June rushed over to her side, taken aback.
"What happened?" June asked.
Alice halted in front of her, tears dripping down her chin. She sobbed even harder, hesitating to speak because of Allison's presence.
"Go ahead," Emilia ordered.
"I was on my way back from the mansion when I ran into Missy", Alice began, and Emilia narrowed, turning aside to June.
"Isn't she supposed to be at the hunting grounds with Eleanor?"
"I have no idea why she was there, but she started to question me and when I refused to disclose anything to her, she suddenly started to shout and lie to others that I had taken things belonging to consort Eleanor…"
Alice choked on her words, her cheek still stinging from the slaps, and she placed a hand over it.
"The three of them ganged up on me and also stole the letter from the young master," she finished.
Emilia rose to her feet instantly, her expression darkened at her words and she exhaled in anger.
Alice fell on her knees quickly and June also followed suit to appeal to her.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stop her," Alice apologized.
Emilia closed her eyes briefly, troubled by the letter getting into Eleanor's hands and probably her father.
Even though there is nothing worth mentioning in it, they might try to use the letter against her and do something dreadful again.
"Go in and change your dresses into new ones," Emilia instructed, trying to stay composed, although her eyes were icy.
Emilia sat down, massaged her forehead, worried and hoping the letter hadn't been read yet. She thought Eleanor would lie low for a while and not cause her any trouble, but she was delusional.
"Your Majesty, why don't I bring some guards along and drag Missy here?" Allison suggested, ready to make a move, but Emilia shook her head.
If she moved rashly and brought Missy here, Eleanor might make a scene out of it and then the news of the letter would be known by everyone in the palace.
"I have another way to get the letter back and put her in her place," Emilia said, standing up to head back inside, but one of the servants rushed in, panting for breath and dropped to her knees in front of her.
Emilia rolled her eyes, wondering what the issue.
"Your Majesty, we just received the report that the King was injured in the hunting ground and had to be rushed back to the palace," the servant explained.
Emilia went still on her feet, a chill wrapped around her spine.
"What?" she whispered, her fingers slowly curled around her robe.
"How could something like that happen?"
"How about the others?" she threw a series of questions at her.
"I don't know, consort Eleanor also returned together with him and is with him in his chambers," the servant answered.
"What about the doctor?"
"Has he been summoned?" Emilia asked, but the servant shook her head.
Addison chipped in as well.
"The King hasn't allowed any doctor to treat his body since he became the King," she explained, and Emilia furrowed in disbelief.
With the amount of blood he lost about three weeks ago, there is no way he would survive without a doctor attending to him.
Her eyes closed involuntarily for a second, and she wondered if she should be happy he was dying yet again or not.
Despite her rash behavior that night, she still needed him alive to prove her father's innocence and restore her name.
"Your Majesty, you should go over to the King's chambers." Allison gently reminded her and Emilia jolted out of her thoughts.
Of course, it will be weird if she doesn't hurry over when she is the Queen.
"We should." Emilia murmured and made her way to Lucas's chambers with Allison and a few servants.
Emilia arrived in a few minutes, and saw Eleanor and Catherine with Rhoda and also Anastasia standing by the door being stopped by the guards from going in.
They all stood anxiously with worries etched on their faces and Emilia's eyes caught the blood stains in Eleanor's hands.
She halted a few steps away from them, and couldn't shake off the feeling of worry as well.
A knot forms in her stomach. She pivoted and began to turn back but was met with Madam Allison's disapproving nod.
"Even the concubines are here."
"It wouldn't speak well of you if you just left," she reminded her quietly.
Emilia sighed heavily, attracting the attention of others, and they turned towards her, falling to their knees with a bow.
"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison.
Robert, who was blocking the door with others, approached her.
"Are you here to see the King?"
"I'm afraid he doesn't wish to see anyone," he informed her.
"What happened to him?" Emilia asked curiously.
"He's stable now."
"Nothing life-threatening," Robert replied, not giving her a direct answer.
His response brought relief to Eleanor and the others as well. They have been trying to find out the situation but no one has given them an answer.
Emilia nodded slowly, not sure how to feel yet, but simply nodded with a smile.
"I will leave and visit tomorrow then," she said, turning to leave, but the doors creaked open.
Thomas stepped out of the door and all of them backed away from it.
"The King wishes to see you," he said, his eyes fixed on Emilia.
"What about me?"
Eleanor surged forward, her eyes pleading.
"I want to make sure the King is okay"
But Thomas didn't even glance at her. Although resentful about what Emilia did, he hated Eleanor even more and hardly acknowledged her.
"Come with me," he said again, gesturing only to Emilia and the guards let her pass through while blocking Eleanor again.
"Wait here," Emilia instructed Allison, afraid something might happen when she was alone with Lucas, then watched the door close behind her.
Eleanor stomped her feet furiously, shaking with anger. After Lucas defended Emilia in front of the officials days ago, she was afraid he would care for her and asked to go with him for this year's hunt so she could be closer to him and gain his attention, but didn't expect that she would lose her way and Lucas would get hurt trying to save her.
Biting her lips in anger, Eleanor stormed away with the rest turning away as well except Allison.