Gabrielle could smell the smoke as they got nearer and nearer to the kingdom. She wouldn't be able to see the destruction that Prince- no, King Adrian had left during his take-over of his father's capitol. She was the future queen about to enter her city, but it hardly felt royal. It was under the cover of night with who knows what portion of the city had been destroyed, or at least in badly need of repair. She had been told there were few causalities but that meant there were still some and a few probably not in the army. Right now, in the kingdom there was probably a family mourning a member that had been lost in the new king's power grab. She swallowed heavily at the thought.
Despite this knowledge she couldn't bring herself to hate, or even think ill of Adrian, not even after he had forced her hand at marriage. Gabrielle had no idea why this was. Had she gone mad? Then again she must have been mad for years, for she held no hate, or ill will to her stepmother, despite all she did, or even try to do. Right now, her ashes were among her belongings on the horse pack. She sighed, it must have been the cursed pure heart she had. She wondered what kind of person she would be without her pure heart. She gave a slight shudder at the thought.
Finally, they entered the kingdom, there were fires illuminating several points in the city, and she could see the city gate had been badly damage, right now there were workers and guards at it. Repairing the gate must have been Adrian's first order as king, along with ordering her brought back to him. Repairing the gates as a wise idea, for a city without it gates was vulnerable to any type of vermin passing through.
They crossed the gate, undisturbed. Adrian had kept the fact she was his bride under tight wraps in the camp and only his most elite men knew of her true purpose. This was a fact she was glad for because it meant she could go through the city undisturbed, and not potentially attract a mob, wanting vengeance for King Oswald. Entering the city, the smell of smoke began clearer and clearer the further she went in. Also the signs of destruction and Adrian's invasion into the city became more apparent. There were ruined and falling apart buildings. There were also many people out, groups of men and women whispering in the streets, children played on the ruined buildings, but even then she could see their dusty faces that had likely been full of terror at the approaching army.
She caught several looks as she passed with her entourage of solders, but none seemed hostile, more of a wondering curiosity. However, mostly the blonde was ignored as she made her way into the city. Something she was glad for. Gabrielle was beginning to get the feelings of tiredness and soreness in her muscles from the stress and lack of sleep she had endured in the camp.
However, Gabrielle knew she could not show her tiredness, or and sign of weakness. The public may not know her as queen, yet, but that was no excuse for slouching. She had to hold herself up as a queen and that meant no slouching. Gabrielle made a strong effort to ride the horse with her back straight and her head held up high. A few times she caught herself slouching, but quickly corrected it. After all, she was still getting use to this queen thing.
Finally, they arrived at the palace. She was glad to see it did not receive severe damage done to it. That meant likely her sisters had been kept out of harms way, but that also meant she had to break the news to them soon. The bag in which she carried the pot of Isodara's ashes seemed to weigh even heavier now. When they entered the palace, Stefan helped her off her horse. She thanked them and then she was escorted through the palace, then Gabrielle realized she was heading to the throne room. She hadn't been in the throne room since she first saw King Oswald and the Queen Alisha at their first arrival where she realized she would be treated as a noble lady instead of a servant. Now, this was Adrian's throne. When they reached the throne room doors, she felt as though her stomach had a lump at it. Now she was growing anxious at the thought of meeting with Adrian again. Then the throne room doors flung open and their was Adrian sitting on the king's throne with a satisfied look to his face. When Gabrielle entered, she gave a nervous swallow as she felt the new king's eyes on her. Gabrielle mustered up all the bravery she could to go before him, in the center of the room, and curtsey to him.
"Lady Gabrielle," He began and the noblewoman rose up, "I pray your journey was well."
"It was my king." It felt odd on her lips to call Adrian King. A part of her wonder if she would ever get use to referring to him as that. The new king on his stolen throne, ushered the guards out of the room and the throne room doors shut, leaving her alone with Adrian.
"Gabrielle-" He told her, dropping the formal lady. "-I hope this does not upset you, but we will not be having a grand wedding. It will be small with only my closest allies and whoever you want to invite. However, I can promise you a beautiful gown."
"Thank you, for your concern, your majesty-" Another word that felt so strange to hall him, instead of your highness, "-however, I am actually glad for a small wedding. I do not want so many strangers staring at me as I walk down the aisle." That was true. She had a dislike for big weddings that contained more people that the bride and groom even knew.
