Chapter Twelve.

Helen was surprisingly well rested. Not that she looked it though. Her night had only lasted less than two hours. Even through the heavy make-up, you could still see her puffy eyes and unrested face. Her hair had been styled into an updo bun, her lips, touched with red lip color and her neck, ordained with luxurious ornaments.

Her heart pounded fast as her maidservants all gathered around in her chambers, preparing her for her day. There was no turning back now. The knock on her door cut her loose of her thoughts.

"Your majesty? The guest has arrived." The guard announced.

"Of course." Muttered Helen, not loud enough time had been heard by the guard.

"Your majesty? I didn't quite hear you." He questioned with a puzzled face. "Your majesty?"

Helen heaved a sigh at detest to the noisy guard man who repeatedly began to call; "your majesty," non-stop. "Tell him to get out of my sight." She gestured a wave sign towards one of the maidservants, and the girl ambled to the door at once informing the guard of her request.

"Alright your majesty. I'll just tell her to-"

"Just go already." Said the maidservant, scurrying him off.

Fiora was being expected and the thought of that along, bothered her. The palace was in the Upper ring, but it felt no resemblance to her in any way. Of course, Fiora was only ten years old when everything was taken away from her. Her heart yanked with bitterness. When she walked in, the guards all welcomed her with big smiles on their faces. They were once her royal guards. Everything used to be hers. Everything.

She was brought into the hall room, wher the servants motioned her to wait for the queen's arrival. She took a moment to admire her vicinity. She could no longer feel her father's aura, which was sad. After all these years of cowering and hiding. Heaving a deep sigh of fear, she became more aware of her environment. The throne room was neat with highly expensive decors. It's deluxe room had gold garnishing with crimson-velvet wall coverings that were complemented with some ceiling painting, lit by a large bronze chandelier with crystals.

Long chairs and tables on the far corners of the room was located towards the center. At the end was the mighty throne set up with elaborate pomp that was raised with minor steps, and under a canopy.

"Please sit here," said a voice from behind, startling Fiora. It was the same man that lead her into the throne room when she arrived. He mentioned his name to be sir Dexter. "The queen will be with you shortly." He lead her towards where to sit, and she followed. "She uh, she's a bit busy with all the make up and dressing." He added and Fiora only smiled in reply. "So, tell me about yourself." He asked, causing Fiora to pause a while. He and her weren't friends at all. Why was he bother asking questions about herself? She thought of a mannerly way to reply him when the door suddenly flung wide open. "She's here. She's here!" Cried Dexter. "Behave yourself, young woman."

"You behave yourself." Frowned Fiora.

Helen ambled in, walking straight to her seat. She could have gone to meet them where they sat, but her pride forbided it. Dexter yelled out; "Your majesty," a few times but she didn't even stop to stare. "We need to hurry. Come on." Hushed Dexter who instantly took to his feet at a faster pace, them ran and fell on his knees in front of Helen, already seated. Fiora followed in his footstep, quite irritated that she'd have to fall to her knees as well. Did she have to?

Helen paused, tilting her head to the right a little to catch a better glimpse at the young lady in her presence. "Greet me." She thought in her head, impatiently waiting.

"Your majesty," Fiora forced out a loud enough greeting, then gave a quick consideration, wondering if it needed for her to fall on her knees like Dexter had done, or give a simple courtesy. "It is an honor being here in your presence. It pleases me." It did not please her one bit. She held with her gown with her finger tips, then lowered into a slight bow.

Helen frowned, but quickly concealed it with a forced smile. "It pleases me as well."

Fiora rose up almost immediately. "I have been summoned by you, your majesty."

"It wasn't a summoning, rather an invitation." Helen corrected, making her voice sound exciting. If there was anyone capable of solving her problem at hand, it would be this young woman standing before her.

"You did say so, your majesty. If I'm correct, I recalled you mentioning breakfast in your letter." Fiora smiled, one that did little to hid the hatred she felt for Helen. Maybe Helen too seemed to had noticed, because in reply, she too forced a smile that Fiora could have sworn conveyed all depths of distaste.

"Breakfast will be served shortly I assure you." She said. "In the mean time, why don't you tell me about yourself." She asked. "As I have heard from my sources that you were like a magical creature that just formed out of nothingness in one day." A smile spread across her face as she smirked at her choices of words.

"I don't do well talking on empty stomach," replied Fiora. "But I too can assure you that you do not give a bloody care about where I have materialized from." She said, trying to hide her disgusted face. "Your majesty."

"True." Confirmed Helen. "I don't really need all the boring facts about just a mere peasant like you." She pointed out, and could have sworn to see Fiora rolled her eyes. "But I'll have you know that it was true when I said I have grown a fondness for you." She said.

In her eyes, Fiora saw a bit of sincerity in them, and her tone were somewhat nicer. But it was probably all part of her pretence. She said nothing and allowed Helen to continue with her speech.

"You are a smart young woman, Fiona-"

"Fiora," corrected Fiora.

"Same thing." She replied abruptly. "Also, please do not interrupt me whenever I'm speaking again, alright?" She stopped and got a muffled; "alright," before continuing. "As I was saying, you have been so brave from the reports I've been getting lately. Good work you've been up to. I just had to comprehend your efforts." She stopped. "Say thank you now."

"Thank you, your majesty." Fiora said behind gritted teeth.

"You're welcome." Replied Helen with a big smile. "So I just called you here because I like you and we could form some sort of allies."

"Allies?" Asked Fiora.

"Well of course, yes." Said Helen. "Allies." She repeated. "You and I can go a long way, women to women. We can conquer a lot together. You just have to trust me."

"We do not have to maintain an everlasting relationship," Fiora began to speak, "but at least we need to resolve the situation on ground. These people need food and they're not getting it."

