Contract Husband.

Meeting the Old Queen.

Morning came quickly like lightening and Rosalind began to prepare for the visit to the palace. Maids were running to and fro the room, getting her prepared for the visit,

"I would like the to wear the purple velvet gown" Rosalind ordered.

"Yes my lady" a maid bowed and left the room.

"And prepare a parcel of the finest homemade cookies and shortbreads, I would be taking them to the palace" Rosalind ordered again, another maid bowed and excused herself from the room. In a few minutes, one of the maids walked in with Rosalind's dress in her hand.

"My lady, lord Victor is waiting for you" she announced.

"Tell him I'll be down in a minute, I just need to put on the dress" Rosalind said and the maid left once again.

Rosalind stepped out of the house accompanied by two maids who carried little boxes with them, immediately Victor saw her, he let out a pale smile.

"Not bad, you look quite formal" he said, "and what is with those little boxes?" He asked curiously.

"They are for her majesty' Rosalind replied.

"Oh alright then, I hope we get to them before Sir Ernesto does" Victor sighed, his brow was already knitted in worry, Rosalind couldn't help but notice this cloudy mood, she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a warm smile.

"We got to them first already, I know we did" Rosalind said.

"Alright, let's move then" Victor announced as he and Rosalind entered into the carriage.

In no time they reached the palace, the grounds gave an aura of both strength and history. The buildings stood tall in the midst of the beautiful gardens that surrounded it, from a distance stood the king and his queen just in front of their mansion, the carriage stopped just in front of the mansion and immediately, Victor and Rosalind stepped out of it and approached the king and his wife.

"You didn't have to do this your majesty" Victor said as he approached the king.

"Oh stop it Lord Victor, you aren't just a subject, you are a friend" the king laughed, he stretched his hand and Victor extended his in return and the two shook hands.

"It's good to see you Lord Victor" the king smiled.

"It's also good to see you, your majesty" Victor said. The Queen gave Rosalind a warm hug to welcome her,

"Welcome my dear, and congratulations on being Mrs Hernandez" the king said to Rosalind.

"Thank you your majesty, I'm really honoured" Rosalind bowed. Everyone laughed casually and walked into the huge royal mansion, they made their way to the royal court where everyone got seated.

"I got your letter Lord Victor, it sounded urgent, especially when you said your wife requests an audience with my mother, I hope all is well" the king asked.

"My wife would love to see her royal highness, she has a news that could interest her" Victor said softly.

"I guess it's a women affair, my wife would show Lady Rosalind to my mother, then we could catch up on everything" the king smiled, Victor equally returned the smile and the two headed out.

"Lady Rosalind, am I correct?" The queen asked.

"Yes your majesty" Rosalind replied.

"What business do you have with the queen dowager?" The queen asked again.

"She is friends with the matron of the Hernandez household, I plan to not just send my greetings and pleasantries to her royal highness, but also deliver important messages to her, from Ma Griselda of course" Rosalind answered. The queen gazed at her for what seemed like a minute, her brown eyes piercing into Rosalind's very soul as if she was searching for something, Rosalind didn't know her reason for this but she still maintained her composure.

"Very well then, follow me" the queen said softly.

"Thank you very much your majesty" Rosalind bowed and quickly followed the queen, they claimed through several stairs till the two women finally stopped in front of a very large door. The queen proceeded to knock twice and a voice responded from inside signalling them to come in. Sat in a magnificent chair, near the large window was the queen dowager. She was reading a book when the queen and Rosalind walked in. Immediately she sensed their presence, the old queen raised her head sharply, her grey eyes looked cold, her face still shone with radiance despite her age, her all white hair was packed and knotted behind her head, her black laced gown made it look like she was still in moaning.

"She is quite paler than Ma Griselda" Rosalind thought to herself.

"Mother, Lady Rosalind seeks your audience" the queen announced. The queen dowager laid her book face down and directed her gaze towards Rosalind.

"And who sent you?" The Old queen asked.

"Ma Griselda sends her greetings, she gave me some treats to hand over to you, she sincerely hopes you would enjoy them" Rosalind said, as she signaled to the maids to bring in the boxes. The Old queen proceeded to open them and what she saw made he widen her eyes in amazement, she let out a warm smile and looked at Rosalind again.

"Tell me I loved" the old queen said. Rosalind nodded in affirmation, the queen dowager now turned to everyone who was in the room.

"Please I beg to be excused" she said.

"Even I?" Asked the queen.

"Yes my dear, and old friend has sent words to me, I wish to hear them in private" the queen dowager answered. Though a bit disappointed, the queen left the room, so did the maids with them.

"You must be the new daughter in-law I suppose" the queen dowager asked.

"Yes your highness" Rosalind answered.

"Have a seat then" the queen dowager gestured to Rosalind. She took a seat just in front of the queen dowager, with a large table in front of them. Rosalind's eyes caught the title of the book the old queen was reading.

"The Art of War" Rosalind read out. The Old queen turned sharply at her.

"Read it before?" She asked.

"Yes your highness, a very detailed and thorough book on strategy and planning, I must say" Rosalind answered, a spark of interest flashed through the elderly queen's face, she leaned forward to Rosalind.

"Seems you take a liking to books, yes?" She asked.

"Of course your highness, I read all kinds of books ranging from philosophy, science, politics, war strategies and romance" Rosalind answered. The queen wore an impressed look on her face, her very rigid exterior began to relax a bit.

"You seem to be an interesting young lady, whose daughter are you?" The elderly queen asked.

