The next stage of the secret plan...

Queen Isolde was pleased with the successful (for her own secret plans) completion of the magical test.

The secret of the true origin of her unborn child remains unknown to her ill-wishers.

King Eadric is completely confident that his seed was able to give birth to the heir to the kingdom, who is now in the womb of his beautiful young wife.

Month after month passes and the day of the childbirth is getting closer.

But even the burden of pregnancy does not encourage Isolde to abandon her daily secret thoughts about the next moves on the "chessboard" of court intrigues.

Few persons know about the queen's secret...

Only she herself, a female midwife (who participated in the process of "insemination" of the queen) and a young page named Elton, who constantly serves the queen.

However, Isolde's mind is constantly worried, which she successfully hides under the "mask" of external politeness and aristocratic elegance...

"It's time to take the next step... The safety of my child is the most important thing..." - the queen thought, falling asleep in her luxurious bedroom.

It was the ninth month of pregnancy, when an old midwife, who personally participated in the queen's secret plan, was found on the cobblestones of the main square of the castle by a patrol of guards.

Poor little soul...

This midwife fell from a high tower at night...

No signs of ****...

Just a tragic coincidence.

That's what the guards thought.

Only the queen and one servant she bribed knew the truth.

About a month later, a young and handsome page named Elton received a promotion and a reward for his good service - he was knighted and sent with an excellent letter of recommendation to the northwest of the kingdom (to the domain of one of the king's influential vassals, the queen's father - Marbert Glanef, who holds the title of thane of "Grim Peaks").

Pleased with the growth of his wealth and career success, the former page Elton was in a good mood, presenting himself at the court of thane Marbert, handing this stern gray-haired aristocrat his letter of recommendation.

Alas, Elton never found out that between the lines of this letter, something very unpleasant for him was written in invisible ink ...

"Father, I beg you - the bearer of this letter must die as soon as possible! It must look like an accident! This is important for the fate of my child! " - this is what the queen wrote in invisible ink to her father.

Former page Elton did not rejoice for long in his new status as a knight. After a week of feasting and dancing at the castle of thane, Elton went hunting at the invitation of the son of thane, Natemir Glanef.

Elton was the only one to die on this unsuccessful hunt…

The fangs of the snow leopard easily bit through the neck of the unfortunate young guy, who fell from the saddle very unsuccessfully.

He should not have drunk so much before the hunt.

When the queen received news of the successful elimination of the two "pawns" she smiled to herself.

But all this was not enough.

The magical test, which was successfully passed, gave rise to new suspicions in the calculating and sophisticated mind of Isolde.

"This test was dictated by the suspicions of some royal advisers. I must secretly find out which of the royal aristocratic advisers was most distrustful of my words about the child of king Eadric. This royal adviser may continue to intrigue against me... I must take action..." - thought the queen.

The birth is getting closer...

King Eadric has been looking weaker and more decrepit than usual in recent months...

He pays less and less attention to the affairs of governing the kingdom.

He relies more and more on his advisers and court dignitaries.

Therefore, the queen thinks about the future: when the old king dies, a Regency Council will be formed (after all, the infant heir will not be able to rule independently) - the queen must ensure a situation in which this Regency Council will consist of persons loyal to her.

And disloyal persons must be somehow... neutralized.

But, first, Isolde must, without attracting attention, identify these disloyal persons.

Every day, thoughts about the most important aristocrats who can exert secret influence and intrigue arise in the young queen's head.

Henry the Duke of Glen Yara - king Eadric's cousin. The true father of the queen's child, who does not know about this secret. The one who is the unwitting inseminator of Isolde.

About ten years ago, Henry was subjected to royal disgrace due to his depraved lifestyle and homosexuality. King Eadric deprived Henry of the right to inherit the throne. That's why Henry doesn't visit the capital and lives in his castle Glen Yara in the south of the kingdom.

But all this doesn't mean that Duke Henry doesn't scheme while waiting for the king to die.

Even without knowing the queen's secret, Duke Henry can harm the queen's interests by trying to regain his influence on the throne. Perhaps he bribed one of the royal dignitaries...

Or he influenced the royal advisers in other ways...

But this homosexual Henry is not the only one who can cause problems...

Alaric Branevar is one of the king's current trusted advisers, who is a major vassal owning lands in the northwest of the kingdom. Alaric holds the title of thane of "Hoary Crag". He spends most of his time in the capital at the royal court, entrusting the management of the lands of his family domain to his numerous relatives (he has four sons and three daughters, as well as many other kins).

Alaric has enjoyed the king's special trust in recent years and has taken on more and more authority, taking advantage of the laziness and weakness of the old king Eadric.

Alaric Branevar has a peculiar reputation...

Too loyal, too diligent, too accommodating to the whims of the old king...

It is possible that this imaginary modesty and devotion are just a "folding screen" for the thirst for power.

It is quite possible that Alaric Branevar is the one from whom the threat of secret intrigues directed against the unborn child of Isolde may come.

In addition, the queen remembers Baroness Leora Kayburn, who is the richest among the royal vassals of the western forests region.

Baroness of Old Elm.

Her citadel is the richest settlement in the west of the kingdom...

A large castle surrounded by several populous villages...

The baroness has a reputation as an eccentric person who enjoys her wealth and who is used to getting what she wants. Many of the poorer barons of the western region are in debt to the Kayburn family.

Baroness Leora's ambitions to become a Duchess have so far met with royal disapproval due to ancient traditions (her family did not have a sufficiently ancient aristocratic genealogy for such a noble title).

Perhaps sensing the weakening of royal power, Baroness Leora Kayburn has sharply intensified her secret efforts, influencing court affairs and seeking to gain a leading position in the Regency Council, which will soon rule the country after the **** of the current old king.

So, various plans for further action arise in Queen Isolde's mind...

Keeping the secret of the true origin of her child is a priority.

But, besides this, it is important to prepare for the assumption of full power after the **** of the decrepit King Eadric.

Against whom will the queen decide to intrigue and whom will she try to make an ally of her aspirations?