The Queens Crossing

Stranger

Reigna woke up the following morning in better spirits then the entirety of the 6 years she had spent in Soulick. Her and Julipe had formed a bond in just that one day. Tho a maid, Julipe loved to read and was taught by her mother at a young age and they swapped stories with each other of the tales of love, heartbreak and hero’s they had both read in there own books.

Reigna learned of Julipe’s life before coming to the castle. The small mousey girl being only 5ft in height and as thin as a rail with pale brown hair, shadowy blue eyes and a sun kissed skin worked on a farm with her family in the east near the Aria Kingdom.

“A very long time ago we had a royal family in the kingdom of Aria.” She had stated “They had a tragic end tho which is what usually happens to most in monarchy” she paled and turned to The Queen “oh I’m so sorry I didn’t mean it like that… I meant.. I-“

Reigna laughed it off “Your not wrong in that sense… But even if that’s true I don’t see many people in an uproar against the crown currently”

It was true. Tho King Laric was cruel he kept well care of his kingdom and made sure his people had safety and plenty of stock for there tables. He was only ever cruel to Reigna tho she never understands what she had done but it was nothing she would be able to change so refused to dwell on it.

“So what happened to them?” Reigna asks. “To the king and Queen?”

“Nothing.” Julipe states “it was the princess and the Kings bastard that had the devastating end”

“Wait” Reigna perked up “do you mean the one who died trying to save his sister from the northerners?”

“Yep. That’s the one. I’m surprised you know about it. No one ever talks about it anymore and it happened so long ago”

“I read about it” Reigna says as she stands and halfway jogs to her bookcase. “I hadn’t finished it after what happened yesterday… I kinda forgot about it honestly” she says sliding the book from the tightly packed shelf. “He died right? Trying to save his sister?” She flips through the pages

“Yes. He was pushed out the window after taking down multiple of the Northern Kings guards. He wasn’t able to save her…” she says drearily

Reigna puts her hand to her mouth feeling remorse for the princess she never knew. “What happened to her?”

“No one knows” Julipe shrugged her shoulders. “The northerners took her, probably back north but no one heard another word about her after”

“So what of the King and Queen then?”

“They left.. Couldn’t stand it.. being in that place after losing there children drove them to the edge of insanity and they just left”

“They just left there kingdom?” Reigna asked mouth agape. “So who rules there now?”

“No one” Julipe replied with a sigh “after what happened no one wanted the palace so the people rule Aria now.. everyone loved the Royal family. They were all kind and loved every subject they ruled over and every maid and footmen they employed and treated them all fairly”

Reigna thought about how her life would be different if King Laric was like that instead of the cruel man he is now.

Reigna let out a sigh. “You know I haven’t been to the East before. To be fairly honest I haven’t been anywhere besides my old home and here. Coming here was my first time traveling.. at least traveling further then the edge of the woods on my father’s property” she giggled. “I wish I could see them. I miss them terribly.. but what about you? Where is your family? Did they come here to work in the castle as well?”

“No there still on the farm.. It was my choice to leave. I wanted to better myself. You know I love reading but when it comes to etiquette and the world I don’t know much so I figured what better way to learn then under the roof of our monarchy? My family hated the idea. My mother almost lost herself when I told them. While my father was adamant I should stay he was also happy I was going to do something for me after being with them for so long. My younger brothers were working the farm by the time I decided to leave so I knew they would have help and not be on there own and miss me too much. I loved my family and my home but I was ready to be out in the world for the first time. Our home was small but enough for all of us and comfortable. It felt like home. While the palace is immaculate it feels cold and empty even with all of us maids and footmen and servants running around.” She looked down as if she was regretting her decision to leave home.

“Tell me about your home” julipe piped out suddenly.

“We lived further up north.” Reigna said not wanting to upset Julipe further about her family “Not far enough to have issues with the northerners but far enough to feel the cool winds daily.. instead of this never ending heat” she said while waving her hand towards her face to cool herself off. “Small house. Only a couple of rooms, I shared my bedroom with my parents at the time but it never bothered me.. we were always close, and besides there was plenty of room outside to enjoy. I would walk through the woods nearly every day, wind rain or snow. It was always refreshing being out in the world but feeling like the only one there sometimes, It felt peaceful.”

