Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire

61. Sad truth

"My Lord... mistress... Caspara... she poisoned us," Danro croaked, then coughed as someone helped him to water.

I nodded slowly, the situation making no sense to me. Because I'd just seen Caspara enter the palace with the other concubines.

"My Lord, she... she had also stressed on the part that... it was her only, and we should remember her name the next morning to tell you..." the guard said.

That was blatantly absurd. "Then whoever it was, they probably created a hallucination for you," I wondered aloud. "I know people who are capable of that. They'll feed you something and the next moment you'll believe and iterate whatever they'll tell you to." Someone was framing Caspara, which wasn't a new thing because most people around here weren't especially fond of Persians.

"But, my Lord... she looked exactly like the mistress even before we had accepted her offering," my other guardsman voiced out.

I sent for a servant to call Caspara and the other concubines in the room. I didn't even know why I ever wanted a harem of concubines in the first place. Maybe I should've stuck with one woman.

If only that one woman came a bit earlier in my life.

They gasped as they entered, distancing themselves to one side of the room.

"Caspara," I called her out as she stepped ahead, hesitantly. Her grey eyes taking in the sight of the guards in pity.

"You had said you'd be visiting the palace the night before?" I stated, crossing my arms.

"Yes, my Lord," her voice wavered, "But I didn't when Althea was called."

I turned to look at the laying guardsmen. "They claim you poisoned them last night."

Another gasp from the concubines was heard, some in panic and some in defence of Caspara.

"Why would I be standing in front of you then, my Lord?" She asked, confused, "What good I'll get from poisoning the guards who protect you..."

"My Lord, Caspara was with us the entire celebration night at Helaine's home," one concubine pointed out, rather aggressively. I acknowledged her, turning my gaze to Phoebe.

She immediately lowered her gaze, fiddling with her dress, "Y- Yes, my Lord, she was with us. But I don't know if she slipped out last night when everyone was asleep..."

"No! She was with us! You can also ask Helaine we were with her for the celebration that had gone all night!" Danae stepped forward with a murderous gaze at her. I sighed.

God knows how some kings manage to have ten wives.

"My Lord," Danae spoke to me this time, "Althea was in the palace last night. We don't know enough about her motives and we think she must've tricked the guards into thinking that Caspara-"

"She was with me," I stated blankly. Her accusations were ridiculous.

Silence fell into the room with the concubines awkwardly shifting their gaze from one corner to another. At the guard's request, Thalia and Cicero, who were also staying in the palace, were called. They too had the same opinion that they saw Caspara. They even claimed she had talked to them.

"It must be Caspara's look alike," I concluded finally, "Have you ever seen or known any such woman, Caspara?" I asked her.

"No!" she said immediately, almost too quickly as she looked around anywhere but me, "I- I don't think anyone looks... like me..."

She appeared afraid of the idea that someone out there may look like her. That was strange in the least bit.

I tried remembering any grey-eyed woman I'd ended up making an enemy of. Lord help me, all grey-eyed women looked almost the same to me. Even Althea's sister had the same eye colour, and she looked somewhat like Caspara. Perhaps only to me.