Disclaimers: I still don't own them, but I am borrowing them. I promise to put them back when I am done. They will be unharmed, and they will have had fun.

Fandom: DWP

Rating: R

Chapter 3

The Queens royal carriage made its way through the gates that led to Ravenhearst manor. Lord Nigel looked out of the carriage window and watched as a few horses ran in the fence in area that ran along the road leading towards the manor. The royal carriage came to a stop under a covered breezeway. Nate ran out of the stable and over to where the carriage stopped. He reached over and opened the door of the carriage and stood next to the carriage in shock . Lord Nigel Kipling the royal adviser to the Queen stepped out of the carriage. Lord Nigel turned towards Nate and raised his eyebrow toward the scrawny haired boy. Nate bowed and keep his eyes on the ground .it wasn't every day the Queen sent her royal adviser to an estate this far from the castle. Lord Nigel turned and walked toward the front door of the manor and knocked on the large wood door.

Lilly walked out of the drawing room and answered the front door. " Good morning my lord. If you will follow me. I will return with lord Saxton ."

Lilly bowed and turned to show Lord Kipling into the manor's formal receiving room.

"My Lord , Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

Nigel turned toward the window that overlooked the grounds of Ravenhearst manor. "No, thank you."

Nigel smiled as he watched the young lady in waiting all but run out of the room to tell the lord of the manor of his arrival. Nigel turned and took a seat in front of the window. He reached into his jacket and took out the letter the Queen had given him before he left the castle this morning. Nigel sighed .He just hoped that this young lady would be the one to last longer than a day. It was getting harder and harder to find a lady in waiting the Queen could stand to have in her presents for longer than an hour.

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Lilly came to a stop outside of Lord Saxton's study. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Lilly heard Lord Saxton tell her that she may enter. Lilly entered the room and stopped in from of Lord Richard's desk.

" Sir , I am sorry that I have to disturb you ,but the Queen's royal advisor is here and wishes to speak with you and her Ladyship."

Richard sat back in his chair and nodded towards Lilly .

" Thank you for telling me, please tell my wife that we have a guest."

Lilly nodded and left the study to tell Lady Elizabeth that they had a guest waiting. Richard laid his glasses on his desk and rubbed his hand over his face. They had both known they could expect a visit from someone in the next few days . But to know the Queen had sent Lord Nigel. That meant the Queen was personally involved and would most likely want to meet with both Elizabeth and Andréa .

Richard knew this day would come .The day his wife would have to return to court and most likely have to face the Queen's mother. The Queen's mother hadn't approved of Elizabeth leaving court to marry Richard.

Although she didn't stop them from getting married .It was known that she was displeased with his wife. That was one of the major reason they had never gone to the royal court . They had both thought it was best if they lead a quiet life and stayed in the country far away from life at court .

After the birth of Andréa they sent in the paperwork and never thought that one day they would have to face the Queen. Richard stood up and straightened his waistcoat and walked around his desk and went to meet their guest in the formal receiving room .

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Richard had just reached the door leading to the formal receiving room and was about to open the door when he heard his wife starting to come down the stairs . Richard stood by the door and waited for his wife to join him. Elizabeth walked over to her husband and kissed him on the cheek and brushed the front of his shirt .

" Hello darling ,Lilly said we have a guest waiting ." Richard smiled.

"Yes we do, Lord Nigel is here to speak with us." Richard reached over and squeezed Elizabeth arm.

" Dear, it will be alright ,we need to go in and find out what Lord Nigel has to tell us."

Elizabeth nodded her head and Richard reached for the handle and opened the door and allowed his wife to enter before him.

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Nigel turned from the window once he heard the door open and turned to see lady Elizabeth and her husband Lord Richard Saxton walk in the room. Nigel stood from his chair and stood rooted in place . He now understood why lady Andréa had never gone to court. He remembered lady Elizabeth And he also remembered what happened after she left. The Queen's mother was quite taken with lady Elizabeth .

lady Elizabeth was the Queen mother's favorite lady in waiting . It was even rumored that the Queen mother had fallen in love with her young lady in waiting and that was the reason she didn't approve of her marriage to lord Saxton . But Nigel knew it was rumor started by those closest to the Queen and if one wanted to keep their heads it would remain that was one rumor that had remained a rumor for the last twenty smiled and walked towards the couple .

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Lady Elizabeth walked over and stood in front of a chair facing Nigel

" Good morning lord Nigel, would you care for a cup of tea ?"

Nigel smiled. " Good morning lady Elizabeth , No thank you." Nigel turned towards lord Richard and nodded .

Richard walked over and sat In the chair next to his wife. "Good morning lord Nigel what brings you to our humble home on this fine morning ."

They all took a seat and Nigel turned and look toward them both .

" I am sure your daughter told you of the trouble she had in town yesterday?" Richard and Elizabeth nodded their head in agreement .

