Three years after the Queen's Gambit went down in the North China Sea

"Hello, Austin."

Austin jumped, looking over to see a woman, a familiar women, looking at him from the door to his hospital room. She had blonde hair cut by her neck, dressed immaculately, with an air of ego and power about her. She was the kind of person accustomed to being obeyed, and he knew that right away.

"Hello... Mrs. Queen." he said after a minute, recognizing her from his mother's many rants. "How many I help you?"

She smiled, walking over to him. " It's more about how I can help you, Austin. I wish to adopt you."

That made him frown, so stunned. "My mother hated your Kingdom, your empire, she was fired by your husband and that turned her into a psychotic drug addict, which is why I ran away after she died. Why, pray tell, would you help me?"

She sighed, the powerful mother. "Your mother and I had a disagreement, that is why she was fired. It was not kind, but it was needed. She was... pushing boundaries, many of them actually."

"By sleeping with your husband?" the woman recoiled. "She told me, I know what happened at least a little. I am sorry for that, you deserved better."

She patted his hand. "I never would have guessed she's say something, but yet... and if you agree to move into my care, I will ask you to never say anything about that to my daughter...please. I want her to have good memories of her father, not that."

"I understand, ma'am, I really do." He sighed, "You never said why you are taking me in?"

"Guilt mostly, but also to ensure you have a good life, no child should be homeless... when I heard you needed help, I realized my part in your predicament... and I sought to make amends. So please, accept my offer?"

He nodded, smiling. "That is big of you, to help me when you were, in a way the cause of my suffering. I accept."

"I had hoped you would... your room is being prepared, is there anything you like to read? I was told you were a voracious reader."

He laughed. " Fantasy, magic and occult studies. I live for that stuff, I want to be an author one day."

She laughed in return. "I can manage that... and for what it is worth, I truly am sorry for what happened."

"As am I, but it is what it is, let us move on to something better."

"You are wise for a mere fourteen..."

"I try."

"""

As Moira Queen stood from Austin Michael's hospital bed, she looked at him once more. It broke her heart to see someone that resembled her son so much be so unhappy, dirty and bruised. The boy had suffered an attack from a homeless man, badly beaten he was covered in bruises and cuts and dirty. He was thin and broken, and her heart ached. She wondered if he knew he was Robert's son, she did not entirely doubt it...

"I will get your paperwork settled. I will see you shortly. "

"Thank you, Mrs. Queen."

She smiled. "Anything, dear, anything." And she walked away, masking the pain that came with taking in the boy her husband created through cheating... by means of channeling the pride she felt in helping an innocent child get a measure of peace from his miserable life.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a joy to write.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.