Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 56

The plot thickens
Ulrich blinked at the king in confusion, “May I ask why you want the hair-changer and her records, Your Majesty?”

He seemed genuinely baffled as to how an inquiry about a stray servant in the palace turned into such an investigation.

“You may not.” The king frowned, pointing to the letter once again. “You asked what this was, where it came from. The answer, according to this servant you accuse of being out of bed improperly, is that you either dropped it yourself or didn’t see it because you failed to adequately patrol your area.”

“He dared accuse me—” Ulrich sputtered.

“He dared not do anything except inform me of what he found, but if he speaks the truth, then that is the only conclusion,” The King’s eyes narrowed, and Trace wanted to shrink backward.

He didn’t want to get anyone innocent in trouble. Was his lie going to get Ulrich fired, or worse, wrongfully executed?

Trace swallowed, but the room was silent. It felt wrong to break the quiet until he was invited to speak again. His mind raced for some way to undo the damage he had inflicted on Ulrich.

Should he admit to lying? Stay silent and hope that the king only thought Ulrich had failed to adequately supervise the patrol of his area?

That part, Trace comforted himself, was entirely true. Not only had he gotten into the castle unnoticed, but Anaisa had also been wandering around without being stopped by anyone.

A bit of discipline and retraining might do the entire palace some good, and keep out more plots. Perhaps Trace was doing a good deed!

He couldn’t quite convince himself that the lie was justified, and he waited nervously.

A long few minutes passed before a woman Trace only recognized from seeing her dreams stepped into the room. She seemed hesitant and wary, but stepped forward to stand between Ulrich and Trace, dipping a curtsy.

“Your Majesty,” She greeted humbly.

“You keep a record of everything you do for my daughter, do you not?” King Harold narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, my expenses and actions are all accounted for in the book,” She gestured towards a ledger the guard who escorted her held. “Am I being accused of embezzling? I would not dare!”

“Bring me the ledger,” King Harold gestured, and the book was held open. The king frowned, and waved his hand dismissively toward the lords at the side of the room.

Both the letter and the ledger were taken over to the nobles, who murmured amongst themselves to the soft sounds of paper being handled as the king’s questioning continued.

Comparing the handwriting, Trace belatedly realized. The ledger was written in Yemi’s own hand, and the lords were to advise the king about whether she was, indeed, the writer of the traitorous missive.

“Does my daughter have a double?” The king leaned forward, and the hairdresser blanched.

“Sire?”

“Answer me.” He pounded his fist on the armrest of the throne, causing everyone in the room to jump.

Yemi flinched and cowered as the king scowled at her. She did not answer.

“Bring me the princess!” He demanded of the guards, who scurried off to do his bidding.

“You intended to kidnap her. Who is your accomplice?” King Harold turned back to Yemi.

“I would never,” She whimpered. “I am loyal, Sire! I serve Her Highness happily!”

There was more activity behind the screen, and a servant scurred out the back of the room only to reenter moments later carrying a large volume of some kind. There was the sound of pages flipping, causing the room to fall quiet and look curiously over.

The king glanced towards the sounds as well.

“Lord Maj?” He asked impatiently.

“I am looking at the genealogies that are kept of magic users. It seems her mother… was from Foundrel.” Maj responded.

A rush of whispers abounded from the seated lords as everyone in the room looked at Yemi with new eyes. A daughter of the kingdom they had just ended war with was not to be taken lightly. Trace was preoccupied by the fact that apparently, genealogies were kept of people who could use magic!

“How was this allowed?” The king demanded. “How was this woman brought on to serve in the palace??”

“My mother was an orphan taken in and raised here,” Yemi’s voice was small. “I have no loyalties to that nation, only to you, Your Majesty! I’ve only ever been to Foundrel once or twice for a holiday in my life!”

“Then what is this letter? Who aided you? Did Foundrel surrender in war only to try and subdue us by other means??” King Harold stood from his throne as his voice grew louder, and the woman shrank under his gaze.

Trace wanted to take a step away from the woman. The king’s fury was palpable, and he didn’t want to be anywhere near the focus of it.

There was a moment of tense silence before a voice at the back of the room drew his attention.

“What do you want, Father?” A spoiled redhead who looked remarkably like Trace’s wife stormed into the room. Anaisa walked meekly behind her, eyes down, and hair covered.

Murmurs from behind the screen arose again as a servant checked it and adjusted its placement slightly. Trace wondered briefly if the barrier was there to hide the lords from the princess.

…Or to hide her from them.

Trace recalled Anaisa’s words about none of the royals being allowed to see the king’s daughter. According to the other servants, even images or drawings of her were forbidden, and trying to draw her was punishable by imprisonment.

Suddenly the screen made far more sense than it had before. Since Trace had said the plot concerned the princess’s safety, the king must have anticipated the possibility of her being summoned, and intended to keep her from being seen by anyone that shouldn’t.

The foresight involved in the king’s every move was beyond what Trace could have thought out.

“You will address me respectfully.” The King’s eyes narrowed at the princess. “There has been a plot to kidnap you, Daughter, using a double. Is that maid behind you the one?”