Semua Bab Gone in the Moonlight : Bab 11 - Bab 20

On the third day after Lady Eaves “died in a fire”, the first wave of conflict swept over the royal court. A young scribe made a formal complaint accusing Queen Isabella Fairfax of three unforgivable sins. One, as the queen, she could not bear children, yet she stole another concubine’s progeny and claimed them as her own. This could be seen as deceiving the crown. Two, Lady Eaves had contributed to the continuation of the royal bloodline, yet the queen had forced her to kneel in the snow and slapped her in public. This constituted a failure of the queen's moral conduct. Three, the queen had accused Lady Eaves of adultery, punishing her without proof. She had locked Lady Eaves in the tower, rendering the latter unable to escape the fire. In other words, she was guilty of killing a concubine. The report used harsh language, ending on a sharp note. “How can such a cruel woman, prone to deadly jealousy, serve as queen of a country? How can she be trusted to raise the royal heirs

James’s body jolted. “The way you looked at her changed! You frowned when she knelt in the snow, you grew restless when you saw her tears, and you became angry when she told you to take more wives! Do you think you hid it so well? I could see it all!”Tears were rolling down Isabella's face, but she laughed. “Do you know why I insisted on having a second child? Not because I wanted one, but because I wanted to humiliate her! I wanted her to sleep with a man who didn't love her and bear a child she would lose upon birth. “I wanted to break her pride! I wanted to show her that she would only ever be a tool, that she would never have your heart!”Isabella took a step forward, staring intently at James. “But in the end, she got it anyway. She died, so you agonized over her, investigated me for her, accused me for her… James, tell me. If she hadn't died, would you have deposed me one day for her?”James looked into her wild eyes. All of a sudden, he did not know her anymore. Was th

James started to dream of Lynette. He dreamed of the day she first entered the palace, wearing pale blue clothes and looking up at the plum blossoms. She looked around when she heard his footsteps and smiled at him, a faint dimple in her left cheek. Sometimes he dreamed of her when she was pregnant, caressing her belly as she read a book by the window. The sunlight shone on her, gentle and serene. He dreamed of her kneeling in the snow, her body as thin and fragile as a piece of paper. Most of all, he dreamed of the fire in the west tower. In his dreams, he stood outside the burning building and watched it collapse in flames. Lynette stood at the window, staring at him quietly. She did not cry or shout; she just looked at him. He wanted to run in and save her, but it felt like his legs were nailed to the ground. He could not move. He could only watch as she was swallowed by the flames. Then he would wake up in a cold sweat, his chest hurting so hard he could barely brea

When the news of the queen's deposition reached the mansion on the outskirts, Lynette was sunbathing in the courtyard. Daisy rushed in with the letter, her expression filled with joy. “My lady, news from the palace — His Majesty has deposed the queen! Isabella Fairfax has been stripped of all her titles and imprisoned!”Lynette looked at her but did not put down her book. “I see.”Daisy blinked. “Aren't you happy?”“I am,” Lynette said calmly. “Why wouldn't I be?”Despite her words, there was no joy in her expression. Daisy said hesitantly, “My lady, this is great news. The prince and princess can officially call you their mother now. After things die down a little, maybe you could…”“I could do what?” Lynette interrupted her. “Go back to the palace? Become his concubine again?”Daisy was lost for words. Lynette closed the book and looked at the lingering snow on a withered branch. “Daisy, do you think I've won?”“Of course you have!” Daisy said excitedly. “Isabella is beh

The crown prince's investiture ceremony was set for autumn. That day, nobles and commoners alike gathered to witness and celebrate the occasion. Three-year-old Charles wore the crown prince's yellow cloak, holding James's hand as he took the stairs up to the main hall. The boy was young, but his steps were steady. There was a maturity beyond his age in his eyes. James looked at his son and suddenly thought of Lynette. Charles's eyes really resembled hers. After the ceremony was the royal banquet, filled with song, dance, and delicacies. James sat on his throne, watching the festivities with a hollow heart. This time last year, Lynette was still sitting at the ladies’ table, quietly enjoying the performances. He had not spared her a second glance that time, but now when his eyes sought her out, she was nowhere to be found. Three days after the investiture ceremony, Lynette wrote a letter to the palace. It only had one sentence. “Lady Lynette Eaves wishes to meet His Ma