Chapter 8

The day of the coming of age ceremony had finally come. Those attending the ceremony were already heading to the venue in their gay apparels. The ceremony usually started when the sun had gone down, but people just liked to go earlier. Most went in groups, some to kill time before the party started and others, to boost their self confidence.

It was a pleasant day and the fine weather seemed to be in favour. Queen Irene stood on the balcony overlooking the palace garden. She was watching the setting sun and it was such a beautiful sight.

Irene's mind went back to the day she had first set foot in the palace. She had applied to be the maid servant of the first queen to get into the palace. The left side of Irene's lips curved up into a smirk as she remembered that day like it was yesterday.

She had been nothing but a struggling commoner before she met the King. She wanted more for herself and the Queen's position was the target. Being the ambitious woman that she was, she did what had to be done. The first queen accepted her as her maid but soon that changed when the King met her.

Baldwin was immediately captivated by Irene's beauty and he courted her. The first Queen, Winnifred, didn't feel threatened until the King made the whole of Dexteria know of his intentions to marry a commoner.

Irene had to make that possible, so she told the king to change certain laws. She couldn't settle to be a concubine. Though many people raised their eyebrows at the King's decision, no one could change it. That was how Irene became the King's third wife and that birthed the coming of age ceremony which was being celebrated on this day.

Irene knew that not many people in the palace liked her. They thought she had seduced the king and cheated her way to the top. This earned her the obvious hatred of her once mistress, Queen Winnifred while the second wife of the king, Elena, seemed to be indifferent.

This woman didn't care. She was the mother of the King's first son, she was the King's favourite and soon, she was going to be head Queen. No one had that position yet. Just like her husband has been named King of the South, she wanted to be overall queen.

"I have brought you fresh blankets my queen".

Irene turned to see her maid that had just spoken. She smiled at the young girl, really loving this respect she was getting as queen.

"Where is Phillip?" She asked the maid.

"The prince should be in his chambers now" the maid answered. "I haven't seen him all day".

"I need you to tell him to get ready for the ceremony. It's starting soon and he has to attend".

"Yes my queen", the maid answered with a bow.

Irene turned away from her and faced the sunset again as she listened to the girl's retreating footsteps.

*******

It was already dark and the streets were almost empty. The youngsters who used to the keep the nights lively had all gone for the ceremony. Annalise was dragging her feet back home. She didn't feel so good and she appreciated the quietness that came with the night.

She was coming from the medicine man's house. She needed something to stop the nightmares. The fact that the nightmares felt so real was making her feel like she was slowly losing her sanity. The one she had the previous night felt so real. It was too real and she had thought it was her reality until she woke up panting.

She had told the medicine man about her constant nightmares. The man was surprised that when she added that the bad dreams started the day she moved into the town. The man hadn't said much. He simply gave her a small bottle of medicine.

"This would help you sleep peacefully" he had said. "Many testify having a dreamless sleep after they take this. It should help".

Annalise had paid a huge prize for the medicine but she didn't mind. She didn't care that the man must have seen her desperation to be free of her nightmares and had hiked the price of the medicine. She didn't care because she just wanted to be free.

As she arrived home, Anna took out the small bottle of medicine just to be sure that it was still there. With a sigh, she pushed the door open and was startled when she heard her mother's voice.

"Annalise! Where have you been?" The woman asked with worry in her eyes.

"I just..."

"The ceremony has probably started by now and you're still here" the woman complained.

"I said I'm not going mother" Annalise said as she closed the door behind her. She turned to look at her mother again and the woman was holding up a dress.

"What is that?" Anna asked as she looked the dress over.

"Your dress" the woman stated the obvious.

"You had the time to make that?"

"Oh yes! And you are meeting Lord Roderick tonight. Come on, let's get you dressed up".

Anna knew she couldn't win against her mother so she didn't bother trying. If attending this ceremony was going to take her mind off things, then why not? And talking about Roderick... She couldn't believe that she had almost forgotten about him. Now that her mother had mentioned him, she was looking forward to meeting him again.

Annalise was soon standing outside the palace gates all dressed up. The ceremony was happening in the Great Hall inside the palace. The hall was not close to the royal residence so there was no way commoners were going to bump into the royals. This was the only time commoners were allowed into the palace and each person was thoroughly searched before entering.

The place was magnificent and as she took further steps in, Anna had a feeling of deja Vu. She felt like she had been here before but she was sure that she hadn't. She didn't want to think about it so she just walked over to the Great Hall that was heavily guarded at the entrance.

Mesmerized by her beauty, two guards pushed the large doors open and Anna walked into the hall after giving the men a small nod of gratitude. As she walked in, heads turned and conversations died. Annalise easily captured the attention of everyone in the hall. She avoided making eye contact with anyone but her eyes were roaming as she looked for anyone she knew. Lord Roderick precisely.