Lord Gawain was running through the hallways of the pace looking for Lord Brice. He was the highest-ranking Royal Aide in the Royal Council's Chambers when the letter mentioned the emergency meeting happening within the hour. When Duval didn't want the King or Queen to show up to the meeting on time, he would have his men send the letter to the Council's Chambers and not directly to the King and Queen themselves.

  So Gawain ran through the halls to get the letter to Lord Brice, who would be able to deliver it to the King and Queen.

  Gawain was taking some time before getting his breath as he saw Lord Brice leaving the library, and he waved his hand.

  "Lord Brice!"

  "Gawain? What's wrong, my friend?" Brice asked.

  "It's an emergency letter from the Prime Minister's office. He's calling an emergency meeting with the Major Lords, and the letter was sent to the Council's Chambers instead of directly to the King and Queen's Pace Chambers," Gawain said as he quickly handing the letter to the Head of Fiafyr.

  "Hmmm," Brice hummed, and his face twisted in displeasure as he opened the letter and read the contents.

  "He must not want his Majesty to be prepared for this meeting," Gawain said.

  "Yes... He's accusing Princess Rya of assaulting Prince Zane and using her demonic powers indiscriminately against his men," Lord Brice muttered.

  "Demonic powers?! That's preposterous! He can't use that excuse again!" Gawain said with outrage.

  "I think I heard some of the servants gossiping about Prince Zane threatening his sister... I need you to start asking the servants and guards in the pace what really happened. Then, I'll need you to bring those testimonies to the meeting and present them before the House of Lords. If Duval thinks he can manipute us into doing something against the Royal Family and the Goddess's wishes, he has another thing coming!" Brice growled.

  "Of course! I'll speak to Butler Cedric first; he'll know who to go to."

  "I'm sure that Lady Rose has heard something by now from her maids. So, if you come across her first, speak to her about the incident. We need all the testimony we can get if we're going to stop Duval from starting a war with the Holy Alliance," Lord Brice said.

  "Understood, Lord Brice! What about the Captain of the Guard? Do we know who is on duty?"

  "I believe it is Captain Dresden... But if some of the Royal Guards witnessed what happened, then they would have reported to one of the sergeants or lieutenants before the Captain found out. If I have the time, I'll ask the Captain to look into it," Brice said.

  "Understood. Good luck, my Lord!"

  "Good luck, Lord Gawain," Brice said, and they went their separate ways.

  Gawain went to the servants' quarters and asked around; the servants told him everything they had heard. If the rumors were true, then he needed to get Princess Hilda to the House of Lords immediately.

  ***

  The King Cyndre and Queen Rianna were having a good time talking with Baroness Ysandra Fairchild and Baron Zellin Coldforge. Cyndre was talking it up with Zellin while Ysandra was trying to impress Rianna.

  "I must say, your Majesty. What's your secret for looking so young? I swear that over these past weeks, since Prince Quinus has returned, you seem to have a glow about you." Ysandra said, with a flirtatious smile.

  Rianna kept her Royal demeanor, "Why, thank you, Lady Fairchild. I can't divulge my secrets, but it is a mixture of a healthy lifestyle and my faith in the Goddess. The Divine has blessed me with a healthy family and a happy marriage," she said with a straight face, but her cheeks were blushing.

  'Ugh! I can't tell the Baroness that Rya pushed out some toxins from my body! A-And Cyndre keeps finding ways into my bedchambers! I've lost the ability to resist him, and he thinks he's out of the doghouse for not punishing Aric or Leandra Revelia. But I'm the Queen, I should be the one in charge!' She thought, with her cheeks getting even redder.

  "Oh?... You don't have to give me the same boilerpte answers that you give the other Ladies of the Court, my Queen. You can be honest with me," Ysandra said with a smirk on her face. She's never seen Rianna act like this before.

  'She's hiding something! That's the look of a woman who has some juicy gossip but can't share it! I must know the secret!' Ysandra thought, with a mischievous look on her face.