“I have an idea!” Julipe said with excitement “we should go for a walk in the Kings woods. When’s the last time you were outside? It could do you some good.”

“I’m not sure..” Reigna said nervously. “I wouldn’t want to upset King Laric… and I don’t know my way around here we could get lost, and I’ve heard there are plenty of cruel people in these areas. Muggers, murders and all sorts of things including beasts!” She says with a small shout.

“Don’t worry I know my way around and no one ever goes into the kings woods it’s always guarded so we will be safe. As for the King I wouldn’t want to get you into trouble but I don’t think he will be calling on you today as I’ve heard he is out of the castle for some business in the towns.” Julipe says with more excitement then when originally giving the idea. “Come on Reigna it will be a good change of scenery”

“Maybe your right” Reigna smiles “I haven’t been out of the castle in more then 5 years I think”

“Then let’s go!! Get your riding boots on and you’ll need a cloak as well to keep any rainfall from ruining your dress”

They laughed as they got ready for there own little adventure. Julipe fastened a cloak around Regina’s neck and helped her out up her hood.

“What about you? Don’t you need one?”

“Don’t be silly I haven’t got a dress worth thousands of coin on my body” Julipe chuckles

“WYou may get cold tho if it does rain. Here.” Reigna hands her a cloak.

“Thank you” she says back with a smile and fastens it around her own neck swooping the hood up over her tightly made bun.

Off they both went skipping down the hall to the main corridor. Regina’s head filled with the buzzing possibilities that could come out of this. She hoped she would feel comfortable out there like she had at her own home, and maybe begin to come out more often. She like that Julipe pushed her to do more. She made her feel a lot less desolate, like she had someone to lean on and she liked that. Before darting out the door Julipe grabbed a basket and drug Reigna with her into the kitchens where she began filling the basket with cheeses and bread and pastries. Just as Reigna opened her mouth to protest taking any food for fear of being gone too long Julio’s slid a cookie into her mouth and laughed whole heartedly and Reignas eyes lit up tasting the sugary delight that she could only guess as chocolate chip and a nut of some kind. During the middle of all this one of the kitchen maids waltzed in and froze at the sight of the Queen and went to bow before Reigna let out a snorting laugh scaring the girl which only made her laugh harder and they rushed out the kitchen door. The maid (while shell shocked at the sight of the Queen everyone said was emotionless) smiled.

Reigna and Julipe made it to the very front of the Kings woods and took a step inside and just as quickly Reigna felt the small splatter of rain on her hood. While it was ridiculously hot out it seemed the forest had kept the rain from the previous day in its leaves and showered them with a light sprinkle as they began there walk.

“Why don’t you see your family?” Julipe asked after getting deep into the woods.

“They left me here… my father didn’t even say goodbye to me.. he just left. They didn’t come to my wedding either.. it’s like they sold me off. I’m not sure wether my mother knew it or not but they never came back.. it’s been 6 years and I haven’t heard a word from them. Not a letter or a messenger or anything!” Reigna said with a bit of a shout at the end.

“I’m sorry…” Julipe says with a hint of guilt for bringing them up.

They walked in silence for a few feet before Reigna stops and looks her way.

“No I’m sorry.. I wasn’t shouting at you I hope you know that. It frustrates me to think about them just leaving me here is all. Not knowing if I am happy or not”

“Are you?” Julipe asks in a soft tone.

Reigna pauses for a moment mouth open to reply then something catches her eye..

“What is that??”

“Oh that’s the spring that runs through here” Julipe says “It’s where the kingdom gets most of its water from. Though I didn’t realize we had walked that far already. What do you

say we sit and eat before heading back?”

“That sounds exceptional why not sit by the spring as well” Reigna replies, she hadn’t realized she was so hungry until the food got brought up and her stomach let out a small growl. The cookie had only wetted her appetite for a small amount of time but she felt famished now.

They sat by the water and ate finishing off all of the cheese and cookies leaving only a few slices of bread left. Reigna stared at the clear running water only a few feet wide, moss running along the sides of the small stream and wild flowers bloomed just on the other side of it painting a beautiful picture.

