When she got to the kitchen, All the maids in the kitchen, bowed their heads, and started walking away slowly, so they could stand behind her, and she could take whatever it was she wanted to take. Tangy didn't want to make a mistake, so she told them to raise their head.
"When you serve us tonight, do not serve red wine, serve us the blue cocktail, that is what the other wives want". She says and walked away, and with just that single command, each and every one of them, started preparing for the wine. Every wine was made freshly for their consumption.
When Tangy went back to her room still with the portion in hand, she felt her heart beat faster than usual. She haven't had to do anything like this before, especially when she feels the person have done her no wrong. She had to hold her heart at bay, it was more like a means of preventing it from falling out from her mouth, or stop working.
She was almost at the verge of quiting, but then she kept hearing Astra's voice, reminding her that, she needed to try and grab what rightly belongs to her by force, else she will loose out totally.
She tried closing her eyes, but then she heard the bell go off, and she had to sit up.
it was time for her to execute her plan, will she be able to do it, or will she quit in the way, she still sat up on the bed, when her door opened.
"The time is now". She heard Astra's voice, and she quickly got up, looking confused. She took a final look at the portion, and asked herself for the last time, if she really wants to do it, but then she kept getting all the reasons, why she should take that step, to eliminate her only competitor, since the other competitor have quit on her own, and have proven it to her, by bringing another man into the palace.
She walked briskly to the dinning table, took her seat, and watch as the maidens serve their glasses, and poured their wine each, including that of the king and Blair, that were yet to come out to the dinning.
When the maidens left, Astra reminded her.
"Now! With shaky hands, Tangy poisoned Blair cup, then she hid the rest of the portion in her cloak, and just at that time, Blair walked out.
"I am sorry I am late again. The king isn't feeling very well, so I had to get the medicine man to attend to him". She says, as she took her seat.
"That means the king isn't coming out for dinner? Astra asked, and she nodded. That was the first time, Astra was asking her a question with a calm voice, she always act like she hated the very ground she walks on.
"I will also not stay again, I will try and take his food to him, let me see if I can force him to take his meal, just like I did last night". That statement annoyed Tangy, and she eyed her, but she needed her to take her meal and her drink right Infront of them, so that they are sure she doesn't mistakenly give it to the king, so she says.
"You don't think we are good enough to spend time with, you are always with the king, and leaving us aside. Why nit take dinner with us on this table, then later, you can go and check on the king, maybe we could go with you? Blair felt bad that she had to think that way, and since Astra didn't smile or comment on what she had said, she is sure, Astra was expecting her words not to hold water, so what she did was to sit back and dine with them.
She started eating, while Tangy kept waiting for her to just take her drink. After about five spoonful of red rice, she drank all the wine in one gulp without dropping it. That was the only thing that mattered to Tangy and Astra, and the glow in their faces, as she gulp down her drink was clear.
"Thanks for asking me to stay, I really needed that, I didn't know I was that hungry".
Tangy was waiting for the reaction, Astra had told her that she would have, but she still looked very fine to them. She stared at Astra questioningly, but she muttered.
"Patience". Blair felt her throat go dry again, she quickly gulp down the king's drink. In her right sense, she would have just poured herself another drink, not drink from the king's cup, but she drank from the king's cup, and ended up carrying the gallon, turning it all into her mouth.
"I feel dry and very hot inside, I need to get to the river". She says, and they didn't respond to her, they just watch her run out if the palace, she didn't stop running, she passed so many person's on her way, even though it was already evening, there were still people coming back from their farms while others were coming back from the stream.
When she got to the river, she started undressing, which was very unlikely for someone of her status. The persons left by the river got scared, and ran out of the river, but Blair was in no control of what she was doing, it was almost as though she just lost a part or all the parts of her senses. Soon she was left with only her underwear, which made her feel less hot, then she jumped into the river like that, and Lay there. Soon she started feeling like she was burning from inside out, the river could no longer cool her off, she started coughing, but all that was coming out was blood, she coughed till she couldn't cough anymore. Her nose and ears started bleeding and the river that was once made of pure water, turned to red, because of the unending blood. The palace guard and even the king have been informed, and he rushed to see what was happy, but by the time he got to the river, and she was pulled out, and dropped on his arms, she was already dead.