Investigation
I was sitting in my office reading through affairs of the country that I would need to address on the next day. I liked to take the time on my days off to organize how the affairs of the week would play out. I sorted all the letters and documents that needed to be signed by urgency. Urgent ones would obviously go first and the anything that wasn’t nearly as important would be addressed when I had time. I was just about done organizing the stack of papers when Malinus came into the office. I looked up at him and he had a gloomy look on his face, “What is it?” He bowed and spoke, “I just got word from both the Citadel and The Council.” Normally, these two would not contact the palace together unless they were investigating something to happening to one of the nobles. I drew in a sharp breath, “Who?” He looked uncomfortable and spoke in a shaky breath, “The Batiste.” I clenched my jaw, “What happened? Is she okay?” He nodded, “She’s fine. While she was out at tea time, it appears someone broke into her room and smeared a bloody message on her bedroom wall.” I leaned back and rubbed my chin, “Do we know if it was The Order?” He shrugged, “We don’t know yet. They merely contacted us to let us know that they were contacted by The Chalshin about the matter. They were told that he conducted a sweep of the room and asked Jess to double check.” I pulled my hand down and started to tap on the desk, “They will keep us informed on what they find, correct?” He nodded, “Yes, they put together a team and I sent a guard to Blackwood as well so he could be part of the investigative unit.” I rose from my seat, “Good, keep me informed.”
I had decided I would pass the time by going to the library and reading a book, I had asked Reggie to bring me some human classic literature and bring it the next time he was in Vellum. Even in the chaos of caring for his daughter, he did not neglect my request. He brought me back a book from Alexandra’s favorite author, Jane Austen. It was a book called Emma which Reggie said is about a young woman who thinks that she’s a matchmaker. That’s all he would say about the book but he said he often saw Alexandra reading this one. He said she liked it because it was a look at how human perception is flawed and can sometimes find clarity from the perspective of others. It was an interesting thought so it intrigued me to read this book first. So, I took the book from the shelf that I had Malinus place it in and walked over to my comfortable chair, put on my reading glasses then began to read. I only wore glasses every once in a while, because print was harder for me to read than handwritten letters. A time later, Malinus entered the room and bowed at me. I placed the bookmark in the book and looked up at him, “Yes?” He rose, “Your Majesty, I have the guard I sent to Blackwood ready to give you his initial report. Shall I let him in?” I nodded and waved at him then set the book on the side table. I took off my glasses, folded them then placed them on top of the book.
The guard walked into the room and kneeled at my feet, “Your Majesty, I have just returned from Blackwood.” I folded my hands in my lap, “Proceed.” He cleared his throat, “There was blood on the wall near her bathroom. It warned her to leave Vellum or die. The investigative unit took a sample of the blood along with samples of blood from everyone in the house. They came across a problem collecting one person’s blood because the scent was similar to the blood on the wall. They suspect that this person staged the crime scene.” I clenched my hands together, “Who was it?” He inhaled sharply, “It is The Batiste herself. They believe she did this to get attention.” It didn’t seem like something she would ever do but someone who didn’t know her better would likely conclude this. Malinus asked, “If I may, Your Majesty?” I nodded and gestured with my hand for him to go on. He looked at the guard, “I think you need to have the investigative unit ask The Chalshin if The Batiste has personality capable of seeking attention.” The guard nodded, “He already spoke up for her during the investigation. He also pointed out that the window was forcibly opened from the outside. Whoever did that physically broke into the room without the use of a portal. The unit said they would test the blood they collected from the occupants of the household against the blood found on the wall. He was assured that the unit would not jump to conclusion but he was told to warn The Batiste that if she indeed staged this crime scene. That The Council would not be merciful in their punishment. Not to mention they would disqualify her from her candidacy for both the Scribe program and the Queen competition.”