  Rianna's cheeks got even redder, and she took a sip of wine. It was strange to her. Over the past week, alcohol hasn't been tasting as good. Even after the toxins were expelled from her body and she started sleeping better, the taste had changed.

  'What's happening? Why does the wine taste so bad?' She thought, and her face became flushed with embarrassment. 'Maybe it has to do with those weird mornings where I felt nauseous. But I've been feeling better than ever. My sex life has increased tenfold, and Cyndre can't seem to get enough. I haven't had this much energy since I was a teenager. That stupid toxin that the Dark Elf pushed out of my body has had me feeling so much better. So, why am I not enjoying my favorite drink?'

  "It seems that your Majesty is having trouble keeping her composure," Ysandra said with a knowing tone and her eyes twinkling.

  "I-I don't know what you are insinuating. I'm just enjoying the wine," Rianna said and took another sip. It tasted worse than the st time.

  "Well, that's the second time I've seen you grimace while taking a sip. Did something happen between you and the King? You can tell me, my Queen," Ysandra said. She couldn't let this juicy gossip get away.

  Rianna could outmaneuver any Lady of the Court when they tried to pry information out of her. But this was Ysandra. Ysandra could sniff out gossip like a bloodhound, and she wouldn't stop until she got the juicy details. Plus, Rianna was off her game. She's been feeling strange, and this was the first time in years that she didn't have a clear mind as her lower abdomen liked to flutter at the thought of Cyndre's cock being shoved inside her.

  "I-I... It's nothing. I've been feeling a bit ill tely, and the wine isn't helping. Maybe I've been drinking too much, and my taste buds are tired," Rianna said.

  Ysandra just ughed. "The great Queen of Fiafyr is having issues with her alcohol. I think you have finally met your match, my dear friend."

  Rianna couldn't help but ugh along, even though she didn't find it funny. She was still trying to figure out why her favorite drink tasted terrible.

  "Maybe you're pregnant?" Ysandra suggested as she studied Rianna's face closely

  Rianna stopped ughing and felt a flutter coming deeper inside of her, and her cheeks reddened.

  "No, that can't be," Rianna said in a small voice. "I'm too old. And I'm infertile. You know how many miscarriages Cyndre and I went through."

  "Hmm, you might be right. But then again, you have a glow about you that makes me feel like you are with child. But you have always looked younger than you really are. Unless you haven't been having some alone time with our handsome king."

  Rianna squeezed her thighs together as she felt her pussy become a bit moist. Thoughts of this morning when Cyndre's thick, throbbing cock was thrusting in and out of her tight pussy were still fresh in her mind. And then the thoughts of Cyndre's thick, milky cum filling up her womb made her even more horny.

  "N-No, he hasn't been visiting my bed chambers tely. He has been very busy with the council and the war preparations."

  "Yes, it has been a very busy time for the King, hasn't it? But is he really that busy to neglect our perfect Queen?" Ysandra said, knowing full well that Cyndre had a healthy sex drive and wouldn't miss an opportunity to ravish the sexy queen.

  "Well, maybe he was a bit stressed and needed his rest," Rianna lied, trying not to make eye contact with Ysandra.

  "Or maybe the queen is lying to me, and is just embarrassed because she has been keeping her husband busy in bed," Ysandra said as she winked at Rianna.

  Rianna didn't say anything as her cheeks burned even more.

  "I'll just take your silence as an answer, my dear," Ysandra said before drinking her wine.

  Rianna couldn't believe that Ysandra saw through her lie, and the embarrassment was clear on her face. But the Baroness didn't seem like she was using this to gain leverage against her.

  "Oh, stop worrying, My Queen... I know that you don't trust many of the other Ladies of the Court, which is very wise. But I am on your side. I won't let any of them take advantage of you."

  Rianna didn't know if this was true or not. Especially since Ysandra is an ally of Duval, the Prime Minister, Rianna would have to keep her guard up around the Baroness.

  "I appreciate your words, Baroness Ysandra, but please forgive me if I find that hard to believe."

  Ysandra raised her eyebrows in surprise and amusement, "Your guard is up more than ever, I see... Good, that's what a Queen should do, and don't apologize for being cautious. I understand why you wouldn't trust me."

