The Queen Mother
I had just delivered the ring that I had made for Alexandra in Blackwood when I spotted my mother leaving her own carriage. I walked up to her to offer my arm to escort her back into the castle. I had a feeling she wanted to talk about tonight’s festivities, and I wanted to see what she was up to. I strode up to her and a smile came on her face which reached her azure eyes, something my brother and I did not inherit from her. I offered her my arm, “What have you been up to today, Mother?” She looked down and to the side, “I had heard The Batiste was going to the Gemme Boutique today. Everyone was whispering that Talia had booked it at a certain time. Knowing that shop, they didn’t typically offer private bookings. The shop keeper took the booking because of The Batiste, looking to make a profit because she served her no doubt. I was hoping to get a glance at the newest beauty of Vellum. She is indeed the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen. I hear she’s good girl too.” She looked up into my face and I got the meaning of this look. I looked away from her, “Mother, I know that look but I don’t know her well enough to even think about offering her my kingdom. She has captivated me with her beauty…”
My mother stopped walking, “There’s a but in there.” I looked down at her, pulled my arm from her and set my hands on her elbows, “I can’t just get married on beauty alone. This is why I must proceed with my course of action with a new caveat that I cannot believe Vanessa talked me into. I just know I will regret it.” My mother looked up at me quizzically, “Do tell.” I turned away from her and strode a few paces away, “She suggested that I take each lady on a date. She thinks I need some element of romance for this competition.” My mother walked up to me and lift my chin to look at her, “I cannot say I disagree with Vanessa; Gods bless her. I just don’t know how the panel should judge the dates.” I chuckled, “Well she suggested that I wear a viewing rune to record each date and the panel could watch the dates and see whom you think I have the most ‘romantic’ chemistry with. She said she made something for it already and will deliver it at the ball tonight. She thinks the panel should also watch the recordings of me interacting with the ladies. Alexandra will be the first during our dance tonight at the ball. I don’t know if I agree with that part just yet. I think the observations should begin after the ball.” My mother brought her thumb up to her lip, this was her way of thinking, “I think I understand. You are just getting to know Alexandra, but you want your dance conversation to be private. Aren’t you corresponding and disguising yourself to see her? How did she like our gift by the way?” I had made my mother privy to the things I was doing to see and get to know Alexandra because I knew she wouldn’t chide me for wanting to get to know her. She seemingly encouraged this behavior which sometimes made suspicious that she would a fair and impartial panelist. Her goal had always been to betroth me to the House Batiste, but my father was against doing that me especially since the young lady in question was sent away until she was an adult. I nodded, “I have been speaking with her both in person and written form, but it just isn't the same until we can speak as ourselves in person. She’s never laid eyes on me, not really anyhow. As for the ring, there was no real reaction, but I believe she’s not much into material things. She did say that no matter what we sent her, she would gladly wear it. I believe she values a budding friendship with me.” My mother placed her hands behind her back and started to pace, this was her worry gesture. She stopped and looked up at me, “You don’t think she’s trying to get close to you for the crown?” I shook my head, “From my conversations with her and what I have gathered from Vanessa and Darren, she has no designs towards the crown. She seems to genuinely want to be friends with Lucien and not the King. She sees no value in power.” My mother exhaled, “Well I don’t know the young lady, but I already admire her. My only other worry is my other son.”
My mother often got a defeated look in her eyes when Blake was ever discussed. She raised us both the same but somewhere along the way, he was corrupted. I believe it was when it was announced that I would inherit the crown when the time came. He had always thought he would be the crown prince being the older son. He would often talk about how he would get his crown and immediately betroth himself to The Batiste and his life would be perfect. My father had told me that he suspected that he merely wanted the crown to keep Alexandra to himself. In a sense, her ability corrupted his heart, but we never blamed her. My mother continued, “I have been told that she has had some contact with his servant. I worry she will be corrupted by him and in put herself in danger. Upsettingly, the Elder Council has invited him to the ball tonight so we cannot avoid his contact with her. I wish there was a way to protect her.” I cleared my throat, “On an unrelated note, the Grand Pretre asked the council to give Her some Tarny crystal and they have granted the request.” I winked at her, and her eyes widened, “And the Grand Pretre will no doubt use it properly to protect a much-valued asset.” She caught my meaning; my mother was clever when it came subtle hints. She relaxed a bit and pulled me by the arm so we could continue our trek into the castle.
She inhaled sharply, “He will no doubt, ask her to dance at the ball. I just know her parents will be frightened by seeing that. Her being the guest of honor, she is not allowed to refuse the dance, and no one is allowed to interfere. I wonder if she knows this.” I nodded, “She does, she’s been instructed on everything about this ball. She should be an expert by now.” My mind went back to the day that we first met Alexandra. She had been a baby then. The first thing we all noticed was that she had developed her teeth already, but she was calm as she had stared at us from her pram. She had yawned and there they were her pyrio teeth out fully, but she had retracted them as she closed her mouth. At that point, Blake had grabbed her hand and we both saw the small infinity shaped birth mark on her wrist. He picked her up from the pram and a fright settled into the adults in the room. Blake was only four years old at that time and was not capable of understanding how to hold the baby. He looked at my mother and said, “She is beautiful, and she is now mine. I will keep her.” They had all laughed it off thinking it was puppy love, but concern had set in when Talia had tried to take the baby back. He hissed at her and told her that she did not belong to them. It was then that Pretre Jean had told the adults about the Aphrodite ability and how it was possible this was in play.
Later on, it was decided that Alexandra would be sent away to the other realm to protect her from Blake and others she came in contact with. The thought was that the obsession would subside after a long absence. No one was allowed to enter the portal unless their crest was allowed in the gate which was only for House Batiste and eventually Lord Kellen and his daughter Jesslynne. My father instructed the Duke to ensure that Alexandra integrated into human society and to keep her true identity a secret. His intention was to use Alexandra’s unique upbringing and knowledge of human society to bring knowledge of the other realm known as Terre. He wanted to negotiate diplomatic relations with the human world like he had with the Seely Realm. He believed their technology would benefit our society while our rich resources would provide cleaner energy to their world. Reggie had explained that they used oil to power their vehicles and were always looking for something a little less harsh to the environment. I took on his wishes when he unexpectedly died and made it my mission to fulfill his vision. I would need Alexandra to tell me more about the human realm so that I could find more beneficial things we could offer each other. It was an asset my father had left me to use.
My mother pecked my cheek which brought me out of my thoughts, “My lion, I will need to go and start getting ready for the ball. I cannot wait to meet our guest of honor and see Talia again. No doubt she will be adorned with the Pegasi.” I nodded, “As would be tradition, it was long overdue, but I will make a speech about it tonight to make the honor more official since the House Batiste will be our honored guests tonight.” My mother took my hand and squeezed it, “You will also have to do the Blood Ritual with Alexandra. Do you think she’ll follow through?” I shrugged, “She might bristle at it since she was raised as a human but who knows maybe her instinct will kick in.” The Blood Ritual was another ceremony that each noble house’s children went through to swear fealty to the King when they came of age. She would need to decide to go through with it and if she didn’t, I would have to banish her from the realm. I didn’t want to have to do that to her since she essentially was before. I grabbed the handle to my bedroom door and sighed, “I can only hope she will understand what’s at stake.”
