Surviving His Royal Highnass, Prince Ashton

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Nightshade

Ash's POV

I was the first to spring up from my chair before beckoning the rest of the room to stay seated, except for my mother and Evelyn. I struggled to keep my pace at a brisk walk as the guards and the chambermaid trailed behind us to the guest quarters Lady Arabella had been staying in.

"I-I served her afternoon tea as usual and when I went back to collect the dishes, she lay unconscious on her desk! She's not responsive to me." The maid stuttered.

The footsteps nearly drowned out the tension in the air as we made our way up the winding cobblestone stairs to the West Tower.

I stopped in front of the door, which was left slightly ajar, finding that my hand trembled as it extended in midair at the knob. Evelyn's gentle touch steadied my anxiety.

"Go on, open it." My mother ordered, unable to bear the suspense.

I turned to face the small crowd that had formed, "No one is allowed in with us until I give the approval."

"Yes, your highness." They confirmed in unison.

I opened the door and showed Evelyn and my mother in before closing it behind us. Evelyn let out an audible gasp as my mother found a nearby chest to support her weight. I remained stoic as ever while looking at my grandmother's lifeless form hunched over the desk. Her face was turned away from us, her hands stiffly hung by her sides.

Next to the empty teacup, neatly arranged in a vase, sat an infamous bunch of low hanging purple flower buds. Most of them had been cut from the stem and a mortar and pestle had finished the job. I took a step closer to see that the cup still had some remnants in the bottom.

"Belladonna poisoning." I muttered.

"Maybe she figured it was a better way to go than being hanged." Ev said.

I didn't blame her. Poisoning seemed like a much more peaceful death and she did get to miss the public scrutiny.

Yet, I still couldn't find it within myself to sympathize with her.

My mother approached near her, finding something peculiar.

"She left a note." 

I watched as my mother carefully reached over Lady Arabella's body to pick up the letter that lay next to her head. She brought it close to her face in order to make out her overdone cursive penmanship. 

After a few moments, she began orating, "By the time you find this letter, I have already passed onto the next world. Some may see this as cowardice, but I believe I made a courageous decision to protect my pride and dignity - even in death she's insufferable!" My mother interrupted before regaining her composure, "Smite my name as you may, my dear grandson, but know that you would not be where you are today had I not made the decision to get rid of Annesley. Despite your unconventional legislation and radical ideology, I believe that you still make a better King than any descendant from his bloodline would have. You have already surpassed your father. I only wish that..." My mother's words faltered.

I took the letter from her hands and finished reading the last few lines, "I only wish that I had gotten to know you and Adele better, to have been a real grandmother. Perhaps I lost that right the moment my aged hands became tainted with blood. Without a doubt, I would commit the same sins again if they secured this future for us. God bless this land and our family with an heir that will continue to brighten the future."