Chapter Seven: Alura (Patreon)

                                                                  𝕼𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝕬𝖑𝖚𝖗𝖆

As the door opened and a girl stepped through with her hands to her side, Queen Alura let the finger that ran along her own lip freeze. She knew the Maddox's were good-looking people, but she had never imagined the two of them coming together to make a daughter that was so engaging at first sight. Her son probably thought the same thing as he stood up from his chair and skipped down the steps, making a giant leap at the end to hold his hand out to the girl.

"Nikolai LeVane at your service." When her pale hand touched him he kissed it softly and shot her a wink. "What is your name Marquees?"

The girl let her nervous eyes glance at the woman on the throne before answering. There was something honest about the way she curtsied. "Antonella."

"Antonella." He repeated letting his large smile reach across his face.

The Queen stayed silent as she looked the young girl up and down, Antonella's hair was black like a raven and her skin was like a pure cream. Usually, people with her complexion came from Stonevale. It surprised the Queen to see her looks coming out of a place full of riches like Westile. They were usually of dark skin and curly hair, known for their gorgeous nature. People usually didn't associate people opposite with good looks. As much as she believed Beauty meant nothing she knew it would only work out better for her selfish son who almost fell to his knees to see the girl smile. "What is your age?" The Queen finally asked.

The room went quiet and Nikolai brought Antonella up a step further so his mother could take a better look at his bride-to-be.

It took a moment for the girl to respond but when she did it was like a reminder hit her on the side of the head as she curtsied again. "18 your Majesty."

Finding the way she was acting odd the blonde woman rose from her seat slowly and walked down the stage with an empty look on her face, she could tell it made the girl intimidated but she couldn't figure out why her hands trembled with eyes on her. Most who were raised as royals didn't have the shamelessness to admit they were just human because Royal humans still held ideals that they were better but she didn't act that way. "Such a pretty thing you are little bird." The two women faced each other in the middle of the room. All the eyes that were there to record and meet the new member of the family stayed as silent as they could as the Queen's gaze stayed fixed on Elysia.

Nikolai didn't seem as nervous as everyone else as he simply pulled the Marquees towards him. "Might I show you around the castle? There is so much to explore before the festivities even start."

Elysia nodded as an ok trying not to feel overwhelmed by the attention, he was a charming Prince but his mother, the woman that songs had been written about, made her feel like a coin at the bottom of the ocean. It was almost like she could hear the men working in the rain humming the tune of the fearless Queen. The lyrics beat with the hammering of steel as they sang a reminder she was made from the gods. They crafted her as skillfully as any famous swordsmith.

Elysia realized she was staring, almost gawking, at the famous woman and looked down to her feet. "Surely the poor girl is tired." Queen Alura hummed softly. "Show her to her room and tomorrow you may be her guide."

"Mother I-"

The piercing blue eyes stopped him from speaking he only bowed. "Of course." Taking his soon-to-be wife by the arm he led her out of the room quickly leaving the older woman standing with a curious look on her face. The girl's blue dress flew back like a silk sheet being tossed and her black hair danced around her shoulders before being pushed to the side from her hand. Then her dark eyes turned ever so slowly before they reached the corner to get one last look.

Queen Alura almost felt like the smile that came from the soon-to-be princess was enough to stop her heart. It was crooked and caused a dimple to accentuate the pinkness of her lips. When that smile was gone and the last of her dress disappeared the blonde woman let her blue eyes turn towards the floor. She could hear the rustles of the council and others getting up from their seats and starting talking but she stayed still for a moment longer trying to engrave that smile into her head.

"Look who has the audacity to show their face here." Dras Woodbourne laughed and brought the skinny man with a paper and quill in his hands over. "The fever couldn't get this man no matter how much we paid it to."

Turning to the men Alura gave a kind look to Neill Marsham. He was a sweet man, didn't stick out in an excellent or sore way but was gifted with numbers, even with only one eye to see he handled the expenses of the kingdom with such perfection that Alura often wondered if numbers were his first language. "So glad you are feeling better."

