Cicatrice

Chapter XXXVII

QUEEN ESTELLE BELSHAW

Little Elias.

My sweet prince, as perfect as ever with his little fingers and toes, his shining, curious blue eyes whilst he looks up at me, cocooned in a warm blanket. Exhausted I was from the first twenty-four hours of mothering, but everything else had seemed perfect. 

"Hello, little baby," I whisper softly, gracing little Elias' soft cheek as he shuts his eyes closed. "You have your daddy's eyes, do you know that?" I grin ear to ear. He was a true resemblance to Eddie, it was sort of uncanny. 

But he was perfect. 

I suddenly hear the door creak open to reveal the Queen of England herself, a solemn look on her face as I shoot daggers at her. I could forgive Eddie for running away, but I couldn't forgive her for making him run away. 

"May I?" she enquires quietly, widening the door some more before walking in. She held such entitlement that she didn't wait for me to answer before entering. I found myself perplexed as to why I was treating her like a queen, but she didn't treat me like one. She scans my bedroom as if she was seeing if it were suitable for the child or not. 

"So this is little Elias, my grandchild?" she questions, taking a seat on the red armchair beside me as I nod lightly. I began to feel my heart palpitating. She had made me nervous in more ways than one and I couldn't quite put my finger on why.

I watch as she stares at him eagerly. "Would you like to hold him?" I ask out of pity, whilst I watch her face light up. "Genuinely?" she asks with her thick English accent as I hold my arms out with Elias in them. 

She takes the baby from me, cradles him softly. I pay attention to the crinkle in her eye as she grins widely. "Look at you, you have your daddy's eyes," she coos.

I despised that we had things in common. Maybe I had been more like her than I had thought.

"Estelle, we must talk," she stares blankly at me with her beady eyes as I feel my heart drop through my chest. What could she have wanted to talk to me about? If anything, she had many things to discuss with Eddie.

"Could this possibly wait for Eddie?" I question.

"I am here, Este," Eddie speaks from the doorway, his arms crossed around his broad chest. "What ever you have to say to Este, mother, you can say to me," he ushers into the room with a confident look in his face, sitting on our bed.

I felt myself become more drawn to Eddie after giving birth. Physically and mentally. I felt extremely clingy, like a lost dog, but I couldn't help it. He had regained all of my trust after he told me the entire truth. 

"Estelle, I would advise you to abdicate the throne, as soon as you possibly can," she holds her head high, her snobby nose pointing up as she stares me down. 

Anger flourishes within me "Why should I take your advice?" I ask, glancing at Eddie who looked as equally confused. I take Elias from her arms without another thought as she ties her words together. He coos loudly. 

"Do you think the people are going to be happy once they figure out Malcolm is dead? And you're married to him?" she signals to Eddie who's eyebrows are knotted in a furrow. 

"We are not married, Mother-"

"Oh!" she slaps her knees "Elias is a bastard-child, do you think that would make matters better for you?" she squeals with a look of disgust on her face while mine bubbles up in anger. 

Eddie stands up briskly from the bed, his finger pointing directly to his mother. "Don't you dare talk about my son like that, Mother. I swear, someday you will regret it," he growls through gritted teeth, his face growing red.

"Oh, calm down, Edgar. I'm merely saying you must get out of this Godforsaken mess before it is too late. Remember what happened to your father, Estelle?" she teases, brushing off Eddie's anger as he sits back down, puffing. I could see the fire burning within his eyes. 

With my heart sinking to my chest, I put two pieces of the puzzle together, slowly but surely. 

"You... you killed my father, didn't you?" I whisper as a sick feeling washes over in my stomach. With tears welling up my eyes, I felt betrayed and horrified and kept asking myself why. I grip Elias tightly in my arms. 

I would rather be caught dead than let her hold him again. 

"Not me, but yes. I made plans for him to meet one's death," she admits, with her voice as cold as ice, not a singular tear or remorse in her eyes. "The mongrel was going to make you queen! And see how absurd that turned out? Estelle, you don't have a clue how to run a kingdom," she laughs evilly. "I forced him to step down because I was threatening our affair,"

With anger bubbling within me like a teapot, I don't give myself time to think before I slap her with all of my might across her cheek. I stand up abruptly, clenching my fist and Elias in the other arm. 

"How dare you! How dare you assassinate my father, how dare you sleep with him!" I squeal, tears rolling down my cheeks. 

"You are a bloody monster. I don't see my mother anymore, do you know that?" Eddie snarls, and both of us exit out of the room. 

At least I hadn't been left wondering.