Betrayal

"Are you sure it'll work?" Adhley heard on her way to her husband's chamber. She checked and saw her bestfriend, Rita. "Who are you talking to?". Adhley asked as she walks up to her, smiling. Rita turns to her with a shocked and terrified look on her face which she quickly covered up with a beautiful smile. "Nobody. Why do you ask?" "I just heard you saying 'if it'll work?'" Adhley asked again, stopping in front of her.

"If what will work?" Rita asked with a puzzled-like look on her face. Adhley was really confused as she said, "I should be the one asking you that. I mean, I just heard you talking with someone." "I wasn't." Rita said straightforwardly as if leaving no room for question on the matter again. "Well, that's weird." Adhley said. "You know what's weird?" Rita asked with Adhley looking at her for an answer. " The fact that you are pregnant and we're waiting for you to deliver the baby anytime from now. And I want you to know that I'm here for you anytime. Main reason I moved into the castle. To make sure my sweet friend is safe from any harm during delivery." She said while holding Ashley's hands in hers.

Adhley started tearing up, "I don't know what I've done to deserve such a great and caring friend ". "I should be the one saying that " Rita said and hugged her. "No, it should be me" Adhley said. The two broke their hug and Rita was about to say something when King Richard came out of his chamber, " You two better not start your argument again on who loves the other most or who cares the most". "Your highness" Rita bowed while Adhley immediately hugged him."Are you okay? You're not feeling any pain,right?" Richard asked in a gentle tone. "No,I'm not" Adhley replied him smiling widely.

"You do know that you look even more beautiful being pregnant?" He asked her. Ashley's face flushed red as she looked down,shy. Richard gently reached his hand out to lift her face up. As he was about to plant his lips on hers, Rita cleared her throat,"hummhumm, a maiden is right here". Adhley immediately disentangled herself from Richard's embrace feeling a little awkward.

"Sorry" Adhley said under her breath. "Have you eaten your lunch yet?" Richard asked Adhley. "No. Was about to get you" Adhley told him. "Well let's get going then" Richard said. "Do you mind joining us, Rita?" Adhley asked her. Rita smiled brightly "Sure. After you both " Both Adhley and Richard moved to the dining hall. Rita eyes darkened as she looked at them -Adhley -with her fists clenched together so tightly, 'Enjoy your days with my man for now, I'll definitely get him back from you'.

...

Adhley's tummy was filled with delicious food and she just couldn't stop despite that her stomach was full and beginning to hurt. The pain was little at first but soon, it began to hurt so badly. She could no longer bear the pain as she screamed out. Rita and Richard noticing the pain she was in quickly sent for the royal physician, Magdini. Adhley was carried to her chamber and soon Magdini arrived.

Magdini checked on her, "Looks like the poison is already working" He said to both Richard and Rita. Rita smirked evily. "Poison? Who poisoned me?" Adhley managed to ask in her pains. "You want to know?" Rita asked walking towards her and eventually sits on the edge of the bed Adhley was on. "We did. You're probably wondering why. I'll tell you. You have everything. Everything anyone could ever dream of having. I didn't have anything or should I say, we didn't have anything..."

She pointed to herself and Richard. "...so we made a plan. I became friends with you and I introduced Richard to you and like the spoilt and silly idiot you are, you fell in love with the handsome man, defying your family's order of you not getting married to him. You even gave him your own throne. Should I tell you a secret? Richard and I are lovers..."

Adhley was shocked which showed on the expression on her face. Rita continued, "...Oh, you are suprised. Yes, and we love each other so very much. Now, he has the throne and I would be his queen, of what use are you? So we decided to get rid of you" "And what about Magdini?" Adhley asked as tears flowed down freely from her eyes. "Oh him? He just happened to realize that it will be more beneficial for him to be on our side" Richard said. Adhley broke down crying as she realized that does that she trusted so much were the ones now hurting her so badly.

The sounds of her crying and pain made it sound like she was in labour which she was actually in. Magdini saw this and decided to help her deliver her child but Rita was not in support of this but was convinced by Richard and Magdini that it would be better for them to make her deliver the baby and then kill it themselves. Adhley delivered the baby and begged them to spare her child but they would not listen. She pleaded with Richard to consider the fact that the child was his but he refused her claiming that only the child given

to him by his beloved was his. Adhley continued begging and the pain from the effect of the poison was becoming more and more. Her cries became louder when she saw a knife on her baby's by Rita. Her vision began to darken and all the evil laughs made by Rita sounded farther and farther away. Her sounds stopped. Magdini then checked her to confirm her death. She died.