"I am glad for that." King Adrian told her, "But then again I expected someone as modest of you not to want some grand wedding." He rose from his throne. It was still odd to think of it as Adrian's throne now. She passed a glance at the queen's seat. A seat she would soon be sitting on. Adrian noticed her subtle glance at the queen's throne.
"I plan to change the queen's throne. I never liked my mother's design of a peacock, a symbol of vanity that does not suit you instead I will make it in the image of a swan, a much more fitting symbol for you." Gabrielle was surprised at how much thought he had put into that. Then again, being a general and king was all about analyzing everything, she supposed.
"Thank you, your majesty. That is very kind of you." She gave another curtsey. When she rose back up, Adrian smiled at her.
"You must be very tired." He acknowledge and Gabrielle gave a light nod of her head at that. She must have looked horrible from her tired state. It wasn't just from not resting from today, but from the month before and all that she had been through since Isodara had abducted her. He ran his hand through a single strand of her blonde hair. "Go rest, you will sleep in your normal room until the wedding." She thanked him and gave another curtsey. She then went to her room that she had not been in a month. She didn't bother to change out of her traveling dress, she just removed her shoes and put down her bag, before she tucked herself into the soft mattress.
The next day, she felt dread in the pit of her stomach. She kept stealing glances at the bag which held the urn that carried her stepmother's ashes. Gabrielle knew she couldn't avoid it forever and she would have to tell her stepsisters the truth about how Adrian had their mother, their last parent. She barely ate her breakfast. The noblewoman called for her maid to summon Lady Rosella and Lady Estelle to her chambers. Gabrielle debated whether she should wear black or not, but ultimately decided against it because that would be a dead giveaway to the state of their mother instead she choose a plain dark blue gown. She was sitting at her small round dining table, with the bag with the urn in it sat across from her on the table.
She was so lost in her thoughts that when she heard a knock at the door she gave a little jump, but quickly composed herself.
"Estelle, Rosella, is that you?" She asked in a quiet voice.
"Yes-" came Estelle's voice, "-it is us." Gabrielle gave a final swallow as he stomach felt like it was feeling with lead.
"Come in, please." The door came open and her stepsisters came in. Gabrielle wondered if they were sensing the ways of nervousness coming off her, as she tried to form something to say, however before she could get a word out; Estelle rushed forward and wrapped her into a tight embrace, burying her head in her blonde hair.
"I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I am so sorry." She repeated, over and over again. Gabrielle was stunned for a moment, as she heard her usually stoic stepsister start to weep. The blonde looked over to her usually emotional stepsister, but Rosella had a blank face, showing no emotion at all. That was extremely unusual for her, for the both of them. Then again, this was far from a normal situation.
"Estelle." Gabrielle spoke in a soft and tender voice to her stepsister, as she gently patted her back, and then held her back. They swayed slightly with Estelle's weeping shakes. Gabrielle straighten her younger stepsister's chocolate hair, which she realized was in a tangled mess, like it hadn't been brushed in a good while. The blonde grimaced. What toll had the last month taken on Estelle? She slowly, but gently pushed her stepsister away, so they could look at her face to face.
Gabrielle immediately noticed, not just the redness of her eyes, but also the bags underneath them. Looks like Gabrielle wasn't the only one who had not slept well in the past month. She even looked like she had lost weight. The lead started to form in her stomach again. If just knowing her mother had committed a crime had done this to her. How would she react to knowing her only parent was now dead. Gabrielle had to muster up all the courage she could to speak next.
"Estelle...don't blame yourself. You are not responsible for your mother's actions. I hold no ill blame in my heart toward you, or Rosella." Estelle whipped tears away from her eyes.
"But it was our mother's desperation for us to marry the prince that drove her to such links as to kidnap you."
"No...Estelle it wasn't. In fact, it didn't involve you at all. Isodara told me that herself. She had an entirely different scheme in mind that had been going on before any of us were born." Estelle's red tinted eyes widened. Gabrielle also saw that now Rosella had a look of disbelief in her eyes as well.
