Daddy Next Door

by Tina Lee

  “We had guards spy on her,” Dante said.

  “She wouldn’t,” Elizabeth said.”

  “She will,” Dante and I said in unison.

  “You will accept the invitation. We will have someone switch the wine, but you must pretend that you are sleepy to avoid suspicion. You will go into the room.”

  “I thought you said—”

  “Dante will take care of that guy.” I stepped to Margret. “Now, you will poison Diana’s meat, the same way you did the last times. If she’s dead, I guarantee you will leave the North alive. If you fail, then you what will happen.”

  “You want me to murder one more shifter.”

  “No just any shifter. Diana Lukas. Blonde hair and blue eyes. The colors of your oppression. Like me. Isn’t your hate just bubbling inside you when you look at me. I’m sure you’ve seen faces like mine laughing while they take your children. Tomorrow, you get to do something about it.”

  “And don’t even think about doing anything funny. I will chop off your head. Don’t cross me,” Dante warned.

  Elizabeth, with her hand on her head, sighed. “This is crazy,” she said, then covered her face with her palms.

  “Yes,” I replied. “But it is necessary.”

  “Do we have a deal?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Margret replied.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Leo

  Elizabeth was in my room walking around nervously. The last time Elizabeth was in my room, she nearly died. Dante saved her, and I asked of him to save her again, tonight. The dinner would start in an hour and the plan would begin.

  Her emotions have been all over the place lately. One minute she was laughing, the other minute she was crying. She was terribly unstable, and if I could, I would have left her out of the plans, but that would raise suspicion. I figured she needed some good rest.

  All her needs were met. Delivered to her door was everything that she needed. Food, clothes, tea and even a masseuse. I would have to be patient with her. She was going through a really stressful time.

  “I can’t do it,” Elizabeth said.

  “You’re not doing anything. Just drink the wine, then five minutes later, pretend to be sleepy. That’s it.”

  “They will take me to a room where a killer is waiting for me.”

  “As I said before, Dante will take care of that.”

  “What if he doesn’t? What if goes to the wrong room?”

  As much as I wanted to be patient with her, Elizabeth was wearing my patience thin. “You know Dante better that me. Tell me, do you trust him with your life? If you say no, then I’ll abort this mission right here. Just say the word.”

  She sat my desk, going through papers and letters. I waited five minutes for her answer. “I do trust him. I just don’t agree with the plan.”

  “What is it about the plan that you don’t agree with?”

  “The obvious part; killing Diana.”

  “We spoke about this already.” I sighed, making my frustration known.

  “She seemed like a good person.”

  “I didn’t say she was a bad person,” I said.

  “Then why are you doing this?”

  “Because sometimes good people do bad things, and they don’t know that what they’re doing is wrong, because they have a belief that what they’re doing is right.”

  “And who decides who is good or bad? You?”

  “Elizabeth…”

  “She approached me to seek my help. She wanted us to inspire a generation of girls to believe in themselves. Think of all that good we could have done? How can any of that be bad?”

  “You can still do good, Elizabeth. Who more to inspire a generation of girls than the Queen of the North? A fighter, a healer, a woman of wisdom and a mother all in one. You are an extraordinary person.” I knelt before her. “Please don’t cry.”

  She was crying silently. Not a sniff nor a choke.

  I understood what Diana meant to her. In this city full of male elites, it was good to have someone of power on her side. Someone who wanted to help change the perception of women. They shared that goal. I could never truly understand what a woman has been through, for I was never a woman. I had no experiences of misogyny, I have never been ridiculed for my strength nor was i ever held back in life, in fact, I was given two steps ahead.

  I understood the reason for a change, and I knew change was going to come, as long as there was breath in me, and as long as women like Elizabeth existed.

  “Diana’s dream is to become the ruler of the North, and she will do anything achieve that. Anything. She’ll wait patiently for the opportunity to kill me then kill Dante, or, just wait for us to die in the coming war. And everyone knows our odds are unfavorable. She knows, I know, everyone knows that I may not return from the war. King Leo and Dante is dead.”

