Chapter 109: Unexpected turn
The atmosphere seemed to have frozen at Abrielle’s allegations. Why would a maid want to poison the queen? The answer was simple, Eleanore apparently was not the most like character in the harem. Someone here paid her to, and in the original novel, it was none other than Lady Karissa who knew that if Eleanor was gone, she would likely be the queen and Lucian’s right to the throne would be challenged.
Abrielle, despite knowing this, didn’t jump to conclusions, remembering the winter hunt incident. Things might not be exactly as how they happened in the original plot.
"That’s absurd the tea isn’t poisonous. She has been serving the queen for years and there has never been a poisoning incident." Karissa conveniently was the first person to oppose the idea, making Abrielle wonder if she was truly the one behind it. Rumours started to fly, discrediting Abrielle, saying what they were to expect from a spoilt, talentless daughter with no magic affinity despite coming from the family with the strongest magic in the kingdom.
Cedric was suffering for having such a dumb and talentless wife who had no idea how things went. The only one who didn’t speak was Callista. In the original plot, the queen had taken the tea poured by Abrielle and was poisoned.
Abrielle was the one who took the fall when the symptoms struck, and to save himself the embarrassment, Cedric sought out Callista, who saved the queen, increasing his gratitude towards Callista as well as his admiration for her.
Abrielle was innocent, but everyone thought otherwise until later in the plot, when it was revealed the poisoning was done by Karissa after Cedric investigated further. The only reason he didn’t believe his wife did it then was because she was too dumb to plot against the queen.
Abrielle wasn’t dumb but acted fragile to win her husband making it difficult for most of her schemes to get rid of Callista to be traced back to her. Eleanor’s eyes darted around the ladies to Abrielle, who was still confidently standing.
"Fine, there is no need to worry. She can have the tea but in a different cup. I can’t share a cup with a maid." The queen reluctantly agreed, and without wasting a second more, the maid picked up another teacup, which maid Abrielle pulled her brows together. This was a bad sign
"Your majesty, if you can pardon me. I oblige she drinks from the same cup since Your Majesty wouldn’t be able to use this cup later. I will gladly buy it with my dowry." Abrielle insisted, and then again, she spotted the strange behaviour of a particular lady. She was right on the spot.
The plot diverted a bit; the tea was not poisoned, but the cup. That way, if others had taken the same tea, it would have been suspicious-free, making it seem Abrielle poisoned the one she poured for the queen individually.
The maid immediately went on her knees, "I can’t bring myself to drink from the same cup as her grace. It will be blasphemous." She insisted which was reasonable.