shuhaige
41
CHAPTER FORTY – ONE
Edward’s POV
I had been deeply troubled by Alice’s accusations at my father’s birthday celebration. I had known Alice for over four months now, and she had always been kind and gentle even though what attracted me was how she returned what you give to her, so to hear her speak so harshly and to see such anger in her eyes was a shock to me.
I tried to find out what had happened to cause her to think such a thing, but no one seemed to know anything. I even went to my parents, the King and Queen, to ask if they knew anything.
“Father, what is going on with Alice?” I asked as I entered my parent’s chambers. “She’s accusing you of killing her parents and I can’t believe it.”
My father, the King, looked up from his paperwork and scowled at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Edward,” he said, dismissively. “And I don’t want to hear any more of these ridiculous accusations.”
My mother, the Queen, reached out and put a hand on my father’s arm. “Edward, what exactly did Alice say?” she asked, looking at me with concern as she wanted me to repeat what happened even though she was there.
“She said that you and Uncle murdered her parents,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “She said it at the birthday party, in front of everyone.”
My father stood up, his face was red with anger. “That’s enough, Edward,” he said, his voice loud and commanding. “I will not stand here and be accused of such atrocities. And she never mentioned your uncle, you know that he had peacefully retired for a long time now.”
I took a step back, intimidated by my father’s sudden outburst. “I’m sorry, Father,” I said. “I just don’t understand why she would say such a thing.”
“Neither do I,” my mother said, looking up at my father with pleading eyes. “Is there any truth to what she’s saying, my love?”
My father looked away from us and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke. “I will neither confirm nor deny these allegations,” he said, his voice cold. “But I will say this if anyone brings up the matter again, I will have them thrown into the dungeons with Alice.”
I left my parents’ chambers, feeling even more confused and uncertain than before. I went to see my brother, Andrew, the Crown Prince, to see if he knew anything.
“Edward,” he said, as I entered his chambers. “What’s going on? I heard about Alice’s accusations, but I can’t believe it,” he said to me, then I noticed that he left soon after Alice passed us because he had to go check on the knights.
“Neither can I,” I replied, sinking into a nearby chair. “I just don’t understand why she would say such a thing.”
“Did you ask our parents?” Andrew asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Yes,” I replied. “But Father wouldn’t confirm or deny it, and Mother just looked worried.”
Andrew leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I don’t know what to make of it,” he said. “But I do know one thing, if there’s even the slightest chance that Father is involved, we need to find out for sure. We can’t let an innocent person be accused and punished.”
I nodded, grateful for my brother’s support. “I agree,” I said. “We need to get to the bottom of this, no matter what.”
And with that, we set out to uncover the truth about Alice’s accusations, determined to find out what had happened and to set things right.
As a prince of the kingdom, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was not right about Alice’s imprisonment. I knew my father was capable of many things, but I never thought he would go as far as to kill the rightful heirs to the throne. The thought plagued me every night, causing me to toss and turn in my bed.
I visited my father again, hoping to get some answers. As soon as I broached the topic, he became angry.
“Edward, I’m tired of your fantasy love for that girl. There’s no way a prince of this kingdom will marry someone of unknown origin and probably a commoner,” He said, his voice rising with every word.
I tried to argue with him, pointing out that Alice was different and that I couldn’t help how I felt about her, but he wouldn’t listen. The more I pressed, the angrier he became, until he finally ended the conversation by storming out of the room.
I was left alone with my thoughts, feeling more confused and worried about Alice than ever. I couldn’t help but wonder if my father really did have a hand in the death of her parents.
I visited her today in the cell trying my best to want to change her but she stood by her allegations and I was torn.
The next day, I asked to meet with my brother, Crown Prince Andrew, and my mother, the Queen. I wanted to discuss what had happened with them and see if they could offer any insight into my father’s actions.
We sat down in the Queen’s sitting room, and I told them everything that had happened with Alice, including her recent allegations against my father. The Queen looked horrified, while my brother looked skeptical.
“Edward, this is a serious accusation you’re making,” my brother said. “Do you have any proof?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t. But I just can’t shake the feeling that something is not right.”
The Queen sighed. “I agree with Andrew. These are serious allegations, and we cannot make any decisions without concrete evidence.”
I tried to argue with them, but it was clear that they weren’t going to help me. I left the room feeling defeated, with no answers and no one to turn to. I just hoped that somehow, I could find a way to get to the bottom of what was really happening and help Alice in the process.This is from NôvelDrama.Org.