I took a deep breath in and patted down my mint green dress. I was nervous. Rightly so. Today I would meet the Queen.

'You look beautiful, do not worry,' Sebastian said smoothly. I was glad he had come; I needed a familiar face, even if I wasn't so fond of said face. I wished to myself that Lilia was here. He put a gloved finger on his chin in a thoughtful manner. 'I know!' He pulled out a light pink flower from seemly nowhere and placed it behind my ear. 'You look perfect, my Kitten.' I pointed to my human ears and he chuckled. He put his hand under my chin, forcing me to look in his wine red eyes. 'You will always be my Kitten.' A strange feeling emerged from my stomach. I brushed it off.

A guard in a fancy uniform opened the large doors, a lines of servants stood behind it to greet me. I swallowed hard. I walked through the large rooms and up the huge stairs to the throne room, where I bowed before the Queen.

'My dear,' she said with an old wrinkled smile.

'Your highness,' I said with a false confidence.

'You are much prettier then I imagined you.'

'Thank you.'

'How about we go have some tea while we wait for Lilia. She informed me she would be able to make it a little on.'

'Yes, that is what she told me as well, you Majesty.'

'Oh don't call me that,' she ordered while standing up. 'Just call me Elizabeth.' I nodded a yes. She glided out of the room. She was different to what I had seen on TV. Something seemed so off about her. Perhaps she is no different to her ancestor. The ones Lilia had told me about….

~Few minutes later~

We sat in the Queen's extravagant garden. Her butler brought out tea, with Sebastian helping him pour. She wore a blue blouse with a matching skirt. On her blouse she bore a dazzling diamond brooch. Her pearls hung from her neck and wear displayed on her ears. She wore a small amount of makeup, knowing her old age couldn't be hidden.

'How are you enjoying life away from the Lab?'

'I'm sorry,' I choked. She set down her tea with a confused look. Sebastian paused for a second and then continued with his butler duties.

'Oh, of course they didn't tell you,' the Queen said rolling her eyes. Don't listen to her.

'What,' I said to the voice.

'Excuse me?'

'Oh, sorry, what didn't they tell me?' Ignore her. I brushed the voice away.

'Well, I assigned Lilia to take down the organisation.'

'Oh,' I said not really shocked.

'Yes, they did a wonderful job. A few deaths sadly, but it had to be done. The way they were treating children like you, I was horrified to hear about it!' She's lying. 'Luckily Sebastian had a friend in it. Her name was Raven maybe…perhaps not; my memory is failing me all the time these days.'

'I knew a Raven,' I muttered.

'Oh perhaps I was right.'

'Apparently she changed your experiments...,' she whispered when Sebastian has left. DON'T LISTEN TO HER.

'What,' my voice had gone raspy.

'Sebastian had discussed some modifications that would suit him and Lilia. I don't know if I agreed with it, but at least you have a lovely home now.' SHE IS LYING TO YOU.

'Yes…' I felt as though I was going to faint. All this information. All of these voices. What do I believe. What do I ignore?

'Hello your majesty.' I turned my head to see Lilia walk in. She wore a purple dress with a cardigan and her brooch/badge showing her status as the royal guard dog. 'Cleo, are you alright.'

'It's Zipporah,' I whispered.

'Excuse me?'

'Oh Lilia, wonderful to see you,' the Queen said, butting in. I stood up and ran. I ran away from Lilia and the Queen. Past Sebastian. Past the guards. I didn't stop running till I got home. To my real home. Not the big mansion. But the house I grew up in. I walked inside and fell asleep in my parents bed. The bed that many nights, my family would sleep in together.

To be continued

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