Transmigrated into the body of a poisoned queen

Javier's POV

I entered the council chamber, feeling the palpable tension in the air. The council members were rigid in their seats, eyes trained on my every movement. A faint tremor seemed to run through them as they awaited my next action. I took my place at the head of the table, my gaze sweeping over the room, surveying those who dared to meet my eyes.

It wasn't long before Lord Delgado raised his hand, a slight tremble in his fingers. My eyes shifted to him, noting the unease in his posture.

"Your Majesty," he began, his voice cautious but filled with a hint of desperation. "Do I have your permission to speak?"

I fixed him with a cold, unblinking stare, letting the silence stretch. His hand quivered, and a faint sheen of sweat appeared on his brow.

"You already spoke without my permission, have you not?" I said, my voice low and dangerous, every syllable laced with authority.

His eyes widened, and he quickly bowed his head, slamming it against the table in an exaggerated show of submission.

"Forgive this insolent servant, Your Majesty," he stammered, his voice betraying his fear.

I turned my gaze away from him, as if dismissing his presence, and leaned back in my seat.

"You may speak," I said flatly, my eyes drifting to the far end of the room.

Slowly, Lord Delgado rose to his feet, his hands shaking ever so slightly. "Thank you, Your Majesty," he murmured, his voice still quivering, as though he feared the very air around him would betray him.

"Your Majesty," Lord Delgado began, his voice tentative, as if carefully choosing his words. "This concerns the recent incident with the new queen consort." He paused, no doubt expecting an outburst, but I remained silent, my gaze fixed on him.

"The fainting during her own coronation... it has stirred quite a commotion, Your Majesty," he continued, his tone laced with concern. "The court is in an uproar. We must know if she is well."

I clenched my fists at my sides, though my expression betrayed no emotion. The matter had weighed heavily on me since the moment it occurred. I had hoped it would be dismissed as simple nerves or perhaps allergies to the hot weather. But it seemed the council had taken it upon themselves to read much more into it.

"Queen Consort Anneliese will recover," I replied, my voice firm. "It was merely a momentary weakness. She is not accustomed to the food or the climate here, and it caused her fainting spell."

As the sovereign, I knew I did not need to explain everything to them, but I also knew that if I did not, they would undoubtedly blow this out of proportion. They needed reassurance, even if I did not fully believe it myself.

Lord Delgado, however, still seemed unconvinced, his brow furrowed in concern. "I understand, Your Majesty, but rumors are already beginning to spread. There are whispers that the queen's health might be fragile." His words hung in the air, and I could see the council members exchanging uneasy glances. For a moment, I wondered if they even realized the real issue at hand. It wasn't her health, it was her mind. But I kept that thought to myself, for now.

Lady Isabella, ever the pragmatist, spoke next, her voice cutting through the tension. "If the people lose faith in her—or in you, Your Majesty—it could have disastrous consequences for the kingdom." Her gaze locked with mine. "We cannot allow the throne to appear unstable, especially in these uncertain times."

I understood their fears. The last thing I needed was for our enemies to see any sign of weakness and exploit it for their own gain.

"I have already addressed this," I said, turning my gaze to each member of the council, my voice cold and resolute. "There is no need for concern. The queen consort is in good health. Nothing will come of it."

But still, their skepticism remained.

Lord Delgado rose once more, his voice tentative yet insistent. "If I may, Your Majesty, I think it would be wise to ensure that this is not the sign of something more serious. For the good of the throne and the kingdom, we need to be assured that Queen Consort's health is stable, not only physically but mentally as well."

His words struck a nerve. They wanted more than a simple reassurance, they wanted proof that this would not lead to unrest or undermine my reign. The very thought made my blood simmer with aggravation.

"Enough," I said sharply, my tone sharp, brooking no further discussion. "The queen will see the royal physician, and once she is fully recovered, we will address this again. But for now, there is no need to escalate the matter. You will not speak of this to the public, to anyone, not even to your own families. Is that understood?"

There was a brief, tense silence before the council members nodded in reluctant agreement. But Lord Delgado hesitated, his brow furrowing as he spoke once more.

"And what if this is not the last of such incident, Your Majesty?" he asked cautiously, his words measured but laced with an odd tone.

"If it happens again," I said, my voice final and resolute, "we will take the necessary steps to ensure the kingdom remains secure. But I trust it will not come to that."

I glanced around the room, meeting each of their eyes, before adding with chilling finality, "Now, unless there are any other matters to address, this meeting is adjourned."

The council members bowed their heads in acknowledgment, murmuring their assent as they began to rise from their seats. One by one, they filed out of the chamber, each of them casting lingering glances at me, as if uncertain whether they had received enough reassurance.

I remained seated, my thoughts heavy with the weight of what had just transpired. The last thing I needed was for Anneliese's health to become a cause for alarm, but as I reflected on her strange behavior, her defiance, her strange words and erratic actions, I knew there was more to this than mere physical ailment.

I stood, brushing aside my cloak, and made my way toward her chambers. As I approached, I could hear her voice, raised in agitation, speaking in that strange language I had yet to understand.

I turned to one of the passing servants, her face pale with worry. "What is happening there?" I asked, my tone sharp.

The servant hesitated, her gaze fixed to the ground. "The queen consort... refuses to be touched by the royal physician, Your Majesty. She speaks in tongues we cannot understand, and she keeps clawing at the window."

I turned away from the servant, my mind made up. The queen consort had become a puzzle I could not ignore. She would either be destroyed or fixed, and I didn't mind which.