"Just in time for expensive festivities as well." Dras made the Queen smile before continuing. "We are lucky the gods blessed us with a Prince otherwise we would be in a large amount of debt."

Neill looked over his writing with a harsh nod. "The Maddox's will be paying for the arrangement but nothing that will cause them a great deal of discomfort."

"The blessings keep falling don't they." Queen Alura let that be the end of the conversation but was stopped as Dras looked around and followed.

"Imil wishes for Nikolai to join us in hunting tomorrow, would you like me to make other plans for him?"

The blonde woman was thankful to have someone like Dras on her side, not only was he a kind man but he was compassionate with her wishes. He didn't take them as orders but as opinions, he agreed with. She always hated for her son to hunt because she saw what meaningless killing did to the men she grew up with. One minute he would be slaughtering a deer and the next a man's neck in war. "Actually, let him go." Her quiet answer caught the man off guard and even herself as she realized her words.

"Are you sure my Queen?"

Alura looked back at the corner where Antonella and Nikolai had walked around. "Yes." She left the baffled man to meet her handmaiden who waited patiently with a wine glass. "Does my day end that quickly Nible?"

The curly-haired woman nodded as she followed her out of the throne room. "Take your rest as it comes my lady. Soon it won't be as easy because of the wedding." The two walked silently down the corridors until the blonde woman finally found the ability to speak.

"That girl Nible..." She lost the ability to continue as she spun the wine in her metal cup around in swirls. "She will make Nikolai very happy." When they reached the doors that led to the Queen's room, Nible stayed silent as she helped her majesty out of her dress and opened up the windows to reveal the night sky. Her master always made it a habit to stare out at nothing while everything was prepared for her.

"Why do you seem upset by your son's happiness my lady?"

"Of course his happiness is important to me Nible, don't be so hast. I just have concern over how long it will last."

"He always had a short attention span my Queen, even with his school lessons." The handmaiden brought the covers back on her soft large bed and stood at the end wondering what the ruler of the kingdoms thought about as she stared out the window, the loose blonde curls that had come undone from her long day blowing back lightly. "She is young, right now the Prince is probably her only concern but as she grows her interest will too. Girls have that special way about them, my lady."

"She will grow and he will stay the same." Her head tilted as her voice grew quieter. "He will only care about drinking, hunting, and fucking. While she cares for children, acts perfect, and listens to politics in the shadows."

"You are speaking from experience, my lady. It could be different for them." Nible said.

"It won't be." Alura put her empty glass down on the window seal and went over to her bed where she sat down gently, soft enough that the bed never made a sound.

"Anything else I can do for you my lady before I retire for the night?" The older woman asked picking the jewelry from the queen's hair.

The candle that lit above her burned the wax and fell to the bottom of the bowl as the blonde woman took her time responding. She wondered how candles could last so long yet burn out so quickly with a brisk air that was too harsh. "Tomorrow spend the day caring for Antonella. Make her feel at home."

"Of course my lady. Who would you like to take care of you in my absence?"

"Anyone you trust my dear friend." The Queen took Nible's rough wrinkly hands and kissed them softly. "Please get some rest tonight."

The woman smiled and looked the Queen over, the child she had seen running around the castle years and years ago had turned into a beautiful ruler with kindness that pulled her beauty together in a gift like no other. Her kindness was soft and missable to the unskilled eye but to the ones she loved, Nible knew the women to do anything. "You bless me, your Majesty." Taking her hands away and reaching on top of the bed frame she pulled down a book the Queen was reading. "Goodnight my lady."

Alura watched her handmaiden leave before opening the book to where she last left off, she wanted to read and continue the story of a farmer going on an adventure in the sea's rough waters but she couldn't find the willpower, her eyes were going cross-eyed easily and the words shook in her hands. She was too tired to read like she used to and every book they had she had read over and over again. It made her sad to not be able to transport herself somewhere new before she slept but her duties outweighed her dreams.

Taking down her candle and holding the glass in her hands she examined the flame closer before she let her full red lips draw back and blow out the only light that filled her room.

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