My adored queen

9

"And this is a letter, milady. Your uncle wrote it a week before his death and asked me to give it to you. Perhaps there is an answer to your main question: 'why you.' I'll leave you, and you can read it."

I responded to the man's bow with a nod, and when the doors closed behind him, I slid heavily onto the sofa, kicking off my hated shoes again and burying my fingers in the velvet upholstery. I gently ran my hand over the expensive case, not hurrying to take out the message. It was as if I knew that once I finished reading it, my fate would be finally and irrevocably decided. I carefully took out the paper, glancing at a few lines of slightly crooked handwriting. So brief... There wasn't enough air. I'd better go out onto the terrace. Or even better, into the garden, and read it there.

Ten turns, twelve long corridors, four high staircases with elegant railings, countless columns, floral tapestries, and heavy curtains. Oh yes, the palace is a paradise for an aesthete, and this was just the side passage in the service wing, avoiding the nobility along the way. But today, I didn't even notice all the beauty I passed, nor the people I encountered, as if I were floating in a fog. However, I couldn't help overhearing a conversation coming from behind a half-closed door in... I don't know what room it was, and it didn't matter to me.

"And if not? If she agrees? Who refuses such an offer anyway? What will happen then? The kingdom will fall, I swear, it will fall," someone's thin voice trembled with tension. In the background, something splashed and bubbled, and clinked and whined, a rather strange sound.

"Oh, it will fall," another female voice scoffed. Unlike the first, it was quite cheerful. "I like the idea of Marchioness Annie becoming queen. Life will be so much fun. Receptions, balls, luxurious dresses, and the old ones will be ours. I don't know about you, but I'm going to ask milady to serve her today. I feel good times are coming, beautiful, colorful times..."

"What are you talking about?" the first voice asked, surprised.

"Well, how? Do I have to explain everything? King Leonard strengthened the state, established order, made laws, but what can we expect from a girl? Balls, holidays, ceremonies... Finally, we'll live well," the cheerful one chirped dreamily, and I barely kept my eyes from popping out. So, they think I'm not smart enough to protect the state? Instead, they expect a series of balls and squandering the treasury? Well, you know, that's too much. I, by the way, have a higher education with a focus on political arts, and I just received my diploma from the royal court academy this spring. I was the class president among the other noble children, so I'm not that inexperienced and foolish.

I forcefully opened the door, catching the two gossips red-handed. Red-handed in the literal sense: they were boiling laundry in a huge cauldron, stirring it with a special stick or whatever it was. Not for dinner, of course, but to get it clean. Old-fashioned methods with a modern twist.

Plunging the stick into the cauldron with a loud clank, the servants froze. First, they turned as white as death. Then, they turned as red as a ripe beet. Then, they turned white again, and both of them, as one, fell at my feet.

"You can continue, continue. I see you have little to do, but you understand state affairs so well. Maybe I should appoint you as advisors, hmm? The kingdom will fall without you, definitely fall."

Satisfied that they heard me, and that there was no soap in their ears, I slammed the door shut, turned on my uncomfortable heels, and was about to leave, but stopped. I felt heavy footsteps behind me, stopping right behind my back, and hot air brushed my head, as if someone were breathing into my hair. There was no doubt who it was, having caught the familiar scent of wild cherry with a hint of nutmeg... a mixture that makes one dizzy... It could only be one man – the head of the royal security service himself.

"Is milady upset?" a velvety voice with a hint of seductive huskiness sounded right above my ear.

"Don't hold your breath, Daniel," I said, turning to him. Count Arron is Robert's best friend, so I couldn't count him as a supporter, even though he was on duty.

"Princess, I'm not expecting you to be sad," he countered, nodding meaningfully towards the laundry room door. "Did the servants upset you? I've been following you from the royal chambers and saw how resolutely you spoke to them. Just say the word, and I'll do what's necessary."

"So, you'll silence everyone who speaks against me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, you misunderstood. I can't burn down the kingdom," he said, probably not realizing what he had just said. I was stunned. He flinched and immediately corrected himself. "Princess, I meant that people will always talk about those in power, but if someone offends you, I'll destroy them."

"Just destroy them? Does that promise apply only to servants, or does it include the queen dowager's sycophants too?" I asked, openly mocking him. Now it was my turn to smile, and Daniel's to be stunned. But unfortunately for me, he recovered too quickly.

