It was several hours before a servant knocked at the door and requested for Rosalyn to follow her. She had dressed in a pastel blue gown with a tea-length skirt, revealing the white flat shoes she wore on her feet and circld of scars on her right leg.
The servant girl led her into a study. A large desk sat at one end of the room, while the other was lined with shelves full of books and scrolls. Once again, not a single sapphire in site. Rosalyn wracked her brain, trying to formulate a reason as to why the gems were absent in the palace.
Queen Camellia sat at her chair behind the wooden desk, various papers and inkwells splayed out in front of her. "Please, Queen Rosalyn, have a seat," she invited and gestured to the two chairs out front of the desk.
Rosalyn nodded and sat down in one of the chairs. "Your majesty," she began, but was quickly cut off by Camellia.
"I am sure you have plenty of questions for me, but I have numerous for you as well. My first question is less of a question and more of a quest for the truth. I want to know what happened to my daughter after she fled Fleurence."
Rosalyn swallowed hard. She did not really know much about her mother. She only knew of the things her father would tell her, and those tidbits of information were few and far between. "She married a man named Mercer Beaumont. They settled down in the kingdom of Amouria and a child, me. She passed to the plague when I was a babe. I apologize for my lack of knowledge of my mother. My father did not speak much of her, it pained him to do so. He loved her until the day he died, and on into the next life." Rose diverted her gaze from her grandmother to her hands which were resting in her lap.
Queen Camellia nodded. She seemed to take the story well, but her heart broke a little more when the girl mentioned the plague. Her whole train of thought seemed to shift with her next question. "I heard terrible things about the king of Amouria. Kidnapping women yearly for them to never be seen again. Some said he was a beast and that's why he locked himself up in his castle."
Rosalyn shook her head. "Adrien never harmed anyone," she said.
"But the rest is true? The beast, abducting women?" Camellia pressed.
Rose was speechless. She had never had to explain her and her husband's situation before. It was difficult to even find the words to begin explaining it. "It is my turn to ask questions. Why didnt you go searching for my mother? Why did she run away in the first place? Why do your people only live for 30 or so years? Why does Elonia pride itself in the mining of sapphires, yet I haven't seen a single one?"
Queen Camellia took a deep breath. "That is a lot of questions, my dear-"
"Rosalyn," she corrected. Her grandmother had no way of knowing the phrase pierced her heart, but she would rather not be called the name.
The queen nodded. "Of course. Rosalyn. That was quite the slew of questions, so I will start with the first two, as they can be tied together. Rosalind was a very...free spirit. She liked to do things her own way, she beat to her own drum. Being held down was not something she enjoyed, and that is exactly what being royalty does. You will soon learn that being queen is much more than wearing a crown and being married to a king. You must conform to the rules, be proper and respectable in the eyes of your citizens and others with the same status. Rosalind did not want that, she did not enjoy the life of a princess, so she left it. I did not send a search party out for her because I wanted her to be happy. And seeing you here proves I did the right thing.
"What I tell you next does not leave this room. As the rightful heir to my throne, you must know when you take over as Queen of Elonia," Camellia continued.
Queen of Elonia. If her mother was in fact the princess, then she would be the rightful heir. Rose didn't know what else she was expecting to hear, but hearing it out loud shocked her.
"Your next two questions are also related, so as before, they will be answered together. Years and years ago, long before I came queen, a greedy King of Elonia made a deal. An unfortunate deal with a dark sorcerer. He promised to make the land rich with sapphires; however, any who chose to deal with sapphires would have years of their lives taken away. The years that others lose, this sorcerer gains. The king traded the lives of his people so he could become rich and his kingdom wealthiest in the land."
Magic. Shock settled over her again and she tried to grasp the information her grandmother had given her. "Why hasn't anyone broken the deal?" she questioned.
"I wish it were that easy, Rosalyn. Even if I knew who the sorcerer was, I don't think he would give up his eternal life. One could assassinate him, yes, but again, the problem is finding him," she explained. A knock at the door stole the queen's attention. "You may enter," she called.
The door slowly swung open and tall, gangling man stepped in. He had long black hair which he wore in a braid, wore black trousers, and a white tunic. "I apologize for my intrusion, you majesty...majesties. Queen Camellia, the Chancellor wishes to speak with you."
"Of course. Rosalyn, this is Lord Chancellor Elias. Elias, this is my granddaughter, Rosalyn," the queen introduced the two and stood from her seat at the desk.
Elias waltzed over to Rosalyn and took her hand in his. He bowed and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Its a pleasure, your majesty." He stood straight again and exited the room, leaving the two women to say their goodbyes.
"If you have any more questions for me, Rosalyn, you need but ask. Elonia welcomes you as long as you'd like it to," Camellia said. She smiled at Rose and left, following the Lord Chancellor.
