The Debt Of Fate
Chapter 215: Loyal

Chapter 215: Loyal

Royal Palace

"She met with someone?" Anastasia looked at Gavin, who had brought the news. After becoming queen, she had asked Gavin and Alden to become her personal guards. She knew she needed people who would be loyal to her.

These two had kept silent about the kidnapping incident, so she brought them to her side. After becoming royal guards, they trained for a month and learned the palace rules before being sent to her service.

Anastasia also allowed the king give them some merit. Since the real situation of the kidnapping could not be told, she simply made up a story about them aiding her ecape from the kidnappers. Edward had not paid much attention to Anastasia’s situation so he did not notice the loop in her tale.

Anastasia, wary of her nightmare becoming a reality, had sent Gavin to keep an eye on Dorothy. That was how she came to know of the king’s two visits to the courtyard and Walter’s occasional inquiries about Dorothy’s well-being. Anastasia tried to convince herself it was only because of the child, but when the king let Dorothy attend the royal celebration, despite promising to keep her away; she bitterly realized what it meant to be unfavored. She had grown up with her mother and understood such things.

"Who did she meet?" Anastasia asked as Gavin nodded.

"He looked like a priest of the Old Gods. The two seemed to have met before. Their words weren’t very clear to me, as I did not dare go to close but he gave her a list and asked her to bring some items—along with a list of names from the palace medicine room," Gavin reported. He hadn’t been able to hear the conversation clearly.

Anastasia frowned. She couldn’t understand what the man was planning. Anastasia wasn’t a worshiper of the Old Gods. Even if she got the list, she wouldn’t know what it meant. Besides, Anastasia had no idea where to find such a priest herself.

"You may go back and continue watching her," Anastasia said. There was no other choice.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gavin bowed. But as he took a few steps to leave, he suddenly remembered something.

"Your Grace, I also heard them mention something about ’wearing the crown,’" he said. He hadn’t dared get closer and hadn’t heard everything clearly. Only now, while reporting, did he realize how suspicious it was that Dorothy wanted names from the palace medicine room. The task troubled him so much that he had nearly forgotten the phrase.

Anastasia, about to pick up her teacup, froze. A scene from her dream flashed through her mind—after raising a child for twenty years, another woman was crowned queen before her death.

Her hand shook, and her heartbeat quickened. She had thought that by doing things differently, she could escape her fate. But that phrase "wearing the crown" made her certain they were coming for it.

Anastasia wondered if she had made a mistake by letting Dorothy stay. "A wounded snake is the most dangerous," the phrase leapt into her mind. Perhaps she should have held Dorothy accountable for her crime and sent her out of the palace. "It is best to kill an enemy completely, giving them no chance to survive," the next thought followed.

Had she made the wrong decision from the start by allowing Dorothy to remain? Or was it her compromise with the king that led to this moment? Or was it that the will of fate could not be charged?

After a long pause, she waved Gavin away. She knew there was no turning back. The decision had already been made. Regret was useless, making plans for the future was the only way.

Anastasia smiled bitterly. "The king is not very reliable," she admitted to herself. She had believed that securing a promise from him in his mother’s presence would be enough. She never imagined he would turn so quickly.

"Is divorce my only way out of this?" she wondered. To be a queen was God, but life was better than a position.

The king had been busy for so long and still hadn’t visited her chambers. She thought of Dorothy’s recent movements. Fortunately, she had confronted physician Nathan, and had the opportunity to read the late king’s letter, so she no longer trusted anyone in the palace.

Her medicines no longer came from the royal apothecary. She had entrusted Physician Nathan to purchase them from outside. Then she worked with Grater to examine everything carefully.

Anastasia sighed, thinking of how little support she had.

Deep in thought, Miss Magdalene arrived.

"Your Majesty, the list of flowers for the bouquet you wanted to host in the royal garden—I’ve drawn it up as requested," Miss Magdalene reported.

Anastasia looked at her, then reached out to take the list. "Miss Magdalene, I have another task for you," she said. She realized just how few people she had to rely on. If she wanted to create an escape route for herself, she needed more loyal and trustworthy servants.

"Your Majesty, I will do my best," Miss Magdalene replied. She had often worried that the queen rarely gave her any personal responsibilities. After all, she wanted to become just like Miss Margaret, the king’s mother’s confidante.

"Can you investigate everyone in the palace medicine room? Quietly. I don’t want anyone alerted," Anastasia asked.

"I can," Miss Magdalene replied. She had been in the palace for years and knew how to gather information discreetly. The only challenge would be keeping the investigation quiet.

"You must not tell anyone about this. If someone finds out, just say it’s a precaution after the last incident," Anastasia said.

"Yes, Your Highness," Miss Magdalene bowed and left.

Anastasia turned to Rosa, who had been standing by.

"Go and bring Alden. I have a task for him," she instructed.

Rosa bowed. She was worried after hearing Gavin’s report and quickly found Alden.

"Your Majesty," Alden said, a little anxious. He had served by the queen’s side for over a month, but only Gavin had been given a real task. He was beginning to worry that the queen did not trust him. He regrets not showing his loyalty to Anastasia like Gavin did during their journey to Lowe.

"That Miss Magdalene who just left—follow her. Report everything she does back to me," Anastasia said.

Alden bowed and left the room.

Anastasia took a deep breath. The task she’d given Miss Magdalene wasn’t the real test. What she truly wanted was to see if Magdalene was loyal. She didn’t expect her to be as devoted as Rosa or Grater, but as long as she wasn’t a spy planted by someone else, it would be enough.

---

Meanwhile...

Dorothy had already reunited with the nanny and guards who had been searching for her. They hadn’t expected her to disappear so suddenly.

"I’m fine. I just lost my way and ended up walking in circles for too long. Let’s return," Dorothy lied. The guards and nanny didn’t doubt her. After all, she wasn’t familiar with the royal city.

They called the carriage, and the group returned to the residence outside the palace.

Back in her room, Dorothy took out the list and examined it carefully. These weren’t items she could gather on her own. Even if she managed to get them, delivering them secretly to the Seer would be difficult. She was also worried about the king discovering what she had done. She had claimed many times that she only wished to be his mistress. Now, making a move for the queen’s position might ruin the trust she had just started to build again.

After thinking for a while, she called the nanny.

"My lady, do you need something?" the nanny asked with a bow.

"You follow me because His Highness asked you to?" Dorothy asked. Her grandmother had once said that every mistress needed loyal servants.

"Yes," the nanny replied.

Dorothy nodded. "Although I’m not yet His Majesty’s official mistress, I carry his first child. He has also promised to make me his official mistress in time." She paused and looked at the nanny. Though she was just a physician’s daughter, the nanny had grown up in the palace and Dorothy couldn’t read her at all.

The nanny lowered her head, wondering why Dorothy was sharing so much.

"Do you want to serve loyally by my side?" Dorothy asked. She stared at the nanny, but couldn’t tell if she was sincere or just playing along.

The nanny was surprised by the offer. A servant could not be greater than her master. Dorothy, a woman with no strong status, didn’t seem like a wise choice. But thinking about the king’s continued favor, the nanny was tempted. After all, the queen would never trust a servant who had served the mistress. If she didn’t stick with Dorothy, she might go back to being just a nameless nanny.

"Don’t worry. I don’t plan to do anything wrong. I just want the freedom to make my own choices," Dorothy said, seeing that the nanny hadn’t responded.

"My lady, since His Majesty asked me to care for you, I am loyal to you," the nanny replied. Dorothy’s assurance that she had no evil plans helped her decide.

Dorothy was satisfied. "You may go," she said.

The nanny bowed and left the room.