  Elizabeth leaned her elbows on the desk. “So, she wants to kill me because she fears that a human may become Queen. What If, i don’t want to become Queen? There! The problem is solved. She has no reason to kill me, and we have no reason to kill her.” Elizabeth looked at me as if she had found the secret to the universe. Her eyes pleaded for me to accept her solution. “Everything is solved, right?” She wanted with all her heart to believe that it could be solved so easily.

  “Not quite. You see, if Dante and I were to die, there is still one little problem, and that little problem is inside you.” Elizabeth hand touched her belly. “Diana knows you are pregnant, and she thinks it is my child. She fears that it may be a boy sleeping inside your womb, and that boy would be the rightful heir to the throne.” Her hand covered her womb, and my hand covered hers. “She wants me dead, and she wants our baby dead, which is the same as wanting you dead, Because only then, will she ever have a chance of sitting on that throne”

  She didn’t say it, but I saw it in her eyes. She understood why we had to do it. A mother’s instinct will always be to protect their child. No life was more important to her. Not Dante’s, not mine and not even her own life.

  It was time for us to go and take our seats. “You will be fine.”

  She nodded.

  “Just stick to the plan,” I told her.

  Clings and clangs filled the hall as the maids set the table with empty plates, knives, forks, spoon and wine glasses. A crowd of rambling men and women entered with their argument to disturb the peace. They filled the empty chairs, and even still, they continued to ramble on about trivial nonsense.

  Men and women in expensive attire. Mostly business men and their mates. Diana kept a close relationship with them all, building an alliance, and preparing for the day when she would strike. They all acknowledged me and I gave them nods and smile.

  Elizabeth sat, looking down at the empty plate, staring at her reflection, I guess. The empty chair beside her waiting to be filled.

  She liked to make an entrance. Trumpets blew as she opened the doors and everyone applauded, except me, of course. Diana wore a red tail dress, which I thought was fitting, for her last night alive. She looked beautiful, as usual, and she would die that way as well.

  I didn’t hate Diana. I didn’t exactly love her either. What I was doing was for the sake of my possible wife and child. She took her seat beside Elizabeth, hugging her and kissing her on the cheeks. I smiled at her but she didn’t return it.

  I didn’t understand Diana’s hatred towards me for being a man. Much like Dante blaming me for having blond hair, there wasn’t much I could do about it. Maybe they would find it better off if I was dead. Then my existence wouldn’t bother them anymore.

  She thanked everyone for coming, and introduced everyone, but she mainly focused on Elizabeth, which she made a three minute speech of all the brave and inspiring things Elizabeth had done. As expected, Elizabeth received a warm applause. Diana glanced at me with a smile. She believed she had everything under her control.

  Dinner was served. Trays of trays were being placed on the table and all my eyes were searching for was that sp
ecial one. Margret was instructed to put the leaf in Diana’s bison meat. A dish made specifically for her.

  Margret herself came out with Diana’s dish and placed it before her, and as she was about to walk away. “Excuse me,” Diana said.

  Margret turned slowly. Elizabeth looked at me nervously while I tried to mime to her to keep calm.

  “Yes?” Margret said.

  “I have never seen you around before. Are you new?”

  Margret took a while to answer, and when she finally did, she stammered. That was everything she was not to do. “Y-yes. I’m new.”

  Diana studied her, then looked down in her plate. “This bison looks delicious.” She poked it with the fork. “It looks to die for.”

  Elizabeth eyes shot open, and I sipped my wine, signaling her to do the same. A little wine would ease her. There was not a chance that Diana knew. We needed to stick to the plan.

  Margret smiled nervously and nodded. “Thank you.”

  Diana turned and smiled at Elizabeth. “Do you like the wine?”

  “Yes, I do.” Elizabeth replied.

