Chapter 4: The Grandmother's Bargain
Margaret stood in the underground chamber as though she had never left the palace.
Her black velvet gown was immaculate. Her pearl necklace rested perfectly against her throat. Even the ivory walking stick in her hand looked more like an accessory than something supporting an elderly woman.
Queen Eleanor couldn't take her eyes off her.
"You're supposed to be dead," Eleanor whispered.
Margaret smiled faintly.
"That was the idea.""
Prince Adrian stepped in front of Elia.
"Explain yourself.""
"Still giving orders before understanding the situation, Adrian. Your father would have been disappointed.""
"Don't speak about my father.""
"Why? Because you believe he was murdered?""
Adrian tightened his grip on his sword.
"Was he?""
Margaret glanced toward the photograph on the table.
"Your father was a weak man when it came to matters of the heart. He believed that love could protect a kingdom. It nearly destroyed ours.""
Queen Eleanor moved closer.
"You told me my daughter died.""
"She did.""
"Then why did you make me believe someone had taken her?""
Margaret looked at her coldly.
"Because the truth would have been worse.""
Eleanor's eyes filled.
"What truth?""
Margaret turned toward Elia.
"Tell me, child. Has Ruth Brooks ever shown you a birth certificate?""
Elia shook her head.
"Has she told you who your biological parents were?""
"No.""
"Has she ever explained why you were found with a royal pendant?""
"She said someone left me in her care.""
"Someone?""
"A woman named Marian.""
Margaret nodded.
"Marian Vale.""
Elia stepped forward.
"You know her?""
"I know more about Marian than anyone in this palace.""
"Where is she?""
Margaret's expression hardened.
"Dead.""
The word struck Elia like a slap.
"No.""
"She died shortly after delivering you into Ruth Brooks's care.""
Elia shook her head.
"You're lying.""
"I have no reason to lie to a servant.""
Adrian moved closer.
"She's not a servant. Not anymore.""
Margaret gave him a dismissive look.
"That remains to be decided.""
Elia looked at the queen.
"Your Majesty, please. Ask her what she means.""
Eleanor's face was pale.
"Margaret, tell me the truth. Was Elia my daughter?""
Margaret remained silent.
Then she walked toward the stone table and picked up the photograph of Evelyn.
"Look at this woman carefully.""
Eleanor stared at the image.
"Her name was Evelyn Brooks. She was an American nurse who worked in the palace medical wing.""
Elia's breath caught.
"Brooks?""
"Yes. She was Ruth's younger sister.""
Elia gripped the edge of the table.
"Mrs. Brooks never told me she had a sister.""
"She was instructed not to.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"By whom?""
"By me.""
The prince took one step toward her.
"You paid Ruth Brooks to conceal Elia?""
Margaret nodded.
"Twenty-two years ago, the late king had a relationship with Evelyn. It was not a passing affair. He loved her.""
The chamber became completely silent.
Queen Eleanor stared at her.
"No.""
Margaret continued.
"She gave birth to a little girl shortly before your own delivery. A beautiful child with the king's blue eyes and a small crescent-shaped mark on her right palm.""
Elia looked down at her hand.
Adrian's expression changed.
"You're saying—"
"Elia is your father's daughter.""
The words seemed to drain every sound from the chamber.
Queen Eleanor took a step backward.
"You're telling me she is my husband's illegitimate child?""
"Yes.""
Elia's eyes filled with tears.
"Then why did everyone believe I was the missing princess?""
Margaret placed the photograph down.
"Because the king's legitimate daughter was stillborn.""
Eleanor covered her mouth.
"No...""
"I was there," Margaret said.
"I saw the child. The physician confirmed it. You were unconscious after the delivery. Your husband begged me not to tell you until you recovered.""
The queen shook her head violently.
"No. I held her.""
"You held a baby wrapped in a blanket. You never saw her face clearly.""
"Stop!""
Margaret's voice remained calm.
"Your husband believed that if you knew the truth, grief would destroy you. So he made a decision. He placed Evelyn's child temporarily in the nursery and claimed that she was yours.""
Adrian looked horrified.
"He deceived my mother?""
"He wanted to protect her.""
"He lied to her for twenty-two years!""
"And you have inherited his talent for self-righteousness.""
Adrian took another step.
"Why did you remove Elia from the palace?""
Margaret's expression changed.
"Because the king was dying.""
She looked toward Eleanor.
"When he discovered that his mother had arranged for the child to be hidden, he threatened to expose everything. He intended to bring Evelyn and Elia into the royal family publicly.""
"And you refused," Eleanor whispered.
