Empress | The Remarried Empress

[20] Fatigue

"I have made it to Phebes. By the time you get this note, we should be in the capital and well rested. Please tell Heinrey that he is welcome in my Kingdom at any time, but to please send a letter in advance to announce his arrival. Very soon, I will be able to free you from your current situation, my love." she smiled at that last part, and tied a note that she had prepared in advance to Eva's foot.

The bird looked to me as if asking if I had something to deliver, and I offered a small birdcage over. She grasped the ring handle with both talons and flapped her wings a bit, testing the weight. It seemed she'd be fine carrying it, so I tied a letter of my own to the bird's foot.

Mckenna chirped from within the cage, annoyed at his predicament, and Eva hooted in response before leaving the way she came.

I bid the birds farewell and Navier laughed at the sour pouting of the blue bird.

Sorry, Mckenna, but I need you to do this for me. I smiled, amused, before returning inside the palace with Navier at my side.

—--------------------

The next day...

Navier's POV

"Lady Artina, there is something I want you to discreetly find out for me." I spoke calmly, to not let my concern show.

"What is it, your majesty?" She replied, a bit uncertain.

I took a breath before continuing. "I need to know what Prince Heinrey and Duke Ergi have been up to."

—---------------------

Meanwhile..

Rashta's POV

Viscount Lotteshu entered with a smug look on his face. Annoyed, I spoke.

"You're back sooner than I thought. Did you find out anything useful?"

"Yes," he began, "I've found out something that is sure to be of interest. It wasn't difficult to find." He began rummaging through his coat, and pulled out a newspaper. "Read this," he said.

I took the paper, and flipped through the pages. It didn't make any sense to me.. Just a bunch of scribbles. I eyed him, annoyed again.

"Oh, I.. I thought the Emperor taught you how to read... here. The beautiful Lady Nian, the youngest Marquess Tuania who entered a temple... and Lady Nian's fiancée, Lorde Rene. It's a scandal that's featured heavily in this pamphlet." He gestured towards it.

"But I asked you for dirt on the Duchess." I commented.

"The Lady Nian that they're talking about here is now known as Duchess Tuania. She wasn't born a Duchess."

Oh.

I feel stupid now.. "So does that mean the Marquess Tuania they're talking about is now Duke Tuania?" I asked, trying to hide my embarrassment.

"The Marquess that they're talking about here was the eldest son of the late Duke Tuania. But now he is known as Lord Marius." he responded.

"I don't get it," I started, frustrated. "What does this all mean?"

"I'll explain this to you using the titles that they are known by today." he grinned, waving his hand. "Duke Tuania's older brother, Lord Marius, fell in love with his brother's fiancée, Duchess Tuania."

"Really?" I gasped.

"Yes. Lord Marius wasn't even subtle about it. It turned out that he and the Duchess were actually quite close. But when the Duchess ultimately chose to marry his brother, Lord Marius was so shocked that he gave up his claim to the Duchy as well as his right to the inheritance, and then he went to live in a temple."