Bira sobbed even louder. The atmosphere in the hall was even more gloomy. The remaining maids were relieved, the traitor had been found, their necks would be spared.
The doors of the hall caved in. Roland, marched in like a knight that had co to conquer the territory of another rule. His movents were quick, portraying the urgency that he was feeling.
He pulled Sigrid out of the chair and embraced her tightly. "What happened? I heard that you were poisoned."
News traveled very fast in the castle. Knights posted outside of the door to the ballroom had been whispering about the matters inside when another red knight overheard them.
He shared the news with a maid, that shared it with another. Eventually, after passing through many channels, the news reached Roland’s ears. He was in the middle of a eting with his advisors and he abandoned it imdiately. His wife was the most important thing.
Sigrid patted his back. "I am fine. I detected the poison before it could harm and one suspect has been narrowed down. If you could let go now, I can find her accomplice."
Roland let go of her and his fierce eyes fell on Bira who was being held down by two knights. He drew his sword and placed the blade at her neck. "You dared to poison my empress! Who gave you the guts?"
Bira’s eyes widened and a scream poured out of her mouth. "I didn’t want to---I didn’t know--he just said it would make her a little sick--I didn’t know it was poison."
Roland raised the sword and Sigrid stopped his arm, holding it back. "My love, I still don’t have my answers. A little patience please."
Roland drew his hand back. Jesting gestured at a footman to place a chair next to the one Sigrid had been sitting down.
The Emperor and Empress sat down and the questioning was resud. With Roland’s presence, the knights were even more anxious, sweating through their armor. Given the fiery temper of the Emperor, he could take their heads if they stamred under Sigrid’s questioning.
A red knight nad Jubal got on one knee. "Empress, I think I know who the traitor is."
Empress raised her eyebrows. "Go on."
Sir Jubal pointed at another red knight that was trying to hide behind the back of another. He was the one that had looked back at the exit the most. "It was him, Sir Gerrin. It has to be him. I saw him sneaking out of the kitchen last night. He had brewed himself a cup of tea that slled like chocolate and nuts. That kind of tea is very expensive and rare, used only for you, the Emperor or the ladies-in-waiting and Mrs. Elsworth. I only caught a whiff of the scent so I wasn’t sure if I was slling the right thing."
Brolin pulled Sir Gerrin out of the crowd of remaining ten knights.
"Co forward." Roland barked.
Brolin brought him close but Sigrid shook her head. "You first, Sir Jubal. I must determine if there is truth to your words."
Sir Jubal ca forward confidently and got one one knee. Sigrid made him repeat his words and found them true. She sent him away and then Brolin forced Sir Gerrin on his knees.
"When did you last visit the kitchen?" Sigrid asked him, placing her hand on his cheek and looking into his eyes.
Sir Gerrin refused to answer, expressing defiance.
"It is him." Cosmos confird.
Sigrid smiled. "You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. There are ways of prying your mouth open with magic. One spell will have you revealing to all your dark secrets."
"I did nothing." Sir Gerrin said, voice gruff.
Sigrid pointed to his pants. "The chocolate nut stain on your trouser begs to differ. I don’t even need magic to make you spill the truth. You opened the cabinet and you poisoned the tea leaves. You must have been in a celebratory mood so you decided to help yourself to so of my good chocolate powder. How does it feel to know that you betrayed your Emperor and Empress? That you failed in your duty?"
Sir Gerrin shoved Brolin back at once and lunged. Maids scread, knights drew weapons. But Sigrid had already drawn her fan.
The sharp curve sliced off Sir Gerrin’s hand that held a dagger. Roland’s sword stabbed into his belly, coming out through his back. As he drew it back, Sir Gerrin collapsed, gurgling, eyes wide in shock.
Bira sobbed, afraid that she was going to et the sa fate.
"Mauve don’t let him die." Sigrid said.
Mauve approached the knight to perform healing magic.
"Why save his life?" Roland asked her.
Sigrid laughed. "Who says that I am saving his life? There are worse ways to die. I think he should get a taste of the fate he wanted to give . He will drink what I was supposed to drink and the cream will be applied on his entire face."
She looked at Bira.
Bira got onto her knees. "Please, I did not know." She sobbed. "It was the Horse keepers, they did a favor once and I could not pay. When you cannot pay, they demand for a personal secret as the price. I had no choice and I had no idea that they would poison you." She pointed at Sir Gerrin. "Him, he must be one of them. He must have known about the plot in its entirety. He gave the powder that I poured into the cream. I did not see his face but I rember his voice."
Sigrid moved from the chair and knelt beside Bira, gripping her jaw. "You knew it would make sick and still added it to my cream. Even if you did not know that it was poison, you are just as guilty. Now, you will taste the illness I was ant to suffer."
She held out her hand and Christie placed the cup of tea in her hands. Lanai pulled Bira’s head back and a mouthful of the tea was forced into her mouth.
Lama applied the cream to Bira’s face. At the side, Sir Gerrin received the sa treatnt.
"Take them to the dungeons, after they rot, they will be executed." Roland ordered.
The traitors were carried away.
Roland looked at the rest of the knights and maids. "You all failed in your duties. You will still be punished for your shortcomings. This month, your earnings will be withheld. Those who wish to get their earnings should go and find Sir Samuel and get a whipping. Thirty whips ought to do it and wake you up from your slumber."
He took Sigrid’s hand and led her out of the ballroom. This incident had scared him and he wanted her by his side for the rest of the day.
They both knew however, it was not yet over. The Horse keepers needed to be eradicated.
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