290 I AM A ROYAL

"How could my mother be the cause of the Great Bloodbath fifteen years ago?"

Zoe's knees finally gave way as she crumbled on the floor. Fortunately, she was in a good hiding spot. She couldn't see the disappointed looks on the guests that were just honoring her a while ago. 

"Lady Lin is the instigator of the Bloodbath? But she disappeared way before then! We even thought she was already dead until her daughter showed up."

"Why would she do it? Is she acting in revenge because the King chose the Queen instead of her?"

"Why would he choose her? She is only a halfling."

"Stop this nonsense! Lady Lin would never do that! Why would you even taint the name of a dead person? Have you no respect!" King Artair stood up from his chair. 

He was still dumbfounded that some people opened the door out of nowhere while the dancers were having an intermission dance.

He did not expect it to happen as he was bent on distracting the guests while Raigon dealt with Duke Andras. 

But Duke Andras spewing trivial hearsays from the past awaken him from his stupor.

"King Artair!" 

Zoe heard the King's reaction and stood up from where she was. A glimmer of hope that what Duke Andras is saying is not true rose up from her heart.

She immediately bolted to the King's side as she knew the King's condition is not that perfect yet. Rather than letting her through, some guests stopped her from her tracks as their questioning eyes bore into hers.

"Is it true?" They asked her, making Zoe stop from her tracks. She gazed at their looks, some with disdain and some were just simply confused.

Zoe bit her lips as she was shocked herself and she did not know the answer to the question. As they were in that position, the King suddenly breathed in a lungful of air and then exhaled with the same force. He suddenly fell down on his chair with his hand on his chest.

"Let her through!" Raigon shouted as he rushed towards Zoe's perpetrators and pulled her out of it. 

The crowd made way as it was the Crowned Prince who was in their midst. 

Zoe stared at Raigon's arm as he just saved her from the interrogation of the guests. 

'How will this end?' She asked herself as they passed through the guests that were giving her a ridiculous stare.

As they reach the King, the Wang ladies are already encircling him. Zoe immediately checked on him.

He was just stressed out. But he cannot stay in this mess or his heart might get worked up again. 

"Please take a rest in your Chamber, your Majesty. We will sort this out." Zoe pleaded to the King as she can see how hurt he was by the situation and he was really trying to be strong.

"Please rest, your Majesty!" Princess Taia and Princess Ara requested the King. And as the nearby guests heard them, they also fell down and pleaded with the King.

"Please rest, your Majesty!"

Seeing the situation was going to their side, Duke Andras smirked and lifted his sword. "Just surrender the throne and there will be no bloodshed."

He was about to walk forward when Queen Rose spoke up. "Don't you have any conscience, Duke Andras? The throne is yours, but don't kill your brother like this!"

"No!" King Artair and Raigon growled as they will not give up the throne that easily.

Raigon faced them and gave the whole family instructions. "Please leave now. I will take care of this. Princess Taia, take Lady Asha with you."

Princess Taia nodded and held on Zoe's hands. But she removed them away. "No, I will stay. This is my issue too."

"This is not the right time, Zoe. The King needs you now. Please go." Raigon beseeched on her as he gazed on her with a look that he was also saying that he was running out of time. 

Zoe nodded as the other servants helped in lifting the King to be carried out, together with the other members of the royal family.

As they travelled, Zoe's eyes darted everywhere in search of her grandmother, Lord Hou and Erin. 

Right in time, Erin showed up and whispered in her ears. "We will leave now. Your grandmother is with us. Want to come with us? It is not safe for you here."

Zoe's tracks slowed down as she thought about the situation. She is indeed unsafe in that place. However, when she saw the pained look of the King as he was having difficulty breathing, she quickly shook her head.

"No, I'll stay. Please keep grandmother safe." Zoe answered her.

She didn't realize that the Queen was also eavesdropping their conversation. 

Erin left and they were now in the King's Chamber. Zoe made some concoction that will calm his anxiety and make him drowsy so that he could rest somehow.

As the medicine is taking effect, Zoe finally breathed out a sigh of relief. She then wiped her hands on her robe and went to Princess Taia and Princess Ara who stayed behind with the King. 

The Queen left, perhaps helping Raigon out. 

"What would happen to us now?" Princess Taia was crying and Princess Ara was rubbing her back.

"We will get by. We are the royal family, remember?"

As Zoe heard her words, she recalled who she really is. Her fingers flew to her chest as she felt her necklace. It is still there.

"I am also a royal. I don't need to be afraid."

Zoe stood up and dashed outside.

"Wait, where are you going?" Princess Taia noticed her and tried to stop her. 

Zoe stopped and swiveled around. "I will go back and tell them who I really am."

She closed the door of the Chamber and left.

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In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The next best thing is the wrong thing. But the worst thing is doing nothing.