Key To A Goblin's Heart

NARRATOR

"How can the bloody thing disappear?" Queen Iphigenia roared, clenching her fists in anger as she looked at her husband for some kind of divine explanation. He had none to provide. He simply closed his eyes and took a deep breath, bracing himself to face his wife's anger and knowing fully well that she will lash it onto him. 

"I was only gone for a day! A day! Can you imagine, Rathaerys? Traitors, traitors all around me, they have infiltrated my own bedchambers and they have ears all around the palace! I need to replace everyone, all the servants of this place should be dismissed at once. I willl give an immediate order now!" She was howling in pure rage. 

"Calm down, Iphigenia. Think carefully. Did you really put the ruby in your lockers and not elsewhere? You have been quite busy these days, and you may have kept it somewhere else and forgotten about it. It's quite natural my dear, especially with your ailment that's quickly spreading through your body now." Rathaerys suggested quite amicably. 

The Queen's expressions changed immediately, overtaken by a white fury. 

"What do you mean to say?" She said sharply, "Do you want to imply that I am growing weak? That I no longer have the same hold over my mental capacities as I had before? Then, I must remind you, that I am still your Queen. You will speak to me deferentially and never bring up this topic again. I am quite sure, I had kept the ruby inside the safe and now it's gone!"

She started pacing the room with renewed vigour, muttering oaths under her breath and unconsciously casting spells all over her room, making various objects topple in their course. 

"You have to be reasonable, dear." Rathaerys said firmly, "you can't just dismiss all the people who work here. That would create complete chaos, and how shall you live without your servants, say? You can't even boil water by yourself! If you can't trust these people, who have lived with you for years, you can't possibly trust anyone!" 

"But I don't!" The Queen lashed, "How can I trust others, when my own daughter has sided with the traitors? Oh, what shall I do now? The only leverage I had against Arphoelus is now gone! How can I possibly win this war?"

"Surely dear, " Rathaerys said, "You didn't mean to use Magnus as a leverage to get to the old King. He is a lecher, as you very well know, and he cares for little but his own self. I won't be surprised if he would sacrifice his own children for his survival. How can you expect him to care for a General who serves no purpose to him?"

"Magnus is not just a General." The Queen said, "He is the King's son. Surely you know of this, don't pretend otherwise. I am quite convinced with the fact, and I know for certain that the King knows it too." 

"Even then." Rathaerys remarked, "Do you really think that The King would care for an illegitimate child? Afterall, didn't he banish Magnus himself?"

"That is the mystery." The Queen said, looking the other way, "Why would he banish his own General, the man who is of so much use to him? No, there's more to this than meets the eyes. And, I feel that once we find it out, we will be able to win the war. But, for that we need Magnus and he's gone!"

The Queen sat down in exasperation. Her husband sat beside her, taking her hand in his own, to comfort her troubled soul. Queen looked at her, the fury in her eyes had died down, replaced by an ageless tiredness. She shook her head, tears formed in those once-fierce eyes and she embraced her husband. 

"I know how I have been to you,these past few years. I have been cruel, I have been ruthless, I have not been a good mother or a good wife. I have not even been a good Empress. Do you really think that I care nothing for the suffering of my own people? I am not blind to their poverty, I can see how they starve. There's only one way to alleviate their sufferings, and that is by winning the war. I have to win it, at whatever cost." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks. 

Rathaerys carassed her back and said, "And I am sure you will find a way. You always do, and that's what I like the best about you. I am there with you, no matter what and together we will find this ruby. But, first we need to alert our borders, tell them not to let anyone enter or leave the country without a thorough inspection. Then, we should send Soldier everywhere, trying to search for the ruby."

"You are right." The Queen said, standing up, "I am sure the thief has not gone far. The patrols are already alerted, that was the first thing that I did. Now, we need to organise a search party."

She got into action as swiftly as possible, her emotions taking a back seat once more. There's no time to mourn in a monarch's life, and Iphigenia had understood it from a very early time. She was born a ruler, and fitted seamlessly into the role. 

"I am afraid my daughter won't be the same." She thought miserably, "Cassadrei isn't ready to be a ruler yet, and I don't know how much time I have left."

She quickly delivered orders, to conduct a thorough search of the palace premises and also the entire Kingdom, and alert all the jewellery shops to report if they had possession of an valuable ruby. She instructed her servants to provide her with a complete list of all those who have entered the country in the preceding month, and she instructed that no one should leave until the ruby is found. 

There was just one thing left to do. And, somehow the Queen felt that this would be the most important task. She started walking towards Victoria's room, alone. 

Victoria's room was deliberately placed at the opposite wing from the Royal chambers, so that she may not trespass on the dealings of the Queen. God knows, the girl has already created enough trouble for everyone. And the Queen had a burning suspicion that she is the main person involved in the case of the missing rubies. 

The Queen entered the room and was surprised to see Victoria gossiping with Cassadrei. She frowned, her daughter's association with this girl gave her no great pleasure. In fact, she was the one who had corrupted Cassadrei's mind and turned her against her own family. She and that traitor Sofosys, in time the Queen would exact her revenge upon him. 

For now, she cleared her throat to announce her arrival. Cassadrei looked up in astonishment and then immediately stood up to bow her mother. 

"Mother, you are here." She said hesitantly, "I thought you were away. No one told me that you would be arriving so soon."

"My work was completed prematurely so I didn't stay any longer." The Queen replied drily, "but it seems that my prolonged absence would have been more in your favour, right? It would, perhaps, give you more chance to associate with traitors."

"Mother!" Cassadrei replied horrified, "Victoria is my friend and your honoured guest! You shouldn't speak of her so.

The Queen ignored her comment, and turning to Victoria, she said, "Where is he? I know you had some role in the Ruby's disappearance, so don't play any games! Give it back to me, fast!"

Victoria looked mildly surprised as she said, "What ruby? I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."

Queen looked at her enraged. 

"So, you will not speak! I knew that it would come to this, so I have no option left but to search your room."

Victoria tried to protest, but the Queen shut her down with a silencing spell, and magically paralysed her hands and legs so that she couldn't make any more fuss. Then, she used a searching spell, to look for the ruby but she was unable to find it. The ruby wasn't there. The Queen tried a summoning spell, to summon the ruby but failed this time too. 

"Where have you hidden it? Did you apply some kind of protective charm on it?" The Queen lashed at Victoria angrily, but Victoria only shrugged. She was mute but her expression didn't show any sign of guilt. 

"Maybe…. you have used an invisibility charm to hide Magnus." The Queen said, and immediately tried to a reversal spell to disclose any invisible objects. This effort proved fruitless too and the Queen was forced to admit that Victoria was innocent of this theft. 

"I am still suspicious of you." The Queen said before leaving, "Henceforth, you are not allowed to leave the palace premises without my permission." 

Saying so, she departed. 

Victoria closed the door behind her, as the charm on her weared off. Then, she looked at Cassadrei and smirked. 

Cassadrei chanted something in her head and Victoria's features changed. She was replaced by Magnus who stood there grinning ear to ear. 

"Clever!" Magnus said, "you swapped our bodies, disguising me as yourself while you disguised as Cassadrei. The Queen would never have suspected! I must admit, Victoria, I am impressed with your intelligence."

Victoria, who was previously disguised as Cassadrei, simply looked at Magnus firmly. 

"We need to do something about you." She muttered, "I can't keep this facade going on for long."

"So, where is the real Cassadrei?" Magnus said airily. 

"She is asleep in her room." Victoria answered slowly.