Exactly the way Dexter had commanded, the results for the investigation came rolling in. Geoffrey stood before the king very early in the next morning, a scroll in his hands. Dexter had his chin on his hands, his expression grim.

"Bring it here." He ordered, his voice cool as ice. Geoffrey nodded, briskly walking over to the king and passing over the scroll.

"These are the list of the names of the people behind the in queen's set up." Geoffrey said as he handed it over.

Dexter barely him spared him a glance as he rolled the scroll open, briefly running over the names. " Are you sure about this?" He finally asked after moments of silence.

"Definitely, your majesty." Geoffrey replied, unnerved by the king's unnatural calmness. The king nodded, placing the scroll on the table.

"What about the search?"

"We are closing in on the knight, your majesty. He seems to be here in Madonia." Geoffrey replied.

The king's eyes narrowed. " Well, find him." He grated out, his muscles tensing.

"I will, Your Majesty." Geoffrey replied.

"Summon everyone whose name is on the scroll here right now except Fleurie. You're dismissed."

" Yes, your majesty." Geoffrey replied before bowing and walking out of the king's study.

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Fleurie paced around her room, gnawing at her lips as she did so. She found it impossible to relax after completing her plans. After all her meticulous planning, the results she had hoped for wasn't the one she received. The king's trust about Maya doesn't seem to have wavered a little bit. And now she was terrified of being caught. Already the king had summoned most of her accomplices. Being in the dark was threatening to drive her to madness.

Fleurie tried to collect herself, taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. It wouldn't do well to be afraid, she needs to put on a brave front if she's in front of the king so she can deny everything. She did a good job hiding her tracks, there was no way the king is going to find out that she's the one behind the attack. That's it, deny everything.

Such was the resolve Fleurie had until a knock came on the door and a guard walked in. " The king summons you." He announced, making Fleurie freeze. She forgot how to breath for a while. She just kept staring at the guard, her face as white as snow. Finally, she collected herself, swallowing nervously.

" Give me a moment please, I need to get ready." She said, her voice trembling. The guard simply nodded, not moving from where he stood. With shaky hands, Fleurie tried to make herself presentable. Once she was done, she walked out of her room. The guard led her to the king's chambers, oblivious of Fleurie's turmoil.

When she arrived at the king's study, she was terrified to see Agatha, Lisa and the Royal accountant on their knees before the king and they looked pale with fear. He had their back on them but the tension radiating off him was enough to make her stomach hurl. She quickly put on an impassive face and looked at the king.

" You summoned me, Your majesty." She called out, her tiny voice trembling. Gosh, but this was even worse than standing before her father. A million times worse. The guard she came with was still in the room.

" Take all of them to the dungeon. I'll deal with them later." The king ordered, not looking at them. Fleurie's heart dropped to the bottom of her shoes on hearing the command and she was so close to passing out. The dungeon?

Their pleas rung out almost immediately at the order but the king paid them no heed. It was clear he was done with them. The guard forced them all out and soon it was just her and the king left. He went back to his seat, fixing her with an artic gaze. Fleurie began sweating, tremors racking her from time to time beneath her clothes. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stay in control of her body.

" You know why I called you here?" The king finally asked, his calm voice resounding in the whole room.

Fleurie bit her lips, trying to feign ignorance. " No, your majesty," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Dexter raised a brow. "You don't?" He asked. He sounded amused. Fleurie's feet almost buckled at the tension in the room. " The people you met in the room weren't enough to rouse your memory?"

Fleurie just stared at the floor, hoping it would open up and swallow her. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

The king slowly stood up from his seat, walking towards her. The temperature in the room dropped even lower and her legs began trembling. Once he was close enough, he reached out raising her chin so she was staring at him. Fleurie felt like she was gazing at Medusa herself. All of her body had frozen, completely. She felt like stone.

" Do you think I'm stupid?" He asked and for the life of her, Fleurie couldn't seem to get any words out. " Do you think I don't realize what's going on in this palace?"

Fleurie shook her head then. He released her, taking a step back. Fleurie had hoped to defend herself but now standing in front of him, everything has flown away. She has never felt more stupid in her entire life.

" Did you, or did you not try to set up the queen?" He asked calmly, his voice sending tremors down her entire body.

Fleurie couldn't say anything, she just stared at the floor, her throat closed up. Her body trembling, she looked like a stray cat out in the cold. She involuntarily closed her eyes, expecting a hit. This has totally backfired on her.

She heard him sigh before calling on another guard outside.Thinking they were here to take her to the dungeon, Fleurie forgot all about pride and began apologising.

" I'm sorry your majesty! It wasn't my intention to!! Please forgive me!" She begged profusely. Dexter just stared at her, an indescribable look on his face. Fleurie had fallen to her knees, grabbing the hem of his clothes, as she begged and pleaded.

The guard walked in, bowing his head immediately. "You called on me, Your Majesty." He said immediately.

" Prepare a carriage for Fleurie. Gather everything she owns in the palace and escort her out. Make sure she never sets foot here again." He stated calmly.

"Yes, your majesty."

Fleurie froze, stunned. He's not taking her to the dungeon? Instead he's kicking her out of the palace? It all didn't make sense to her. She watched as the guard left the study and she stared up at the king.

" Get up." He ordered sternly.

Fleurie scrambled up to her feet, hurriedly cleaning off the tears on her face, her body still trembling.

