“Wilhelm did what he could to save her,” Oscar said. “The first thing he did was try to call off the wedding.”
“So he cultivated his philandering reputation on purpose?”
There was a time when the public held Wilhelm in ill regard, when rumors spread of him seeing another woman despite his betrothal to the future queen. Oscar was certain Wilhelm had deliberately spread those rumors to put distance between them.
“Yes. He knew convincing his mother to call it off wasn’t possible, so he chose the next best thing: tarnishing his reputation. He hoped doing so would lead to the Great Five demanding the wedding be canceled.”
“And by extension, he’d manage to stop the assassination plot?”
“Exactly.”
“To think such wild things were going on behind his scandal with Barbara…”
“He also tried to support Luxeria from the shadows,” Oscar went on. “He made subtle preparations to help expedite Luxeria’s judgment of House Radford and her plans to reform the regional governments.”
“He predicted she would go as far as she has? And he tried to assist her on top of everything else? How many eyes and ears did he really have?” Sam mused.
“I have no idea. It always seemed like he just knew everything.”
“I still don’t understand. Why did he go to such extraordinary lengths? How come he didn’t directly cooperate with her? Surely he must have known that the path he chose would lead to his demise, and yet…”
“Is it so strange for a man to want to protect the woman he loves?”
“But they were betrothed for purely political reasons!” Sam exclaimed.
“Doesn’t mean he couldn’t fall for her,” Oscar said, grinning. “I hadn’t heard him speak about it—no firsthand account of falling in love, no romantic escapades, nothing. Call it a hunch on my part, but I think his feelings toward her were complex. Perhaps he sympathized with her, felt guilty for what she’d been through.” A pang of grief for his lost friend lanced Oscar’s heart, and his gaze darkened. “So even if all that awaited him was oblivion, he never wished for her mercy. He never even considered the possibility of mercy.”
“Because he wasn’t able to call off the marriage?” Sam asked.
“He tried so many times, but it never worked. He didn’t let it sway his resolve. His feelings were too strong to ignore, so he tried to help her from the shadows, but…” Despite the light tone of his voice, Oscar balled his fists in anger. “But you know what? He was smiling when Luxeria stabbed him. He made peace with that fate, and he was satisfied in the end.”
“Unreal…” That was all Sam could muster, his gaze pointed at the floor. He couldn’t process everything he’d just learned, at least not in such a short period of time.
“Say, Sam. What do you think of Queen Luxeria?”
Sam’s head snapped back up. “What do I think of her? I’ve never met her in person, everything I know is secondhand. I don’t have much of an opinion, really.”
“That’s fine. To be honest, I get rather nervous thinking about her. Can’t stay calm. My opinion is biased and I know it,” Oscar said.
Sam chose his next words carefully. “Based on what I know, she seems to be as coolheaded as they come, yet she burns with an unspeakably deep rage. She knows the circumstances of her parents’ death, yes?”
“She does. I have no clue when she learned the truth, but it couldn’t have been immediately prior to the wedding. In which case, she must have played a role of sorts, pretending she was much weaker than she really was until the day of her coronation. To keep her venomous indignation at bay while hiding and polishing her sword of vengeance… She must have incredible mental fortitude. Astonishing amounts of it.”
“Clearly,” Sam agreed. “The number of years she kept her rage concealed no doubt added to her ferocity. As a result, the wedding ended the way that it did, and House Radford was wholly subjugated. I figure she must be the type who won’t stop spreading the fires of her hatred until she has burned everything to the ground.”
Oscar laughed upon hearing Sam’s analysis. “Ha ha ha! A fascinating theory, Sam. You see her as I do.”
He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the setting sun. Darkness had begun to stain the sky.
“Can a woman so cunning be as powerless as my father says?” Oscar wondered aloud. “Absolutely not. If anything, it’s my father who is powerless before her.”
“Well…”
“Taking her out of the picture, obtaining independence from the royal family? It would be nothing short of a nightmare. The notion is completely divorced from reality. It’s utterly pathetic that my father even imagines it. I have no idea what the rest of the Great Five are thinking, but I have to wonder why my father’s house takes the queen so lightly. It’s hard for me to see it as anything other than proof that my father’s contempt for the royal family, along with his greed, has left him corrupt and complacent.”
“I also wonder about the queen’s plans,” Sam said. “She wore the guise of a doll for so many years.”
“Yes. That’s terrifying in its own right,” Oscar said, opening the window. He closed his eyes and breathed in the evening air, letting it clear out the stuffy atmosphere that had filled his room. “Whether Luxeria is scheming against my family or not, my answer will not change. My father is evil, and he must be removed. And this house, this wretched institution that brings nothing but suffering to the citizens of its land, must cease to exist. I finally understand how Wilhelm felt leading up to his final days.”
“So, you wish to aid the queen?” Sam asked.
“I do.”
“But…there’s no guarantee you’ll come out unscathed, milord. The flames of her revenge are as likely to burn her allies as they are her enemies. And even if you manage to get out of it alive, what future will await you when House Weston falls?”
Oscar shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll figure it out when I get there.”
“Oh dear…”
“I’m more concerned about the protection and prosperity of my people than my own safety. What’s best for the citizens of this nation comes first.”
“Certainly, but—”
“Frankly, I didn’t act soon enough. I knew the sins of the Great Five, and all this time has passed without change. Now our own citizens are being thrown to the wolves!” There came a loud thud as Oscar punched the wall beside the window in frustration. “I should’ve spoken up sooner. I treated what happened to Wilhelm like it had nothing to do with me. The sins of the past, the sins of his mother, and now the sins of my father… They’re suffocating me like snakes coiled around my neck!”
“Calm yourself, Lord Oscar!” Sam shouted.
“Sam, please,” Oscar begged. “I need your help. I’ll make sure you have employment after I meet my end here.”
“That will not be needed. I am your servant to the very end.”
“I won’t be able to support you on my own.”
“Did you not say you’ll figure things out when you get there? We can work it out.”
“I did say that,” Oscar admitted with a chuckle. “Sam, we need government officials of our own, ones not tied to my father. Ones who can be our allies.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll learn what I can about my father’s plotting. Then we need to win over some knights to our side. If you hear anything important, let me know immediately.”
“It shall be done, milord.”
“Thank you.”
“May our lives prosper together forevermore.”
Their fates decided, two men shook hands.