Linda stayed in bed for the rest of the day, and ate nothing, ignoring everyone's worried gaze. She lay awake for most of the night and was roused again by Princess Matilda or a royal servant in the morning.
She stayed without food for three days and she had begun to feel hungry and tired.
Usually, Linda as a mafia queen could go hungry for a month, living only on water. But she was in the body of a king who was used to roasted goats and what not?!
She was busy, lost in thoughts and came around when she noticed a figure in front of her.
The person in front of her was a tall man with dark long hair and broad shoulders. He was dressed in a noble silk and with adornments. Everything about him radiated an intimidating aura of power.
Linda knew better than to be rude to this man.
She had come to accept that this was not her turf and Linda knew better than to be bossy and rude in another man's territory. Especially without backing and her favourite Glock.
And this man… he was the Lord Chancellor.
"Rise," the Lord Chancellor said.
Linda heard the cold anger in his voice, hastily moving into a sitting position. The Lord glared down at her.
"I said, leave the bed and stand."
Linda obeyed but with a stiff face and bitter heart. It's true that this man knows nothing about her identity as a mafia queen, but was he also out of his mind not knowing that he was talking to the heir apparent to the throne like that?!
"Do you know that a false physician entered these chambers? He carried with him St. Anthony's Fire poison. You are fortunate to be alive yet," the Lord Chancellor said. He pointed at Linda with no atom of respect and spoke as he willed.
Linda understood that probably it was because King Henward was like a son to him. And he was paranoid over his 'son.' Because after all, he raised Henward after the death of his parents.
But Linda squinted her eyes cautiously.
How could he know about the doctor? She didn't let even the air she breathed knew there was poison in the drink.
"Really? I survived poison," she said.
"Survived? Do not tell me you accepted something from that false physician?." The Lord Chancellor turned around to glare at her.
"A hangover drink precisely, Lord Chancellor," Linda replied. Playing pretend was the best move now.
She was yet to find out if he was the one behind the false doctor, just here pretending OR if he wasn't. Although, there was a 70 percent chance he wasn't.
"And this is how you intend to rule?" the Lord Chancellor lowered his tone but it sounded more aggressive now. He took a step towards Linda with a fierce face. "I raised you to be wiser than this but when? Tell me, when will you finally prove it that I raised you so?"
Linda's heart thumped. This man was so intimidating.
But why was he speaking this way to the King?
"I made certain the false physician would never report to his master the colour of your chambers."
Linda stilled.
Sure, she was accustomed to killing and people dying for her sake but… but was the royal empire this bloody too?
Fear knocked her bones out cold as she kept silent, staring at the man before her. 'This little king definitely didn't have it easy.'
For the first time, she felt pity for King Henward XVII. For someone in fact, in a long while.
"Madam Diana!" The Lord Chancellor barked towards the door.
An old-aged woman came in with her head lowered.
"Take His majesty to see his newest wife, the eighth—the Queen of Urzan," the Lord Chancellor deadpanned.
The woman nodded.
Linda on the other hand was speechless. 8th wife?
Wasn't she the hated one, the one who King Henward never paid attention to? Her face was never in any historical books. No one except people of this time knew what she looked like.
Linda forced herself to follow Madam Diana all the way to meet his newest wife. At 17 this little king was already a harem god?!!
'Fishy!'
Linda kept her face expressionless and her face naturally settled into a cold expression as she followed the older woman down multiple corridors.
They had gotten to a big golden door when the older woman bowed and left, leaving Linda alone to go into the room.
'She probably isn't that important. But why do I feel so nervous?! Don't tell me I'm a lesbian in this world, ha!'
Linda felt uneasy.
She clenched and unclenched her fists, bit her lower lip, felt her palms inside the gloves go sweaty.
All just to meet one unimportant pawn~
Linda pushed the door open and stepped in.
She instinctively stiffened when she saw the very little young girl sitting elegantly straight on the chair with a teacup held pristinely in her tiny hand.
'This is a child,' Linda frowned.
But this child sat like she was an aged woman with years of experience in grace and elegance. 'Queen of Urzan huh? Where the hell is Urzan?'
"Good morning, your majesty," the little queen greeted, bowing slightly.
"Why are you here?" Linda asked suspiciously. 'Shouldn't you be in school?'
"Your majesty has taken me as your wife, Queen Matsheget of Urzan and I must reside in the Palace of Westminster with my husband," she replied evenly.
Linda didn't know what to say.
The little queen tapped the seat opposite from her. It had a table in the middle. "Please, sit your majesty. We must be closer."
"Alright then," Linda finally said.
Linda was not intimidated by the little girl. Plus, who knows if he could win her favour, maybe after buying her a doll house and a Barbie dress, she could get information from her.
Linda took a step, then two, then three, then just when she was about to sit, a sword was held to her neck out of nowhere.
And that little girl was now behind him in the blink of an eye, her knees to the table, so poised and deadly.
"Tell me, why are you inside my body, Queen Matsheget of Urzan?"
"…"