"I refused to allow the monarchy to become a scandal.""
"You let me mourn a child who wasn't even mine.""
"I gave you a daughter to love.""
"You gave me a lie!""
Eleanor's voice broke.
For the first time, Margaret's composure faltered.
Then she turned to Elia.
"The king left instructions. You were to be returned when you turned twenty-two, provided the crystal recognized you.""
Elia stared.
"Returned?""
"The royal hand was calibrated to recognize the king's direct descendants. It was built after he discovered that someone might someday challenge your claim to the throne.""
Adrian looked toward the hidden passage.
"So this was planned.""
"Every detail.""
"By whom?""
"Your father.""
Elia stepped back.
"I don't want a throne.""
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
"That is because you don't understand what you possess.""
"I possess nothing.""
"You possess his blood. His name. His claim.""
"I have a job, a rented room, and a foster mother who is the only person I've ever called family.""
Margaret studied her.
Then she gave a cold smile.
"That can be changed.""
Victoria suddenly stepped forward.
"Grandmother, you promised the succession would remain with Adrian.""
Margaret turned sharply.
"Be silent, Victoria.""
Victoria's face flushed.
"You told me I would marry the prince. You said this entire arrangement would be resolved before the winter ceremony.""
Adrian looked at her.
"Is that why you've been helping her?""
Victoria looked away.
"Adrian, I can explain.""
"Don't bother.""
Lady Serena folded her arms.
"Your Highness, you should be grateful. Without us, the palace would have collapsed into chaos.""
Adrian pointed his sword toward her.
"You've been conspiring against the crown.""
Serena laughed.
"The crown? Don't be absurd. We've been protecting it from a girl who doesn't even know how to behave at a royal dinner.""
Elia's face burned, but she held Serena's gaze.
"Then why are you afraid of me?""
Serena's smile disappeared.
Margaret tapped her walking stick against the floor.
"Enough. The girl will be presented to the royal council tomorrow.""
Eleanor immediately stepped forward.
"No.""
Margaret looked at her.
"You have no authority to stop this.""
"I am still queen.""
"Not for much longer.""
Adrian moved between them.
"Nobody is presenting anyone anywhere until I know the full truth.""
Margaret gave a small laugh.
"Then you should examine your father's last confession.""
She reached into her gown and produced a small envelope.
The seal was broken.
She handed it to Adrian.
He unfolded the letter.
The handwriting was unmistakably his father's.
My son, if you ever discover the truth about the girl named Elia, do not trust the woman who brings her back to you.
Adrian frowned.
He continued reading.
The person responsible for hiding her is not the person responsible for saving her. Your grandmother may have taken the child from the palace, but the danger was already inside our family.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
At the bottom was one final sentence.
And the person who ordered my death was someone I trusted with my own blood.
Adrian slowly raised his eyes.
Margaret stood perfectly still.
But behind her, Lady Victoria was crying.
Not from sadness.
From fear.
And when Adrian looked closer, he noticed something strange.
The elderly woman had brought the letter.
But the signature at the bottom had been written in fresh blue ink.
His father's handwriting.
His father's words.
Yet his father had supposedly written it twenty-two years earlier.
"Grandmother," Adrian said slowly.
"Yes?""
"Where did you get this letter?""
Margaret smiled.
"From your father's private study.""
"That study was destroyed.""
"Some things survive fire.""
Adrian examined the paper again.
Then he turned it over.
A faint watermark appeared beneath the royal crest.
It was the symbol of the royal medical department.
The date was not twenty-two years ago.
It was dated six months before the present day.
Adrian raised his sword.
"This letter was written recently.""
Margaret's smile vanished.
Elia looked at the elderly woman.
"Then your husband—"
"Enough!"" Margaret shouted.
The guards moved immediately.
But before anyone could reach Adrian, a loud alarm echoed through the underground chamber.
The palace emergency bell.
Mr. Whitmore hurried into the room, his face white.
"Your Highness!""
Adrian turned.
"What happened?""
"The royal council has convened without you.""
"On whose authority?""
Mr. Whitmore looked toward the queen.
Then at Elia.
"They have issued an immediate order.""
"What order?""
The old official swallowed.
"Elia Brooks is to be arrested for impersonating a member of the royal family.""
Queen Eleanor gasped.
Adrian lowered his sword.
Then Mr. Whitmore delivered the final blow.
"The council also announced that the queen has been declared mentally unfit to rule.""
Margaret looked at Eleanor.
"Welcome back to the family, Your Majesty.""
And somewhere above them, the palace bells began to ring.
May you like
Not for a celebration.
For a royal overthrow.
