A meeting hall in Avalo Royal palace
When the door was forced opened prince Craig was slightly relieved. He knew that he could not do anything to hurt the lord that challenged him yet.
If he did, he might get the sneer of the other lord and he would be pushed aside. After all the crown prince and his third brother prince, Elliott was still alive and can seat on the throne. But if he lets the matter go, he would lose face, and many of the lords who already doubt him will have more reasons to look down on him.
So he was saved by the door. His attention turns to the door. There he saw two guards standing. "what is the matter?" he asked.
The two guards exchanged a look. It was like bother of them were willing to say what they have come for, but since the room was filled with people that matter in the kingdom they did not dare to keep the wait.
"in a few hours Avalo Royal city may be under an attack," one of the guards spoke.
When the men seated at the table heard this they all frown. How could they be finding out about such a thing now?
"What do you mean in a few hours. What were the guards on the watchtower doing that the only noticed now?" a general asked. It could be seen that he was angry.
"it not our fault, they have come through the forest. The trees are very high and it was impossible for us to notice," the second guard said.
When the people at the table heard this explanation they understood what had happened but then it was time to prepare for war, all the generals stood up to leave but one of them notice the face of the guards. They seem to have more to say.
"Speak" he commanded.
"The Palace is surrounded by the people, a good number of soldiers is among them and they are calling for his highness to beheaded," the voice of the guard who spoke was a bit low.
Bringing this message to this meeting was not something easy they could have come to report the issue very easily but none of the guards were willing to report such news. In the end, they had to cast lots about the situation.
The hall finally quiet down, this was not the first time the people will act like this but it was the first time they were calling for the death of someone.
No, it was the first time they had the heart to break into the Palace in such a manner. Wait how did they manage to break in? '' when this question crossed the lord''s mind they look at the guards.
"How is was it possible that they managed to get into the Palace? Someone asked.
The two guards looked at each other. " we are not sure, it looked like someone opened the gate for them," one of the guards answered.
The lords still looked confused. " I heard a rumor two nights ago. A lot of people have been talking about it. It was said that the Armor bearer of the late king had gone to an inn. He was said to have drunk more than he could hold and started saying something," a nobleman said. He was not well known but since he had something to say, everyone turned to listen to him.
"To be honest I was also at the inn at that time so I heard what he said with my ears." after the nobleman said this he suddenly become quiet as if he was afraid of repeating the words of the armor-bearer.
"Tell us what you heard," it was the first time General Mason was speaking that morning. The nobleman looked at General Mason but he did not have the heart to disobey and offend someone like General Mason.
"Forgive me but my mouth can not repeat what my ears heard that night," this time the nobleman had fear in his eyes.
"Speak out, we understand the words do not belong to you," Another General said. They needed to leave the Palace and prepare for the war that is coming. From the description of the guards, they could already tell that the people surrounding the Palace and it will be difficult for them to move the commoner since they are most likely angry. The best way to go around them was to say a few words to kill whatever rumors that were spreading.
None of the lords could guess what the rumor was, it had not even entered into their ears which came as a surprise. The lords did not think something like this will happen.
"He said that the late king was poisoned by his son to take over the throne. He said he had seen the prince add something to the king''s tea. How else will a healthy king suddenly suffer a week heart and dead in just thirty minutes after he drank the tea?" another small lord spoke.
When prince Craig heard this he was shocked but he managed to compose himself and not give anything away. All the lords had a reason to believe in the armor-bearer story. After all, he was drunk. He must have just slipped a tongue. The kind of words that came out of the drank''s mouth was usually the truth.
All eyes turn to give the prince a suspicious look. Prince Craig looked calm but he was feeling nervous on the inside. He did not know that someone has seen him that day. Sure he could have paid a servant to add the substance but the king''s food was well taken care of and most of the people around him were loyal to the throne.
If he had given it to someone loyal to the king, then he would have died before he had the chance to touch his father.
A rare opportunity has come that for him to get close to his father''s tea so he did not dare to make any mistakes. Who knew when next he will be close to his father''s tea and his brother gone.
So when he thought no one was looking he had added the substance.
It turned out that someone has since him but why did this person not stop the king from drinking it?
"Your highness, you will have to go out and swear that your father''s death has nothing to do with you. If you do not I am afraid the whole of Avalo will be lost today," a noble lord said.
He knew that these people will calm down as long as the prince swear. Even if this action was fake the people will believe him and let go.
When General Mason heard what the lord said he frown his brows. This lord was trying to help the prince get away from the messy situation.. Although this is the best and fastest way to calm the people down, it will ruin prince Sébastien''s ''plans.