Toxic Empress

A Warning

“Huh?”

Xena furrowed her brows, Derryl revealed the regret implied behind her handsome face.

“WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY?” Derryl raised his tone while shaking Xena's shoulder. Derryl's bead of eyes widened instantly, the distance between his face and Xena's face was close together.

“What did I tell you?” Xena's response was too cold, and Derryl dropped his hand from Xena's shoulder.

“Of course because the boy is also my son, I deserve to know about that,” replied Derryl.

Xena smiled wryly, the sound of a small laugh slowly enlarged, after what Alina had gone through just this time the man noticed it. Alina wouldn't have died if Derryl had paid at least half the attention he paid to Brisia. Xena wants to kill the man, she hates the person to blame for Alina's death. Even according to Xena, the regret that Derryl now felt was not to Alina, but to Xena who disguised herself as Alina.

“Returned times I tried to tell you, but you ignored me, my existence in the palace was like a ghost. I'm invisible, but his presence can be felt, so tell me! How do I tell you?” Xena's sharp eyes made Derryl lose the word to answer.

“It's your fault you didn't tell me! Though you could have sent me a letter or met me secretly in my work space. Why don't you do it like that? Now that you're blaming me, you should be the one I blame. What exactly have you done until the killers are after your life? You're the one who put our son in danger!”

Derryl raised his hand high, intending to aim and slap Xena's cheek. His anger mounts as Xena blames him for his son's death, but Xander swiftly restrains Derryl's wrist from beating Xena.

“Don't cross the line! The empress is a woman, you may want to beat her!” snapped Xander wrathful.

“You don't have to interfere in my affairs! This is my business with my wife, why do you look so angry? Do you like the Empress? Are you hiding feelings for the Empress? Even the fiancee I have chosen for you at the very end you cancel without my consent!” tuding Derryl fiery.

Xena gave a rough sigh, she did not like when there was a fight at this time, then Xena pulled Derryl to leave the Xander mansion immediately.

“Quick return to the palace! You make me mad,” Xena said forcibly pulling Derryl's clothes.

Xena turned her head towards Xander who was smiling at her, but she only replied with an uncomfortable look.

“The kiss was very delicious,” said Xander using a lip gesture while blinking his eyes next to her.

“Sinting!”

During the ride on the horse-drawn carriage, Xena and Derryl were constantly arguing over the matter. Derryl did not accept the blame by Xena, he bestowed all kinds of anger, but Xena did not want to lose just like that. Xena clucked bitterly many times against this guy like Derryl, it was very difficult for him to manage. Upon arrival at the palace, Xena refuses to talk to Derryl, the situation calms down after Xena returns home with Derryl. Gia hugged Xena, she was very afraid of Xena fading down without her knowledge.

...***...

The grievous deaths experienced by the three noble ladies created a stir in Charise Empire. One by one the allegations came, not a few prejudices directed to the Queen Mother, because they showed strange symptoms since returning to meet the Queen Mother's invitation to drink tea together. Derryl had been preoccupied by the matter from this morning, the protests from the nobles entered simultaneously. They demanded that Derryl should drop the search for the mastermind behind the poison, plus some of those who directed the charges against the Queen Mother.

While at that time, Gylda – the Queen Mother was afflicted with endless feelings of anxiety, she will be one of the main suspects in this case. Gylda pacing back and forth biting a finger to find out what he should do next in order to escape this problem.

“Who poisoned them? Is that woman? But, how did he do it?” murmured Gylda while sitting on the chair.

PRAANGGGS!

Two plates were thrown by Gylda onto the floor, he lost the sense of guessing who was involved in this murder. Although his mind was directed towards Xena, but he thought it was impossible.

“AAKKHHHH DAMN! WHY DID AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!” amuk Gylda ruffled his hair, “Destroyed everything, I was afraid they would imprison me then cut off my neck.” Gylda touched his neck, he imagined a sharp object slashing his neck, Gylda looked very frustrated with problems like this.

A few minutes later, Derryl came to visit his mother, Gylda immediately saw the light behind the problem.

“Derryl, my son... Do you believe it wasn't my mother who killed them? Didn't Mom put poison in their drinks?” ask Gylda.

“I believe, but why is everything running like this? The nobles urged to investigate Mother for the sake of finding evidence, however the matter was too serious, because the ones who died from the poison were the influential noblewomen. I should have known that already!” Derryl.

“I just put poison in the Empress tea cup, then why else would they—”

“What did Mom say just now?” Derryl cut off the mother's line of speech, he couldn't believe what he had just heard, “WHAT DID MOTHER SAY?! ANSWER THAT! WHAT DOES POISON MEAN? YOU WANT TO KILL ALINA?!” derryl's wrath is tempestuous.

Gylda receded as soon as Derryl was furious at him for daring to harm Xena.

“Why are you scolding Mom?” Gylda shed a tear in front of Derryl to make her child's emotions decrease, “Don't you mind if the Empress is killed? What's up with you lately? If she dies, Brisia – your beloved concubine can rise to the position of Empress and give birth to offspring for you.”

Derryl did not respond, he just lowered his head while clenching his hands.

“Mother don't go anywhere for a while, I will investigate this matter even more deeply, I believe that Mother is not the culprit,” said Derryl immediately passed away from in front of Gylda.

At the same time in Xena's room, he was enjoying the commotion that was coloring the empire. Everything went according to plan, the day Xena attended the Queen Mother's invitation, she put poison into the drinks of the three nobles who had insulted her without the knowledge of others. Xena laughed as she rolled around on the bed, her poison indeed never disappoints and never shows mercy towards the target.

“Please take this as a warning to Charise that in a moment they will have to get ready for the incredible devastation.”