AT THE STROKE OF TWO
Ole was disappointed with Micheal's assertions. He was embarrassed for him and his own reputation. While everyone mocked Micheal as the Castle guards threw him out the gates, newly crowned King Tobias retired to his chamber. There he met Queen Amaya.
"Amaya, what a surprise to see you here" Tobias said confused but pretended as to be amused by her presence.
"Gone are the days when you called me by my title" Amaya said walking up slowly to Tobias.
"I'm King now" Tobias boasted.
"I know my Lord, and as a means to congratulate you on your this day, I bear only but one gift... All of me" Amaya said as she adjusted his robes. Then she looked deep into his eyes.
"And your husband...." Tobias asked a bit nervous.
"Don't you worry my Lord, he shall know nothing of it" Amaya assured with a grin.
"In that case..." Tobias said as he grabbed Amaya by the waist and kissed her vigorously.
*************************
Tobias laid on the bed as Amaya gently stroked his chest.
"My Lord...don't you think you need a Queen Consort?" Amaya asked as though she were concerned.
"I have everything covered Amaya, there's no need to have one" Tobias answered.
"You'll need an heir my Lord, someone to take over what I'm sure would be a marvellous regime" Amaya said with a smile.
"Are you proposing that you be my Lady?" Tobias asked sternly.
"No no no my Lord, I have a husband. I'm talking about my daughter...my Annabelle" Amaya said concerned and immediately, Tobias got angry.
"I knew it! This visit had to be planned. Everest was right, leave my chamber at once!" Tobias demanded sternly as he stood up from the bed.
"My Lord, please I beg of you, our kingdom is in serious financial debts. We need this marriage to take place" Amaya begged but Tobias turned a deaf ear to her plea. When she realised that Tobias wouldn't listen to her cries, she adjust her clothes and left his chamber ashamed. Marshal Everest saw her as she left the room and immediately, he entered Tobias's room.
"King Phillips's wife, have you gone mad?" Everest asked astonished.
"I confronted her about your accusations and she agreed to them. Then she tried to seduce me into not telling anyone about it but she failed" Tobias lied.
"How far have these people fallen?" Everest asked hypothetically.
"I want you to make an announcement at the stroke of three, telling the crowd about the crimes of the King and Queen of Nottingham castle and how she tried to seduce me so I could keep my mouth shut"
"I will do exactly that my Lord. If you will excuse me" Everest said and then he took his leave.
Meanwhile, Amaya searched for her husband amidst the crowd of nobles. She finally sighted her husband conversing with a Duke and then she quickly dragged him away from the conversation.
"We are in serious trouble Phillips" Amaya whispered a bit nervous as they walked.
"Did you seduce him?" Phillips asked concerned.
"Of course I did, who can resist me"
"So then what happened, why are you sounding like this?" Phillips asked confused.
"He's not marrying our daughter. After sleeping with that good-for-nothing Constable, I didn't get what I wished for. I feel so disgusted and ashamed Phillips. What are we going to do?" Amaya asked almost in tears and then King Phillips hugged her.
"Don't worry my love, you've done your part, it's time I had a chat with an old friend" Phillips said. He then left Amaya and went to look for Tobias. He searched the castle for him and finally found him in his former office. He wanted to come in but he overheard Tobias shouting at some people. He was curious to know why so he stood behind the door eavesdropping on their conversation.
"One job, one job Damian!" Tobias yelled in anger.
"I'm sorry my Lord. It wasn't meant to happen" Damian; one of the knights said ashamed of himself.
"How is Micheal still breathing? You knew he was alive did you not?" Tobias asked angrily.
"My Lord..." Damian said but was cut short by Tobias.
"Who's the other knight that followed you to the scene that day?" Tobias asked and then the knight he was talking about stepped out. Out of anger, he took out his sword and stabbed the knight to death. He pulled out the sword from the dead knights' body and threw it on the floor. His immediate reaction startled the other knights in the room.
"Let this be a warning to you all. Must I do everything myself!" Tobias asked angrily. He compared the job he had done with king George; how he had suffocated him to death, to the job the knights did with the king. Though he had one witness in the scene - the king's Chamberlain Sofia, he blackmailed her, promising her that if she had spoken of this to anyone, he would kill her and her entire family line, making her have no other choice but to comply.
"There won't be a next time my Lord" Damian assured.
"I hope so" Tobias said.
King Phillips who was at the door listening to their private discussion opened the door surprised after hearing all they had to say.
"So you are the one behind the murder of King Micheal and he's not dead" Phillips said. Everyone in the room was shocked at Phillips's accusations.
"Stop saying what you don't understand Phillips" Tobias demanded annoyed.
"You sick bastard! You tried to kill the king and you also killed his late father. Is that how much you hunger for power?" Phillips asked disgustedly.
"You see Phillips, you don't know what power feels like because you've lost it years ago, and you will never know what it feels like unless I marry your daughter. As a matter of fact, you should be ashamed of yourself, sending your own wife to seduce me so I would marry your daughter. How pathetic!" Tobias said disgusted as well.
"I should never have done that. But by the time the crowd gathered outside learns of your heinous deeds they will revolt against your regime and you will lose all that you've worked for till this day" Phillips said threatening Tobias but all Tobias did in return was laugh. Phillips couldn't understand why Tobias would laugh when the situation wasn't in the least funny.
The clock had already stroke two and the time for Marshal Everest to make the announcement had come. He told Phillips to go outside the castle and listen to the announcement the castle Marshal was going to make. And he did as Tobias said but was very confused.
"Here he! here he! An important announcement from the newly crowned King Tobias pertaining to the death of late King Micheal" Everest said as everyone gathered both peasants and dignitaries. Lady Agatha stood beside Queen Amaya and the both of them paid interest to the announcement as though their lives depended on it.
"Yesterday, the king and I uncovered the faces behind the death of late King George. It is very clear to me why they would do it. To save their kingdom from jeopardy as they would always say. The King and Queen of Nottingham Castle committed such so they could regain power" Everest said as the whole crowd became shocked even Phillips and Amaya.
"When the marriage happens, fifty percent of what belonged to late King Micheal will automatically belong to her...but with him out of the way now, she would own everything and everyone in this kingdom, granting her former Kingdom full power, and today, Queen Amaya tried to seduce your King so that he wouldn't confess this secret to you all" Everest continued. Everyone began murmuring to each other and stared at Phillips and Amaya disgusted.
"I swear to you all that I and my wife had nothing to do with the death of King Micheal. If there's anyone you should be interrogating, it's your newly crowned two-faced king!" Phillips claimed already tensed by the staring eyes all around him.
"Blasphemy! You dare blame King Tobias for the death of someone he took as his son! You and your wife shall forfeit the rights to your kingdom, rendering the both of you completely powerless. Everyone and everything you own shall be given to us as reparation and you shall be stripped of your title as King and Queen. Evacuate this premises at once!" Everest demanded. Princess Annabelle who was at the coronation left the grounds ashamed of her parents. Lady Agatha who was still standing beside Queen Amaya shifted two feet away from her.
"My my my, what a turn of events. Not only was your kingdom in jeopardy now you have no kingdom. If I were your daughter, I'd stay put wherever I am instead of coming back home to murderers and prostitutes" Lady Agatha scoffed and then walked away. Phillips came to meet his wife and they left the coronation ground in shame as everyone including the peasants booed at them.