Rosalyn stood in the study for a few moments more, silently processing all the information she had been given. She took a deep breath and returned to the guest suite where her and Adrien were staying.
Several hours later Rosalyn was summoned to speak with the Queen. Adrien bid her an encouraging nod of farewell and anxiously awaited for her return. He could have taken a tour of the castle but he wanted to be in their quarters when Rosalyn returned.
So, he waited. At some point he dozed off into slumber. He blamed feeling tired upon the restless nights at sea. Or perhaps it was from the relaxed effect of previous distractions he and Rosalyn had ventured into doing while had been trying to get her to calm her mind of worry.
He woke up and used the chamber pot within the bathing room and upon his return to the sleeping quarters Rosalyn entered.
"So...how did it go?" He asked optimistically. Rosalyn reiterated the key points of her meeting with her grandmother. Once her tale was done he sat upon a chair within the room absorbing the information.
"That explains a lot. As for this sorcerer and the deal he struck long ago, It does cause concern about how it could potentially effect you once Queen Camellia passes...Once we return to Amouria I will need to consult records and figure out the politics of two kingdoms under one ruling couple." He stated, voicing a undercurrent of concern. "Normally the Queen would live with her King in his kingdom, while a steward of royal bloodline under her approval sits upon her in her throne in her rule. But Elonia had no more living bloodlines I will need to consult my records and counsel to see what is to be done in this matter for the near future." He concluded, not making a definite decision but stating they needed to explore the options.
"Perhaps we should take this time to get to know Elonia?" He recommended, it was hard to rule a kingdom without knowing it or its people.
Rosalyn nodded. They hadn't been there long, but she felt some fresh air would do her some good. "Unfortunately, Elonia is a rather large kingdom. If we were to tour the whole kingdom, it would take a week."
She walked over to Adrien and stood in front of him. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "But yes. We should learn some about Elonia, especially if we are to one day rule from afar."
What would happen if there was an emergency here in Elonia? It would take Rosalyn weeks to get here because of the voyage of the Great Sea. If Elonia was attacked or invaded, the kingdom would likely fall. Unless they found someone to uphold her position on the throne. Queen Camellia already had a Chancellor, but Rose didn't know any of them. What if they turned on her and used her absence against her?
Rosalyn took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. She was looking too far into things. She ran her fingers through the ends of Adrien's hair and gave him a warm smile.
Adrien could tell Rosalyn was feeling a bit overwhelmed. The way she took deep breaths or entangled her fingers in his hair. Both gestures of self soothing he had come to notice about her.
He understood what she was going through. He had had a hard time coping with something when he learned of his lineage, and that was a very personal matter that wasn't public knowledge. Her existance would soon be public knowledge to the castle, the counsel, the Lord Chancellor, to many villages in the surrounding area within the kingdom that a newfound princess of Elonia had returned. She was not their 'lost princess' but a princess she was and the burden be just as heavy as he had known it to be his whole life. She definitely had more on her shoulders to bare so suddenly. He was determined to help her carry the burden that was theirs to share and keep both their kingdoms in stability.
"You are correct, my love. So, I suggest we go for a walk and get to know the castle and its grounds. Then we retreat to the library, or this castles equivalent of a record room and read all we can about Elonia." Adrien encouraged gently, lifting his hand to cusp her cheek and traced his thumb against the underline of her jaw; while his lips placed a kiss upon her forehead. Only then after that cherished moment did they arise and depart to execute his suggestion.
Rose took Adrien's hand as they wandered throughout the castle and grounds. There was a lovely flower garden situated behind the palace and a huge stable off to the side. A fountain stood proudly in the middle of the garden, sending water high into the sky.
Every flower she could imagine was amongst the masses. Perhaps Queen Camellia enjoyed the flower festivals so much, she brought them all home with her so she wouldn't have to travel across the Great Sea.
The breeze cooled her skin and blew the worries out of her mind. "What do you think the people say? A woman claiming to be the queen's granddaughter, accepting a claim to the throne. It would certainly raise suspicion for me if I wasn't the woman," she spoke. The end of her thought sounded unsure, almost sarcastic.
"I have no doubt there will be suspicion. But one carriage ride or one festival with your presence and the people will love you. It is not the people's suspicion that is the concern. It is convincing Queen Camellia's Lord Chancellor and a counsel if she has one you are the rightful heir and fit to rule when she passes."
"From now on you never apologize for your ignorance. You know nothing about Elonia or how this Court is run, but apologizing portrays weakness. When an error occurs be it a misunderstanding of an interpretation of knowledge, a political mishap, or custom barrier you must not deem it your fault. If someone brings something to your attention and they will...they will attempt to blame you for error; never say you are sorry; simply say, 'I understand. What is advisable to remedy the situation?' Adrien warned her.
