The situation changes rapidly...

She spends the night in a restless state on the edge between painful sleep and wakefulness.

In the morning, the Segh-Teinarel castle was engulfed in turmoil.

Servants, physicians and court dignitaries ran along the corridors, periodically rushing towards the king's chambers.

A couple of hours later, the capital castle and its surroundings were filled with loud cries of heralds: "His Majesty the merciful King Eadric the Third died this night of heart disease! Long live the new king - His Majesty Teinarel the Second!"

What she heard brought relief to the queen: "This rare poison turned out to be effective... Oh gods! How much time I spent to find rare ingredients and achieve the right concentration! Infusion of belladonna, concentrated acid extract of geotrupes stercorarius mixed with the juice of the gland of lytta vesicatoria… I almost died soaking my lipstick with this poison! But the main thing is that the poison leaves no visible traces - the result of its use looks like an ordinary heart attack... King Eadric still did not have time to write a will - otherwise I would probably already be in prison ... "

By midday, a small procession of mounted knights with the heraldic symbols of the aristocratic house of Glanef on their white cloaks rode into the castle gates.

Heraldic symbol of the aristocratic house of Glanef ...

A black wyvern on a white background ...

Heraldic symbol of the family of Isolde ...

The procession of a dozen mounted knights was led by a tall and thin man dressed in a cuirass of blued steel.

His short hair had a raven shade.

Next to him in the saddle sat a small child of about five years old.

Queen Isolde saw all this from the window of one of the high towers of the castle.

And the significance of what she saw was great...

Her younger brother Natemir somehow managed to kidnap her son Teinarel from Glen Yara castle and bring him here!

The queen felt a surge of happiness at the moment when the door of her room opened and her younger brother entered, leading her little son by the hand, on whose neck the very same elven amulet was barely visible.

The child really does look very much like a human now as if a very small share of elven blood in his veins.

"Long time no see, little sister! Or should you now be called Your Majesty the Queen Regent?" - Natemir's playful words could not hide from Isolde the fresh scars on his face, covered with dried blood.

Isolde rushed forward, embracing her brother and son.

"Are you seriously injured?" - she whispered in her brother's ear.

"No, these are just minor scratches... A couple of arrows slightly grazed the skin... In response, I cut down these unsuccessful archers with my broadsword. However, His Grace Henry the Duke of Glen Yara will clearly not let us all get bored now... He is mobilizing armed detachments of his supporters throughout the southern lands of the kingdom. Representatives of several noble families who went over to his side have fled the capital. Despite the lack of a written will of Eadric, this faggot Henry proclaimed himself the true king and continues to spread false rumors about you and your son..." - behind the cheerful and energetic tone of Natemir's voice, one can feel concern for the future.

"The civil war in the kingdom has become a reality... But... I don't care! Let all this shit go to hell! The main thing is my son and my family! I will survive anyway!" - Isolde thinks, passionately hugging a five-year-old half-elf boy, whom she has not seen for a long time.

The child does not understand what is happening, but he cuddles with a giggle against the beautiful woman, who kisses his forehead.

The child's large, beautiful eyes, blue like sapphires...

These eyes reminded the woman of his true father...

With an effort of will, she drove away the sad memories...

Now Isolde is the queen regent for her young son Teinarel.

His Majesty King Teinarel the Second is now running around the room, laughing and shouting the words of some children's tongue twister-counting rhyme.

The real ruler of the kingdom Eborvair (at least part of the kingdom) is now Isolde.

And her relatives from the aristocratic family Glanef, which owns lands in the northwest.

And all the southern lands are now engulfed in a rebellion by the pretender to the throne...

Henry the Duke of Glen Yara is quickly gathering troops...

And soon the situation may change dramatically for Isolde and her son, who does not even suspect his true origin...