Queen Verena

Is your mother single? I would so hiit thaaaaaat

He sighed, carefully listening to his half-sister as if to contemplate on his response as well. “It is too late to call off the event. Let us hope things will go well tonight, Your Highness,” he said to her, placing his own hands over hers. “Tomorrow, I’m sure you will have a clearer head. You’d know the next step the kingdom has to take.” He gave her a smile and encouraged her to leave her seat and get ready for the event. He had suspicions regarding the people who wanted to destroy Queen Verena but he never thought they would go too far to ruin not just the Queen’s reputation but whole kingdom as well…

Adhémar straightened from where he stood, his scarred face turned directly to the Queen. This was an opportunity that not many people even in power and position get to have - speak their mind to the Queen of Hohenzollern. “I think you want to maintain the glory of the family’s tradition, Your Highness and you.ve done it from the moment the crown was passed onto you,” he paused, jaws clenched as he thought of the next words he was about to utter then continued. “I think you blame yourself whenever something goes wrong in the kingdom,” he said, voice firm, his eyes looked her straight in the eyes. No one tells the Queen such things but the Queen also didn’t have that person who’d tell her the truth. She was surrounded by people who only wanted to take advantage. “I know you don’t say it out loud, you don’t let people see it, but it’s clear - how you get more and more extravagant each time there is a disaster. These events - celebrations, they are not going to patch up what Williams’ book did. But it’s not your fault that it happened. You were supposed to be protected. The kingdom has connections, people in power that’d see to it that something like this wouldn’t happen. But it did. It meant only one thing - they want to destroy you.” 

Adhémar stared in the Queen’s eyes, letting his hands take a hold of hers. It was a rare gesture; although he felt close to the Queen, there was an invisible wall that set them apart. He was her father’s bastard son, one of the many, and most of the time he wondered what she felt about him. Given the position he has in the kingdom he thought of the Queen as generous and this was proven as the title came with enormous privilege as well. But she had never spoken about her thoughts regarding the late king and Adhémar’s mother. “A few members of your council, My Queen, were overheard discussing some issues concerning the castle. They do not trust your decision no longer. I was informed that they felt we have been too lenient. They do not believe the tradition will survive,” this was a lot to say to the Queen and he knew that it would be hard to take on her part but he had to inform her. He had to take care of the groomer who overheard the conversation before delivering the news to the Queen. They couldn’t afford another scandal. And they definitely cannot afford for Queen Verena to make any hasty decisions regarding her traitors.

When he took her hands in his she froze, not used to these kind of kind gestures from the people around her. Most were afraid of her but not Adhémar, for this she respected him greatly. She knew his motives were true and she knew that he would not candy coat the truth just to make her feel better. Things had not always been so candid between them. When she first learned that they shared the same father she had hated him, hated his mother and hated what they had made her mother feel. Hurt and rejected. But now her father and her mother had passed, Verena had matured and she was ruler of Hohenzollern, she could make up her own mind and she had decided that he was a good, honest man who supported her fully. This made her happy and grateful. She stepped back from him and ran a finger along her lips back and forth. “I see. You handled it, I presume? Those members of my council” she asked and turned on her heel striding towards a leather armchair. “Sir, Adhémar” she instructed. “What do you think? That concerns me more than a few misinformed gossip mongers” she crossed her legs and cocked her head waiting for his personal opinion.

“You are mistaken, my sister, to think you are the only one who wanted the tradition safe,” he spoke more gently this time, trying to make her see that he truly cared. “I do not want to antagonize you nor make you think that this is an attack on your ideas and desire to save what we have left. This is me telling you, as your loyal servant, not just your brother, that this event could potentially do us more harm than good. You are a kind woman, my Queen. You have a big heart and trust those who showed you loyalty but people are more deceitful than Williams. And I’m not just talking about people who are in the castle. I’m referring to people who have powers - people watching from the distance who want a piece of what Williams is reaping as we speak,” he sighed, keeping his hands clasped behind his back as continued. “It is too late to call off the event. I will disperse more men at the edge of the woods and will accompany them throughout the hunt. I will make sure we avoid any distresses tonight. I do suggest that we hold off on having another event after things settled, Your Highness.”