"Come both of you." She gestured to the two empty chairs around the table, that she had set out for them. "I will explain everything to you, from the beginning. However, there are things you cannot repeat outside this room, or else the new king might harm you." Both stepsisters looked at each other, before taking their seats. Gabrielle took a deep breathe and began with her kidnapping on the trail behind the forest. When she got to the part about Isodara saying she was cursed with a pure heart, this caused an immediate reaction from her stepsisters.
"You are cursed with a pure heart?" Estelle asked in shock.
"Actually, that explains a lot." Rosella said in a much calmer voice. This reaction made Gabrielle wonder more if her stepsisters had somehow switched spirits in her month long absence.
"But how did you get cursed?" Estelle probed her further.
"I will explain that soon." Gabrielle continued till she was at the tour cell and told them about the revelation that their mother had given them. About Prince Adrian, the curse, the queen, and everything. Gabrielle was slightly surprised that neither of her stepsisters interrupted her during this, until she got to the part about Isodara selling her to a brothel. At this Estelle began to weep again, and even Rosella had lost the stoic composure she had kept up during this conversation to give a horrified look.
"I can't believe she would do this. I knew my mother had great darkness in her heart, but I never knew how black her heart really was." The brunette then wiped her hand with her sleeve. Gabrielle frowned, at this. She couldn't make out the words to say, except to continue the story. She explained how she had removed the rocks and climbed out of the tower. Estelle seemed to be calmer now that the story was away from her mother's misdeeds. When she got to the part where she killed the wolf, both sisters looked shocked.
"You stabbed a wolf in the eye with an arrow?" Rosella said in almost disbelief, but it was clear from the tone of her voice she did not think her stepsister was lying.
"I somehow did, but I am not proud of it." Gabrielle said calmly, thinking back to the dead body of the wolf. She gave a slight shiver at the memory.
"I would be proud." commented Estelle, whose weeping had resided, but her eyes were still fairly puffy. Gabrielle decided to continue to the point of her rescue by the prince, Kianda and the soldiers. Then the hard part was coming. The lead became to pile in her stomach so fast that she wondered if in a moment she would start to throw up lead.
"Then Prince Adrian asked her to put a coin under her tongue." She began, giving pause. "Which she did, after he had listed all her crimes." She left out the part about the prince forcing her to marry her for now. "Then..he...he-" She stuttered, "stabbed her through the heart." She finally got it out.
There was no immediate reaction from her stepsister, no wailing or cries, no accusations, or anything. Just complete and absolute silence. Then she heard the sound of Rosella starting to weep, and burred her face in her hands. All the strength she had previously had vanished as she wept for her lost mother like a babe. Estelle slowly began to leak tears again. Despite this Gabrielle felt a weight being lifted out of her stomach, she had finally said it.
"The prince-" She softly continued, "wanted to bury her body in a swallow grave behind the tower, but I convinced him to let it her be cremated." Gabrielle slowly untied the bag in the center of the table ,while her stepsisters watched with baited breathe, as she unveiled their mother's urn. Rosella immediately moved it toward her and started to cry over it. For a while their wasn't a sound in the room except the loud sobs of Rosella. Gabrielle felt the lead in her stomach being built up again. Then, Rosella stopped herself weeping and looked over at her stepsister.
"Gabrielle..." She began, her speech stunted by her tears. "Gabrielle..." She continued, "Gabrielle, thank you." She finally cried out, as she hugged the urn to her heart. Gabrielle looked over at her older stepsister in shock.
"Why are you thanking me?" She couldn't understand it. Her mother had died and Gabrielle hadn't been able to stop it. Shouldn't she be swearing vengeance, or screaming at her to the stop of her lungs with curse words and names? No, she was just mourning and giving thanks. What had happened to her spoiled stepsister over the last month?
"Because..." She sniffled, and then began again, "Because...my mother would have made you a slave and sent you off to be raped, and that was only after she had made you a slave in your own house. We didn't do anything to help, or stop your servitude. You don't owe us a damn thing...but you gave us her urn...to let us mourn." Rosella turned her blue eyes, that were wet with tears, toward her stepsister, "For that from the bottom of my heart, I thank you."
Gabrielle was stunned in shock at the moment in the raw display of honesty, emotion, and gratitude that her older stepsister had displayed. Without a second thought, Gabrielle rose from her chair and went over to the curly blonde and pulled her into a hug. She felt Rosella freeze for a moment and she wondered if she had done the right thing, but then she felt Rosella wrap her arms around her, returning the hug. The curly blonde sobbed some more in her stepsister's blonde hair.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Rosella slowly stopped sobbing and Gabrielle tenderly released her from her hold. Rosella turned to her sister.
