The Diary of a Queen's Pet

Chapter 25

"Your Majesty," I offered as I bowed slightly to her.

"You are my son's guard and closest friend dare I say." The Queen began and I frowned but didn't say a word. I wondered if it bothered her that I was so familiar with her son.

"I'm playing host to a series of…people I would rather not see but for the sake of the realms I must."

I nodded, "I will remain at the Prince's side until these…intruders leave."

"You will both stay confined to the Prince's rooms. I won't have him in danger." But there was something else there. Something that told me it wasn't just the Prince she wanted out of danger.

I opened my mouth and paused before I dipped my head. "Of course majesty."

"You're dismissed. Take what you need to Henry's rooms and remain there until I give you notice. I will ensure your meals are delivered and I will be by to see my son and tuck him into bed each night."

"The Prince's lessons…" I trailed off.

"They're cancelled for now. I cannot take a chance of someone notifying my enemies about him. He is my son and he is my weakness."

So are you, I heard the words she didn't say directly but the softening in her eyes when she looked at me remained for a moment before her eyes hardened and became like obsidian once again. I nodded, "Yes your grace." I bowed deeply before turning on my heel and leaving quietly.

I waited until I got back to my rooms before I spoke again.

"Sidney?" I looked at the only mirror in the room that I had tilted away from the bed. It made me uneasy the thought of the Queen seeing what I did in the nighttime when my dreams overwhelmed me.

"Emma, you know I cannot respond that often."

"I know my friend and I'm sorry but I must ask…who are these people that are coming and why is the Queen afraid to let Henry or I be seen?"

The blue face frowned, his eyes looking down and away. I waited patiently for him to give me a response. I had learned not to push Sidney. He was strangely sensitive to that.

"Please Sidney…I only want to protect the Queen and the Prince. I cannot do that if I don't know what I'm up against."

His lower lip trembled for a moment before his dark eyes met mine. The blue fog surrounding his head seemed to swirl before it settled and he was gone. His face being replaced by the image of another.

"Who is she?" I asked even as I studied her face closely. Dark hair with streaks of white darting through it stared back at me for a moment before the woman turned. She had laugh lines around her mouth and eyes but her skin was still quite pale and her green eyes seemed to dance with life and mirth. She was smiling at someone that I couldn't see. Her pink lips moved as she spoke but I couldn't make out the sound. I blinked; trying to recall her face when it hit me…I knew who she was. I saw her once…the day I gave birth to the Queen's son.

"Sidney, you have to tell me…who is she? Why does she look like…me?"

"Her name is Snow White." The voice responded but the image did not fade. "She is Queen of the White Kingdom. She has been for a number of years along with her husband whom she has nicknamed Charming."

"And they are the allies the Queen is seeing?"

"No, they are the enemy."

"They don't seem evil."

"They are. They hurt the Queen very badly a long time ago. She has never forgiven or forgotten. I doubt she ever will. The people that are coming are dangerous in their own rights. At any sign of weakness, they will turn on each other or our Queen. Henry is obviously a weakness for her. Her little boy would be a target if it were known that she had such a soft spot for him."

"He is her heart…" I said softly, looking away. I couldn't help but wish that I was too.

"What about the people coming…these allies? Why would they agree to help?"

"Their desires align with the Queen's to some extent. They believe they can benefit from this war."

"War? That's what's coming?"

"I believe so…I must go Emma. The Queen is calling and if I don't respond."

I nodded, "Go please. I am sorry if I have caused you trouble my friend."

He offered me a wan smile before fading away.

"But you didn't answer my question Sidney…Who is she…really?"

"I'm bored!" Henry whined as he threw himself back on his bed. "When is Mommy coming to visit?"

"Soon kid. She said she'd be here every night to tuck you in."

"Every night! That's too long! I want my Mommy right now Emma! Go and get her!"

"I can't….I'm sorry. She told me we were to stay confined to your rooms."

"But I'm the Prince and you should do as I say."

I shook my head as he pouted. "Not gonna work Kid. Your Mother is the Queen and she takes precedence over all."

He folded his arms and huffed before throwing himself back on the bed once again. I sighed and ran my fingers through my long hair. It was boring as hell; I couldn't deny it either but I remained vigilant. Sidney had warned me that these "allies" were dangerous and I wouldn't take any chances with the Prince. Henry wiggled around for a few moments before getting up and climbing silently into my lap. My arms went around him and he grabbed my hands comparing his hand size with mine for a few moments before he began to run his fingers along the callouses on my hands. I trained with sword and bow every day, usually early in the morning as the sun came up. It was quiet and no one was about but the kitchen maids. Even then they avoided the training grounds.

Sometimes I'd feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle like I was being watched but every time I looked around I'd never see a soul. Until the day before the Queen announced that Henry and I were confined to his rooms. I had been performing drills, kicking and pushing my body to its height when I felt the prickle that told me I was being watched. I twisted subtly bringing my sword around as though it were apart of the movement. And then my eyes fell on her. She was standing on the balcony of her rooms; a place I had rarely seen her. She was dressed in her nightclothes with a silk robe thrown over her shoulders. Her feet were bare. I blinked as I lowered the sword. My eyes met hers and held. We stared at one another across the field for what seemed like hours before she finally turned, her dark hair catching in the wind and blowing around her as she walked back inside. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. It was just like it had been the night I had left and yet not at all the same.

I think I understood her in that moment in ways I had never before. She was a hurt, scared creature the same as I but where I had let myself break and become what she wanted; she'd fought back and scratched and scraped her way to the top. She was a schemer, a mother, a Queen….and to me…my other half.

"What are you thinking about?" Henry asked, looking up at me.

I smiled and shook my head, "Nothing."

"How did you get these?"

"Practicing and sparring will give you these Kid." I flexed my hand slightly as he fingers a rather large callous. I had always had such soft hands when I was younger; it still took me by surprise to see how rough and torn my hands got sometimes.

"I want to learn the bow but Mommy says I'm too young. But I want to be able to protect her too! Just like you!"

I smiled sadly. "If your Mother says no, then that's answer enough. You will learn soon enough though I'm sure. Every prince has to learn a weapon."

"You think so?"

I nodded, "I'm positive."

He nodded seemingly satisfied with my answer.

"Will you tell me a story Emma?"

"I'm afraid I don't know any stories Henry."

"Not even one?"

I shook my head, "No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"Did your Mommy not ever read to you?"

I tensed for a moment before forcing myself to relax. "I was a foundling Henry. The Queen found me in the woods as a babe and brought me back here. I was raised among the kitchen maids but I never had a mother of my own."

He frowned, "So my Mommy didn't raise you?"

"No," I shook my head. "That would be mighty strange wouldn't it?"

Henry giggled and nodded, "Yes, then you and my Mommy couldn't be together. You'd be her daughter."

I forced a small smile and nodded, "Yes, you're right."

He puffed his little chest out for a moment before he spoke again. "Emma?"

"Yes?"

"When do you think you and Mommy will be together and get married?"

"Kid, I…"

"I want a sister." He announced.

I was floored, for a moment I thought I'd swallowed my tongue. I coughed before forcing air into my lungs enough that I could reply.

"I don't…I…"

"A little sister would be nice. Then I could protect her so you could protect Mommy. But when I get old enough, I'll protect all three of you." He announced. His eyes were bright and I didn't have the heart to tell him that his little fantasy of a happy family would likely never happen.

I had long ago accepted that my place was not at the Queen's side. I had forsaken everything for her and yet I had nothing to show for it.

"You'll see Emma." Henry promised. "You'll see I'm right and then I'll have my baby sister."