The Duke's Masked Wife

In the palace.

"How can I trust that you were doing your job right and made sure nothing to harm the queen got past you?" Tobias asked, pointing his bloody sword at the royal food inspector in charge of inspecting Hazel's food. "Be honest if you have betrayed the crown and I might spare you. Give me a name."

"Y-Your highness! I have not betrayed you or the queen. I inspect all the food brought to me for the queen and many times I have stood in the kitchen to watch what is going into the food. Please believe me," the royal inspector cried on the floor. He refused to look up to see the sword in Tobias's hand which could kill him at any second.

The sight of the beheaded guard in the room added to his fear of losing his life any second. When he was told the king wanted to see him, he thought he was coming to taste and inspect food but he was met with a bloody sight. Why was this being done to him when he was always loyal?

"Unfortunately, I am no longer in the mood to believe any of you. I have been too nice, haven't I?" Tobias questioned, stooping down to the same level as the frightened man. "That is why all of you have been treating my wife as you, please. I tried not to end every problem with violence to not be called a tyrant. I had a temper in my past, did you know? If anyone was a threat, I disposed of them quickly. My father didn't like it, you see."

"I quite liked being on the battlefield more than sitting on the throne. There are too many rules on the throne and I might scare my people if I deal with my issues the way I would have in the past but you people make it hard for me to do so. The final straw is my wife. So tell me before I end your life, have you ever caught something but let it be taken to the queen?" Tobias asked as he stood up and pointed the sword once more.

He didn't care if anyone was innocent or not.  Everyone who didn't do their jobs correctly and let something or someone reach Hazel deserved to die. Tobias didn't care how the people would view him after this. His kindness and the image he created had run out. He was going to play the same game as everyone else. Slaughtering anyone in his way without a care.

"Your highness!" A guard frantically entered the room.

"I said no one is to disturb me. You have one task of bringing in everyone one by one," Tobias sighed, annoyed by the disruption. "What is it?"

"Duke Collins is at the gates with an army of men requesting we give him one of the queen's maids. The gates won't open for him and the palace guards are preparing to fight if he does not leave-"

Tobias tossed his sword on the floor, ignoring what else the guard had to say. He gave Edgar one job to stay put and watch his wife so why was he here with an army at the palace gates to cause trouble?

"Shit," Tobias cursed, running toward the gates before a fight could start. It didn't matter if it was Edgar. Anyone who brought an army to the palace was viewed as a threat and the palace would attack.

As Tobias ran out to the gates, he saw guards moving with weapons in the same direction. Edgar needed to have a good reason for stirring up the palace like this when Tobias had more important matters to deal with.

When  Tobias reached the large doors of the palace entrance and looked down at the gates, he found just as the guard said that Edgar had arrived with an army. It was like a sea of men, which Tobias was not aware Edgar had this many, surrounding the palace. Tobias didn't know when and how but it appeared as if Edgar's followers had doubled in size since the last time the two of them went out to war.

The palace guards parted to give way for the king who might be the only person who could send Edgar away. No one wanted to fight against Edgar and his men as their reputation in the last war were not forgotten.

"Edgar!" Tobias called out to his friend who sat in front of the men on a horse. "Open the gates for me," he ordered his guards. "Why are you creating noise for me, Edgar? Not in the mood?" He muttered as Edgar neared him and his expression became clear. It was no wonder the palace guards were shaken up when Edgar looked like he would kill anyone standing before him.

Edgar brought his horse closer to Tobias. "Bring the maid named Julia. She is a suspect for putting something in the queen's tea and perhaps, my wife's."

Tobias didn't expect to learn this. He had not gotten to Hazel's maids as yet to learn anything from them. He wouldn't question why Edgar thought it was Julia, however, he had to question the need to bring so many men to create fear and panic in the palace. "An army for one girl is a bit much-"

"I brought an army because we both know the people who could be behind this.  I don't have a lot of patience to deal with my wife always being a target, Tobias. I want the girl and the name of the person she is working for.  I don't care what will come from my actions."

Edgar was used to being a target because of his alliance with Tobias on the throne but now that Alessandra was potentially being affected was a different story. He needed to learn right now if anything was given to Alessandra because of his loyalty to Tobias.

"Bring me the queen's maid Julia!" Tobias yelled for any one of the guards behind him to do. He didn't care who brought Julia as long as she was brought before him in the next few minutes. "If what you say is true, the queen was the target. I am the one who gets to deal with her."

"Then you should try getting her before I do. How the fuck have you been watching everyone around your wife?" Edgar asked, no longer holding back his anger. For as much as Tobias loved Hazel, he should have had a better watch on what was happening around her. Now Alessandra was most likely tangled up in this just from drinking tea.

"Edgar," Tobias said in a warning tone. "I have been doing all that I can to protect Hazel but there are things that slip by me. It is not my fault that your wife got caught up in all of this. Do you think I wanted my wife or anyone else to go through all of this? The last thing I need is for you to point out my mistakes because your wife is involved."

"I'm going to question fucking thing that goes on inside your palace when it concerns my wife. First, a stone is thrown at her head, and now this. I have to watch her be shaken up at the thought this might prolong her chance to have a child-"

"I have been dealing with this from the moment Hazel and I got married so excuse me if I don't want to hear about you and your wife missing one chance to have a child. You are not the only one affected in all of this Edgar. Do not direct your anger at me," Tobias snapped.

Edgar stared down at Tobias from on top of his horse. He wasn't here to pick a fight with his friend but the carelessness in the palace had pissed him off because it reached Alessandra.

He looked away from Tobias to the two guards approaching the gates dragging a woman who was kicking and screaming. If anything was added to Alessandra's tea, he would take his army to the gates of whoever she was working for with or without Tobias by his side.