The Cursed Prince

Athos explained everything he heard from many different sources: the guards who went with the queen to the crown prince's castle, the butler who welcomed the queen and left her alone with Emmelyn in the study, and the commander who caught Emmelyn when she was trying to escape.

"Lady Emmelyn went back to your castle for three days, while she was staying in the royal palace. That's what we heard. John said after she went home, she asked for an extension because she was feeling unwell. So, the queen went there to visit her and brought many gifts and medicine."

Mars looked at his cousin attentively while listening to his explanation. It all sounded like a plausible scenario. He could imagine Emmelyn feeling bored in the palace and looked for an excuse to go back to their own place.

"And then what happened? Did my mother meet Emmelyn there?" he asked Athos.

The Southberry regent nodded. "Yes. The queen told her guards to wait outside and rest while she spent time with Emmelyn inside your castle. However, until nightfall, she didn't come out, so the guards became worried and went inside. All they found was...."

Athos didn't continue his words. It was a hard truth to share. Mars must be feeling grief-stricken at the moment. Could he bear listening to the gruesome details of his mother's murder?

"Please continue..." Mars said firmly. "I need to hear everything."

Athos swallowed and then nodded. "Well.. they found the queen died in your chamber, surrounded by her own pool of blood. Her chest was stabbed multiple times with a knife. The servants testified that the knife belonged to Lady Emmelyn."

Mars remembered his wife did own a knife. It was very distinct because it was one of a kind. The handle was made of brass and there was a carving of a small wintermere flower on it.

The servants who cleaned up their chamber must have seen the knife at some point and told the guards that it belonged to their lady.

"How long had it been since my mother died when they found her?" Mars asked. "Why didn't anyone hear anything? Where was Emmelyn when they got in?"

"I am sorry, that... I don't know the answer. Your butler, his name is Roshan, right? He said Emmelyn often sneaked out wearing men's outfit, so the commander thought the reason why they didn't see her escape is that she must have disguised herself as a man and she left hours before the guards found the queen's body."

This was also true, Mars thought. Emmelyn often disguised herself as a man. 

"When did they find Emmelyn and what she was doing?" He asked again.

"They found her the next morning, trying to escape using an old carriage and disguised herself as a man, as your butler said. At that time, she was covered in blood and looked disheveled."

Mars clenched his fists when he imagined Emmelyn was arrested with blood in her body. Was it his mother's blood?

"The commander brought her to the royal palace and your father wanted to immediately execute her," Athos kept speaking in a calm manner despite the grim details of the information he was sharing. "However, Mr. Vitas and John the butler begged the king to spare her life because she was pregnant with your child."

While he was listening to Athos's story, Mars could imagine vividly everything that was happening, as if they were a replay of the scenes he witnessed with his own eyes.

He knew very well all the people involved, so he could imagine their reactions and how they would respond to a certain situation,

He could easily see his father demanded Emmelyn's execution. John and Mr. Vitas were too kind and they were so brave that they dared to defy the king's order to kill Emmelyn.

He glanced at his sleeping baby daughter and felt so grateful that the two older men took a stand to protect Harlow, otherwise he would never be able to see this beautiful baby of his.

Without Mr. Vitas and John, Harlow would never be born.

The prince made a mental note to give the two men handsome rewards.

"Please go on," said Mars.

Athos nodded. "Well, because of Mr. Vitas' and John's plea... Emmelyn was spared from beheading and she was imprisoned in the Grey Tower while waiting for trial. However, she went to labor quite early and finally gave birth to Harlow three weeks ago."

"How could she give birth so early?"

Mars knew the answer, but he still wanted to hear it from Athos.

"Well, Mr. Vitas said she was stressed and it affected her pregnancy. It was also... the cause of her death," Athos replied.

Mars nodded. He let out a long sigh and lowered his head, looking at Harlow. It was all his fault, he thought over and over again.

He shouldn't have left. Things like this might have been easily prevented. If he was around, there was no way Emmelyn could kill his mother, IF she did do it. And even if she did, he could make sure she got better treatment and they could prevent her from going into early labor.

Now, there was no use crying over spilled milk. Things had already gone this bad. He thought he had more time.

He thought after he killed Thessalis, he would return to a wife who was 8 months pregnant and still had some time with her to prepare to welcome their child.

However, time was not in his hands. Life was not fair. It never was. And now he had lost both his mother and wife.

"Where is Edgar?" Mars finally realized he had not seen Edgar after he arrived back in the capital. "Why didn't he do something?"

Athos cleared his throat and reply. "It looks like your wife sent him away. Edgar left two days before the murder happened."

"What? Edgar left the capital? Why did he do that? I specifically told him to stay behind so he could protect my family..." Mars was surprised to hear this information. 

"He left because Lady Emmelyn made him," Athos repeated his word. "I am sure he wouldn't do it on his own."