The door to the great dining hall opened, and Ragaleon stepped in. The air around the room tensed up as the royal family seated at the table languidly rose to their feet, the chairs pushing backward like a rehearsed rhythm.
Ragaleon's nonchalant and cold face came into view as the black cape draped behind him, moving with precise caution as he walked.
He took his seat at the head chair at the table, and the rest of the family followed suit. Everyone was at the table except for Tamina, who chose to stay within the walls of her chamber.
Everywhere remained silent as the sound of cutlery perching on food filled the air.
Ragaleon took hold of a goblet of wine and slowly brought it to his lips when a hand caught it, and the liquid shook violently, spilling on Ragaleon's silky royal outfit.
The countenance of his face went blank, and as he raised his gaze to glare upon who had dared to do such a despicable thing, his eyes fell on Jazell.
At the moment everyone had stopped eating; their attention was magnetized to the scene in front of them.
"Do not drink this wine. My Lord, it is poisoned." She said, slowly taking the goblet of wine from his grip. The servants going about their business in the dining hall stiffened at her words.
Micah was simply baffled as she gazed down at her half-eaten food; she froze for a fleeting second, blinking her lashes rapidly.
*"What is the nonsense you sprout out of your lips, Jazell?" Ragaleon was not the type to take things lightly; he found her words rather appalling.
"I speak only the truth, Your Majesty, and I sought to save you from the painful hands of death." She said, placing the goblet of wine in her hand on the table.
"How can your words be validated? Who would want to end my life?" Ragaleon questioned rather mockingly, but Jazell was adamant.
"I cannot say for sure who wants you dead, but I am certain the wine is poisoned." Jazell said, then slowly traced her gaze to where Vashi was seated.
Vashi's face was ice cold, the dark eyeliners outlining her beautiful face. Her red lips pressed against each other, but not obviously. Her straight hair cascaded on her neck, and her V-neck black dress left her cleavage bare.
Jazell could already know what Ragaleon was thinking. He traced her gaze to Vashi but retracted it.
This is a serious allegation you have made, Jazell, which, if weighed accordingly, can lead to death." He cautioned.
Jazell's blue eyes remained unfazed.
"I would rather die than watch the King of Decreash be put to eternal slumber by a poisoned wine; what a shame it would be." Jazell retorted.
"Then prove yourself, Jazell…" Vashi said, rising slowly to her feet, her siren green eyes peering at Jazell.
"Drink the wine."
Jazell turned to glare at Vashi, then scoffed.
"I just told you the wine is poisoned, and you will have me drink it? A food tester will do the honors." Jazell fired back, a satisfying smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"How do we know you haven't bribed the food tester, Jazell? All in the means to gain favor." Vashi added, pushing back the chair she was seated on. She rose to her feet and made her way to where Jazell stood.
Jazell monitored Vashi with her eyes until she took a stand before her.
"The wine isn't poisoned, Jazell; you are sprouting lies." Vashi said, snatching the goblet from the table she made to trash it on the floor to end this, but Jazell gripped her wrist.
She took the goblet of wine from Vashi and then held it firmly in her hand.
Jazell turned to gaze at Ragaleon, whose face was void of emotions.
The glint of mockery in his eyes… she lowered her gaze.
She brought the goblet to her rosy lips; she didn't just drink from the wine, she emptied the whole content and allowed the goblet to falter from her hand, making an eerie noise as it descended on the floor.
Hearts began to thump as the hall remained silent, seconds passing by, eyes etched on Jazell. The whole place was silent for a fleeting second.
"Pathetic!
Vashi's lips curve into a smile. Jazell looked stunned.
Ragaleon sighed; the appetite he had for his meal was thrown out of the window. He silently contained the rage bubbling inside him as he reached out for a napkin and wiped his lips.
Jazell could only stand there looking like a fool who had been played; for some reason her voice failed her.
However, the rest of the queens at the table didn't see this as a joke. It was quite absurd for the queen of tactics to make false claims; more than anything, Jazell valued her pride.
The air was awkwardly tense as everyone resumed their meals; Ragaleon, however, had lost his appetite. He stood up, the chair pushing backwards behind him. He glared at Jazell, who was rooted to the spot she had been standing.
He was disgusted by her actions but didn't voice it out. He knew better than to condemn a queen in front of her mates, so he simply started walking away, his hands crossed behind his back, his dark shoulder hair swaying, his golden brown eyes fixed ahead of him.
