The Crown Princess’ Arrival

After a few hours, Eva succumbed to slumber. The queen watched her with a deep longing within her soul. She wanted to hold her but she knew full well that she did not deserve that. How had she been so oblivious? She woke up after her first labour and was handed another woman's child while hers was miles away. She should have been able to feel it but why had she not? She had found out just two days ago but Eva had probably known all her life. It must have hurt in ways that only she could comprehend. She did not have to know that it was her father that caused her pain. At least not now.

She scanned the worryingly underweight girl as she slept. Her sleep was anything but peaceful as she constantly furrowed her brows and twitched slightly. She was having a nightmare, the queen supposed hopelessly. The little scars on her arms and legs made her believe that her daughter had been through a lot of nightmares. The corners of her lips curled up faintly as she remembered how Eva had protected Cecilia. She had a good heart and Seraphine could have not wished for anything else because she knew that forgiving people was no simple task. Just as she would never forgive Herod for as long as she lived. He would pay and so would Cecilia.

Martha had paid enough for her lies. She had taken away her child and now hers was no more. Seraphine did not need to rain hell on someone who was already there.

"My queen," Festus called out to her through the window of the caravan.

She turned to him as she snapped out of her thought. "Yes, has it been done?" She had sent him to give the old woman from the previous day a bag of gold coins.

"There is a problem."

Seraphine frowned in worry. "What is it?"

"The old lady is dead." Festus relayed. "She died in her sleep last night."

Xavier's POV

What was going on in the kingdom? I thought as I made my way to the location. Though it was not unusual for things out of the ordinary to occur but all at once and in a short span of time was unsettling. Our captured young witch had escaped, and two murders followed the death of the king's mistress. Now, the royal midwife confessed to an atrocious deed. Something told me that all these occurrences would build up to a climax. Something big and unexpected that would either make or mar. The gods willing it would be the former and not the latter.

It was not strange that the queen mother would call on me but not this early in the morning. I had not been able to sleep a wink since the recruits came in. They always seemed to be tumbling over things that are not there, it made you wonder how they would perform against the witches. I made a turn into the queen mother's flower garden. There, in neat rows were beautifully tended flowers such as roses, lilies, daffodils, buttercups and numerous others. Standing over them was the hunched figure of the queen mother with her hand held behind her back. Without me having to announce my arrival, she turned around to face me as I walked toward her. Her age had done nothing to dim her alertness.

I bowed as I stood before her. "Good morning, grandmother." She had insisted since my childhood that I referred to her as 'grandmother.'

"Good morning, Xavier," She was smiling, her wrinkled face still holding on to fragments of the beauty of her youth. "How did you sleep?" She asked.

I didn't, " I slept well," I lied. "How was yours?"
"I wish I could say the same," She replied somberly.

"What is the matter?"

"I worry,"

"What about?"

"The future," She answered ambiguously.

"We all do grandmother," I smiled to lighten her mood. It was probable that she would be brooding on the result of the search for her granddaughter.

"They have found her," she revealed and sighed.

I hid my shock as I sensed that she had something more urgent to discuss or dwell on. "Something the issue?" I inquired. "Can I be of assistance to you in any way?"

"That would be wonderful, my dear," Then she took a step forward and whispered, "But this must stay between us." She took a step back again and looked me dead in the eye. "I adore you, Xavier but I do not want to betray my family."

Unshaken by her tone, I answered in a sure but hushed voice. "Understood, grandmother."

****

Eva's POV

I opened my eyes to a peculiarly bright place. The air felt strange and foreign. I pulled away the blinds and looked out the window to see a place that I had only imagined the places described in the book I read would look like. The grass was a different and more vibrant shade of green. The sun seemed to have a bias for this place, it shone gloriously on the houses and the people that inhabited this marvelous new land.

"Eva," The queen I had not noticed before called to me. "You are crying." She informed worriedly

I had just woken up from a sleep stemming from my exhaustion and anxiety, which was a long one. My eyes had not yet been able to adjust to the new brightness and had started to water. Maybe that was just the logical explanation for why I had tears in my eyes. It could have just been the beauty of the place I found myself that made me teary-eyed.

"What is this place?" I asked in wonder to no one in particular.

"Heavenclaw," The queen supplied. "We will be at the castle soon." She added.

The last part did not sink in at the moment as the name 'Havenclaw' rang a bell. It was the name of one of the places described by the author of my books. I did not know his or her full name but the books supplied their initials, E.C.

It was not the fancy houses or the windmills that made the place so fascinating but its natural scenery. The place I had come from looked gray compared to this new place. It was as if we were no longer in Merynia. Some men were in suits and held walking canes but there was no limp in sight. The woman held small, ineffective, decorative umbrellas as they walked. Their gowns were so lovely, I looked down at my dress, suddenly distraught. Even the children instead looked well groomed and clean as they played. The kids were a lot rougher in Azarus.

"Pull the blinds," I heard the queen say in a tone I could not place.

