A Proposal

Princess Beatrice was walking towards the direction of her palace green house. She was stopped by Bishop Nevermore. He had been assigned to her home for as long as she could remember. This was the first time she had spoken to him alone.

"Your Royal Highness, it is a lovely day today, is it not?" He greeted her.

"It is. How are you today, Bishop?" She returned.

"I am blessed, Your Majesty."

She held her smile. "Yes, indeed Bishop." She agreed.

"If you have a moment the clergy would like to speak with you about a very pressing matter."

She was confused. What could they possibly need to discuss?

"Well..I-I..I do have time."

"Praise be to the Most High." He smiled, showing her that he was missing three teeth.

She followed the Bishop to the secret room located behind the throne room. The private Royal Chamber. Only members of the Royal Clergy and royalty were allowed in. She recalled her father going in this same room, leaving her and her mother to wait outside and socialize while he deliberated on a decision.

She entered the wood and gold plated room. Red Velvet drapes covered the mural-ridden walls, as well as the cold marble floor. There was a throne in the center of the room, and seven chairs placed in a half circle in front of it. Behind each chair stood a clergyman.

"Your Majesty, please, sit." Bishop Nevermore offered warmly.

She obliged him and sat in the only available seat left, the throne. It felt odd sitting where her beloved father had. He had been a strong, yet decisive ruler. She was nothing but a frightened, young, inexperienced girl. Her life was no longer about balls and horseback riding.

So much responsibility she hadn't realized her parents had endured silently, now feel on her shoulders. They all waited until she was seated before they sat down themselves. Bishop Nevermore spoke then.

"King Leopold and Queen Beatrice were loved. May God rest their souls."

She watched as everyone made the sign of the cross simultaneously.

He continued. "War was brought to us by our own neighbors, Your Majesty. We lost so many souls in the attack."

There was a weighted silence. Things had been going in a positive direction, but the words the Bishop spoke now about her family stung like salt in an open wound, that was her heart. She no longer wished to speak about death.

"True, Bishop. Though I fail to see why stating the obvious is needed now," She hoped her tone gave off the right amount of derision and annoyance.

"Apologies, Your Majesty. I shall get to the heart of the subject. It is true after all of this, somehow we survived. Prince William is back here at Fenway."

She looked at him with confusion. "Yes, he has come to give his condolences since my family took him in." She informed him.

"Well, that is true. The clergy would like to know if Your Majesty could find herself wanting to marry him, and become queen of Fenway?"

She swallowed. Her mouth was dry, at the frankness of this holy man's questioning.

"I find Prince William to be..." she trailed off.

"Yes..." He urged her on.

"Suitable." She simply stated not wanting to give the game away. "Why would the clergy want this?" She asked.

"The clergy believes that with Prince William at Her majesty's side, you would be able to forge strong alliances, while showing off your own strength as well. The clergy from the crusade Trek speak of his valor and loyalty to God. Marry Prince William, bear an heir, and be seated as the rightful heir to your throne."

Everyone seemed to see and feel the chemistry between She and Prince William. Her heart was happy that the clergy chose him. She had to keep it a secret.

"Your Highness," she was snapped back to reality.

"Yes, Bishop." She answered.

"I asked where is the black book that was in St. Augustine's chapel?"

Her heartbeat increased. Her palms began to sweat. She had to lie.

"Book? What book, Bishop Nevermore?" She made sure to look clueless as well.

"Your Majesty, we have it on good word, the day of the attack, you tore St. Augustine chapel up searching for it and you found it.

How did he know that? She thought.

"I told you already, Bishop. I know nothing of what you speak. My parents were slaughtered and my home was crumbling down around me. Do you really think I had time or energy to rummage through a chapel." She made sure to make eye contact with all of them.

Her using her parents death changed the aura in the room. She stood up from her chair and they followed suit.

"I will think on everything we have discussed today.Thank you. Good day, Bishop." She said.

"As always, Your Majesty, it is a pleasure."

She exited out of the small room, through the throne room and back to her suites.

She locked the door behind her. She put her back up the against the door and slid down it. She needed to be alone. She let out a sigh of relief. She had dodged the Inquisition.

She couldn't tell him the truth. Telling them the truth would mean that it was real and she wanted what her and the Demon King did to stay a sweet nightmare...