"Estelle...now that mother is gone. You are the head of the family. I want to go home right now, all three of us and start over again as the family we should have been from the start." Estelle gave her first smile of the morning.
"I agree...let's start over." Both her stepsister's looked over to her, but Gabrielle frowned as she felt her heart fill with lead. She would love more than anything to return home with them and start over again, from the very beginning, but she couldn't.
"I...I can't come home." Gabrielle said, softly as she lowered her face to the floor.
"What do you mean you can't!" cried Rosella, "You won't be a servant anymore." Gabrielle took a deep breathe.
"King Adrian is forcing me to marry him." There she said it.
"What!" cried, Estelle, finally shaking out of her shock state. Gabrielle looked at both her stepsisters. She had put them through so much today, could she had somehow avoided mentioning her forced marriage? At least until the shock of their mother's murder had passed. She realized she could not have, she couldn't give them a false hope of them starting a new life together only to have it shattered when her marriage to the king was announced.
"He said if I didn't marry him...he would hold you both responsible for my kidnapping along with my treatment back at the manor." The stepsister's passed a glance at each other.
"That bastard!" cried Rosella with a snare. The future queen was fairly startled at hearing Rosella refer to the man she had been mooning over in such a fashion. What had happened to her over the month, Gabrielle wondered again. What could happen in one month to change someone so much?
"The walls have ears." Estelle calmly told her sister. At that Rosella composed herself. Gabrielle looked at both her stepsisters and sighed.
"Is it too much to ask that you can both stay a while? At least till the wedding?" Of course, Gabrielle had no idea when the wedding would be, but she doubted that Adrian would take his sweet time with it since he planned it to be a simple affair. Also she knew the prince liked to get things done in a hurry once he had set his mind to them.
"Yes, we can stay Gabrielle, since you are marrying him for our sake we can at least do that much." Gabrielle smiled at her younger stepsister, but a part of her wondered how much of it was really for her stepsisters. She had no desire to become queen, or have power. But at the same time she had a pull toward Adrian that she couldn't explain. Was she in love with him? Was she falling in love? No, she told herself that couldn't be it. Perhaps, it was just her attraction to him and his strange sort of charm. No matter what it was, she had no desire to dwell on it. For the rest of the morning, until well after lunch, she tried to have the most normal conversation she could manage with her stepsisters. The most normal conversation you can have with your stepmother's urn on the table and the revelation that your stepsister was being forced by the king into marrying him, that was.
Finally, by mid-afternoon her stepsister's said their goodbyes to her and Rosella carried her stepmother's urn out of the room. When her stepsister's left, the future queen felt loneliness overcome her. She took out a book and read by the window as she waited for dinner to be served. Around dinner time, she heard a knock at the door. Gabrielle, expecting it to be the maid with her dinner went to answer the door, but was meet with a guard.
"The king wishes you to join him for dinner."
"Oh," The future queen said, in surprise. Adrian wanted her for dinner. She had never ate with him before, except with the soldiers at lunch that one afternoon after which they went to swan lake and he showed her how to shoot a bow and arrow. But she had never ate with him alone. She must have been spending too much time thinking because the guard cleared his throat. Gabrielle turned back to him in embarrassment.
"Oh, right. Sorry, please escort me to the king." She told him, with a polite curtsey. It occurred to her that right now, as the King's bride it was beneath her station to bow to a lowly guard, but she could not muster up enough pride to not give proper respect. The guard lead her through the many passage ways until they reached a pair of doors. He opened then and in the room was a roaming fire place, great tapestries and most noticeable of all was a long dining table at the end of it sat the King. Her green eyes meet his ice blue ones and she was stunned for a moment, lost in his eyes. Then she heard the guard shut the door behind them, leaving her alone with the man who was going to force her to marry him.
Gabrielle gathered up enough wits about her to do a proper curtsey, and when she rose Adrian ushered him to his left handed seat. She went over to him and sat down, nervously smoothing her the skirt of her dress as she did. The future queen no longer had it in her to make eye contact with the king. A silence filled the room. She supposed as future queen and also future hostess of the castle that it was her duty to break it, no matter how nervous she felt.