As his attitude softened hers did, too. She let her shoulders slump low revealing her true face. One that was just a scared and worried woman unsure of what to do. She walked towards him as he spoke and covered the short distance between them as he stopped talking. Taking hold of his arms, she met his eyes “I know you care” she said and was silent for a few moments. Of course she knew and she trusted him maybe more than she trusted anyone else. He was right, her kindness was used by people to their own advantage. “What people Adhémar?” she asked. “Tell me what you know, what you think. So we can take measures....precautions, I’ll be damned if I let anyone take even a tiny, minuscule piece of what respect I have left.” her voice wavered as the brave front she had been putting on the for past week was slowly crumbling.

Adhémar was well aware of his tone and the line he just crossed. He respected his sister and what she was capable of doing but by no means he was scared of her. If getting punished for insubordination is what it would take to get through to how much trouble the kingdom was actually in, then he’d take it. “It is my job, My Queen. And I do it to the best of my abilities. Yes, we have traitors, a lot of them. And I’m not just talking about the outlaws that roam our streets. I’m talking about our own people who had turned their backs on us after Williams’ book was published. Verena - Your Highness,” he once again released a breath, “The kingdom is not like it used to be… These people we trust cannot be trusted anymore. I’m afraid that during this hunt people like Williams would take advantage. I’m speaking because it is not only the kingdom I’m concerned about. I’m worried about you and what might happen if we don’t think of our actions.”

Verena was a tough woman, intelligent and astute, she knew exactly the risks she was taking, but she had to save face, make it known that this blip, this rather large blip was not going to get her down. At least that’s what she had to do to show all those in the castle that she was in control and this book that Micheal Williams had published meant nothing to her. Of course she was incredibly stressed and worried about the whole thing and the repercussions that would inevitably ensue. But she could not, would not let that show to anyone, not even to her brother. “People like Williams?” she raised an eyebrow. “There are no more. Not that I know of. All the rooms of tributes and trainers have been searched. In fact all room in the castle have been searched for evidence and none has been found. And now, we have specialists making searches on all internet histories dating back over a year. Apparently that will take time...time I don’t have. I want answers. Now” she slammed her hand down on the table. “So you see, I am thinking of out actions. Past, present and future” she held up her hand indicating for him not to interrupt her. “And I can see, as always, I am alone in my endeavors to keep this castle and this tradition safe” she knew that all the kingdoms they were connected with were anxious, their children were named in the book and she had spent the past week speaking to leaders of the world trying to calm them down. “The world think I am a ...a mockery!” she raised her voice. “I must reinstate my good name”

Adhémar wasted no time. As soon as the door closed to the private room they entered, he faced the Queen. “A hunt?” His voiced raised above intended, “Your Highness,” he then added, catching himself before he continued to speak. By no means he wanted to disrespect the Queen but he did not approve of the event. The hunt was something put together the last minute by the Queen as if she was attempting to save the kingdom by doing something extravagant and daring. And it was true in many ways, the kingdom needs a lot of saving especially after Williams’ book was published but Adhémar didn’t think putting their Tributes’ lives at risk sending them into the woods was the brightest idea. “Forgive me your Highness but we have pirates out there, picking our guests one by one. We do not have enough protection to cover the whole kingdom including the woods.”

An eyebrow raised at his raised voice. “Very observant” she quipped, turning to face him as she leaned on the table, arms across her chest. She looked at the floor as he spoke, she liked  Adhémar, she loved him dearly but he was clearly overstepping the boundaries with his attitude. “Finished?” she asked, her face still looking down, she brushed a tendril of hair off her face as she averted her eyes to his face. “I know exactly what is out there, Adhémar. Do not speak to me as if I were a fool” she glared at him now, not blinking, her stance still the same. “It is your job to deal with that. And my job to - to do every damn thing around here it seems.” she stood up straight, arms raised up for a moment in anger. “We will never have enough protection, traitors walk among us, in our domain, freely taking what they want” anger frothed inside her, remembering the book once more. “If your job is not to protect the castle, then what is it,   Adhémar?”

Your Highness -

It was a difficult endeavor, the forget all that had been happening over the past week, since the now infamous book had been published. It was her birthday and things had to go on as normal. She remained calm and civilised to all her guests, she was cool until she saw Adhémar approach her. “It appears I am doing a good job despite the circumstances, Adhémar” she forced a smile. “Follow me” she said, turning to head to a room where they could speak in private.

Hohenzollern Kingdom Celebrates Queen Verena’s 48th Birthday

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