" When will you be leaving?" Stiles inquired when Alden walked in the front door.Alden ignored him and trudged upstairs. He came to freshen up, pick up some clothes, and dash back to the hospital. Cisca hadn't woken up." Aren't you going to reply me?" He shouted. Alden continued to his room, he was not in the mood for unnecessary banter. If Stiles decided to play ignorant of the latest development, it was his business. Amelia walked out of the kitchen carrying a tray." Cisca relapsed." She announcedWhat? Stiles was stupefied. What was wrong with her? " I bet you didn't know. I suggest you stay away from Alden at the moment, his anger is more fierce than a spooked rattlesnake. " She advised and set the table. Stiles watched her and wondered what her game plan was. " What are you doing?" Amelia halted and stared at him, before returning her gaze to the plates. " Setting the table." " When did this start?" She shrugged and hid her smile, " Well, you see, I thought that it would

" Are you sure about this?" Martin whispered. " Yes," Nicky replied and gave a rueful smile. " I also have evidence." A maid clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the yelp that threatened to escape her mouth, when she overheard the conversation. So, Alden had been mistreated all along. She was sure that the late king didn't know this. What a wicked wench! She thought. She tiptoed slowly away from the door when they stopped discussing. Martin came out of his mother's room and looked around. They heard a sound, and he decided to check it out. " Who was that?" " No one." He replied and continued with his questions. " Why didn't you say anything?" " Nothing. I didn't know at first, but I heard her yelling at her accomplice, that's how I knew. It was many years later, and when I broached the subject, the king was resolute on his decision." " You should have still said something." Martin insisted. His mother shrugged nonchalantly, " Don't blame me if I am not Mr. Nice Guy." The

" She tried to poison Martin?" Alden repeated to be sure that he heard her correctly. He stood with his hands akimbo. " Yes." His brows wrinkled, as he thought of what could have led her to do such. What could have happened between them? Martin was one of the coolest people he knew. He noticed her fidgeting, " How did you know?"She took a glance around wondering if anyone could hear her, and whispered. " I peeped through the hole, and saw her pouring a liquid from a vial into the glass of juice, I didn't think about it at first. It was when Prince Martin insisted that I drank it, that was when I became very anxious." Alden's face hardened, as he thought of the right way to deal with Alexia. His instincts were not wrong. " What did Martin threaten to do to you?" He asked.The maid was scared at the timbre of his voice; he sounded like he was about to march in there and cause damage, " To kill me if I didn't speak the truth. Please don't tell anyone I told you this. The queen threat

"You better make sure that the backdrop is fixed before I return!" Queen Alexia shouted at the maids when she saw it uneven. What rubbish?"Yes, Your Highness." They chorused and went back to work, climbing the ladder and adjusting the part that caused the chaos. Preparations had begun for the coronation ceremony. Their clothes were delivered and it was a frenzy. Alexia descended the staircase with a list in hand and inspected the flower vases lined in the house. " Why are these things still here? I told you to take them outside!" She screamed again. Stiles groaned from his office when he heard his mother engage in a screaming match all by herself. He peeped to see an array of maids running helter-skelter at her command. She flung insults at them."Dimwits, when do you intend to begin the meal preparation?" The cook shivered, " Soon, we are still waiting for your order." Alexia turned to her and suspended what she was scribbling, her eyes sharp like lasers." Really?" She asked.

" What?" " I want you to be my wife." He repeated in case she didn't understand the first time.Amelia couldn't believe her ears. He wanted to marry her. What happened to Amelia? The coronation was in two days. " I can't marry you." She replied.The rejection hit Stiles like a sucker punch in the gut. His throat felt gutted." I know that I have been a shithead, and done you great evils, but believe me when I say that I am a changed man." He said.Amelia stared at him, " That's not the reason." First, she wasn't single and couldn't contend for a queen position. Amelia and Alexia would frustrate her life. " It's not?" He replied, and she shook her head. He felt relief inside of him. Whatever reason it was then, maybe he could do a bit of convincing, and she would change her mind. He thought." Is it because of my mom, Amelia?" He asked. He had found a permanent solution to that. She scoffed, how did she break it to him that she was in no way attracted to him, " No." His eyes focuse