snake and warn the higher ones the solution of the sudden wave. But I need to be discreet, I don't want the head chef to find out that one of his workers is meddling in matters that are not theirs. I just need to wait for the right time, for the right moment, and while that, I will mentally make a plan, and find a way to execute it.
***
I finish doing 7 plates I was responsible for, when one of the chef rushing over me, with a worried face.
"Cook Amethyst, can you do the favor of delivering this to the laundry?" He asked, holding a basket with fruits on his hand. "The head washerwoman asked for a basket of fruits for the break time, but I am busy with five plates I need to finish right now. Could you do that? I promise I won't tell the head chef about this."
My chance.
"Yes, I can, in no time." I responded, grabbing the basket from his hands.
"Thank you so much, you're an angel."
***
'you're an angel.' yeah, keep believing that .
I enter in the main area of the laundry place, scanning for any needle and thread while I walk in the place searching for the head washerwoman. I found one, the thread being a saturated purple, but I grabbed it anyway when everyone was distracted.
Perfect.
***
The others finish their duties, and the time to rest arrives, leaving the kitchen to finally have their sleepytime. I continued on the kitchen, organizing the knives while waving an goodbye for them as each of them leaves. It's time.
Grabbing my tiny notebook, I started writing...
No.
Wait.
In the kitchen is forbidden to own a notebook, probably the word of the anonymous letter will spread to find the one who wrote, and the head chef would do an inspection to see who has a notebook. Then I must use another thing. But what I will use... Oh!
With a knife, I cut a big and long piece of my uniform on the side, placing it on top of the counter. Before I started writing the message, first, I sewed the opening with the thread and needle I 'borrowed' from the laundry place, making sure the sewing was neat.
With a sharpened coal, aI started writing down the message.
The successful baby porridge haves two ingredients that fatal for babies below 12 months. One of the nurses was responsible for the eight cocumbine's baby death.
The servant's uniform are made by the same fabrics, of course it will be more difficult to know who wrote it from the hundreds and hundreds workers that haves in the palace.
Inside of my inner pockets, I took out the orchid that I keep it with me since the days I passed on the Big White House— the one sent from my mother.
Now purple, I wrap the piece with the message around the stem and then, tie it up with the thread, doing a little node because why not?
I go towards the window where the moonlight shines the most, positioning myself under the light and the flower on my heart to start the use of my witchcraft.
"Messenger flower, let the moon guide you, and take you to the right person. May you find your fate."
The flower shines and starts to slowly float towards the window, preparing itself for the delivery of the message.
I wasn't with too much patience so I simply grab the floating flower and throw it out of the window with strength enough to see it fly away, but changing the direction as it started to fly on its own.
I close the window, heading myself out of the kitchen to finally get some sleep. At least the flower is heading towards the person who will receive the message, probably a higher up so I will not worry about it much.
***
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And with that, Amethyst arrives on her bed to finally sleep, pushing all the worries away and having sweet dreams with forms of mentally torture someone. Who, of the highest and royals, will be chosen by the flower to receive the message?