  “Good. Good.” Diana had that smirk you get when you are winning something. That moment when you are swept up by arrogance and a false sense of self. That was when a person was most vulnerable. When they started to believe their own lie that they were invincible. Second only to the Gods.

  I watched Diana, studying how someone, oblivious of their impending demise, carried on like they had not a care in the world. Eat it, Diana.

  “Your Grace,” Diana called me, although there was no need for such formality. “Who will be in charge once you depart to battle those Eastern vermin?”

  All heads around the table turned to me. “You will, of course.” I laughed, and the table laughed with me, but she did not find it funny. “I’m sure you can handle the job.” I patronized her.

  “You’d be surprised of what I’m capable of,” she said.

  “Is that so? So tell me, what are you capable of doing?”

  Diana poured herself some wine. “Great things, Your Grace. Don’t worry, you will see it all in due time.”

  I raised my glass. “I look forward to seeing great things from you.”

  Diana and her friends were blabbering so much that she couldn’t get a chance to eat.

  I heard the wise ones in the South would often watch snails glide along their path. They never got frustrated or impatient because they removed the concept of time. They were able to master themselves, even their subconsious.

  I took my pocket watch and I slid it into my boot. I took time of my mind. It was irrelevant. It didn’t matter what point in time tonight she ate the poison. I would sit until she does. Easier said than done. I was not wise as the holy men, but I could try.

  I twirled my wine glass, then I smelled it, a signal for Elizabeth to pretend to be drowsy.

  Elizabeth dropped her fork on the floor, got up and staggered, holding on to Diana’s shoulder for balance. Everyone saw that she was behaving strangely but chose not to acknowledge it until I said something.

  “Elizabeth, are you alright?” I stood and said.

  Diana smirked. “I’m sure she’s fine. Probably had too much to drink.” She stood, hugged Elizabeth and patted her back. “You poor thing.”

  “No shame in that, Elizabeth. I drink more than I can handle sometimes.” Barry, who sat beside Diana, laughed. His shirt buttons barely held his big belly in.

  “Do you want to go home, Elizabeth?” I asked.

  “Home? In this condition? She should stay here in one of your guest rooms. Don’t you agree?” she said.

  Everyone around the table all voiced their agreement. They seemed to like her, and was genuinely concern for her safety.

  “Go get some rest, Elizabeth. I’ll eat for the both of us.” Barry stretch his short arms and took Elizabeth’s plate.

  I nodded to Elizabeth. “See you in the morning.”

  Diana smirked again when I said that. She hugged Elizabeth, and told her, “I wish it were under different circumstances. Have a beautiful and peaceful rest.” She then handed Elizabeth to the guards to take her upstairs.

  With the thought of victory, Diana felt it was time to relax, eat her Bison and drink her wine. I watched her from the corner of my eyes as she cut a piece of the bison, chewed and swallowed. She drank the glass of wine. “This is too spicy.”

  “What is?” Barry asked.

  “The bison. This isn’t edible.” She pushed the plate away from her.

  Diana was becoming a pain, and the patience I thought I had was gone. I took the pocket watch from my boots and look at the time. I acknowledged time, and the lack of it. It was time for her to die.

  The poison was in the meat, somewhere. I needed her to eat some more until she finds it. By the look on her face, she wasn’t going to touch any more of that meat. My plan was crumbling.

  Dante and I had already thought of the possibility of her not eating the meat. I was now forced to do plan B, which I wanted to avoid at all cost, because the plan was rough, and it was very unlike me. Plan B was to wait until all the guests had left, when only Diana and I remained, then I would stuff the poison down her throat by force.

  “Your Grace, if don’t you mind me asking, what does a man like you look for in a woman?” One of Diana’s friends asked, while twirling her hair.

  Everyone chuckled.

  “That question isn’t appropriate. Who do you think you’re talking to,” Barry said.

