Devoted Nobility

Chapter 48

Sophia

I ran into the palace, wiping tears from my face. No matter how hard I tried to control myself, they just kept coming. My heart was broken. I wanted to fall to the ground the moment I heard the words, but I was able to wobble inside. The grand staircase was difficult to get past, but I eventually made my way to the top.

The whole world was spinning faster than ever before, though it was completely still. Everything was falling apart, though nothing was broken. Eventually I reached my sturdy door and pushed it open will all the force I could manage. The room was silent. It didn’t know what was happening either. How could the world act as if it wasn’t aware of the horror that took place on its grounds earlier today? The sunset I seamlessly watched only minutes ago had occurred after the horror. I doubted everything. How could things continue on without a care when everything was wrong? I sat in silence and let tears fall from my eyes.

As time passed, I couldn’t stand to be alone. Alexander had many things to deal with and I feared no one had told Matthew yet. I didn’t want to be responsible for that. I summoned my ladies to my room. They arrived quickly, but by the nightgowns they wore and their squinted eyes, it seems I woke them up. They didn’t mention it. I didn’t know how to tell them what happened. I wasn’t ready to accept it myself.

“Thank you all for coming.” I whispered, not looking the in the eye.

“Of course,” they all said I unison.

“What is going on? Are you okay?” Eloise asked her voice soft and concerned.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Elizabeth’s dead.” As soon as I said the words, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

There was a silence that followed. No one seemed to know the right words. All of their faces were different expressions of grief. Amelia squinted her eyes and had her mouth opened slightly. Lucy had leaned over and put her hand on a nearby chair, using it to support her weight. Eloise raised her eyebrows, causing creases on her usually stiff face.

I wasn’t sure if they had ever even met Elizabeth, but by their reactions, I assumed they must have. From the eyes of a person who had never experienced her kind heart, she looked ungrateful. It took knowledge of her personality to know who she was. She was a selfless and brilliant. Most of all, she never seemed afraid. She faced the truth of the life she was given and never turned away. Bravery was natural to her, a quality I wished I possessed, especially now.

Finally Lucy broke the silence. “What happened?”

This question was worse. I swallowed several times before my voice felt strong enough to answer. “She was on a ship. It was only a few hours journey. It was meant to save time, traveling from one tip of the country to another. A Portuguese war ship caught sight of them.” I swallowed again. “They had heard a rumor I was traveling to a different city for the wedding and began firing cannons.”

Gasps escaped all of their lips.

“The ship was for travel. It wasn’t able to defend itself and sunk only miles from the coast. One man survived and was able to make Elizabeth’s fiancée aware.”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. The Portuguese took a huge risk. Out of nothing but pure gossip, they made a decision that would cost innocents their lives. That wouldn’t stand. I couldn’t let it. I would never relent to end the constant pain caused by their ruthless attacks. They wouldn’t let innocents stand in their way and it has to be stopped.