I rose from my seat, “Malinus, I would like to take a visit with the General.” He nodded, “Right away, Your Majesty.” I had to go speak with the General anyhow about Derek’s punishment and how he came to have escort duties for Alexandra. I looked down at the guard, “Thank you for your report. You may go now. You will be rewarded for your work today.” He bowed and left the room. I walked out the room a short while later and strode down the stairs towards the front of the castle where Malinus had a carriage waiting for me. We took a short carriage ride to the Citadel where one of the guards shouted, “His Majesty, light of the realm, King Lucien of Vellum!” A number of soldiers that were in the main room stood at attention, I turned to the closest one, “Where is the General?” The soldier bowed, “Your Majesty, he is in the study. I will take you to him.” I waved my hand and then followed him to the room the General presided at currently. I was announced and the General rose from his seat. He was with a number of other soldiers at the moment, “Your Majesty, I assume you are here in regards to The Batiste?” I nodded at him then sat at the other end of the table with Malinus standing at my side, “That’s one of the reasons. Tell me, how do you feel about what your unit found?” He sat down and the group followed. He gestured at the others at the table, “The group assembled here did the scene investigation. It is troubling that The Batiste’s blood smells the faintly of the blood found in her room. I am having her sample tested against the sample on the wall. We shall know shortly if it really was hers.”
I sighed, “I don’t have to tell you that this situation is complicated for me and The Council as she is not only a Scribe candidate but also a Queen candidate. I would definitely like to know the results as soon as possible.” He nodded at me, “We should actually know something pretty quickly. Our process takes an hour, we started it 20 minutes ago. Was there another matter you needed to discuss?” I folded my hands on the table and looked around at the others assembled there, “I don’t want to interrupt your work, I can wait until your briefing is done.” A young man sitting next to the General spoke, “We actually were just about to wrap up by telling the General the psychological observations of the occupants.” He nodded at a lady across the table from him who looked to be a psyche. Psyches could look at people and basically sum up what they are feeling, they were born empaths and you could always tell them apart because they had green hued skin. She spoke, “The Chalshin was worried for his charges safety, he hovered over the investigation but more than that strongly protested my colleague’s observations. Lady Kellen was on edge, she didn’t like so many people in her space. It’s a result of her introverted nature. The staff were worried for their heir. As for The Batiste…” Everyone in the room leaned forward, interested in what she had to say. She inhaled, “It could be a result of the suppression device she wears but I could not get anything from her. I think the only way I can get a read on her would be physical contact.” The General looked at me, “I cannot order an interview since she is nobility. Only you can do that Your Majesty.” I looked at the General, contemplating if I thought this exercise would really clear Alexandra of any wrong doing. After a few minutes of contemplation, “You may interview her but I have three caveats.” The General leaned back in his seat and narrowed his eyes, “What would that be, Your Majesty?” I looked up at Malinus then back at the General, “My first caveat is that this interview be conducted in the study at Blackwood.” The General nodded, “I can understand why you would want discretion; I agree. What is the second caveat?” Internally I sighed a sigh of relief that the General understood why I would want one of the candidates to be my wife to be hauled into the Citadel for questioning, “My second caveat is that The Batiste will have a family member as her legal advocate. Ordinarily anyone under the age of 21 is accompanied to an interview with the Citadel by a legal advocate if I remember correctly.” He nodded, “Quite right, Your Majesty. I don’t want to skirt that rule. Who would accompany her? I had heard she has very little family in Vellum.” I looked up at Malinus who spoke, “General, I am her only family within any distance of convenience. I will likely have to accompany her as her legal advocate.” His jaw clenched, “Do you understand that this would seem like favoritism, Your Majesty?” I shook my head, “I am not sending him officially, he will go on his own since this is his cousin who is underage.” He sighed in resignation, “Fine. What would the third caveat be?” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a Meshan stone and slid it across the table, “I would like to hear the interview. You can understand that this is of vital interest to me as a candidate of both positions.” He nodded, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in observing this conversation myself.” He handed the Meshan stone to the psyche, “Benalia, you will take this Meshan stone and place it in your pocket for your interview with The Batiste.” Benalia nodded at the General and then looked at me, “As you will it Your Majesty. I shall take my leave then to go interview The Batiste.” She bowed and left the room, all we had to do was wait to clear Alexandra’s name…hopefully.
