The Fairest of them All

They went out of style years ago

Oh, my apologies then. The dress suits you then.

Because that’s the style?

What happened to long dresses?

"Any thoughts?"

It looks nice but why is it so short?

Hekaterine turned to face her lady, speaking to her in a hushed yet simple tone to go warn the Queen Serena of her absence in court. “I do believe she wouldn’t mind. I have proven myself to be able to handle my own life more than once.”

Walking around with her ladies in waiting, Hekaterine couldn’t help but over hear the simple conversation Queen Victoria was having with her dames. “Would you prefer an extra pair of hands, your Majesty?”

Victoria turned towards the voice with a frown enhanced on her face. She gave a small simple nod of her head before walking towards the women in front of her."If you do not mind, and if it's alright with your guardian, the queen Serena?"

Victoria thought that Valerion would have been upset that she was back because he thought she died. She felt shocked that he was just accepting that she was here.

The queen looked at him with a sad look in her eyes before moving to lean against on of the tables in the room. She shook her head before speaking. "Valerion... You will be able to hold me in your arms for the the rest of our lives. Valerion, I'm here. My heart is beating and I'm so sorry for not coming back for so long. I had to heal." Victoria felt her heart break when she looked at him.

"I needed to get something from the top shelf of the book case, my dear. It’s a book for the Princess of Manon, since I heard she likes to read" The queen looked down to see her husband before giving a small smile.

"So are you going to explain to me, what you are doing up there?" The king could not keep himself from smiling a little. This was surely something he had not expected.

"I needed to get something from the top shelf of the book case, my dear. It's a book for the Princess of Manon, since I heard she likes to read" The queen looked down to see her husband before giving a small smile.

His steely gaze softened but only for a mere moment. “What sorcery is this?” He growled, shooting out of his chair. “I saw you die. I carried your lifeless body back to the castle. This isn’t possible.” He cast a sidelong glance at the guards and thought long and hard about his next course of action. “Leave us.” He said finally, waiting until the last guard had left before beginning to speak once more. “What happened?” He asked through gritted teeth. “And tell me the whole story. Are you one of them? Was it a ploy to get away from King Valerion?” He asked, though the latter he could probably understand more. Atter all, the king was rather… domineering… and that was putting it mildly. “Answer me.” He muttered, trying not to lose his temper.

Victoria moved towards her ward before stopping as to not test his temper. "It was healing magic, Caspian." She said in a soothing tone of voice, hoping to calm him like she does Valerion. "You did see me dead, a week ago yes but a pagan healed me because I helped to save her son from the sickness." She gave a small smile towards her ward before sighing. "Caspian..." She said with a frown, watching the man she raised from a small child. " I did die, from the sickness that day but the little boy's mother was a pagan, and when she heard that I helped her son she decided to help me knowing that I was needed by the people, Valerion, you and your sister. So she helped." She said before starting to pace. "That's the whole story. No! How can you even ask that do you ever see me use magic? Why would I try to leave the only man I ever loved?" She asked with curious eyes and tone. "Do not command me to do what you ask, Caspian, you are not the king, and I am your queen." She said losing her temper a bit at how her ward was acting.

He sighed and tapped his fingers against the table he was seated at. “You presume to think that I care about what you have to say. I know what you did and your excuses mean nothing to me.” Since Victoria’s death, Caspian had grown colder and the women he bedded became fewer and fewer. He sighed quietly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just give me one reason why I shouldn’t have you punished and I’ll consider it. Until you think of a reason, however, let’s talk.” He murmured, his eyes shifting in their sockets to look at the person before him.

Victoria looked up from underneath her cloak's hood with a look of disbelief on her face at the man in front of her. The man in front of her was her ward, of course but he had changed from the kind man who she knew bedded women before to the man she wish he never became. He became cold, much like her father did after her mother past when she was 16."Hmm" She said while looking at the prince before softly smirking " Or, you can send the guards away but until then let me to the talking. Also, stop being a brat or I'll send you to the dungeons to learn a lesson." The queen spoke with a hard tone to her voice before glaring at the guards next to her.

"I’m so sorry Victoria but it’s true. I can get you back to your castle as fast as I can."  Mara said, not letting on there would magic involved in getting her home safely.

"It's fine. I just wish to see Valerion now. Thank you for helping me Mara." Victoria said with a smile thinking about going home to Valerion and her kingdom.

Eve’s mouth dropped open. “A pagan?” She gasped, trying to keep her voice low and and looking around. “It’ll be our secret I promise…but…what was she like? I hear so many stories about Pagans…who knows what one is suppose to believe.” She continued to look at the Queen in wonder and sighed. “Perhaps one day…although the Queen I am the Queen’s ward and…I will…do as she asks of me…” She shrugged. “Besides…how would I know…that I would not learn to love a suitor?”

"Yes, she was kind, let be borrow some of her clothes. I trust her and only her." Victoria said with a smile noticing how the girl now had a look of wonder on her face. "Yes but you are old enough to make your own choices are you not?" She asked the blonde in front of her with questions in her eyes."Trust me, suitors can be rotten, I should know my mother arranged a marriage for me when Valerion was courting me." She said with a sigh.

" Wedding…Victoria I don’t mean to alarm you but you were thought to be dead for a month. The cure was found a month ago…people are better…You’ve been unconscious for a month."  Mara said softly. " The king will want answers Victoria, you know that…" Mara said. " I’m just glad you’re alright."

"A month? No, no no! It's been a week, I couldn't have been asleep that long." Victoria yelled out with tears in her eyes. "Your lying, right?" The queen gave a sigh "I'll give him answers soon enough" The queen said.

Evelynn raised her eyebrows in shock. “Your grace!” She exclaimed with a gasp, however it soon turned into a laugh. “I…we all heard of your death…how…is it possible?” She asked, forgetting her curtsy completely before remembering herself. “I mean…i’m sorry…” She curtseyed and laughed slightly, but the wide grin didn’t leave her lips. She listened to the story, a smile on her lips. “That sounds….so perfect.” She said laughing, resting her head on her hands. “I…would love a story like that to tell.” She sighed, letting her head go into her daydreams. “I…would love to smile like you do over a man, know…that i was truly in love. The Queen intends for me to marry soon like my brother I am sure of it…I hope I can love one of my suitors.” She smiled, not so sure why she spoke so honestly around the woman. “Forgive me your grace…i shouldn’t be so open about such things, you have…much bigger worries and  reasons to celebrate.”

"You mustn't tell anyone how I survived but a pagan helped me because I save her son." Victoria said with a shrug before putting her fingers to her lips. She laughed at the girl before pulling her up "Please, do not curtsy I find myself trusting of you, a friend if you will." The young queen watched the emotions play out on the girl's face before smiling. "It is, I think what we have is true love. You will find the one you truly love one day. Don't marry to join kingdoms is one piece of advice another would be to push back and say "No, I will not marry who you choose for me, but for who I love, only then will I marry." Besides, the queen can't control you." Victoria said narrowing her eyes a bit before giving a smile "It's fine, I'm ere if you need anything, like advice. No, no, continue it's fine" She said wanting to talk to someone after so long.