The crown is a rather cruel concept. Where it inspires, it invokes tyranny; Where it threatens the faint-hearted, it empowers the conniving. Perhaps, that is why to Sophie Ruewen, it is deserving of being all the more condescending...
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Keefe walked with heavy steps, falling behind Ro every now and then. Was it just hard to keep up with her? Or, he wanted to delay his inevitable obliteration? Perhaps, a little bit of both.
The halls stretched far and wide. He traced his steps memorizing every detail of the place – ranging from the ruby carpet's every nook to the thousands of big doors that begged him for a curious look. Somewhere along the way, his gaze caught up in the portraits, hanging firmly by the brocade tapestries. From within the gold-gilded frameworks, untold faces peered. The portraits were of people in ornate finery – and Keefe could make out a few crowns and diadems on a few of them. That all suggested that they were either of the royal blood or famous court officials. One thing was common in all of the pictures – a solemn smile. Not a pretentious stance or a proud air, assuring him, that this was not his father's kingdom. That his mother was not the Queen. His parents could not be related to these nobles – because that smile, the most insignificant of gestures, showed care for what they possessed.
And Keefe should know, because of how seldom he saw those directed at him.
A sad smile washed his features, and Ro seemed to have noticed. She probably tried to break the ice when she said, "Your Highness, I have a feeling that I know why you tried to cause the delay today."
Keefe stiffened.
Ro laughed, "The prospect of finally meeting the Queen of Aurelia is scary in itself, I know. After all those rumors Queen Gisela spread, I would be surprised if you were not scared."
Keefe had no idea what he could say to NOT make Ro suspect him of having amnesia. But he was also curious about this Queen, so he settled with, "So, is she really not like that?"
Ro shook her head at full tilt, almost as if Keefe had suggested the idea of her shaving off her platinum highlights. She said, "But, in all honesty, even if they begin calling me a traitor to the crown of Cressida, I respect the Aurelian Queen's decisions – why she is afraid of a peace alliance. I have heard stories – and I don't know if they are only stories – that narrated how the fall of Aurelia's former rulers, that is, the Queen's parents, had actually hardened her. It is not her fault that she refuses alliance with a kingdom that once stabbed her in the back."
It was all very vague and curious. This mystery shrouding the kingdoms of Aurelia (maybe, this place he had landed himself into) and Cressida (maybe, the kingdom he came from) did not only end at the feud between the Aurelian Queen and his mother (who he deduced was the queen of Cressida). There was more to the story, and Keefe was willing to know more.
Ro took the silence for Keefe's contemplation a little differently. She bowed and said, "I apologize if I had said too much. I got carried away, Your Highness. Pardon me, if I said something to offend you!"
Keefe laughed as they neared the fork in the corridors, exclaiming, "Oh, don't worry, I don't trust my mother's instincts any more than you do! And if this Aurelian queen can ruffle my mother dearest's feathers this bad, then, I can say that we are going to be the best of friends!"
Ro gave a grateful smile – one that reminded Keefe of how the original Ro wasn't that one-dimensional snarky assassin, but also a friend who listened when no one else did – apart from Foster of course. Speaking of Foster, he realized that Sophie should be some character in this role play as well!
Before he could dwell on that thought further, Ro gestured at the huge doors that looked down on him.
"That is the Queen's throne room," Ro said as the doors slowly swung open, allowing Keefe a glimpse of the majestic view of the reflecting glass panes that decorated the chamber. Keefe walked with heavy steps as he entered.
The throne sat at the very end of the huge room, in all of its shimmery glory. Upon the white-stone throne, a pair of royal-blue-sleeved hands dug into the arms of the seat. And then a flash of gold hair brought Keefe's attention to who really was seated on the throne.
His heart skipped a beat.
Of course.
She looked ethereal as always, as her vibrant gold-flecked eyes narrowed at him. She tilted her head as if trying to figure something out, while despite his dazed state Keefe heard the now-distant voice of Ro, "Your Highness, allow me to introduce you to Her Majesty, Queen Sophie Elizabeth Ruewen of Aurelia."
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And here's our Queen Sophie! Let's just hope Keefe doesn't royally mess up now!
