Queen's Reign

Chapter 4

Myranda's condition worsened the night before Ethelina was to leave Aeviria. The herb's sustaining effect had worn off, and the healers were skeptical she would survive the night. 

That night, she dismissed all her servants and maids, asking for Adelyn and her sister to come to her chambers. Ethelina entered before Adelyn, the lady following a respectful distance behind. 

"Ethelina, come here," she said weakly. The queen laid in her massive bed, propped up on the swan feather pillows with mounds of covers to block out the Autumn drafts. 

Her sister curtsied before approaching. "Sister, I am here." Myranda looked up and replied. "I knew it was you." 

The princess instantly dropped the fan she was holding and stammered: "W-what are y-you talking a-about?" Her sister smiled as she leaned back on the pillows, a sigh escaped her lips.

"I knew it was you all along, and don't worry. She can't hear us." She gestured to Adelyn, who was talking in hushed tones to one of the maids by the door.

"Can you tell me why you did it?" Ethelina wrung her hands, ignoring the dropped fan. "I did…. I did be-because you... "

Myranda smiled, cutting her short. "I chose Adelyn for a reason, sister. You’re not any less good than you think yet I still can’t forgive the fact that you killed Mother, but I just don’t want to have any regrets before I die.”

Ethelina’s face was a stoic, unwavering mask with no emotion as she recovered from her bashfulness and looked at her sister like she was a stranger rather than a family member about to die. “Whatever you say, Your Majesty. Will you excuse me? I still have tons of packing to do.” She turned on her heel and left the room, her maids following behind her. Myranda sighed.

“My queen? Are you alright?” Adelyn’s voice rang from her left, parting the silk canopy curtains that separated the bedchamber from the rest of the room. Myranda beamed to see her apprentice’s beautiful frame, to hear the cadence of her voice and invited her to sit beside her on the bed. 

“Adelyn, I have already scribed the one whom I will pass my throne on to. No more worries about that.” Her apprentice smiled at her warmly, concern showing in her eyes. “My queen, no need to rush that decision.” 

Myranda gently took Adelyn’s hand and rubbed it. “You should definitely wear the crystal hairpiece more, to proclaim your status. The other kingdoms, especially those with a line of ruling men, they discriminate against a maiden for a queen-to-be. Furthermore, it looks good on you,” she laughed, noticing that her hair had no embellishments on it, the brown waves tumbling down to her waist. She looked beautiful, perhaps otherworldly.

Her apprentice laughed lightly alongside her mentor, the autumn breeze blew in the room through an open window, as if it sensed their humour and wanted to join in. It frolicked with Adelyn’s hair, blowing her locks behind her shoulder and their laughter gradually died out.

 “I know I won’t be staying any longer, Adelyn. A week after my death, Desiric and his men will spread the news throughout Aeviria regarding your crowning. Then, you will rule as Queen regent for two more days until the coronation takes place.” 

The lady asked: “What if I mess up? What if I fail to rule Aeviria?” Adelyn whipped her head around to look at her mentor. 

“Listen to me. You will not fail, just as I have done in the past. When I was made queen, just a small girl at the age of 9, I felt exactly like you. I knew everything, from the taxes to the cultural practices to the kingdom’s economical system. Yet, I still didn’t know how it worked in the actual field, where these numbers and problems aren’t just figures on a page, waiting to be answered.” Adelyn listened quietly, folding her hands in her lap and nipping on her lower lip again.

“You will do better than I ever did, Adelyn. Have faith in yourself. If I chose you over my sister, I believe you can do better than me.” 

She looked at Myranda, in her eyes burned a new light, as if she finally understood. “I will, my Queen. Rest for now,” she stood and tucked the blankets about the queen. Before departing, she looked over her shoulder one last time and walked out of the room, gently closing the door.

*********

Ethelina eyed the servants moving cedar chests and trunks of her belongings into the carriage of the Thatis Empire, asking for them to move quickly in a snobbish tone. The servants could do nothing except obey, bowing their heads as they heeded the princess’s order. 

