The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 202: Truce (2)

"Are you certain no one met with Lynn last night? If anyone knows something you think may be a little suspicious, please tell me as it might be the answer to what happened to her. We must confirm whether this was an accident or if someone hurt her," said Hazel.

Hazel’s remaining five maids stood before her with their heads bowed. Just as Hazel was affected by Lynn’s death so were the maids as they had been around her daily.

"I know this is scary to think that someone killed her but I’m sure that being in the palace for as long as some of you have, you must know that it is a dangerous place where the strangest of things can happen. I need your help to make it safe. Lynn was dear to me," Hazel said, fighting back her tears as now was not the time to cry. "I must know the truth."

"I am giving you the chance once more to leave my side if you don’t want to be here. I wouldn’t blame you considering what is happening now, but before that, you must tell me of anything odd you noticed about anyone lingering around Lynn. Even before she was my maid."

"I wasn’t close to her so I don’t know about her personal life. I haven’t been in the palace long to know much about her and I stay to myself when we are not tending to you. I’m sorry that I am not of any use to you," Julia apologised.

"I understand and it is fine. Do not feel down because you have nothing to offer me to help solve this. I understand that you might not have been paying close attention to her as we never expected something like this to happen. Does anyone else have something to share? Please,’ Hazel pleaded.

"I never saw Lynn drinking even when drinks were given to us when the palace was celebrating something. She would maybe take a sip and then not accept any more offers. We used to joke that she faked taking a sip. She was more interested in food," said Daisy, one of Hazel’s maids.

Daisy didn’t believe that Lynn had changed overnight and started drinking unless something had happened to Lynn recently that she didn’t share with them. "Yesterday she was excited about something but it might have been your first time hosting. She didn’t tell us about anyone troubling her."

Julia wished to stop hearing about the dead girl. It might have been better to stab Lynn than to make it look like she had gotten drunk. She wasn’t aware that Lynn wasn’t the type to drink. Julia had seen and overheard plenty of maids getting drunk during their time off in the servant quarters.

Julia was confused by Hazel’s interest in Lynn as Hazel could just get another maid or was Hazel upset that she couldn’t find someone to do her hair as well as Lynn did?

Julia didn’t believe that a woman of Hazel’s status cared for them. It was all a show as women like Hazel liked to mock their servants just like when Hazel had offered her donated clothes.

"Thank you. That is enough to confirm for me that someone harmed her. You are all grieving so I won’t question you about Lynn for long. My husband said that there is someone hard at work in the court trying to solve this. Please sit anywhere you like," Hazel offered as there was nothing she needed the maids to do.

Hazel watched as they looked around the room finding it awkward to move to find a seat. Hazel smiled, perhaps for the first time since the devastating news. They were all so cute when they were nervous. "Please sit anywhere. I don’t mind it and the- there is no problem."

Hazel touched her mouth as she almost spoke of Tobias not minding it. This was meant to be only her room so speaking of Tobias would make it known that he slept here.

"Would you like something to drink or eat?" Julia asked. "I can get it now so no one would have to leave later."

"No, thank you. However, if the others wish to have something to eat, I can ask a guard to send word," Hazel answered.

Julia looked to her right at the other maids talking amongst themselves. She would not be getting them any food as she wasn’t so low to serve them. "Shall I get you a book?"

"That is kind of you but I am not in the mood to read right now. I just want to sit here and think. Please rest," Hazel said, pointing to a chair Julia could use. She worried about Julia since the young woman didn’t seem to be good at showing her emotions and bottled up everything. "If you ever wish to speak, I am here."

Lynn’s death did not take Hazel’s attention from Julia’s bruises. When it came to protecting her people, Hazel meant it inside and out of the palace.

"Your Majesty."

Hazel looked to the door. "You may enter."

Hazel expected it to be the doctor coming to check on her or Linda arriving but not Tabitha. Tabitha was the last person Hazel wanted to see after thinking Tabitha might be one of the suspects.

Tabitha entered Hazel’s bedroom alone. "Good morning, Hazel. I heard the news and came here right away. Can I trouble you for a private talk?"

"You can," Hazel agreed as it was a good time to ask questions. "Ladies, please make use of the room next door."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I hope you won’t mind that there is nothing here for me to serve you. I wasn’t expecting you right now," Hazel said, watching as Tabitha inspected her bedroom.

"Kind of you but I don’t need to be served. There are a lot of books here. It doesn’t look like many of them concern the kingdom," Tabitha said, picking up one from a table.

"It is a hobby. I am allowed to have something to do in my spare time. Some of them were gifts from Tobias so I have them displayed around the room. It was nice of you to come to me after hearing about Lynn’s death," said Hazel.

"So that was her name. I know what it is like to lose someone so near and dear to you. I sent Jane into the palace yesterday and she has not returned to me since. Have you seen her?" Tabitha asked, taking a seat where she could look directly at Hazel.

"I did not," Hazel replied. If she had seen Jane, Hazel would have just ignored the woman as she had nothing to say to any of Tabitha’s maids. "I have long since moved on from what she was doing to other maids. Wherever she is now has nothing to do with me."

Hazel still found it odd that Lynn was dead and Jane was missing all on the same day. This was something that needed to be shared with the man looking into what happened to Lynn. It was no coincidence. "I will inform Tobias about this and have it looked into. Maybe there is someone targeting the two of us."

"Perhaps there is. If she doesn’t turn up in the next few hours, I would like the guards to search every corner of the palace. Jane is special to me just as this Lynn was special to you. I’m told that Tobias stayed with you," Tabitha said, looking around for evidence of Tobias’s presence there.

Hazel smiled as she realised why Tabitha had come here. "You are not here because you care about how I feel with one of my maids dying. That I knew but I couldn’t think of the real answer. It’s not only about your missing maid but because you don’t want me distracting Tobias. Am I wrong?"

"No, you’re right. He spent the night here and then he must have stayed long with you in the morning. I have told you that the king is a busy man. There is no time to spare for a matter like this. You should be able to deal with these matters-"

"My maid died and my husband thought to comfort me. I would never send him away during that time. Rather than lecturing me, why don’t you voice your concerns to Tobias?" Hazel questioned as she was not in the mood to do this with Tobias. "I lost someone I care for so I don’t wish to argue with you."

"You did well with putting up an appearance as though we are close so you may leave now," Hazel added. Anyone outside would think they are close since Tabitha came here. It might put an end to all the assumptions about their relationship.

"I am here to offer my help so you can be better. By now there might have been a time where you felt like you weren’t doing good enough as a queen. Maybe with this incident. Outside of offering my advice, not for how you must be with my son but as a queen, I won’t come to you to speak about your personal affairs. Would you agree to that?" asked Tabitha.