"What did you hear from Ropert?" Puzzled Helen asked.

"Ropert is as no good in this situation as I am. He's powerless, under Lord Tobin's influence." Fiora spilled all she learnt about Ropert, and the little she'd heard about Lord Tobin and realized how powerful he was.

"Of course, he is a very dubious man." Helen agreed, scrunching her nose in detest.

"Dubious or not, he is the evil mastermind behind all of this."

There was a brief silence, then Helen finally spoke up. "What do you suggest to do then?" She asked and Fiora couldn't deny the shock that soon appeared on her face.

"We?"

"Yes. We." Confirmed Helen.

"There is no we, your majesty. You have to use your power to do something."

"My power? Helen frowned.

Fiora remembered all the tactics Clement had taught her. Helen was a smart woman. She had to be smarter. He'd mentioned that a lot of times she tried to leave people in charge and forced them of responsibilities, then at the corner of her mind, see such people as threats. You could never rival with her.

"Your majesty, I am your humble servant. The powers lies not in my hands, but in yours." She said, hoping Helen believed her for her words. She was not completely all wrong. Fiora was nothing at that stage. She needed to still hid and cower indeed Helen's wings. But she needed to do all of that to grow her own wings someday soon and reclaim her father's honor.

"Then, what would you have me do if you were in my shoes?"

It was a tricky question. She knew it, that was why she asked.

"I would never dare dream of being in your shoes, your majesty." She lowered to a bow, thinking of the next right thing to say. "But if I were to speak in that instance," she slowly raised her head back up, looking Helen straight into her eyes. "I would cut people like that off of Lord Tobin's wings."

She proved to be smarter than her age and Helen didn't know if she should be impressed or be weary of her. "How?" She asked instead in a whispered tone.

Clement's word began to ring in her ears now. Helen was too much of a coward to directly meet with the people, to confront them and most importantly, to talk to her enemy, Lord Tobin. It would be up to Fiora to use that weakness to her advantage.

"I would critically deal with this situation, first, with a public announcement with the people. Maybe even promise a banquet where everyone would be invited to dine and wine in the glorious celebration."

As Fiora spoke on, Helen could feel this feeling of betrayal. Clement had said exactly that but her pride would not allow any form of familiarity with her and the people.

"Then, I would attack Ropert in private. He was nothing because Lord Tobin provided a fortress for him to hid under, right?" She asked and Helen managed a slight nod. "Then, I would make my own offer. Not seeming too desperate, of course." She chuckled and like Helen was under some sort of magic, she too laughed in respond. "I would show him just how powerful I too can be, and make him realize the dangers of siding with Lord Tobin. He would be guilty of treason the moment I lay my hand of some evidence."

"Evidence." Chanted Helen, completely fascinated of Fiora's plan.

"Yes. And if I do not lay my hand on any, then I would make up one. As the Queen, I have that much power to put my enemies behind bars if they are not willing to reason with my generosity."

"Your tone, it's quite charming." Confessed Helen.

"I'm only speaking the truth, your majesty. She said in reply. "That is exactly what I would do to claim success on this arising matter. If I were in your shoes."

"But alas. You aren't." She replied. "And I have also heard similar advice from a friend, but I simply cannot stoop so low to that extent." She added.

"Then don't." Fiora took her moment to propose her deal. It was not initially part of the plan, but if she could be successful and have Helen's trust, she would be another step closer to reclaiming her father's honor.

She paused and flashed a puzzled glare at Fiora. "Continue."

"This is the part where I should come in."

"You said you would never dare dream of walking in my shoes." She frowned with a bit of uneasiness in her voice.

"I said that, your majesty. And I am not going against my word, I can assure you of that." Persuaded Fiora.

"Then what exactly are you planning on proposing?" A stern look crossed her face.

Heaving in a deep sigh, Fiora's lips paused for a while, before she continued again. "Hire me." She said and Helen listened, waiting for a better explanation. "Make me one of yours. Grow me and let me work for you. I will do all of this with no hesitation. I will meet the people on your behalf, speak to them and promise a banquet strictly indicating I speak directly in the queen's words. Then, I'll propose an offer with Ropert, making him succumb to your wishes. I will be yours to command, and work for you with all my heart."

"On a condition that what happens?"

"No condition at all, your majesty. I come with a pure heart."

Helen furrowed her brows. "This will mean me sharing a proportion of my power, handing them down over to you like a big fool. Knowing so well that you could try to take a selfish sneak peak of my glory."

Fiora did not move or flinch. Where the confidence came from? She didn't know. "Yes."

"What?" Exclaimed Helen, almost jumping out her seat.

"You need someone closer around you."

"I have my son!"

"Would you risk his life in the process?" Fiora had heard from Clement just how much she pampered her son. He always lived in the shadows so no one knew much about him. "In this process of becoming a better Queen for your people."

"I-" her lips parted like she had more to say, but she kept it all in. "I,"

"I mean you no harm, your majesty. But responsibilities calls in now, and you must attend to it."

"Who are you to lecture me about my responsibilities? Who the bloody hell are you!" She demanded rising up from her seat with anger flustered on her face.

"I am a nobody. I am your humble servant. But I want to help."

"Help? And what if I support you and your wings start growing out? Growing out than normal, and you start getting confused about who exactly it is that I am to you. What would happen then?" She asked out of curiosity, knowing what she would say exactly. She would deny. Promise that it would never happen, but Helen would not fall for it.

"Then you are my able Queen. Cut it off."

"Cut it off?"

"My wings. Cut it off." She replied. "End me."

Helen's eyes bulged out in shock, getting really scared of the angle Fiora was proposing from. Yes she was happy to hear her speak with so much enthusiasm and respect. But the confidence was also too much. Too much, even for an all powerful Queen like her.