CROWN WORTHY

Chapter Six.

I see Oliver upstairs guarding the west wing. I run to him with the letter that I wrote Lincoln in my hand. He takes it from me and places it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"This must be the letter for your friend. What was his name again? Lincoln?"

"Yes, Lincoln. I hope he writes back to me." I say.

"I'm sure that he will." Oliver reassures me.

I made that the locket was visible when I ran up to him, and when he finally notices it hanging from my neck, he looks almost as shocked as the King did when he saw it.

"Where did you get that necklace?" He asks.

"Prince Leo's dog dug it up in the garden. I took it to the King and he told me to keep it because it belonged to my mother."

      Oliver looks at me with wide eyes. I'm not sure if he's more surprised that I have the necklace, or more surprised that the original owner of the necklace was my mother.

"Emmy..." he whispers to himself

"So, you did know her?" I say more like a statement.

"Yes. She was such a lovely woman. I can't believe you're her daughter."

Oliver hugs me almost shedding a tear.

"I loved Emmy as if she was my own daughter. I was so saddened when I heard she died." He continued.

"You knew she died? How?" I'm curious.

"Emmy and I kept in touch when she left the castle. I was in charge of handling the posts back then as well, so that made it easier to send and receive letters from her without anyone knowing."

Without anyone knowing? Why did Oliver and my mom feel the need to keep their communication a secret? Something just isn't adding up.

"So when I stopped receiving her letters, I soon got one from a close friend of hers, letting me know that she died." He added.

"Did my mom ever tell you where she got the necklace from?" I ask.

"No. She only told me that it was from a young man who liked her. I was always curious because the necklace is so expensive; however, I didn't want to pry, so I never asked."

Oliver looks as if he wants to say something else to me but can't find the words. I want to ask what it is, but I decide not to think anything of it.

I thank Oliver for the information he did give me and then I run back downstairs to head back into the garden. Valerie is now on her knees, trimming the rose bushes. I rush over to help.

"Where did you go?" I thought you might have gotten lost." She says.

"I had to use the bathroom, but when I got there, I started feeling sick... but I'm okay now." I lie.

Valerie places the back of her hand to my forehead and then to my cheek.

"Well, you are a little warm. I'm glad you feel better; but if you start to feel bad again, just let me know." She smiles.

Valerie demonstrates to me how to trim the roses. I prick my hand a few times, but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. After we trim the roses, we move on to the next flower bed and begin watering the soil.

As I'm pouring the water, I hear a carriage and horses. The garden is so close to the castle's entrance so I turn my head to see who it is. A girl that I don't recognize steps out of the carriage.

"Valerie, who is that?"

"Oh, you didn't hear? We're hosting another guest. Her name is Alexandra Femi—the princess of Morockai. She's arranged to marry Prince Leonardo. She's going to be the next Queen of Oxendale."