My stay in the English palace is pretty dull. Aside from lavish morning breakfast to afternoon tea parties and dinner banquet, I never really have had a chance to move around. I cannot even ride Storm to do a simple equestrian routine. I did nothing but to be in bed or watch in the huge windows as the knights are taking their routine, practising for defence.
I sighed deeply. It is already my third day here yet no news has been heard from both the mother and son. The next day after our talk, the Queen, indeed true to her words, released an order to capture the Baroness and his son for they are charged with treason. Their family on the other hand, was put under house arrest as long as Baroness Dankworth and Edward are still on loose.
It's a lazy afternoon and I was about to retreat to the room provided to me when I heard a loud commotion on the grounds. I immediately looked at the window again only to find several guards and knights gathering on one side.
"Lady Victoria," a call pulled me out from the daze of looking outside. I turned around to see the Queen smiling at me. "You might want to come, I have got something to show you." She moved her head sideways indicating for me to come with her. I nodded in response and hurriedly walked towards the direction she took.
We both walked side by side in total silence. We graced the halls until we reached the underground. I did not remember exactly how many stairs we took or how many corners we turned into but all I am certain of is that we are below the ground already. The troches are now much farther away from each other as we passed into something similar to a tunnel. It is dark, yet the torches gave light trying to ease the darkness enveloping the surrounding. I was about to say something to the Queen but then decided against it. It is much better to wait and see. After all, when worst comes to worst, I am also trained in close physical combat aside from swords and knives.
"We are here," the Queen announced. I looked around to see several prison cells illuminated by flickering gas lamps and torches. Quite giving a scary air, if I may say. However, growing up in the comforts of our home, I was often taken to the cells to see people getting punished. For me to learn the right and wrong the hard way, thus seeing something like this is not new to me. Every kingdom has its dungeons, where the evil of all evil, scheming people, and people whose intentions were never really pure is taken away from their family, locked in the dungeon, ensuring to never see the light of the day again.
I looked at the Queen when she stopped in front of me. She lifted her hands gesturing to the right, motioning me to look at it. I did what she was telling me, I managed to take a peak in the small window of the cell and was left dumbfounded by what I had seen. On my right is Baroness Dankworth, locked in the cell, with blazing eyes piercing through me. Deep hatred can be seen in her eyes, making me unable to watch them directly. The gaze is much more intense than how she stared at me at the battle last time.
"Where is Edward?" I asked, looking at the Queen. However, the baroness filled the silent dungeon with her crazy screams. Banging the small window on her cell and trying to fit her arm in between the steel so she could reach me. I moved towards the side as she shouted at me. "Do not ever mention my son's name! It's you! It's because of you that is why we are here!" She shouted at me, full of contempt as she tried to reach me with her arms.
I turned cold at what she said. I can take all the blame in the world but never will I take the blame for being the reason why many of my people lost their lives trying to save our motherland. My gaze hardened as I stared at her cell. Although I am not peeking at the window anymore, the baroness is there standing, slowly retreating her hand but still with her fiery gaze.
I scoffed with sarcasm. "Clearly you have wronged the wrong person, Baroness Dankworth. I did nothing but defend my motherland. I did nothing but tried my best to protect my kingdom, to defend my people, and to preserve our principles and virtues. Yet you have that courage to blame me for every unfortunate event that happened to you. As much as I want to have compassion, you do not deserve an ounce of pity."
I walked slowly towards her cell. "You and your son's greediness brought all of these upon yourself. Your ambitiousness and unrealistic ideals brought you here. Your selfish desire and evil deeds resulted here. And how is that my fault? Clearly you are blinded by your hatred towards me and have decided to point all the blame into me. Unfortunately, you have also betrayed your own kingdom."
Her eyes widened. I continued, "The country that is supposed to be your refuge, the motherland where you grew up, the people who are supposed to embrace you, the kingdom that was supposed to support you. You have turned your back against all of it. You have decided against it. You have decided to break the law, cooperate with other royalty from another kingdom, and commit treason. I do not see any of it to be my fault. It is you who wants to take over and reign my land, I am there to simply defend it from your selfishness."
The baroness cried hysterically. She is going crazy indeed. "Do not mind her, she has lost her mind with the passing of her son and now she also got the news of her family's exile because of what they did." The Queen tapped my arm lightly. I was shocked by such a realisation.
"Passing? Is there something I do not know, your majesty?" I curiously looked at her. "Well, as they were about to be caught, her son, Edward, tried to start a fight with the knights. Unfortunately, he was shot the moment he started to flee. It is very sad indeed, the lineage of their family have served our commonwealth flr years, but I cannot fathom the act of treason."
I nodded. The Queen and I talked on our way back to where I am residing. I would have declined her offer to walk me to my room, but she insisted. We talked about ruling, the proper way to hear our people's pleas, the latest improvements of our kingdom and the likes. With small talks like this, I can guarantee that peace will surely begin.
I heaved a deep breath after I was inside my room in their palace. Who knew this would happen. My intent here is to slam to their faces the betrayal that one of their royals committed, yet I found a truce. I found peace after generations of feud. At least, my people can now be assured that this will be the start of ease for us. To finally be able to live in harmony without the fear of bloodshed or invasions. Most importantly, the person behind our latest and biggest problem is now captured. We can now fully be at ease, going back home with our families.