" You should be looking at me."

Fleurie raised her eyes to meet him and quickly looked away,her heart racing. They were glowering.

"The only reason I'm letting you go is simple. You're unstable. You've overstayed your welcome in this palace and as a result, think you can do whatever you want. The guards will escort you back to your father's castle. You are not allowed to set foot into this palace ever again. The next time it happens, you will be dead." He threatened calmly but he could as well be shouting.

"Yes, your majesty." Fleurie stuttered out.

" Now, get out."

Fleurie's legs moved in their afford and before long she was soon out of the king's study. She crumbled to her knees, her heart beating wildly out of her chest. The guard had come out with her and she numbly followed him, walking all the way to her room.

Geoffrey came in moments later and found the king standing, hands behind his back. "What do we do with her accomplices?"

"Kill them all."

"Yes, your majesty."

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The rumors had begun spreading like wildfire. Fleurie had been kicked out from the palace and would be going to her father's castle Immediately. Maya heard it from her handmaids when they came to see her later in the day in her chambers.

"Princess Fleurie has been ordered out from the palace! Finally we can have some peace!" Olivia said excitedly, as she brushed Maya's hair

If Maya was happy, she didn't let it show. She merely stared at her reflection in the mirror, her lips pursed.

" Turns out, she was behind everything. From the maid who poured powder on you to the woman who accused you of trying to run over her child. She wanted to make you look bad in front of the people so you could be impeached by the royal council."

Frankly, Maya was surprised at how quickly it took for everything to be found out. She expected the investigations to take about a week or so. She wasn't surprised that Fleurie was behind everything however.

"Where is she?" Maya asked after listening to her handmaids converse.

"She should be on her way out of the palace right now." Claire replied.

" I would like to see her before she leaves." Maya said, standing up. Claire and Olivia immediately set to fixing her dressing, adding accessories to her hair and dress.

Once she was ready, they led her out of her chambers to the castle grounds where they saw all of Fleurie's things being hauled into a carriage. She stood close to the carriage, looking lost.Maya pursed her lips and walked up to her. Fleurie's gaze flickered around and when it landed on Maya, hardened.

"Why are you here?" Fleurie gritted out, her eyes blazing.

Maya scoffed, rolling her eyes. " I wanted to see your pathetic self. You didn't think you were going to get away with this, did you?"

"Get out of here! You're just a weak bitch who hides behind the king!" She yelled vehemently, tears springing up her eyes.

Maya took a step forward, grabbing her by the chin. She glared down at Fleurie who was struggling to get away from her grip. " You're right, I absolutely hide behind Dexter. But there's something you are forgetting. He chose me, he married me. So, until he states otherwise, I am his wife, his queen and you will treat me as such." Maya grated out before shoving Fleurie away, causing her to take several steps back.

Fleurie quickly found her footing, glaring at Maya. " This isn't over." She muttered, venom lacing her words.

" I know it isn't. You will make another mistake and that time, I will strong enough to deal with you myself. I promise you. Until then, goodbye."

Fleurie glared at Maya as she climbed into the carriage and the driver began riding. Maya watched the carriage go, standing there till it disappeared out of view.

Good riddance.

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" I heard everything that happened." Maya said to Dexter in the evening after he had retired to his chambers.

"I figured." He replied as he undresed from his ceremonial clothes.

"Did you really kick Fleurie out and forbid her from coming into the palace." Maya asked, finding the whole thing incredulous. He nodded, confirming it. Maya couldn't help the chuckle that broke out of her lips.

"What about her accomplices?" Maya asked as an afterthought.

" They have been punished accordingly." Dexter replied smoothly, joining her on the bed. He glanced at her.

" I looked through your records and accounts." Dexter began and she sat up, listening attentively. " I saw you weren't doing anything wrong. Most of them were correct, the accountant was just deliberately making it look like you kept multiple mistakes. They've just been lying to you."

The royal accountant was part too? That's insane."So, I'm not stupid?" She asked.

" You never were. Although I wished you have told me earlier. I would have fixed it much easier." He grumbled.

" I'm sorry, I really thought I could handle it myself."

" It's okay. I'll take this argument to the meeting tomorrow and fight. You will not be impeached." He promised.

" Thank you!" Maya said, relief flooding her at his words. She placed a kiss on his cheeks, wrapping her hands around his neck, esctatic.

"That's all?" Dexter murmured as he stared at her. " I was expecting more."

Maya's gaze turned serious. "Hey, it's not over yet. When you finish saving my position, then I will reward you appropriately."

His eyes glinted mischievously. " I can do whatever I want?"

" Don't know what you mean by whatever, but yes. You will."

" Thank you so much. And sorry if I bothered you. I didn't mean to."

" I would barely call this bothering." He said as he reached up, kissing her. It was light and teasing at first but soon morphed into something intense as Dexter grew greedy, exploring and tasting every part of her, his hands sliding up her thighs. When they pulled away to catch their breaths, he nibbled at her neck, sucking on it.

" Can we move the reward forward?" He asked, his voice husky. Maya trembled, a gasp escaping her lips.

A part of her wanted to refuse, to continue teasing him but she was craving his touch already. She smiled back at him, running her fingers down his jaw.

" Maybe? You choose." She whispered back, a wicked glint in her eyes.

Whatever Maya wanted to say about the stranger that had visited her was completely forgotten once he claimed her lips again.