Queen's Adviser

Chapter 15

*Elizabeth's P.O.V*

Going to my room, I shut the door much louder than I need to. I immediately go into the bathroom, relieved to see that someone, probably Lena, had already run my bath water. I strip down, letting out a small exhale of relief when I take my corset off. It's not like it's super uncomfortable or anything but I still don't like wearing it when I don't have to.

Taking the time to pin my hair up, not wanting it to get wet, I step into the water. Sitting down, I slid down as close to my eyes as possible and rest my head on the back of the tub. The water was still hot on my skin, painful at first but my body quickly got used to it. I don't bother to open my eyes when I hear footsteps, only opening them when I hear footsteps next to me.

"Your majesty," Lena says softly, bowing down slightly. "There has been something that has come up. My son..." she starts to say and I cut her off by holding up my hand.

"Go Lena, be with your child," is all I say, earning a quiet "thank you" from her before she quickly leaves. I turn over to lay on my side, staring at the walls with a small frown. Lena and I were the same age, yet she was already married and had a son. I had yet to even entertain many suitors, not since my mother left the castle. She is always willing to give me advice or tell me what she thought but that was hard to do when she moved a million miles away and I refuse to read her letters. Perhaps it was an exaggeration to say she lived that far away but most of the time it felt like it with how little we can see each other.

It wasn't fair. She was my mother! I shouldn't have to worry about her picking her stupid husband over me but I do worry about it. I worry about it constantly. Plus, I heard a spreading rumor that they were trying for a child of their own. I would completely lose my mother if that happened. It just wasn't fair at all! I kick the end of the bathtub, feeling tears of anger burn my eyes.

"Stupid soapy water..." I mutter, wiping the tears away.

"It's not fair. I had to grow up with her being the stupid queen who was always busy. Now she has all the time in the world...just not for me," I mutter bitterly as I run my nails along the wall, dipping my hand into the water. I cup my hand in the water before lifting it up, watching the water quickly drip from between my fingers and make the water ripple.

I'm distracted from my sulking by a knock on my bedroom door. I pause, biting my bottom lip as I wonder who would dare to be knocking on my door this late. Everyone knew that I got grumpy at night especially after visits from my mother. My eyebrows furrow slightly as I consider getting up to see who it is but before I can, the door to my bedroom opens. I only know it does because of the slight squeak that hinge makes regardless of how quiet someone was trying to be.

"Who is it?" I ask, managing to make my voice sound stern and firm at the same time. It would have been easier if I hadn't just been crying to myself about my feelings but I ignored that thought, just trying to focus on who was currently in my room.

"You were perhaps right that I did not understand the situation well enough to speak on it but I would like to tell you that I think I know more than you think," Zelene's voice says, making me frown as my eyes narrow slightly.

I didn't like that she invited herself into my room. I didn't like it one bit. Thankfully she hadn't invited herself into the bathroom or else I doubted I would be able to not snap at her again. I was fine with my maids seeing me naked sometimes but they were people that helped me get dressed so therefore I had to be fine with it. There was no good reason Zelene would ever need to see me naked and I intended to keep it that way.

"Do you often just invite yourself into other people's bedrooms or am I just special as your queen?" I ask, not able to completely hide the snarkiness in my tone. It wasn't my fault, she was the one being rude by entering my room without permission! I would stick to that story if my mother ever found out.

"I don't do it often. I do it only if I want to finish a conversation that someone walked away from," Zelene states. "And you are dodging the conversation still. It's very childish of you," she states.

"I am not being childish," I retort, my eyes narrowing when I hear Zelene scoff at my words. My words were true, how dare she act like I was just dodging what she said... I was definitely doing that but she didn't have to point it out constantly.

"Well then how about we talk about how much I do know about your nobles?" Zelene asks, making me huff. Couldn't she just drop the subject, that was what most people did and I don't want to talk right now. I'm in the bath!

"Fine, what about my nobles?" I bite out the question, not caring if I was being rude to her. She was being rude to me first so it was only fair that I get to be rude back. Even if Mother always said that I needed to be the bigger person as queen.

"I know that despite you doing your best, they run their mouths about you and about your family in general. Like what they say about your father," Zelene says and I sit up in the water quickly, the water rippling around me at the sudden movement.

"Don't you dare speak about my father," I say coldly. How dare she mention him! She had no right to bring him up. He was my father, no one had the right to speak about him but me. Not even Mother brought him up anymore, not with how often I shut down her conversations pertaining to him.

"I am just being honest. I have heard the rumors that he died so quickly that it was suspicious. Some people are talking about rumors that it was your mother all along," Zelene's words ring in my ears and I turn my head even though she's not in the room and won't be able to tell that I'm crying. I had heard the rumors, they still made my heart ache whenever someone brought them up. How dare they talk about my parents like that, it wasn't their place! It wasn't anyone's place.

"I heard how you couldn't escape the rumors. That you didn't like going to events for 8 years after his death and had to constantly deal with people speculating about what happened to your father. Especially when your mother met her new husband," Zelene states and I flinch.

"I know that had to be hard for you, I know that. That's why I know that they would do anything they could to undermine you and hurt you,"  Zelene says, making me bite my bottom lip. I flinch when the water ripples and realize that I'm crying.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, my voice cracking slightly.

"I'm telling you because I don't want you to think that I'm just here for my own interest. I care about you and I know that sounds odd. I've just met you after all. But I've heard a lot about you from Lady Euphemia. She's told me stories about her wonderful daughter and I want nothing more than to protect you from what you've had to deal with," Zelene states and I believe it. Maybe it's because I'm tired and want nothing more to do than to finally have someone around that's on my side.

"Thank you Zelene, I appreciate your words," I say softly as I smile weakly. I want to say something else but I don't, moving to get my washcloth. I curse when I realize that Lena hadn't put my washrag where it usually was. I didn't want to get out of the bath and get water everywhere so I reluctantly bit back my pride, just for a moment.

"Zelene, would you please get me a washrag," I request after a moment, closing my eyes as I keep my back to the door. I hear the cabinet door open before her steps get closer.

"Here you go, your majesty," Zelene says before I hear her walk away. I turn over, thankful to see the washrag resting on the edge of the tub. I was thankful she hadn't said anything else so I grab the washrag before getting soap all over it and starting to scrub myself clean. Hopefully she's gone by the time I get out or else it would be very awkward.