- Finding the Queen
The king of Corona was looking for his wife. He was having a bit of a hard time dealing with the fact that the Kidnapper was one of their wards was ...distressing. Not that they knew her personally like the others, but it was the whole idea. They weren't their children, but they did try to love them as their own. It was a way to keep love alive in their own hearts after the terrible loss of their daughter.
He had had so many special tortures in mind for the kidnapper. Why did it feel like one of their children had kidnapped their daughter? The betrayal stung worse for some reason.
The king was wandering down the hall, his wife had not been in her sewing room as he had expected. He needed to talk this out with someone, but only his dear wife could understand the complexity of the situation. He saw a maid with crossed apron strings come into the hall carrying a pile of dishes.
"Angela, do you know where the queen is?" The king asked.
"Yes, sire. She is in her personal library. Shall I announce you?" Angela the maid, curtsying. She was going there herself, the queen needed more plates, and would be best to tell her the king was there, so the queen could pull herself together. The queen didn't like people knowing how she raged and didn't want the king to worry about her. She was one of the few maids privy to this information. This would allow Angela to protect them both.
They went together to the library and the maid knocked and announced herself and that the king was there as well. After a long moment the queen came out, but held the door closely behind her.
"Hello dear," the queen said.
The king saw the redness in those huge eyes of his dear wife and asked, "What particularly is wrong dear?" he asked as he pulled her into a hug.
"I am having a hard time getting over the fact that one of our wards stole our daughter. I love them like they were my own daughter and the betrayal hurts so much." Said the queen.
"Yes I know, I wanted to talk this out with you. She was the ward of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, it's not like we knew her." Reminded the king.
"But I would have tried to love her and she betrayed everything we hoped to instill in our wards to steal our daughter." The queen put her arms around her husband.
It didn't make much sense, but this was an emotional issue. The queen had cared for so many: the wards, the widows, the orphans and pretty much anyone who needed help. The king knew his bride had some issues, but she was so full of love, hope and strength. She was his anchor in the terrible depression he fought all the time.
"I know," said the king.