"The promise applies to anyone who wants to harm the crown princess, in word or deed," he said, all business, chest out, shoulders straight, his fair hair not even moving, not a man, but a statue. He could be painted in pictures!

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind," I said with a nod, about to leave, but the head of security stopped me again.

"May I escort you, princess? I'll make sure no one else offends you..."

"How kind of you," I replied, slowly walking forward.

"It's my duty," Daniel said in a "I'm being paid for this" tone.

"Then I won't argue with a man on duty," I scoffed, but couldn't help asking the next question, "And who obliges you?"

The count paused again, causing me to smile involuntarily. Such debates were good for me, just what the doctor ordered. I loved to mock with such provocative questions and flirt with young advisors or military men. Spoiled marquises, viscounts, and other daddy's little heirs didn't appeal to me, though they always tried to convince me otherwise. But those who achieved something on their own always piqued my interest. I accepted their courtship, let them steal me from balls to secluded terraces or cozy benches (what else was there to do at those boring parties?), and then collected their stories of exploits, writing everything down in detail in my diary in the form of short stories. I kept the diary exclusively for this and never wrote about my own experiences. I only collected fragments of the lives of prominent people, probably because I secretly dreamed of becoming someone special through my own achievements, not by birthright, which was quite convenient, I must say. Although Nicole called my notebook a list of suitors who took me on dates. And in essence, she was right: one name – one date – one story. I never went out with anyone more than once; it just wasn't interesting anymore... And they... They had to put up with it, what else could they do to the king's favorite niece?

So, what was I talking about? Right. Teasing someone or flirting was my cure for depression. So, now I was forgetting my worries, venting my tension on Daniel.

"Your Eminence," as always, carefully weighing his words and his response, the man, to my amusement, forgot my new title. But he corrected himself immediately, "I apologize, Your Highness, I can't get used to it. I see you're fixated on the crown prince and the queen dowager, but let me give you some advice..."

"Oh, everyone is rushing to give me advice now. But I'll gladly listen to you," I chirped, even stopping to look into my interlocutor's eyes. Daniel also stopped and calmly, despite my interruption, continued:

"You're a very beautiful young lady..." oh, even that.

"Is a compliment also on your list of duties, or is there a separate fee for that?" I interjected again, but Arron only smiled at the corners of his lips and calmly continued:

"And precisely because you're a beautiful young lady, no one expects you to make breakthroughs in state affairs. No one is to blame for this. The inheritance fell on you like snow on your head, but that doesn't mean anyone will give you leniency. And if they do, would you want such treatment? That's what you should think about before making decisions or calling anyone enemies. If you want to prove to the entire empire that you're worthy to be a queen and a diplomat, don't be lazy to work hard. If you want to blame someone for people's anxiety, you'd better refuse."

He was right, and I didn't blame anyone, but hearing it was useful. I smiled, giving the handsome man an interested look:

"Did you do the same when you took over your father's position? You've changed a lot... Your turbulent years at the court academy are still remembered. A ruthless heartbreaker who seduced almost all the girls in the younger class, even Robert didn't have so many followers. Then you disappeared somewhere, wandered around the kingdom, returned and joined the military unit, rapidly climbing the career ladder, earning ranks. You were knighted into an ancient order, and then replaced your father in the most responsible position. Look at you, you're unrecognizable now. And how did you manage it?" The head of security's biography was known to me from third-hand sources, but I knew every word was true. However, these were just dry facts, and I wanted more emotion in this legend to add to my diary, but the man had never been close enough to tell me anything. He listened attentively, smiling only slightly, and then replied briefly:

"I'm surprised by your knowledge, I didn't think you were interested in me. My answer is this, milady: you can do it too, if you put in a lot of effort. Even more than you think you can. But is it necessary for such a beauty?"

And as always, no information. He remained a closed book to me, which was intriguing. In a scholarly sense, of course. Out of curiosity.

Wait, "beauty"?

"Beauty?" I repeated, wide-eyed.

"You called me a heartbreaker, but our pasts aren't that different, milady. You have your share of broken hearts too..." this... arrogant man said with a wider smile.

"Please, I'm not to blame for men finding me beautiful," I retorted, proudly lifting my head.

"Well, I'm not to blame for the girls chasing me either," he countered, simply mocking me. "In general, it's very amusing to have this conversation with you. We've often met in secret hideaways."

What an unbearable man. Immediately realizing what the head of security meant, I blushed and flared up with indignation.