He grew up in Court, granted his father limited their political interactions after his mother passed, but still he had far more experience in the matter than Rosalyn did. In this moment he was behaving so much like his father often had from shadows of the public eye. Adrien had lost a mother and lost her gentle guidance on the world around him. It was replaced with his fathers outlook on politics and how to 'play the game' to achieve victory.
They re entered the castle and made their way to the Record Room. It wasn't like the library of Amouria. It didn't have books of fantasy. It was a place that had records of population, history of the royal family, history of the wealth, history of the castle, etc. It was time to become the royals they were born to be.
Rosalyn nodded. Do not say sorry. It would be hard for her to not apologize for her mistakes. She had done so her entire life, even when things were not her fault. It would take a great deal of self control to not let an apology slip.
The politics of royalty hit them both at once, bringing their honeymoon to an end, Rose feared. No longer could they be careless with their time away from Amouria. She had not one, but two kingdoms to convince she was fit to rule. It would not be an easy task, but it had to be done.
When they entered the record room, the weight settled back onto her shoulders. She took a deep breath and pulled a book on the history of Elonia's royal family from the shelf of dozens of books. She wanted to learn who her family was, and who it was that damned this kingdom.
The door to the Record Room slowly swung open and tall, gangling man stepped in. He had long black hair which he wore in a braid, wore black trousers, and a white tunic. The man bowed to them both. "Good evening, your majesties. Queen Rosalyn of Amouria we met earlier. Allow me to introduce myself to your husband, the King of Amouria, if I may?" It was clear to Adrien that this kingdom was quite used to a matriarch line or royalty ruling.
Without any objections the man bowed to Adrien and introduced himself, "King Adrien from Amouria, the honor to meet you is mine. I am Lord Chancellor Elias, your Grace. I am here to inquire if you are interested in partaking of an evening meal in the dining hall? Perhaps I should have it sent to your quarters if you prefer? We do not allow sustenance within the Record Room I am afraid. Many documents here are rather priceless. It would be a shame if they were damaged." he informed.
Adrien knew not which he preferred. He needed nourishment as they had been studying and vocalizing over records and history for several hours. "The dining hall will be fine. Thank you Lord Chancellor. It seems the records indicate you have been a member of the counsel and Lord Chancellor for quite some time. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the way things go here in Elonia court on the morrow?" Adrien asked of the man who gave a compliant smile that was obviously stretched, "Of course your majesties." he agreed and then departed.
Adrien looked to Rosalyn and nodded once, "You may want to ask Queen Camillia about him. If the records are correct he has been here almost as long as she has and yet...has aged well shall we say? I don't know maybe its the lower longevity that keeps Elonia people appearing youthful. Or perhaps I am just tired and need something to eat." He voiced trying to reason outloud as he put away the record book he held and lead the way out so they could go dine on supper.
Rosalyn nodded. "I agree. I will ask her next time we meet in private," she said. If they ever met in private again. The council knew she was there, and knew who she claimed to be. They would want to be present for every meeting she had with the queen, whether it were important or not. Without an heir to the throne, it would have gone to the Lord Chancellor. Rose held no doubt in her mind that he would try to ruin her claim so he could once again hold position as heir.
She stood from her chair and returned the record book to its place on the shelf, then joined Adrien on their walk to the dining hall. There were three chairs set up at one end of the table, one for each of them, then one for Queen Camellia. Though as their meal was served and cleaned up, the queen never showed. Perhaps she had decided to take her meal in her chambers at the last minute.
Returning to their own chambers, Rosalyn held herself as if she had been defeated. Her confidence waned and her gaze was cast to the floor. "I do wish we could have enjoyed our honeymoon to its full extent," she said.
"What do you mean? What is this 'full extend' you speak of? I am certain traveling to a foreign kingdom, spending waking ours in bed, arising to see a new sight, return to spend more time in bed and accomplishing a significant level of comfort in bed sharing is the very definition of 'full extend' of a honeymoon." Adrien spoke as he secured their door closed and then knelt down before her so he could see into her eyes without raising her head. "I have not been disappointed in the slightest at our honeymoon. I'll get a chateau built when we return. Come our anniversary, we will retreat for an entire week. No interruption, no expectations. Just you and me renewing our full extend honeymoon experience, if you feel any regrets about it." Adrien reassured, as he took her hand in his and kissed it softly.
He rose up and began to remove his crown. He secured his crown and hers into a cushioned lock box before he removed his clothing down. Wearing only his under clothing as he tucked into bed and awaited for her to join him.
Rosalyn gave him a soft smile. The thought of having their own place to escape was wonderful. A place where they could just be themselves again. He removed the crown from her head and placed it next to his in their case. She followed Adrien's lead and took her gown off, joining him in bed in her undergarments. She laid on her side, turning her face towards her husband. Her smile faded and she bit her lip.