"Your majesty, I pray you have had a pleasant day." She told him, trying to break any ice between them.
"Thank you, Gabrielle, it was a tiring day though as well. We are working on the reconstruction of the capitol after my invasion. Luckily, there was less damage than I predicated, but still it needs to be fixed.
Gabrielle gave him a nod. Yes, the damage had to be repaired there had to be more damage seen in the daylight than she had seen during her ride at night. Before she could say anything, the servants came in with soup bowls and bread. She politely thanked the servant giving her, her meal and told her to thank the kitchen staff for her. She was meet with a startled look from him, but he promised he would do so.
When the servant left, and they were alone again, Adrian turned to him.
"My mother never thanked them for her food, she would usually complain if it was not to her satisfaction and have the chef fired. We have had a many turnover of good chefs while I was growing up."
"Oh, I see." She said, as she placed the napkin in her lap and dipped her bread into the vegetable and chicken soup. Adrian began eating and so did she. Another silence came over, but something was bothering Gabrielle, but she was not sure if this was the right time to ask of it. But her curiosity was growing greatly. After a few bites of her bread and several sips of her soup she placed her spoon down.
"Adrian" She addressed him without any titles like he had asked her too. Adrian placed his spoon down and turn to give her his full attention.
"Yes, my lady?" The future queen paused, as she tried to figure out how to string this sentence together without offending him, though she acknowledged that Adrian was not an easy man to take offense. She took a breathe before speaking.
"I have heard that there were little casualties in the invasion." The King gave a nod at that. "But I was wondering if there were any...civilian causalities." She finally got it out. Adrian gave her a serious look , before he answered her question.
"Minimizing or avoiding civilian deaths was one of my main priorities during the invasion. I didn't want to start my Kingship with bloodshed of my own people." He explained, "However, I am regretful that there is only one reported death. A few of my knights tried to loot a carpenter's shop and he was killed in the process while defending his daughters from the brutes." Gabrielle gave a shudder at the last part. "I have the knights in question in the dungeon and they will be executed for their crime that while my soldiers might have been brutes before, now that they are in my army, such things I will not tolerate." Gabrielle was glad to hear that. However, she suspected this was more of a political move not one of regret, since having brutes as soldiers would only arise rebellion and possible civil war within the hearts and minds of the population.
"This carpenter-" She began to ask him, "-did he leave behind any family...besides the daughters?
"He had a wife, three teenage daughters, and one son who is much to young to be a journey man. The royal treasury paid for the carpenter's funeral expenses." Gabrielle thought this over, the family was in a bad place. With the son being so young, he couldn't take on his father's trade and support the family, leaving the daughters without a proper dowry and the family in destitution, because only a few jobs were available too women of lower classes and most of them did not pay well. The future queen mulled this over.
"Adrian, with your permission, I would like to visit this family." She waited anxiously for his reply and she could tell he was calculating the risks and benefits of such a move.
"You may pay a visit to them." Gabrielle's heart leaped in relief, "However, not know. I do not think the city is safe enough for you to be around it, yet. I want more buildings to be repaired and the citizens to get use to me as king." Gabrielle bowed her head to him.
"I can see the wisdom in that." She admitted, understanding the complex situation that was at hand.
"Tomorrow though, I plan to formally announce you as future queen." Gabrielle eyes widened.
"So soon?" She said, still not quite believing what he had just said.
"Yes, tomorrow. I want the people to see a new reign growing and that means a queen is needed, since that means an heir. An heir means stability to the people" Adrian took a swallow of his tea before continuing. "Also, as king more nobles will be throwing their daughters and young female relatives at me, sometimes literally. I want to stop that before it starts."
"I see...now." Though she couldn't say she was personally thrilled by the prospect of being announced queen, so fast. She still couldn't think herself as future queen, yet. Though, she probably should start getting use to it.
"You have been giving an account at the bank and your personal allowance has been put in." He told her, casually and Gabrielle looked over at him in surprise.
"You are giving it to me, before we are married?" It seemed that Adrian was full of surprises tonight. She wondered if all dinners were going to be like this, she prayed to Hestia it would not be.
"Yes, I don't see a reason why not. I trust you not to spend it foolishly, like your predecessor?"
