章節 242: Two steps back

Ry nodded, "Yeah, listen to this." He began reading a passage. "27th of May 1821: Dear Diary, the best night of my life has ended all too abruptly and painfully as the king's body has been found dead. Some are speculating murder and worse yet that it was someone from my family's clan who did it. Momma and Da have been working tirelessly alongside Reighley to soothe the concerned people, but I can tell the loss has already begun taking a toll on the queen. I only pray that Ales doesn't hold the same feelings as the people and blame me for his father's death... Worse more I hope that this tragedy doesn't put a wedge between us... or that my beloved doesn't blame himself. I've tried going to his room several times over the past days, but he's either not been there... or has been ignoring me..." Ry looked up from the book. "The ink here is smudged. She was probably crying when she was writing this." He flipped a few pages over and began reading again. "8th of June 1821: Dear Diary, by urging of my parents, Reighley has pushed the council to allow Ales to be crowned as early as next month as her health rapidly declines. Between all that has happened and all that is to come in the next several months, I've begged Ales to take a break from his tireless study... but he insists that he must catch up on all the things his father had tried teaching him before his death. If the queen's illness and barely seeing my dear Ales isn't bad enough Fern is back. I've seen him more in the past few months than the entire time I've lived at the palace. I find it suspicious that he's being the doting son, caring for his mother, and helping his younger brother so willingly... but Jos assures me that it's normal and probably just his way of dealing with his grief... I'm not convinced, however." Ry flipped a few more pages. "There's more." He said sending a concerned glance up to Russ. "17th of July: Dear Diary, the coronation was yesterday, and it was magnificent. I'm not sure how the Queen managed to throw together such a spectacular event in such a little time, but it was simply breathtaking! I'm proud and overjoyed to see Ales take his rightful place among his people. It only pains me that the Queen couldn't enjoy the entire event. She was escorted from the coronation shortly after Ales was crowned by Fern, nonetheless. I swear if I didn't know better, I'd say he was poisoning her himself... But that would be crazy right? I fear that with everything that has happened, I may be going a bit crazy myself." Ry looked up from the book. "Your mother's suspicions go on through several different pages, until this one. Listen to this." Ry flipped to the page he'd marked with his pinky. "10th of September. Dear Diary, As the queen has been bedridden for over a month now, I thought it wise to go in and check on her myself. I fear my suspicions were right about the poisoning. There was a large amount of broth left in her bowl and just as I began to take a drink, she woke up only briefly enough to stop me with a frail shake of her head and trembling hand. I have to prove who has done this! And my suspicions still lie within the palace... within her own flesh and blood. I've tried to talk to Ales about it, but he refuses to hear it." Ry lifted the book and let the remaining pages slowly fall. "It goes on over nearly six months before the queen finally dies. Unfortunately, the pages run out shortly afterward. There's bound to be more somewhere. I'd even go as far as to say this one wasn't the first." He flipped it back to the first page. "It starts a week or so before her birthday in the same year."