"I just don't want you to be unhappy," she admitted. "I didn't want to ruin your plans for our honeymoon, and I feel like coming here did exactly that."
Adrien relaxed once Rose was settled into his arms. "I may no longer be the physical beast I once was, but I still have those emotions within me. You of all people will know right away if I am unhappy. I can say without a doubt that I would be happy anywhere in the world, doing almost anything, so long as you are with me, Rose. Goodnight, my love. Try to get some sleep." He encouraged as he settled against her and felt his own form start to drift off to sleep.
The following morning breakfast the Queen was not present for. While Adrien respected the elderly leaders need to process, there was much to be discussed and that wasn't going to happen if she kept avoiding her granddaughter.
Adrien and Rose resumed their studying in the Record Room and come lunch time Adrien excused himself to use a loo. After using such facilities he made his way to the a room they hadn't explored yet understandably deemed the Counsel Room.
There was no guards posted outside the door so he very much just let himself inside. The Queen was there along with Lord Chancellor and other gentlemen assumed to be members of the counsel.
"King DeLavergne, it seems you have lost your way. I'll send a servant to escort you to your intended destination." Lord Chancellor Elias spoke promptly.
"That won't be necessary Lord Chancellor, for I have not lost my way. I desire to speak with Queen Camellia in private." Adrien answered.
"Her Majesty is preoccupied and will need her rest after. I'm sure a servant can..."
Meanwhile Queen Camellia is there and not saying anything but giving Adrien a hard stare. She cut off Elias. "You are dismissed, all of you. We will reconvene at another time. I will honor King DeLavergne's request." Elias looked like he was going to protest but stopped when she turned her gaze on him.
"Of course your Majesty." The men left, leaving Adrien with the Queen alone.
"King DeLavergne, what is it you wish to speak with me about?" The Queen began.
"The more you avoid Rosalyn, the more she feels that revealing her existence to you has caused you nothing but suffering. I understand that her existence causes you to make a decision. To claim her as blood royalty, which would abdicate your throne to her once you pass. Or deny that she is not related and proclaim it mere coincidence she bears an exact resemblance to your daughter Rosalind and live with the result of your kingdom being ruled by Lord Chancellor Elias. This decision is not to be made lightly, but it does need to be done in a timely manner; for we cannot stay here indefinitely, Your Grace. We have the kingdom of Amouria to reign. But we can stay long enough for both of you to find closure in the only living blood family you both have left. With all respect us visiting Elonia again will be for your funeral, unless you live for another year or two. Rosalyn is...you should get to know her your majesty, you won't regret it."
The Queen nodded her head, "All you say is true, King DeLavergne. My turn. I have only ever heard of one good thing about the kingdom of Amouria, it is was that Queen Bella, god rest her soul, was beloved by all. The kingdom of Amouria lost a great regent, while its true king hid in shadows. Rumors have crossed the Great Sea since your reign began eight years ago. Rumors of young women getting abducted at annual dances never to be seen again. Rumors of you and your father being beastly. Rumors that after seven years of solitude you have finally allowed your subjects to come to the palace and see you in persons and hear their concerns. You say Rosalyn is worth knowing, but what does it show of her character that she married you?" The Queen retorted.
Adrien had known his past was not a pleasant one, nore one he was proud of. But he never expected his wife's character to be questioned because of her choice to marry him. "I stand before you as a man. If I ever was a beast, is it not fair to say it would take a phenomenal woman to cause such a change? I am not proud of my past, regardless of what is fact or fiction. But Rosalyn, she brings light and goodness to all who have the honor of meeting her. I will admit my character of old was not worthy of her; and yet she found something in me that I had thought long gone. She found love in what appeared to be hopeless situation. She strives to be a worthy queen to the people of Amouria. i strive every day to be a worthy man, husband, and king who deserves her love, kindness, and compassion. She cares for the people of Elonia already. Her mind is set on bettering the lives of the people even as we speak she tries to find a way to locate the sorcerer to break the life stealing spell off the sapphires so that the people can live long and prosper, rather than simply survive. I think the kingdom of Elonia deserves a queen like that. The situation is indeed a complicated one with no other blood relative to Stewart in her place while she resides in Amouria. The Lord Chancellor Elias would be the prime candidate for stewardship. I do find it odd that the man who according to record is only ten years your younger; yet appears to be at least 30 years younger? Never the less, the choice is yours to make, all I ask is that you accept her as your own regardless of what you choose. She did not come here to gain a kingdom. She came to gain the joy of knowing her grandmother."
Adrien bowed his head and left her to think alone. He returned to the Record Room in silence.