“Ready to head back?” Julipe asks while covering the left over bread with a cloth and putting it in the basket.

“Yeah, hold on just a moment” Reigna pops off her riding boot and gently dips her feet in the stream and lets out a small yelp.

“Are you alright!?” Julipe shouts dropping the basket fearing something had stuck her foot.

“I’m fine, It’s so much colder then I thought it would be” Reigna reply’s

Julipe lets out a laugh “it runs from all the way up the norther mountain so it gonna be cold. Come on we should get back im not sure how long we’ve been out here”

“We will just give me a moment” Reigna says as she stands and begins to walk through the stream to the other side.

“Wait your majesty don’t go over there!”

“I’m fine I just want to get some of those flowers for my room. It could use some color”

“No your majesty please you don’t understand you need to come back over on this side”

By this time Reigna had gotten across the small stream and was a decent 15 feet from her.

“It’s fine it’ll only take a moment” Reigna retorts while bending and grabbing a hand full beautiful wild flowers colored with hues of purple and pink. “And what have I told you about calling me your majesty? We’re friends you don’t have to do that here there’s no one-“

Before she was able to finish her sentence she heard the galloping hooves of a large horse which was closing in on her.

“Your majesty!!” Julipe screams with terror in her voice.

Reigna was frozen to the spot to scared to run from whatever was coming towards her, she heard the grunts of the horse and looked around to see the large black monstrous animal riding directly towards her.

“Your majesty run!!” Julipes voice was shaking.

“I can’t” she whispered “I can’t run”

Reigna squeezed her eyes closed as she heard the hooves get closer and closer. ‘Why can’t I run!?’ She thought to herself. Terror filled her as the beast closed in. Then she heard a blood curdling scream, her eyes popped open as she whipped her head around to where Julipe lay on the ground and King Laric mounted on his own large sandy colored horse standing right over her, or rather a top of her as the horse had stepped on her leg and she lay there gasping for air as the pain filled her.

“YOU STUPID LOW BORN!!!” He shouts at the top of his lungs. And kicks his horse into motion. In an almost dance like gesture the horse jumps the small stream and gallops around to stand between Reigna and the large black horse charging towards her. Reigna looks up at her Husband glaring down at her with his icey eyes and instinctually her body begins to tremor.

King Laric whips his head around towards the beast that was now only 25 feet from them and pulls his sword from the sheath at his side. Reigna curiously tries to peer around the white horse to see who was atop the large horse across from them but only sees a dark hooded figure.

The large black horse stops and Reigna hears what she believes to be a man’s voice say in such a low deep whisper she almost couldn’t catch “That’s a good girl..” the hooded figure reaches out a gloved hand and pats the side of the horse tentatively.

The kings head whips back around to Reigna “Take your worthless maid and get back to the castle this instant you foolish girl” he says in a low forceful voice dripping with disdain.

“Y-yes my King” Reigna says shakily tears streaming down her cheeks she hadn’t realize left her eyes.

She quickly turns and sprints towards Julipe who had passed out from the pain in her leg caused by the Kings horse, she slips her boots back on not bothering to lace them and lightly lifts Julipe up to the best of her ability. While Reigna wasn’t weak she didn’t exactly have the strength of a man so she propped her under one arm and dragged her halfway back till a member of the Kings guard in the forest sees her and comes to help. Scooping Julipe into his arms he says “Don’t worry your majesty we will have her looked at she should be fine”

“Please let me know when she wakes up” Reigna replies still shaken from what happened and worried about her only friend.

“Yes your majesty” the guard replies with a bow and takes off with Julipe in his arms.

Reigna looks down at herself covered in mud and grass and begins wiping at it angrily.

Anger for herself for not listening to Julipe and coming back across the stream. Anger for King Laric for being so cruel and doing this to her friend. Anger at the world for being what it is.

Giving up on the mud she starts walking back to the castle by herself a thousand questions like a tornado in her mind. Who was the man on that horse? Was he going to hurt her? Why didn’t she move? What of the king.. What will happen to him? Is he going to fight that man? Will he win?… Does she care if he doesn’t? Why was it that Julipe was afraid when I crossed the stream?..

