Anastasia had just returned from the chapel when she received news that she needed to take provisions to the prince and the army in the North.
"Your Majesty," Anastasia said, finding the situation strange. After all, sending provisions did not require a member of the royal family to go. Moreover, it was war zone and there was no reason for her to take that risk.
Queen Mary saw the doubt in her gaze and handed her a small box.
"I will tell you the truth. This morning, we discovered that His Majesty is not sick, he has been poisoned," the queen said. Anastasia was shocked to hear this news. How could the king be poisoned? Seeing her expression, Queen Mary continued speaking.
"The royal palace has been compromised, and we cannot tell who is behind it. This is a very important item I need you to deliver to the crown prince. I can’t trust anyone else," Queen Mary said. She followed her husband’s instructions and did not tell Anastasia what was inside the box.
"Your Majesty..." Anastasia was still surprised. She did not expect the queen to trust her so much.
"You and the prince just got married. This item is valuable. It just so happens that provisions need to be sent to the North. If you go, it will not raise any concerns," Queen Mary said. Although she did not reveal the entire truth, Anastasia could make a guess.
Whatever she was being asked to deliver must be extremely valuable. Anastasia had a feeling it was connected to the throne and the royal family. She was just a newly married bride, and perhaps no one would suspect that she carried something so important.
"Okay, Your Majesty," Anastasia accepted the task.
Seeing that she no longer had doubts, the queen was relieved.
"Rest early tonight. The carriages are set to leave at dawn. The supplies must reach the North as soon as possible," Queen Mary said.
Anastasia agreed and saw the queen off before preparing for the journey.
"Rosa, get ready, you will come with me," Anastasia instructed.
"My lady, I will prepare everything," Rosa replied, pleased that she remained Anastasia’s most trusted maid. Now that Anastasia had more maids serving her, many were trying to get closer to her.
"Your Highness, I want to go too," Nile said. She remembered that she had been sent to the palace by the duchess to keep an eye on Anastasia.
"There is no need. Stay back and get used to working in the palace," Anastasia rejected her request. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel·fire.net
Dorota also wanted to go, but seeing that Anastasia had refused Nile, she decided not to ask. After all, the North was at war, and no one could predict the outcome.
"Your Highness, this old lady has spent most of her life serving in the Duke’s residence. I would like to take this opportunity to travel and see other places," Grater said as she helped Anastasia prepare for bed.
"No, the North is in chaos. If something happens to you, I will not be at peace. However, I have an assignment for you here in the palace," Anastasia said. She also felt that Grater was old and should not travel such long distance.
Hearing that she could still be of use, Grater was pleased.
"What does Your Highness wish me to do?" she asked.
"While I am gone, I want you to keep an eye on Dorothy, the physician," Anastasia said. She felt as if her fate was somehow tied to this woman. In her last dream, the king had accused her of sending Dorothy away. Anastasia believed that no matter how jealous she might feel, she was not someone who would oppress others. Dorothy must not be easy to deal with.
She thought that she would use the time the prince was away to understand her but now she had to go to the north.
"The female physician... Is it true that she is the prince’s mistress?" Grater asked.
"Where did you hear that?" Anastasia was shocked. Since Dorothy had moved to her courtyard, the rumors about her relationship with the prince had decreased.
"Your Highness, this old lady has good ears. I overheard two maids whispering about it when we were training to serve you," Grater said. She looked slightly embarrassed, and Anastasia guessed that she was worried about being mistaken for a gossip.
"Don’t listen to rumors. The prince brought her back because of her excellent medical skills. She supposedly saved him in the Third Region. She lost her family in the last war, so he brought her here," Anastasia said. Of course, she had just married the prince, and it would be damaging to his reputation if he took a mistress so soon. Moreover, it would affect her as well.
"Oh, I will do my best," Grater said, but she had lived long enough to know that there was always some truth in rumors.
After making all the arrangements, Anastasia went to sleep.
She woke up early, and with Grater’s help, was ready on time. A carriage was already waiting outside the courtyard.
Just as she stepped out with Rosa, Miss Magdalene appeared.
"Your Highness, the queen has entrusted me to accompany you," she said.
Anastasia had no objection. Over the past weeks, she had gotten along well with Miss Magdalene.
"Your Highness, please wait!"
Just as Anastasia sat in the carriage, someone called out.
"Physician Dorothy, is there a problem?" Anastasia raised her brows.
"Your Highness, you are still taking medicine. Since Her Majesty assigned me to oversee your health, I believe it would be best for me to accompany you," Dorothy said. She did not particularly care about Anastasia’s health. It was simply that the prince had been gone for almost half a month, and she missed him. Since Anastasia was traveling to the North, Dorothy saw this as an opportunity.
After all, she was not yet the prince’s official mistress. What if he met some beauty and forgot about her? She had heard that northern women were quite stunning.
"There will be no need for that. Physician Nathan already gave my maid the prescription, and she can prepare the medicine," Anastasia refused. There was no way she would allow her husband’s mistress to travel with her. What if Dorothy disgusted her on the way?
Dorothy frowned. "Your Highness, I am your physician. The journey to the North may affect your recovery. With me there, I can take proper care of you," she insisted.
She felt that as long as she could reach the North, she could rest assured of holding the prince’s heart. Being a mistress, especially an unrecognized one—was already a disadvantage. If the prince abandoned her, she would once again become a mere nobody.