"Oh, no, Adrian I would never abuse your generosity." She quickly said, she had little desire of physical purchases anyway, and the library was full of books.
"Good, I expected as such." The meal continued and Gabrielle asked more about the reconstruction of the capitol. She wanted to be aware of what was happening to her soon to be subjects. Even though the queen had little direct political power, it was still expected of her to be the King's closest confident. The dinner and conversation ended and she gave her future husband a polite curtsy before taking her leave.
The next few days, went in a routine. She would have breakfast with her stepsisters, which was much more pleasant than it had ever been. Then if Kianda was off from her solider duties Gabrielle would give her reading lessons in the library. Kianda was not just fast on the battle field, but in learning as well. Her writing and reading skills were improving so much, so quickly. Even though, Kianda wouldn't say it, Gabrielle could sense pride in her eyes at being able to read several pages now of books. Then they would go outside for training, now Kianda was also starting to train her in hand to hand combat as well. On days that Kianda was busy, Gabrielle would go to the shooting range and practice her aim. After, an afternoon of sweating, she would then take a bath and read until it was dinner time with King Adrian.
Dinner time with the king, didn't hold as many surprises as it did the first night and they mostly discussed the rebuilding, which was going faster than Adrian had planned and he had gotten local carpenters and masons involved and paid them generously for their work in order to have more support. So far their had been no outright rebellions and skirmishes. The soldiers had learned their place with the execution of the men who had tried to rape the late carpenter's daughters. However, whenever she asked to visit the late carpenter's family, Adrian told her it was not safe for her, yet and then change the subject to her training and teaching Kianda how to read.
It was about a week later, when she was waiting for her stepsister's for breakfast, when she heard a knock at her door, but when she answered it she got the surprise of her day. There stood Miss Goose. Without thought, Gabrielle wrapped her arms around the voluptuous woman. Miss Goose returned the hug.
"Oh, look at you, I can feel you have gone from a shriveled little thing into a strong woman. I can tell you gained some weight and muscles." Gabrielle was still smiling brightly when the woman released her from her hug. The maid passed them to sit the breakfast tray on the table, before she took her leave and left the two women alone.
"I brought Lisette along with me. She having breakfast with her now, and sends you her regards for not being able to join you for breakfast."
"Oh, that's wonderful. I am so glad they have been reunited." Gabrielle was still smiling brightly, but then frowned slightly, "But what of Rosella?" Miss Goose gave a sheepish smile.
"She wanted to come...but I had to put a little spell on her to change her mind, because I needed to talk to you alone." The future queen's eyes widened.
"What...what do you mean by spell?"
"I think it is best I showed you." Miss Goose went over to a window seal that had a vase of fresh red roses to it. She touched one of the petals and suddenly, they changed from red to blue. Gabrielle covered her mouth as she gave a gasp, before running over to the vase and picked up one of the now blue roses and inspected it. It was no trick of light, it was truly blue. She looked over at the seamstress with her wide opened.
"You...you...are a fae." She stuttered out.
"That is correct, Lady Gabrielle, I am a fae." Gabrielle stared at her for several moments until it the words of Isodara in the cell tower came back to her.
"Isodara told me that a fae in the village was protecting her from killing me. That fae was you."
"You are correct." Then the fae gave a sigh, "I am truly sorry, I couldn't help you more than I did. I hated how you were treated, but fae laws are very strict on how to interact with humans and I couldn't intervene on your behalf, but I could keep her from killing you." Miss Goose looked truly regretful as she told her this. Gabrielle processed this information.
"I am not angry with you at all. You can't help those laws. I am just grateful that you kept me from the worse harm for all those years. For that I truly and sincerely thank you, Miss Goose." The fae gave her a sad smile.
"I only wish that I could have saved your mother. I truly loved that woman, but I only realized she was in danger when it was too late." Then a look of fury took over the woman's face. "If only that damn Asura hadn't answered the queen's call!" Gabrielle's eyes widened.
"Who is Asura." She asked. Miss Goose paused,
"She is the fae that the queen made the deal with and cursed both you and Adrian. While many fae like playing tricks on humans, Asura takes it to a whole other level and takes sadistic glee in it. I pray you never meet her." Gabrielle swallowed and she rolled the blue rose between her fingers.
"I pray, I never meet her as well."