“I hope she will be alright..” Reigna says out loud to herself. Guilt flooding her chest. She looked down and noticed she still had the flowers in her hands. Her grip on them hard as steel. She must’ve been so terrified she couldn’t drop them even after pulling Julipe from the ground. She studied the flowers. While a little battered they were still beautiful and she felt herself begin to cry as she continued to walk back to the palace.

Once at the palace she opted to go around and enter through the kitchen door where her and Julipe had come out from as to not get too many stares from everyone else while plastered with mud.

Through the kitchen door she found the maids preparing dinner for the evening and one of them asked if she would like some help to her room.

“No thank you” Reigna said with the best fake smile she could muster in that moment. Tho she was sure they all knew she had been crying. Her face felt hot and her eyes felt slightly puffy.

“But I would be greatful for some water for a bath please” she said now looking down at herself once again.

“Yes your majesty we will have the water sent up for you and a bath drawn in your room”

“Thank you” she replies and with that she makes her way to her room stopping to look into the Kings study through a propped open door. ‘He isn’t in there’ she thought to herself. ‘He must still be out there’.. she makes her way down the hall and before opening her doors decides to keep going and head back downstairs to the servants quarters to see if Julipe was going to be okay. Just as she rounded the bottom of the steps one of the footmen smacks into her.

“Your majesty please forgive me” a boy maybe 16 falls to the ground on his knees and looks at the ground. “ I was unaware that you would be coming down the servants stairs I am so sorry your majesty” his voice seemed to be full of fear but she had never done anything to him or any other servant for that matter she was unaware of why he was afraid of her but she shrugged the thought off.

“Please tell me.. is Julipe going to be alright?” She asks pleadingly

“I was just about to come up and give you a report on her your majesty” he says still on the floor.

“Please stand up and tell me”

“She will be alright your majesty. A broken leg is what the doctor says and she will need to be in bed for a few weeks but she should be fine after. She is sleeping now. Doctor says if the horse was any bigger her bone would be shattered and they would have to take the leg but they have re positioned it and wrapped it and it should heal back”

Reigna sighs with relief “thank you” she says to the boy and he looks up in slight shock and sees her smiling sweetly at him.

“What’s you name?” She asks him.

“Jonath your majesty” the look on his face is a mix of pity, sadness and shock.

“Jonath will you please let me know when she wakes up?”

“Yes your majesty” he says with a low bow

“Thank you”

And with that she heads back up the stairs to peel out of her muddied clothes and bathe.

Once in her room she closes the door behind her and peeks at herself in the mirror. Her face was flushed and she had dirt speckled all over her with trails running down her cheeks from the tears she had cried.

She sighed at the sight of herself and fought the urge to cry again. She walked into the bathroom to see that her bath had indeed been drawn and it was still hot. She in clasped the cloak from around her neck and laid it on the chair by the bathroom entrance and started unbuttoning the front of her dress when she suddenly heard her door click open softly and she froze.

She heard his voice behind her getting closer as he spoke.

“Your not bright. Your hardly pretty. And you can’t even follow simple rules!” He screamed the last bit at her and she felt something strike the back of her head causing her to fall into the floor she turned her head to see the King standing behind her peering down in disgust, hand clenched into a fist at his side and the other open and held in the air from striking her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize I was doing something wrong I didn’t think-“

“No you didn’t that’s the issue. You aren’t to go across the stream. That’s Northern Territory. You could’ve been killed and while I care not about you I care about wether or not I have my heir from your womb before you die!” He was shouting at her and she was bracing herself to be hit again by him when he leaned down and forcefully pulled her up by her arms and got in her face.

“You will regret what you have done.” He spit at her with rage and grabbed her jaw making her eyes meet his “I was coming in from my journey to the villages and decided to take my time going through the woods when I heard your pathetic lady’s maid wailing. She should die for her insolence. She was wearing one of your cloaks. A low born maid wearing a Queens clothing.. it’s inconceivable”

“No!”

“No!? You dare tell me no you worthless cunt!?” He squeezed her jaw harder and she felt like it was going to come right off.