"I'm the daughter of Sir Alberto and Lady Bertha" Rosalind answered.

"I see, the Blanco household" the queen dowager said, Rosalind just smiled.

"Alright, let's have tea while we talk, let me get the maids to bring us tea" the queen dowager said.

"Oh no your highness, I would love to just eat these almonds in front of you with you, I'm okay with it" Rosalind said, the old queen's eyes widened in amazement by Rosalind's words.

"You like almonds?" She asked curiously.

"Yea your highness, I do" Rosalind replied, the queen once again was looked at her with satisfaction.

"It's indeed clear that both of us love the same things" the queen dowager said in delight, "here have some almonds" she continued as she pushed the bowl of nuts to Rosalind who took a piece of the nut.

"So is there anything you wish to discuss? You sort my audience" the queen dowager said.

"Yes your highness, I have come to warn you" Rosalind said.

"Warn me? How?" The queen dowager asked, her fair face began to grow Red and her brows knitted in frustration.

"My husband and I have heard strange rumours while we were at Barcelona, rumours about an overthrow of the king of Spain" Rosalind said.

"And who is the suspect?" The queen asked curiously, scepticism written all over her face.

"There is no one I know of" Rosalind said, "but you must be careful, no one is to be trusted, including family" Rosalind continued. The queen went silent and began to stare extensively at Rosalind, she was becoming uneasy with Rosalind.

"Why should I trust your words?" The Old queen asked.

"Because it wouldn't cost anything if extra caution is taken" Rosalind said. "Extra care should be taken, sensitive information or words should be guarded jealously from anyone except from the king, he too should be careful about who he discusses sensitive subjects with, everyone is a suspect" Rosalind said. The elderly queen looked at Rosalind for a while, she read Rosalind for a while, quietly.

"Alright, I'll take your words seriously, it's better safe than sorry I would say, I know how to handle it from here" the queen dowager said.

"I guess I'll have to go spend sometime with the queen, she must be really bored" Rosalind said.

"Very well my dear, I look forward to seeing you sometime"' the queen dowager said. Rosalind stood and took a bow before she calmly walked out of the room. While she was walking down the hallway, the queen met up with her.

"Lady Rosalind, it seems you finished yourconversation quite early" said the queen.

"Yes, your majesty, we weren't on a long conversation" Rosalind said with a smile.

"Alright, since you are free and your husband is with the queen, how about I engage you in a little conversation over a cup of tea?" The Queen asked. Rosalind began to feel a little uneasy, the queen wasn't looking welcoming, her cold blue eyes gave Rosalind chills she had never gotten in her life.

"I'll be honored your majesty" Rosalind said. The queen smiled and gestured to Rosalind who in turn, followed her. They walked out of the palace walls over to the beautiful tea garden that stood in the middle of the magnificent palace grounds. Just as they say on the chairs placed in the garden, two maids approached them with a tray of tea and biscuits and placed them on the table in front of the two women.

"They are digestive biscuits, you would enjoy them" the queen smiled.

"Thank you your majesty" Rosalind said. Then the two began to dig into the snacks served to them.

"You requested an audience with the queen dowager, why is that?" The queen asked as she took a sip of her tea.

"Our family matron needed me to give her some presents, she also wanted me to enquire of the old queen's health, it's been long she came to see the old Queen" Rosalind said.

"Why do I feel you haven't told me everything?" The queen asked as she glared at Rosalind. Rosalind smiled at her.

"That is all we discussed about your majesty, if we had more serious issues to discuss, we would have taken a longer time" Rosalind said confidently. "Perhaps is there any issue at hand your majesty?" Rosalind asked as she ate one of the biscuits.

"Not at all Lady Rosalind, I feel whatever the old queen knows, I should know it too" the queen answered, "but I guess she bored you with old people talk, and you had to escape from it, that's why you left her chambers" the queen continued.

"Oh your majesty, how did you know? She was really giving me a long boring history on Spain back in her youthful days, I had to run from it" Rosalind laughed, the queen in turn chuckled softly.

"She is like that sometimes, pardon her talk" the queen said as she sipped her tea again.

"The Duke of Barcelona and his Dutchess have arrived!" The man at the watchtower announced.

"I guess my sister and her husband have arrived, let's go and welcome them" the queen said as she stood up from her seat, Rosalind's heart skipped a beat, but she hid her nervousness, she smiled at the queen and followed her. They both went to the mansion's door and stood to receive the guests, just then, the king and Victor joined them in to receive them. Soon the carriage made a stop just in front of them, Sir Ernesto and Lady Rachel came down from it. Lady Rachel made eye contact with Rosalind and the same went for Victor and Sir Ernesto.

"Rachel! What a pleasant surprise!" Shouted the queen as she rushed to meet her Lady Rachel.

"Oh Maryann, my sweet sister, I have missed you" lady Rachel said as she embraced the queen.

"Oh Charles, it's good to see you" Sir Ernesto said as he hugged the king, who in turn hugged him tightly.

"It seems everyone is here, why don't we have a feast then?" The king asked excitedly.

"We are sorry your majesty but we must be on our way, we have important things to take care of at the Hernandez mansion" Victor said immediately.

"Can it not wait?" Sir Ernesto asked at which the king nodded in agreement.

"Not quite Sir, and my wife needs to take care of my mother, her old age is catching up with her I suppose" Victor answered.

"Very well lord Victor, maybe next time" king Charles said, Victor nodded and the two men shook hands. Just before Victor and Rosalind entered their carriage. They exchanged eye contact once again with Sir Ernesto and his wife.