Suddenly, a pair of hands came about her waist. “My darling, are you ready?” She spun to face the man and saw Prince Khan, hands pulling her towards him. She pretended to enjoy his touch and sweetly cooed. “Oh, I can’t wait, my dear. How long is the ride there?” She put her hands on his chest and nimbly pulled her fingers over his gold medallion. 

“ 3 days if we can cover up half of the journey by dawn. If not, 4 days. We can have a whole carriage to ourselves if you’d like. My parents will travel in the silver one down the road.” He pointed to the silver-coated carriage pulled by fine Andalusian horses, parked a little further down the brightly polished cobblestones. 

The princess immediately squirmed out of his arms at the words. “Thank you, Your Highness. If you’ll excuse me, I left something in my room.” She ran up to grand palace stairs that led from the foyer to the main hall, instantly hiding behind one of the oak doors which were heavily laden with gold leaf and a few faceted gems. 

I thought Ravenna said that he would still be a child, what made him become so… Anyways, it would be hard to escape now. Ethelina thought to herself. She walked up the main stairs into her room and grasped the crystal orb tightly. She had to find a way to smuggle this in the carriage without her future in-laws noticing. 

After a moment of thinking in the dark solidarity of her chambers, an idea struck her. She poured some water over the globe, signalling Ravenna. As she appeared in the smooth glassy surface of the orb, Ethelina smiled.

"Make this orb disappear. I don't need it."

"Why not? Do you know the way to the Hart?" Ravenna asked. She slightly c****d a brow at the princess, wordlessly questioning her ability to navigate the way. 

"Conjure a map for me. I'll find my way," she said between gritted teeth, hoping the servants wouldn't come to look for her.

"As you wish, Your Highness." The duchess disappeared from the orb. A little scroll of paper appeared in Ethelina's hand, trailing purple smoke into the air. She grinned devilishly and stuffed the paper into her dress pocket, walking out of the room she once resided in.

*********

Adelyn placed her hands on the garden’s ledge, which overlooked the river that led out to the Cannian sea. The sunset slowly bled colours into the rapidly darkening sky. Sighing, she leaned on the ledge, her hair brushing the granite surface. 

“Adelyn!” someone called from behind. She turned to see Desiric running towards her, his hair ruffled. “The queen, she’s gotten worse. She wants to see you,” he caught his breath between words.

Her eyes filled with terror, instantly running into the palace. Reaching the doors, she pushed them open, finding the healers huddled over the queen. One of them sensed her presence. “Milady, it’s time. The queen has to go, too much of that herb would only let her suffer more.”

“Who ordered you to give her this? I was told that it would be a more subtle medication so she could last till her sister’s depart. Not this,” Adelyn looked pointedly at the young healer in front of her. He couldn’t have been more than 16.

“A-Adelyn…” the queen rasped. She turned around, ignoring the boy. “My queen, are you well?” Adelyn knelt beside the bed, trying hard to stall her tears that threatened to come forth.

Myranda slowly caressed her cheek with a hand that shivered even though the room was warm despite the autumn winds. “I-it’s time f-for m-me to g-go, my dear. Y-You are Q-Queen of Aeviria n-now.”

Adelyn tried to appear calm, yet failed. Sobs crept up her throat as she spoke. “My queen, I will do my best.” The dying queen smiled weakly at her apprentice, moving her eyes to Desiric, who just entered the room. She demurely nodded to him, and he returned the gesture by placing his hand on his heart. 

Myranda slowly touched Adelyn’s hair like a mother comforting a child, making her tears run down in streams down her pale face. Leaning into the pillows, she exhaled her last breath. And with that, she was gone. 

Her apprentice buried her face into the bed beside her, her shoulders heaved up and down as she cried quietly. The rest of the others in the room bowed their heads to grieve the loss of Myranda. A few maids cried in the corners of the room, muffling their voices to not let the others hear. 

Desiric went forward and knelt down with Adelyn, taking her into his embrace. She cried, leaning against him. “Desiric, we’ve lost her…” she said between sobs.