“I’m sorry” she said wincing as she talked “it’s my fault I told her to wear it. It was my idea to go out. She tried to stop me from going over the stream I’m sorry my King”

The look in his eyes changed as he watched her plead with him. He liked it when she begged him. His eyes turned from cold to hungry and she seen it happen.

He brought his mouth closer to hers and whispered “you’ll be punished then.”

He took her lower lip into his mouth and bit hard she flinched and could taste the metallic blood from her own lip in her mouth. He pulled back with small bright red smear on his own mouth. She didn’t bother to protest she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop him so she let him have his way with her. He finished unbuttoning her front and pulled it off pooling it around her feet he looked at her like he was studying her naked body before he grabbed a hold of her jaw again and forced his tongue into her mouth. She felt his tongue lap at her own and tasted the cigar on it that he must’ve had while on his ride. His other hand roamed down and found her.. vigorously he stuck his fingers inside of her and she felt him add another.. then another until she recoiled from the pain, where he then removed his hand from her jaw and put it in the middle of her back and made her stay there and take it.

“You always feel the same. You never loosen up down here.. it’s quiet pleasant. If I’m going to make an heir I’m glad I’ll get some pleasure out of it” he said mockingly

He removed his fingers and twisted her around grabbing the nape of her neck and forcing her to her knees in front of the metal tub full of hot water. He kneeled behind her keeping his hand around the back of her neck. She felt his erection rubbing against her bare behind when he moved it between her legs and started moving his hips back and forth making it rub against her.

“Gods you feel so good against it… can you feel it throbbing against you?”

“Yes” she said in a flat mono tone wanting to be anywhere but there.

She could indeed feel it throbbing. It was hot and she felt it through his pants throbbing against her between her legs rubbing back and forth when he takes his one hand and frees himself and bursts into her from behind moving himself in and out still holding her by the nape of the neck even tho she wouldn’t try to run.

She stared at herself in the waters reflection, face still covered with speckles of dirt and tears. She studied herself and wondered about the events of today while her husband plowed himself into her over and over again. Was that a northerner across the stream she almost came face to face with? Her body limply lunges forward with every thrust the King makes. Maybe she should feel grateful for her husbands being there… No… What he did to Julipe was unspeakable she would rather have been chopped to pieces by the northerner… The Kings pace quickened and in her less then lucid state she heard his groan of pleasure as he finished inside of her.

“Clean yourself up” he says in a disgusted tone “you look like a pile of trash” he got up off his knees slipped his pants back over himself and begins to walks out before stopping to turn to her and say “and you are to stay in this room for the next week.. I’ll be sure to let the maids know your only to have water and bread. You need to lose weight. Can’t have a fat queen” he laughs at his own sick joke and walks out.

She stayed there looking at herself longer then she meant to when she finally gets up and her knees wobble from being pressed against the hard marble flooring so sharply and she steadies herself by holding the side of the tub. She slowly pushes herself into the now cold water. ‘Must’ve let it sit to long’ she though to herself. She didn’t mind tho. She simply wished to rid the feeling of his body on hers and the now dried mud that reminded her of the events that passed today.

Finally done she emerges into her room draped in a silky robe the color of wine and sits in front of her mirror. Face still red and a bit puffy she began brushing her hair tired and ready to lay in her bed when a knock at her door startles her.

She walks across the room to open the door hoping it isn’t her husband again come to issue a worse punishment on her.

“Jonath” she says happily and with relief.

“Yes you majesty, you asked me to tell you when Julipe woke up.”

“Yes!” She said excitedly “come in for a moment” she left the door open while rummaging around her room pulling out a piece of paper and a quill she wrote a note with two simple words ‘Im sorry’ then she grabbed the flowers she had brought back from outside folded the letter and came back to Jonath “ you think you could find a vase for these?” She asked him.

“Yes of course your majesty”

“Thank you Jonath. Please give her these” she passed him the note and flowers

“Yes your majesty”

With that she closed the door and went back to her mirror and resumed brushing out the knots in her hair when something caught her eye. The reflection of two glowing hazel eyes piercing her soul coming from behind her bed turned her veins cold.