  Rianna felt a spark of curiosity ignite within her about Ysandra, a feeling that was unusual for her after years of living in Fiafyr. Despite being surrounded by the social light of the Ladies of the Court, she had never forged a close friendship with any of them. There had been a brief moment when she thought she had found camaraderie with Marchioness Isabel Wrightwood and Countess Alexandria Ingham. They had rallied together to throw a grand celebration for her newborn son, sharing ughter and joy during those early days of motherhood.

  However, that sense of fellowship quickly fractured when Rianna discovered the ulterior motives behind their kindness. The realization hit her like a cold wave; Duval was maniputing Isabel and Alexandria, using them as pawns to pressure her into supporting a peace treaty with the Alliance of the Divine Three. The betrayal cut deep, leaving her feeling isoted and distrustful.

  The final blow came when Duval convinced Cyndre to avert his brother’s execution after he was caught hiring an assassin to eliminate Quinus. This manipution solidified Rianna's decision to sever ties with those she once considered friends. The once vibrant social tapestry of her life seemed to unravel, leaving her to navigate the complexities of court life alone, more wary than ever of the motives that y beneath the surface of her acquaintances.

  And thinking upon everything that happened back then, Rianna had to ugh. Aric hired one of the highest-ranked assassins in Wina Daz, and she could have easily killed Quinus without anyone knowing. They only found out that she was an assassin when she flipped sides.

  Wina became so loyal to Sir Mathew that she swore fealty to Rianna. Since that day, Rianna's closest friends were her bodyguard, Lady Nelumbo, her maid, Gretchen, Wina Daz, and a bunch of other servants within the pace. Rianna hoped that Wina and Mathew were doing well, as she had to leave the kingdom after being attacked by other assassins. Once Aric served his punishment, he told the Assassin's Society that Wina betrayed her client. And the society sent out a kill order on Wina's life.

  Wina didn't want to put the Prince in danger, so she left to deal with the Assassin's Society herself, but Mathew joined her, and they left their son in the Kingdom's hands. That was ten years ago, and Rianna hoped she was doing well.

  Back in the present, Rianna was still intrigued by the Baroness. Could Ysandra Fairchild truly be a friend?

  "And why is it that I don't trust you, Ysandra?" Rianna asked as she was about to take another sip of her wine, but she stopped herself when she realized that she was doing it out of habit.

  "Well, it's because I decided to ally with Duval and helped him to become the new Prime Minister... He promised us a lot, my Queen. And it seemed like he was going to come through on those promises... That was until cracks started to form in his strategies..."

  Rianna was taken aback by what she was hearing. The Baroness was willing to admit that she was losing faith in the Prime Minister's abilities.

  "I see... So, you have begun to doubt him... What was it that made you realize he was incompetent?"

  "When he failed to wrangle in Aric's hold over the Minor Nobles. He kept saying that he would bring them in line, but after six years... nothing. And then once I found out about the Duke's treachery after the assassination attempt, I thought that he was going to cripple Aric's ambitions. But instead, the Duke slipped away like all the other times... And I finally saw how weak Duval was when he agreed to send the Crown Prince to stop the out in the West. All because he feared that Marcus Revelia would outshine Prince Quinus if he were to stay here. The Prince is the true heir to the throne, so why risk his life just so Marcus can be the hero instead of him... That's when I knew that Duval wasn't fit to lead the Kingdom and the House of Lords..."

  The Queen's eyes widened for the briefest moment before she regained her emotionless mask. She didn't say anything as Ysandra continued.

  "But it seems our Prince has fate on his side. Not only did he manage to stop the monster stampede and kill Marcus, but he also found the most powerful healer and mage this world has ever seen, and she's fallen for him. The goddess has blessed him."

  Rianna was trying to figure out if Ysandra was pying some type of game to make her let her guard down, but the Baroness was genuine.

  'C-Can I trust her... No. Not yet.'

  "Yes. My son has done amazing things. And I am proud of him. But, Ysandra. Why haven't you brought up your displeasure with the Prime Minister earlier than this?"