"Long Live the King!
Jazell said before collapsing on the floor, foam emitting from between her lips.
Micah's eyes shone in shock as she swiftly rose to her feet, the chair she was sitting on pushing backwards. The spoon Racheal was using to eat faltered in the bowl of soup in front of her.
Ragaleon was just about to exit the door, but when he heard Jazell's words, he paused and turned, just in time to see her body hitting the floor.
"She's dying! Micah said, making her way to where Jazell was.
Ragaleon's face paled; she was telling the truth.
Some guards rushed in and picked Jazell up; her hand lifelessly swung across their shoulders as she was rushed out of the dining hall. Vashi wasn't stunned; she was rather displeased.
The dining halls had two doors; the exit door was what the guards took when leaving the hall with Jazell in their hands. Ragaleon still stood rooted to the doorstep of the other door.
He got a grip of himself, and without a word, turned around and walked towards the door the guards just took.
When the news got to Tamina in her chamber, she wanted to have a heart attack as she glanced at all the half-eaten food in front of her.
"Poisoned?" Tamina's heart raced.
"There is nothing to worry about, my lady; I had all your food tested before bringing it to you." Her personal handmaid, Celin, reassured her dutifully.
Tamina wasn't satisfied…
"It could…it could have been me. If someone is after the king's life, then none of us is safe."
Jazell was taken to her chamber, she was laid on her bed, and the grandmaster was beside her with urgency.
She kept throwing up her guts, blood trickling from her nose, and her skin paled.
Ragaleon now stood at the entrance of the chamber watching his second wife battle for her life. She had told him it was poisoned; that was enough to believe her… right?
But he didn't. And now another queen was about to lose her life.
He didn't feel anything but a sense of loss; he had failed in his responsibility… terribly.
Jazell's half-shut eyes darted to where Ragaleon stood; she locked gaze with him, her eyes weak.
"If I die…avenge me." She whispered before retracting her gaze.
Ragaleon felt cold, her words straining the remaining life in his eyes. He soon turned around and walked away.
Vashi was now seen perched at the doorway, siren-green eyes glistening with hidden motives. She watched as Jazell battled with her life and sighed with satisfaction.
"Will she survive it?" She asked almost in a whisper, as if afraid that anyone would hear her ask the question.
At first the grandmaster didn't answer her question. He was moving with swiftness, dipping his hands into concoctions of different colors. Some are green and slimy; others are scented like spices.
"By the look of things I cannot say for sure; her skin is paling by the seconds, a fever burning on her chest. If the day breaks and there is no sign of change, she is likely…to die." Even the words felt too heavy for the grand maester to say.
Vashi, however, softened her gaze…
"Oh, you hands of death." She mourned turning around to leave, but when her face turned away, her eyes darkened.
Jazell was trying to mutter words; between her gasping, her lips trembled.
"Send…send me Queen Micah." Her voice was still firm, her sovereignty still within her grip.
The grandmaster was, however, bothered by her request.
"You do not need disturbance…
"Send her in…now! Jazell's voice was failing her. Linn, her personal maid, was weeping at a corner in the chamber, eyes red, refusing to be consoled.
Linn took the initiative to fulfill Jazell's request; she scurried out and soon returned with Micah by her side. Micah gazed upon the same person she had spoken with a few days ago; she was becoming a shadow of herself.
When Jazell's eyes caught Micah, she tried to stabilize her breathing but failed terribly; her face was as red as a tomato, but her body had shades of blue. The poison was slowly spreading, invading her system.
Micah tried to hold back the tears in her eyes; she too was almost poisoned but was fortunate to survive, and Jazell had promised to help her find out who it was; she gave her word.
"I do not wish to see you drift to the afterlife. Why have you sent for me, Jazell?" Micah' voice was hoarse; she felt pained.
"Afterlife?" Jazell's throat was dry.
"Someone who is dead can't die again, Micah." Jazell added and then ran her tongue through her chapped lips; they burned.
"You speak to me in riddles." Micah inched closer.
"How plain must…I be for you to see through the physical realms, Micah? I called you here to tell you the hour of reckoning is close." Jazell said her eyes became heavy.
"All hope seems to be lost." Micah's voice was in a whisper; the words slipped out of her tongue with a weight too heavy to be a burden.
Jazell slowly shuts her eyes…
"No hope is lost yet…until I say so."