The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 320: Uncovered

When King Edward heard the rumors about him attacking Anastasia, he was furious. He had not even known about her pregnancy. Even if he were a fool, if he had found out about Ernest’s identity, he would have killed him.

He only suppressed Ernest because he hated the fact that he dared to marry Anastasia.

"Kill anyone spreading such lies," he instructed.

"Your Majesty, this is not a good approach," Walter said. Hearing the order, he could not help but protest.

"Are you questioning my order?" King Edward’s frown deepened.

"I would not dare, Your Majesty," Walter said. He immediately stepped out to carry out the order.

"Your Majesty, the head of interrogation is here. He claims to have something to report," the eunuch announced.

"Send him in," Edward said. He hoped he was getting good news this time.

"Your Majesty," the man stepped in and bowed.

"Speak," Edward said, feeling quite impatient.

"We made an unexpected discovery from the men captured by Ernest’s team the previous day. It is about the chaos in the royal city..." He paused, then moved forward and handed over a confession.

"The attack on Lady Dorothy’s carriage was instigated by Her Highness the Queen. She wanted the mother and child dead," the man said.

Edward looked at the confession, and his gaze darkened.

"Good. Just good." He had never expected Elizabeth to do something so evil. Now, he began to believe Dorothy’s words even more. Perhaps Elizabeth had dared to poison her sister and put the blame on Dorothy.

He had thought Elizabeth was smart. Did she not know that if the young prince and his mistress had died that night, the chaos would have been far harder to control?

Only now did he realize she was selfish, not wise. She lacked the vision to see the entire picture.

"Arrest everyone who was involved in service at the garden that night. Use every means. I want to know the truth of the event," Edward commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the head of the prison bowed immediately and left.

"Eunuch Liam, send word to Walter. Those gossipers should be thrown into prison for now. Let us see the evidence of the investigation," King Edward said. He still remembered the outcome of killing a few soldiers in the camp in the second region.

"At once, Your Majesty," the eunuch bowed and left.

...

The order moved fast through the palace.

That afternoon, guards poured into the servants’ quarters. Doors were forced open. Maids were dragged from their beds. Cooks were pulled from the kitchens, still smelling of smoke and oil. Garden servants, wine bearers, attendants—none were spared.

Chains clinked through the halls where laughter once echoed.

"On whose order did you act?"

"Who gave you the poison?"

"Who told you to stay silent?"

The questions were asked again and again.

Those who lied were beaten. Those who hesitated were locked away. Those who cried were shown no mercy. The prison beneath the palace filled quickly, the air thick with fear and regret.

At first, everyone claimed ignorance.

"I know nothing."

"I only followed orders."

"I was told it was medicine to help with the cold," a cook said.

But fear breaks even the strongest resolve.

One maid collapsed after a night of questioning. Through sobs, she spoke a name.

"Her Majesty," she whispered. "It was the Queen. She instructed that the herb be mixed with the tea to keep the ladies warm. The head cook warned that a pregnant woman could not drink it, but Her Majesty ordered her to follow instructions."

"I can testify," another cook said. "The head cook who was blamed for the mistake was the one who warned the Queen. Seeing her take the fall, we all became careful." The torture was worse than death; she could endure no more.

That name changed everything.

More interrogations followed. One confession led to another. A garden maid confessed to slipping a small packet into Dorothy’s maid’s clothes. A wine bearer admitted he had been ordered to distract the guards that night.

All roads led to one place.

Queen Elizabeth.

The evidence was laid out carefully: the false witnesses, the orders passed through trusted hands, even the timing matched perfectly.

By the morning of the second day, the truth could no longer be denied.

The head of interrogation stood before the king once more, scrolls in his hands.

"Your Majesty," he said, bowing low. "The confessions are complete. The mixture was prepared under the Queen’s instruction. Lady Anastasia was the target. Lady Dorothy was meant to take the blame."

King Edward read every word in silence.

His face did not change, but the room grew colder.

"So," he said slowly, "she poisoned her own sister."

No one dared answer.

"And framed another," he continued. "She stirred chaos within my palace."

His hand tightened around the scroll. He remembered how she had cried innocence when Dorothy accused her. "A snake," he muttered with hatred.

He hated that he had been fooled by her—worse, that he had even punished Dorothy.

The servants involved were dragged away. Those who confessed were shown mercy and released. Those who remained loyal to the Queen were sentenced to death, and the truly ignorant were allowed to return to duty.

...

Elizabeth had not slept since the day the servants were taken.

From her chamber window, she watched guards move in pairs. Doors closed more often than they opened. Faces that once bowed to her now avoided her eyes. Even her personal maids were gone, replaced by silent women she did not recognize.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

She paced the room, fingers digging into her sleeves. Her mind raced, searching for a path out—an excuse, a story, someone she could still use. But one by one, the doors she relied on closed.

She wanted to send for favors but feared exposing herself. With no trusted aide beside her, even movement felt dangerous.

When she finally demanded to see the king, the guard at her door did not move.

"His Majesty is busy," he said flatly.

That was when fear crept in.

Not sharp panic—no. This was worse. Slow. Heavy. The kind that settled in the chest and made it hard to breathe.

Even if the king suspected her, he would not refuse to see her before the investigation concluded. Or so she believed.

"What do I do?" Elizabeth whispered. She quickly sent word to her mother, hoping she would have a workable plan.

Before any reply came, the news reached her in broken pieces.

Confessions.

Betrayal.

Anastasia.

Her knees weakened.

"No," she whispered. "They have nothing. They cannot."

She tried to believe her loyal aides would never betray her.

She told herself that even if the truth came out, the king would protect her. After all, she was his queen—his lawful wife. To touch her would shake the throne itself.

But deep down, she knew she would not escape unscathed.

That evening, the doors to her chamber opened without warning.

Elizabeth turned sharply. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Guards poured in, armored and expressionless. At their head stood the same eunuch who once bowed low whenever she passed.

"By order of His Majesty," he said coldly, "Queen Elizabeth is to be arrested."

Her breath caught.

"This is a mistake," she said quickly. "You dare lay hands on me?"

No one answered.

"Your Majesty, please do not make things hard for us," one guard said.

Elizabeth stepped back until her back hit the wall. For the first time since entering the palace as queen, she felt truly powerless.

"What is my crime? I demand to see His Majesty," she demanded.

The eunuch met her eyes. "His Majesty already knows the truth."

The words struck harder than any blow.

The guards moved in.

"Why?" Elizabeth whispered. She could not understand. When it was his mistress who was guilty, the king found excuses to protect her. But when it was Elizabeth, she was arrested at once.

"His Majesty said I should tell you this," the eunuch replied. "He can forgive you for touching Anastasia, but touching his son is unforgivable."

Elizabeth’s gaze darkened. She had never expected that to come to light as well.

"I am being framed. The young prince fell prey to the chaos," Elizabeth denied desperately. "I want to see His Majesty and explain."

"Your Majesty, have some dignity," the eunuch said. "An official decree is being written as we speak. Once the High Priest confirms your crimes, you will no longer be queen."

"Please," a guard gestured for her to cooperate.

Elizabeth took a step forward. Then her eyes went blank, and she fainted.

The guards caught her just in time. They turned to the eunuch.

"What should we do?" one asked.

"Let the physician check on her," he said. "There is no official decree yet."

A servant hurried away.

Soon, a physician examined her, his expression complicated.

"What is the matter?" the eunuch asked, noticing his look.

"Her Majesty is pregnant," he said.

It should have been good news.

But in this moment, it changed everything.