  Ysandra had a dry ugh before shaking her head slightly, "You know how the political games are pyed, Your Majesty. I needed to see if there were others starting to show signs of being discontented with the Prime Minister. I had suspected that Baron Eamon would be one of them with how many of his proposed trade deals kept getting denied by Duval, but he didn't show any signs of disappointment... It was when I heard what happened at the emergency meeting where Duval and Aric were completely outwitted and outmaneuvered by Princess Rya that I heard rumors about Duval losing his grip on Eamon and Thaddeus. I had to come to the capital to meet this Dark Elf for myself..."

  "Only yourself, Lady Ysandra?" Rianna inquired as she leaned forward in her throne.

  Ysandra sighed, "Well... Maybe my sister was more intrigued to meet Lady Rya. Thanks to the good word that her colleagues in Ironside have been spreading about her and the fact that she's a capable Mage, my sister couldn't help but ask me if we could have an audience with Lady Rya."

  The Queen was studying Ysandra for any deceit in her words or body nguage, but she couldn't find any. She rexed a little bit and let a small smirk grace her lips.

  'She's being honest with me... Maybe I can trust her... I can use someone by my side when I confront Leandra during her daughter's party. Plus, Ysandra is a power woman within the Ladies of the Court. Let's see where she stands with Leandra?'

  Rianna straightened up her poster and looked at Ysandra.

  "Well, what can I say... Quinus seems to attract powerful women into his circle of friends. I guess it runs in the family." Rianna smiled.

  Ysandra ughed, "Indeed. He definitely has all the positive traits between his father and mother."

  "Yes... It's a shame that not that many Nobles realize it when they painted my son as the toothless lion of Fiafyr," Rianna said with a hint of annoyance.

  Ysandra grimaces slightly, "I wish I could say that I was one of the nobles who didn't believe those rumors. But I'll be honest with you, Your Majesty. I didn't see how powerful your son was until we witnessed his strength during his fifth birthday, when he handled the family heirloom, The Sun's Fury, in front of everyone. No child that young could have possibly handled that sword with the same strength as he did."

  The Queen smirked, "So you have seen my son's true potential at an early age? Interesting."

  Ysandra smiled, "He was quite the charmer at a young age. I knew that he would do great things, and it seems like Lady Rya would make a great partner for him."

  Rianna looked down at the table.

  'Yes, they're very close... They could even be soulmates... But enough of that, I can't be thinking of that right now. I need to find a way to make her my ally in the fight against Leandra.'

  Rianna looked up and gave a warm smile.

  "Do you know who was the one who spread that rumor about Quinus' incompetence?"

  Ysandra thought about it for a moment, "It's been so long ago that I can't remember... The only thing I do know is that Leandra couldn't stop talking about it while talking up her son, Marcus, the heir to the Revelias."

  "What do you think about the Duchess? You must have some kind of opinion on her?" Rianna asked.

  Ysandra looked around the room to make sure no one was listening.

  "I... I have nothing good to say about her, your Majesty... All I can say is you're in the same room with her when she is surrounded by guests, then don't turn your back to her. If you're alone with her, then get out, and if you're alone with her and Aric is there, then it's too te... Shrewd is an understatement when describing Leandra Revelia."

  That was all Rianna needed to hear to trust Ysandra.

  "Would you mind joining me during Yvette's coming-of-age party? I could use a friend that I can trust to stop Leandra from turning the Ladies of the Court against Rya."

  Ysandra smiled, "You think that Leandra is going to make a move against Lady Rya?"

  Rianna gave her a knowing look, "Ysandra, you think you know how bad the Revelia's are, but if you knew what I knew. You would understand why we need to help her. And if we are going to protect Rya, then we are going to have to work together. Can I count on you, Ysandra?"

  Ysandra smiled again, "I would be honored, your Majesty... But what makes you think that I haven't seen the same things you have, Queen Rianna?"

  Rianna leaned forward and motioned Ysandra to come closer. Ysandra leaned in, and the two women put their heads close together.

  "Do you remember coming to my ceremony when Cyndre was named the next Heir and I became the Crown Princess?"

