The Exiled Gem

Graying Hair and Amber Eyes

302 B.C. - Idgard

I look forward to growing older, when what you look becomes less and less an issue and what you are is the point.
- Susan Sarandon

Alexandra could spot gray hairs easily now.

Why, thank you! It was utmost common for a woman with a twenty year old son to have gray hairs!

She could barely imagine life without Liam now. Or without any of her three children. Or without Watson and Diana, Mary and Mark- their respective young troublemakers. Who could forget Mr. Kane Alden? That man was still young as ever, outwardly. Inwardly, he had always been a wise, old fellow.

Nicholas, Ophelia and Ronald: the three pieces of her heart. In that order, too. Nicholas was twenty. Ophelia, sixteen, Ronald, fourteen: full of stories to tell about the dreadful training institute he'd somehow enjoyed and come back from, just three months back.

When Alexandra had become, for the first time, pregnant; she had played a dangerous game.

As soon as the fact had been confirmed, she went ahead and asked Liam to put an end to the "Wedding is a Family Matter" law. And then, just as uprisings began, to announce of the progeny- the good news. Such revelations ALWAYS worked to improve the mood of the nation. He had agreed it was a good idea. One that would work, except for the fact that, 'This is a risky gamble, Alexandra. We never know, what if...' and Liam had left the sentence hanging. Alexandra knew what he implied, she'd known it all along. What if they lost...?

The thought almost made her cry, but she had smiled instead. 'I just know this one's tough. He'll see the world. And our lives have always been a gamble, Liam, after all.'

'You seem sure it's a "he".' Liam had noted. Alexandra knew he was changing the topic. She had only been more grateful for that.

'I just do.' She had winked. The peculiar idea that inside her life, another life had begun, was somewhat heavy. She had received a good chastising from Kane and Diana for coming to the Council that day - a memory that still made her smile.

Of course Nick had pulled through. And no, they hadn't named him after Nicholas. The name had just hung around until it became official. Definitely though, Nicholas couldn't have been shown to public then.

That had only been the starting. She had introduced laws prohibiting the transfer of Heiress' property into the hands of their husbands. Alexandra had dropped the long drapes and gowns herself. Urged women to bid farewell to the uncomfortable dress codes. As a result, now they could find women on the streets with cloaks and boots and occasionally, knives.

The army had been opened for women. Divorce was legal (since long, but with a few conditions which were now removed), and finally, one that took them a lot of effort: asylums were supported now. People's mental health - they had realized, was as much of importance as the physical, if not more.

Vedessans had come to recognize the eccentrically liberal policies of Queen Alexandra. Fortunately, they seemed to also realize that it was all for the best. One thing was clear, she had the people's support. And Liam's popularity hadn't dipped one bit.

But of course, like Evelyn had said, there were disagreements in every couple. Alexandra loved to get into debates - but that was a completely different matter, where they had those intense, deep, knowledgeable discussions. She had had plenty of scattered arguments, real ones, with Liam. But that man was so smart, he twisted and turned the points of complaint such that Alexandra had to agree the fault was hers. Even if she didn't agree it was, by the end, she would have already forgotten why she had been nettled, in the first place. A fact that only annoyed Alexandra more.