Chapter 221 - The Truth

The grand throne room was silent.  Everyone in the room turned to William in shock.  Even the guards standing around the outside looked surprised and glanced between one another.  Sitting on the floor with tears still on her cheeks and her skirts spread out around her, Sophia looked hopeful.

"What are you saying?" Delaney demanded, feeling her heart plummet, "You... You told us it was the Queen.  You said she told you to poison my husband."

The boy looked at the Queen in fear, "I-I-I thought..."

"Vince," the King hissed looking at his cousin, "Are you telling me you didn't even make sure he was certain of who he was talking about?"

"He said it was the Queen," Vincent said evenly, shaking his head, "He worked here for years so we knew he would know who the Queen was.  Why would we ever question that?"

"And now he says it's not her," Daniel said louder, pointing a finger at his wife, "You came into my court and accused my wife of trying to poison you and killing the other heirs!  You argued with her when she tried to defend herself!  You believed the words of a servant boy over the Queen just as Anna said!"

Delaney looked towards the Queen's sister and saw her brown eyes bright with pleasure as she watched the scene unfold.  She clasped her hands together like an excited child and look her seat again as she watched for what was coming.

Delaney was trying not to panic.  This was the worst thing that could happen.  Daniel was angry that his wife had been accused just as they had been afraid of.  Behind him, Sophia slowly got to her feet, her eyes staying on Vincent.

"Daniel we also told you about Sophia giving the potion to Delaney..."

"Yes!" the King interrupted Vincent, his eyes flashing with anger, "She gave her the same potion she said she'd been taking herself!  She was trying to help your wife you fool!  She told you that herself and you wouldn't listen!  Even when she fell to the floor in tears you continued to accuse her of horrible things.  She is your Queen!"

Daniel pointed at Vincent with his sword and Ian slid in front of Delaney and closer to Vincent, his own blade slowly raising.  All around the room, the guards moved, taking positions and preparing to fight.

"Do you know what you could have done?" Daniel continued, "What if I hadn't asked to speak with the boy myself?  What if I had just taken your word for it and believed that my wife had told someone to poison and kill you?  I could have had to throw her in prison or worse!"

Vincent's scars were growing darker, giving away his worry although he was keeping his face and voice steady.  Delaney so wished she could move to stand beside him and take his hand in hers.  Better yet, she wished they could be gone from this place and learn it had all just been a bad dream.  She wanted to go home with her husband now and never come back.

"Danny he told Delaney and I that it was the Queen who had told him to poison me.  We had just learned that the potion she had given Delaney was actually a poison to keep her from having a baby.  Surely you see how we could have thought he was telling the truth."

"But now you're saying he's lying!  Could your mysterious witch also be lying?  Maybe it wasn't poison at all!  Maybe Vincent you came to my court and accused the Queen of murder, attempted murder, and poisoning your wife all based on the stories of liars!  Perhaps you're just a liar yourself!"

Daniel stepped forward and his blade was dangerously close to Vincent.  Ian moved forward with his own blade, his eyes shooting between the King and the Duke.  Delaney's breath caught as she watched them and she prayed that this would stop.  She didn't want to live without her husband.  Her heart ached and she found herself panicking as she watched them.

"Daniel please," Violet spoke with a shaking voice, still standing beside her son, "Vincent is your cousin.  He loves you.  You know he only came here to present you with the evidence because he thought it was true.  He never would have come otherwise.  He wanted to tell you so you could protect yourself as well as the other heirs."

"Stay out of this Violet," Daniel snapped at her, "You didn't make any accusations directly yourself so I can still forgive your part in this but your son has gone too far."

"Please!" Violet tried again but a very cold look from the King made her fall quiet.

His cold blue eyes went to Vincent now, "This isn't acceptable Vincent.  I have to punish you for your false accusations against your Queen."

William yanked hard on Delaney's skirt in panic but Delaney ignored him as she watched her husband.  Her heart was pounding and she felt sick with fear.  How would Daniel punish Vincent?  Would he simply kill him right here?  They were outnumbered.  It wouldn't take anything for the King and his guards to kill them all.  They had failed.

Worse than that, they had been wrong.  They had believed the boy when he had said the Queen had told him to poison Vincent.  Maybe it was their own foolishness that allowed them to trust him over Sophia herself.

As Delaney thought about him, William pulled urgently at her skirts again and she looked down at him.  She frowned and tried to shoo him away but he shook his head.  Delaney didn't feel like being overly nice to the boy at the moment though.  After all, it was his changing story that had gotten them into this mess.

"Danny please," Vincent spoke quietly, raising his hands, "We couldn't have known William would change his story.  He's never given us any reason not to trust him so we trusted him on this too.  He's been a good and loyal child since coming to be with us."

"You trusted him over your Queen!  What did she do to lose your trust?  Nothing!  You've gone too far this time.  You have to be punished for this!"

The King moved forward with his blade, raising it in the air as if he would swing it towards Vincent.  Ian stared hard at Daniel and raised his own blade, ready to defend his friend.  Behind them, Delaney's hands flew to cover her mouth and she felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Stop!"

The shout echoed through the room and everyone froze.  Moving ever so slowly, they all turned to look in front of Delaney now where little William was standing, breathless.  He looked scared after yelling for these powerful men to stop but he kept his head up and met their gazes.

"I-I-I didn't l-lie," he said seriously, shaking his little head, "B-But Lord Adair isn't l-lying either..."

"What are you talking about boy?" Daniel interrupted, glaring down at him, "And be wise with what you say.  If I find out you are lying you will receive the same punishment as my cousin."

The child hesitated, glancing at Vincent, and took a step backward toward Delaney.

"The D-Duke is t-telling you what I-I said to him.  I-I-I said it was the Qu-Queen who had given me the poison..."

"And then you told me it wasn't the Queen," Daniel frowned, "So who were you lying to?  The Duke of Edgewood or your King of this land?  Because it has to be one of us."

William stepped further back, bumping into Delaney.

"I-I didn't l-lie to either of y-you," he explained, "B-but I... But I think I-I was wrong."

"Wrong?  Wrong how?"

Everyone stared at William, anxiously waiting for him to explain.  Daniel continued to hold his sword aimed at Vincent's neck, only a few steps back.  Ian held very still and Delaney knew he was wound up like a spring.  Any more movement in Vincent's direction and the pirate would come undone.

"I_I said it w-w-was the Queen b-b-because I-I thought it w-was the Queen, "The boy said quietly.

"Well then?" Daniel watched him closely, "If it wasn't the Queen then tell me.  Who was it?"

"I-It wasn't her," William pointed pasted Sophia now, "It was her!"

Everyone followed his gaze and found themselves looking not at the Queen but at her sister.  Anna sneered at them and crossed her arms over her chest, looking pleased with herself.

"I-I'm sorry," William said quietly, "I-I've never s-seen the Queen up c-close before.  I-I-I didn't know she had a t-twin s-sister.  W-When that woman spoke t-to m-me I thought it w-was the Queen.  That's w-why I-I told Lord Adair i-it w-was."

"Anna?" Daniel frowned at his sister-in-law as his blade slowly dropped away from Vincent's throat, "You were the one that gave the boy the poison?"

The cold, cruel woman rolled her eyes at him.

"Well of course I was."