  Ysandra nodded and remembered that day when Leandra bragged to everyone that her husband had found the scarce tea leaf. Ysandra just became the Baroness of Frostweald, far up in the north, at the time, and she thought Leandra was being a bit pretentious and funting her wealth in a way to cope with her husband losing the right to the throne. But that was at the time when Ysandra thought Leandra was a shallow and petty woman.

  "Tell me, Ysandra... Are you familiar with Sterilith Bloom or Royal Blue?"

  Ysandra pulled back, looked at Queen Rianna's face, and then realized she wasn't joking. The Baroness has never heard of Royal Blue, but Sterilith Bloom. She's heard bad things about that toxin.

  "I can't say much about Royal Blue, your Majesty. But Sterilith Bloom, my father told me that it makes women infertile—"

  Ysandra stopped herself in mid-sentence as her memories came flooding back when Rianna was offered that rare tea leaf during the ceremony. Rianna drank the only cup, and then the cup was taken away.

  "Wait a minute... No... She didn't?!" Ysandra was stunned.

  Queen Rianna nodded, "Yes, she did. Leandra tricked me into drinking so much Sterilith Bloom that I could have been infertile for a few lifetimes... Rya expelled the toxin from my body, and I will make sure that Leandra will pay for killing all my unborn children..."

  Ysandra felt sick. She should have known that Leandra did something nefarious to the future Queen at the time. But she didn't know that the Duchess was that heartless and evil until many years down the road. So that innocent offering of a prized drink of tea to her sister-in-w was forgotten.

  "My Queen! I'm so sorry. If only I had known."

  "Shhh, it's not your fault, Ysandra. You couldn't have known that Leandra did what she did. I didn't know," the Queen whispered to the Baroness.

  Ysandra composed herself, and she knew that she needed to help her Queen. Her time of staying by Duval's side was ending, and her allegiance was going back to the Royal family.

  "What can I do to help, my Queen?"

  "I don't know yet... But I want to confront her during the party. I think I'll use it to distract her from the pns she has for Rya. We need to get her on the Ladies of the Court's side, and if Leandra is focused on me, she'll ignore her. So, let's give her an opportunity to charm the other women in the Kingdom."

  "You're a brilliant Queen, my Liege. I'm sorry for not being the loyal subject you've been to the Royal Family," Ysandra said.

  "You can make up for it by helping me expose Leandra and help Rya become Quinus' wife. You're a smart woman, so I think you can see the benefits of having a Dark Elf as part of the Royal Family. You've seen Rya's abilities, and I want you to see the possibilities," the Queen said.

  "Hah... You sound like my younger sister, your Majesty—"

  All the conversations within the throne room were halted when Lord Brice entered the room in a hurry.

  Cyndre and Zellin looked at him with a curious expression, while Rianna and Ysandra had a bad premonition.

  "What is it, Lord Brice?" the King asked.

  "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is at it again," Lord Brice replied.

  Cyndre's face soured immediately, and he stood up and walked over to Rianna to offer his hand.

  "Let's go, Rianna... We have a future daughter-in-w to save," the King said.

  The Queen's face beamed with happiness, and she stood up and took her husband's hand.

  Ysandra looked over at Zellin, "Well, I haven't been a part of an Emergency Meeting in quite some time, Mr. Zellin... Shall we ruin the Prime Minister's fun and join them?"

  The noble dwarf was surprised by the Baroness's forwardness, but he accepted the offer.

  "I thought you were an ally to Marquess Duval?" Zellin responded with a coy grin.

  "I was. But the Marquess is a fool. And he's too close-minded to see the potential Rya brings," Ysandra said.

  Zellin was shocked by the change in her. He feared that the Kingdom was more focused on becoming allies with the Divine Three over caring about the Dwarven citizens of Fiafyr. This was a pleasant change of events, and Zellin had no choice but to accept.

  "Well then, Baroness Ysandra... Let's show the Prime Minister what a true Alliance looks like."

  With that, the group hurried over to the west wing of the Pace, where the Prime Minister was getting ready to hold court.