Chapter Thirty-Five: A Family Visit

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(Nichelle Nichols as Deborah cause she's such a queen in her own right (and I love TOS of Star Trek 😂 This is the best gif I could find without text of her when she's older so we'll just run with it

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(Nichelle Nichols as Deborah cause she's such a queen in her own right (and I love TOS of Star Trek 😂 This is the best gif I could find without text of her when she's older so we'll just run with it.)

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It was a perfect day on land. The sun peeked out from behind a few thick layers of cloud, dulling it's rays just enough to prevent the temperature from rising. Still, Camille could feel it's heat kissing her skin and attempting to warm her cold blood. A few short weeks ago, this would have been the ideal weather for her, but now it was only aggravating. That could have been, in large part, due to the stress that still nipped away at her soul but somehow nothing was as satisfying as it used to be. The warmth of the day was trying to give her its heat, but she was no longer completely human and so it just felt odd. Her skin felt dry and her body (that was now able to withstand severe degrees of cold) didn't appreciate the heat like it once had.

Even worse was the guilt that kept ripping at her stomach with every passing second. On their way to her grandmother's house she tried desperately to avoid Arthur's gaze, knowing that looking at him might tempt her to confess. It was, quite honestly, a miracle that she managed to keep her mouth shut during the trip. Now an entirely new challenge arose - facing her nana.

Camille gulped. Her eyes were glued to the front door. Everything was exactly the same as she remembered it; from the scratches that littered the wooden surface to the small dent just above the door handle. She curled her fingers into her palm and hovered her knuckles inches away from the damaged entrance...but she couldn't knock. Something stopped her. Whether it was fear that had stilled her hand, or disbelief that she was actually there, Camille couldn't be certain. Either way Arthur had apparently noticed her hesitation because he swiftly knocked for her.

There was a shuffling sound that could be heard from within, and then after several excruciating seconds, the door was pulled open. Standing there in the frame was an old woman, not the kind you pity with their old bones and feeble limbs, but the kind who could still run an army kitchen given half a chance. She stood quite tall and slim, her short grey hair neat and styled with old-fashioned rollers.

At the sight of the couple, drenched so completely with water that even the sun had no chance of drying them, the woman placed one wrinkled hand on her hip and let the other tap against the door with an air of annoyance. "So it's true...I didn't want to believe it."

It was hard not to notice the stare she gave Arthur, but the king held strong against it; as an unshakable as a mountain against her harsh wind. Camille, on the other hand, was unable to muster the same amount of confidence. "I can explain..."

"Oh? Then please do." Her grandmother offered her the chance, knowing very well when Camille was grasping for excuses. "Explain to me why I had to find out from newspaper articles that my only granddaughter was, not only married, but ruler of a whole kingdom."

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