" After the incident In town , I returned to the castle and had both of the princess's looked after by the royal doctor. I went to tell the queen of the incident . She asked me to find out more information on lady Andréa family and for me to invite lady Elizabeth as well as lady Andréa to come to the castle so she could thank you herself. She also asked me to deliver this letter to you once I arrived .Nigel leaned forward and handed lady Elizabeth the letter with the royal seal.

Elizabeth leaned forward and took the letter from Nigel and turned it over and stood and walked over to a small writing a desk in the corner and picked up a letter opener, and opened the letter. Elizabeth walked back over and took her seat next to her husband. She opened the letter and unfolded it started to read the letter . After she has read the letter twice she turn and looked toward her husband .

" the Queen has requested that Andréa and I come to court . Andréa will be the Queen's new lady in waiting."

Richard had expected that to happen ." When do you leave?"

Nigel cleared his throat .

" the Queen would like you to return with me this afternoon."

Elizabeth looked down at the letter one last time and stood to leave. " Gentlemen if you will excuse me. I need to have Lilly start packing and I also need to go down to the lake and tell Andréa that we will be leaving." Nigel and Richard both stood and watched as Lady Elizabeth left the room.

Nigel waited until lady Elizabeth left the room before he pulled another letter out of his coat and handed it to Richard who took the letter from him with a puzzled look on his face .

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Elizabeth walked down the path towards the lake and wondered why she had really been asked to come to court. She had a feeling it was because Andréa hadn't gone to court. She knew she should have taken her to court but she didn't know how the Queen's mother would react to seeing her in the royal court with her daughter. She knew after she left that the Queen's mother had fallen in love with her. She had always taken her everywhere she would travel and would give her things that no other lady in waiting would receive from the Queen .

Elizabeth stopped walking and just stood on the path and watched her daughter sitting under the shade tree by the lake writing one of her many short story's. She was a very bright and beautiful young lady and she knew that once she arrived at court the young Lords would all be smitten with her and it would only be a matter of time before they came to Richard and ask for permission to court Andréa .

They had tried to find her a suitor but Andréa just hadn't found the right person yet . Elizabeth took a deep breath and walked over towards her daughter to tell her who she saved in town and where she would be going to live in the very near future. Elizabeth walked over to the shade tree and looked down towards her daughter and watched as Andréa continued to writing in the journal that she had given to her this past Christmas.

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Andy finished her sentence and looked up towards her mother and smiled .

" Hello mother, are you ready to go for our ride?

Elizabeth shook her head no and walked over to a bench and patted the place next to her. " No Darling, something has come up and we will both be traveling to the castle."

Andy placed her journal on the blanket and stood up and walked over towards her mother and took the place next to her mother.

"Mother why are you going to the castle?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and closed her eyes and turned to look out over the lake. "Darling , it has to do with the two little girls that you saved. You save the Queen's daughter's .princess Caroline and princess Cassidy ."

Andy sat back

in shock she had heard of the two young girls. but she had never seen a drawing or a painting of the girls . She also knew that the Queen was very protective of her children .

Andy turned to face her mother and asked ,"When do we leave ?"

Elizabeth sighed and turned to face her daughter .

" Darling there is something else that I must tell you before we leave . The Queen has said you are to be her new lady in waiting."

Andy turned to look out over the lake she had so many different thoughts going through her mind . She was going to be the Queen's in waiting she didn't know the first thing about being a lady in waiting and knew that could be very problematic. Andy turned to look into her mother's green eyes .

" Mother, I ... don't even know where to begin. I haven't a clue how to be the Queen's lady in waiting "

Elizabeth smiled ." Darling do you remember what I taught you when you were younger. The correct way to dress and the proper way to greet a Lord or Lady and the proper etiquette while eating dinner with a large group of lords and ladies."

Andy looked at her mother." Yes I remember." Elizabeth stood and took Andy hand in to her so she would stand as well. Elizabeth brushed Andy hair behind her ear and smiled .

" Then you won't have a problem . There is also something else that you should know . I was also a lady in waiting for Queen Miranda's mother. I left the royal court when your father and I married . She has asked to speak with me. I am sure that I will be with you for a few days. I will help you get accustomed to your duties. I am also sure there will be someone to help you ."

Andy nodded her head and squeezed her mother 's hand " When will we be leaving ?"

Elizabeth smiled. "We will be leaving this afternoon. The Queen sent her royal advisor, Lord Nigel to bring us to the castle." I have told Lilly that we will need to pack your trunks and a small trunk for myself. If I need to stay longer I will send a letter to you father and have Lilly bring me whatever I may need. Darling, you should go ahead and pick up your things and I will meet you in your rooms to help you get ready." Elizabeth leaned in and kissed Andy on the cheek and turned to walk back towards the manor.

Andy watched her mother walk away and she then walked over and picked up her blanket and journal . She just hoped her mother was right . She didn't want to disappoint her mother or father. Andy folded her blanket and followed her mother up the path toward her family home.

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