  “It’s okay, Barry.” With everyone looking at me, I took a bite out of my bison and slowly chewed, hoping that it would subconsciously make Diana eat hers. “I was devastated when Victoria died, we all were, but I cannot cling to the past. The North needs a queen. The North needs a strong and beautiful woman. One that is just and compassionate. A woman who will inspire her people, and lead by example. Your queen will be a balanced soul; wise and grounded. And of course, she will be fruitful, bearing my children like it is spring.”

  “Your Grace, we would be lucky to have such a queen. I’ll drink to that,” Barry said.

  I raised my glass, and so did everyone.

  “May the Gods deliver us a strong Queen,” Barry said, then all of us drank.

  There was loud thud up stairs, then the sound of a door slamming.

  “What’s going on up there?” someone asked.

  I was confident Dante could mange by himself. We continued to hear loud bangs upstairs. I sighed. Dante was never a tidy fighter.

  “That must be my guards playing around,” Diana said. “They play rough sometimes.” She tried to cover it up. I wished I could have read her thoughts as she sat there smiling. My guess was, she thought everything was going as planned.

  “Why do you keep those childish buffoons as guards?” Barry asked.

  “Because they are loyal, Barry. They do what I say,” Diana said.

  I was not prepared for what happened next. Barry stretched his arm and took Diana’s plate with the Bison, cut a piece for himself and ate it. I had to do something, and quickly!

  “Barry, give me. Let me try it.” My behavior was unusual but no one suspected a thing.

  I prayed to the Gods that Barry would not roll over and die. It turned out that he was fine, which meant the poison was in here somewhere.

  Now, to avoid suspicion, I had to take a bite. My plan had made a complete revolution, and now it was me, who had the poisonous meat before me. To die by my own plan would be the joke of the century. Even the Gods would be amused.

  I tried to think like Margret. Where would she put the poison? My best guess would be somewhere around the edge, because that was where anyone would eat first.

  I cut the meat in half, then I cut pieces out of the middle. It was simple, if I guessed wrong; I would die.

  “Tasty,” I said, as I chewed. Diana was right. It was definitely too spicy. Barry didn’t complain about it, then again, Barry would eat anything. I ate more slices, trying to sell Diana the idea that the bis
on was great, and she should try it again. With every slice I ate, I wondered if it would be my last.

  Then an idea came to me.

  I would use her own insecurities against her. Barry had ate a slice and didn’t complain about the spice, and neither did i. She was the odd man—woman out.

  I cleared my throat so everyone would hear. I took one more slice of the meat, which was half done by now, and said, “what was the cook thinking? This bison is way too spicy for a woman.”

  “What difference does it make that I’m a woman? Is your tongue any different from mine?” Her finger was tapping on the table. A sign that I was already under her skin.

  “No. But you said it yourself; it was too spicy. Not edible, you called it. Correct me if I start to sound silly, but, why cook something that a woman cannot eat? Wouldn’t it be better to be mild with the spice so that she can manage it. This is too much for you.”

  “That’s a good point, Your Grace,” Barry said.

  “It was spicy,” she pressed her lip with a slight frown.

  Barry laughed. “It tasted alright. Not enough spice if you asked me.” Barry was doing exactly what I wanted him to do.

  “Why do men believe that they are superior to women? Anything you can do, I can do.”

  I chuckled. “I don’t know why we are superior. That is a question for the Gods. Only they can answer you.” She gripped her wine glass so tight that I was surprised it didn’t break.

  I took no pleasure in doing this to her. Diana and I were alike in some ways. We both had a vision that many would call ‘foolish.’ We were both passionate in what we believed in.

  My father once told me, ‘if you want something out if this world, then you must be willing to do anything to get it’. I understood Diana, and why did what she did. I held no ill judgment. She was a good person. I knew what I wanted out of this world, and I was willing to do anything to protect Elizabeth, and that was why Diana had to die.

  Diana narrowed her blue eyes on me. “So the Gods made you superior to women? Hmm, you must feel so proud, being a man. Being stronger and faster.” She scoffed. “It’s all a lie.”