I noticed that a crowd was forming around the caravan and within the crowd, these distinguished people were bowing. I felt exposed and flustered as I found myself gaping at them. Their unfamiliar faces were so close. Their voices were muffled as my chest tightened in distress. Luckily, the queen got up and gently sat me back down. She turned to the people and offered a pleasant smile of cognizance at her subjects and promptly drew the blinds.

She sat back down as well as the men riding behind us intercepted the crowd to make way for smooth passage. I still heard them. They were asking the men if that was the princess. The men held their silence.

"It will soon be over," She said quietly while looking at the blinds.

I nodded meekly. Why was I so apprehensive? It was just a crowd of strangers. It was not like they were a group of mad dogs that would tear me apart. Get a hold of yourself! My inner voice yelled.

"It is okay to be nervous," The queen said as if I had spoken aloud. "It took me years to get my uneasiness under control around my subjects after I became queen." She supplied encouragingly

This eased me up a bit but I was still distraught to find that we had another thing in common. We rode for a while longer until I could no longer hear the voices of any more townsfolk. I reluctantly went up to the window and drew the blinds again. There were no more people but ahead I saw something else that E.C had detailed in their many novels. It was a tall stone wall with a wooden door. I raised my head to see the parts of the pointy roofs of the castle within. As we came closer and arrived at a moat. The water was so clear that I could see my reflection without having to squint.

The drawbridge was lowered and we passed over it. From there we were let through a gate that was raised. Waiting for us on the other side, was a large group of people all around the court. The caravan made its stop at the entrance of the main castle. By the entrance were polished statues of goblins and the most beautiful bed of flowers. I took everything in as the people stared at me. They too looked distinguished but in a royal sense. Most had unnatural smiles plastered on their faces.

I was starting to ponder as to why we were not getting off, despite my nervousness concerning the whole affair. Then I heard trumpets being played which shocked me a bit. From within the castle, itself walked out man. Not just any man but the king. One could easily tell from his attire and the arrogance in his step. Even though I had seen him before the proximity made it all surreal. His brown hair shone like rich mahogany. Behind him were a boy and a girl about Lisa's age. With the similarity in their hair, eyes and stature, they were twins. The king's green eyes looked piercingly at me. I retreated slowly into the caravan but did not draw the blinds. He smiled but there was something that made his smile look forced to me.

By his side was an older woman that looked a lot like him. She was not smiling, her expression was critical.

The door of the caravan was opened but my feet refused to move.

"Take a deep breath," The queen said as she stood and held my hand. "You are going to be alright."

I did as she said and stood. The queen guided me from inside and another man held my other hand and guided me from outside. The moment my feet touched the ground, my knee betrayed me and buckled.

There was a gasp from those around and I could have sworn that I heard someone scoff.

"Easy there," The queen said.

I looked up at her, embarrassed and she smiled as if to say "you've got this" I took another breath and let them guide me with my head down. I had already made a bad impression, what would be the use of pretending to be confident now?

I walked up the stairs and soon I stood in front of the royal family. I stared down at the king's well-waxed shoes. The queen handed the purple shawl over to the king. I did not have to look up to know he had raised it for everyone to see. The people around cheered as he did.

"Raise your head," The queen whispered.

With much trepidation, I looked up at the king. He opened up his arms which made me look back at the queen in question. She gave me a small smile and nodded.

I swallowed and repeatedly told myself, "He is my father," Hoping that it would give me some much-needed courage. I walked into his embrace and let him hold me. I could not just stand limply as he held me. I held him too and I let myself pretend he was Thomas.

Suddenly, clapping resounded through the castle yard. The king pulled away and kissed the top of my head. I fought the bile that rose in my throat. "Welcome back, my dear daughter." He was talking more to the crowd than to me.


"Yes," It was the old royal now. "Welcome back." She said, scanning me judgmentally. She had a badly hidden look of disappointment on her face.

I pursed my lips nervously as my eyes strayed to the twins. Especially the girl who was staring intently at me. I smiled at her, hoping for a positive reaction. Instead, she mouthed to me. "die" Her beautiful face distorted with a hateful expression.

I blinked in surprise at her but she had reverted to having a polite smile on her face. It made me wonder if I had been imagining things.

I glanced away before looking at her again. This time she was laughing and pointing. At me!

"Eva! Eva!" The queen was lightly shaking me by the shoulders. I came back to my senses and looked around to see everyone with strange looks on their faces.

"Is she deaf?" Someone muttered.

All this time they had been trying to get my attention.

"Are you always this easily distracted?" The old royal asked, scrutinizing me.

"No, grandmother," The girl seemed to come to my rescue. "It is not her fault that she seems to not be bright."

"Vivianne," The queen's voice was hard. "Watch it."

The girl named Vivianne mumbled something under her breath in annoyance. The boy beside her had a small mocking smile playing on his lips as he brushed a brown strand of hair off his pale face.

"Mother," The queen said. "It was a long journey and Eva needs to rest."

She nodded. Her hard gaze was still on me as both the king and queen led me into the castle.

"She will need to eat well too else she will be too skinny for the banquet," She said. "But we still can not do anything about her short stature." She said with an exasperating sigh as she walked ahead of us.

I was doomed.