Gabrielle had just finished breakfast with her sisters when she heard an unexpected knock at her door. She went over to open it to see a guard. She blinked in surprise, what was a guard doing here so early in the morning.
"May I help you?" She asked, politely.
"Lady Gabrielle, King Adrian wishes for your presence. He says it's urgent" Gabrielle wondered what it could be, but she gave a simple nod and the guard escorted her to the throne room. She gave a slight of amazement when she looked upon the queen's throne. It had already been changed, no longer did purple and green peacock shaped features adorned it, but white swan features. The armrests were shaped like a bird's wing even. It had little accents of gold in it. It was beautiful...and she felt honestly unworthy of such a beautiful throne. She looked back to King Adrian and realize with embarrassment that she hadn't given a proper curtsey. She immediately corrected her mistake.
"Arise, Lady Gabrielle." She did so.
"I have a task today that I want you to accompany me on." He said in a rather serious tone. While Adrian usually had a serious tone, there was almost always an underling amount of teasing and charm with it, this lacked it.
"What is the task you wish for me to accompany you on, your majesty?" She knew it was actually a foolish question to ask, even though she was the King's fiance she still couldn't refuse him. But his tone worried her enough so much she had too.
"I am going down to the dungeons to speak to my parents." He arouse from his throne and Gabrielle's green eyes widened.
"You are, your majesty?" She tried to find other words to say, but was at a lost. Wasn't he worried about how his father would react to him if he saw him again? Or how the queen would react to her? Of course, that was a ridiculous thought, Of course, Adrian didn't care. She was too lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Adrian approaching her until he offered her his arm. Gabrielle swallowed and nervously took it.
Then they started their journey to the bowels of the palace where the dungeons laid. As they descended down, it grew darker and darker until only the torchlight could help her eyes. Finally, they made it down to the cells, where a bunch of miserable men looked at them as they passed.. Some cried out for his mercy, claiming that they were innocent of their crimes. While they greatly bothered Gabrielle, Adrian gave not even a blink to them, as they went further down. Finally they stopped at one. Inside it was the former king Oswald.
The former king looked over to the son that had stolen his throne from him. From the torchlight Gabrielle saw that there was no anger, or animosity directed toward his son, instead just a sad look.
"I am more surprised you came to visits me, than they fact you overthrew me." The former king said in a rather soft tone.
"Father, there is something that I need to tell you. The truth of how I was cursed to be heartless, my mother has lied to you all these years."
"Son, I know you always hated your mother." He said, patiently
"For very good reason, unlike you who overlooked her the fact that she was sleeping with your entire council behind your back." Oswald looked down, not denying his son's accusations.
"I love your mother...she has hurt me many times, but I still love her."
"Actually, father you don't love her. Your true love was Lady Rachel, and always has been." At this the king took on a much less neutral look.
"Rachel was just a passing fancy. Your mother was my real love, even though I was too busy chasing after Rachel's love to first realize that."
"No, father here is the truth. My mother wanted to be queen, she made a deal with the fae that in exchange for them putting a love spell on you, she would let them take her first child's heart. My mother knew exactly how I was cursed, despite her flees of ignorance. Even you knew she was hiding something, but the spell made your mind clouded to truly look into it." The former king stared at his son for several long moments not saying anything. Gabrielle could not make out if he was believing his son, or not. Adrian continued, despite his father's silence.
"You know it to be true in the back of your mind. However, what I tell you is only the tip of the iceberg." The Adrian began to tell him about what happened to his heart and how it ended up in Gabrielle's soul and how Alisha had conspired with Isodara to kill Rachel and her husband. At this confession the former king's blood seemed to drain out of his face, but he kept his silence, as he finished the tale. Oswald was silent for several long moments, before he finally spoke.
"Even if it is true...I am still under the spell. So what difference does it make in the end." At this Adrian reached into his pocket and pull out a tiny glass bottle.
"You wouldn't want to believe what I had to do to get this." He held out the bottle to his father, who had approached his son with only the bars of the cell separating them. "This is a fae potion that has the ability to break fae spells over human emotions. If you drink this, you'll be free of my mother's spell. The king stared at the bottle.
"And what if it is poison?" He asked his son.
"Then you'll be free of me and your wife." At this the king took the bottle and slowly twisted it and drank the small contents inside. Then the king froze and dropped the bottle, it contents shattering on the ground. Oswald began to rabidly blink. Gabrielle gave out a gasp and looked over at Adrian and wondered if he had truly poisoned his sire. However, the former king began to stabilize and he looked over at his son with wide eyes. The new king looked over at a guard and ordered
"Bring my mother here, now." The guard went off and a few minutes later came out the former queen and when Alisha saw Gabrielle she shoot her the most wickedest glare of pure hatred than Gabrielle had ever seen in her life. Gabrielle couldn't help, but take a step back. When Alisha realized she was near her husband she quickly changed her expression to something more pitiful and weak.
"Darling!" She former queen cried, "I have missed you so much. I was afraid our treacherous son had you killed." Oswald didn't say a word as he just stared at her, with an emotionless expression on his face. This clearly unsettled the queen who was not use to her husband looking at her like that after years under her spell. She spoke again,
"Darling?"
"You killed Rachel." His voice wasn't an accusing one, but a statement. Gabrielle looked over her shoulder to Adrian and he had a grin on his face that could only be described as wicked. The future queen swallowed and looked back to the former royal couple. Alisha's mouth fell wide open as panic spread across her features, then she gathered herself.
"My love, you are wrong. Adrian has poisoned you against me. He's always hated me!" Adrian waved his hand.
"Save it, mother your game is up. I have released father from your love spell." Alisha's eyes widened even more.
"You son of a bitch!" She cried, and Adrian smirked.
"That's the truest statement you've ever said, mother." The former queen turned back to her husband.
"Oswald, don't let him do this! I love you." However, the former king ignored this as tears came from his eyes.
"Rachel..." He whispered, mourning the only woman he truly loved that had been lost to him by a power hungry woman. Now Alisha's face turned to panic to pure hate as she glared at her husband who wasn't paying attention to her.
"I am annulling your marriage now." Announced Adrian, this caught both of his parent's attention. "Father, I am going to release you and let you live on one of the royal houses at an island of your choosing. I pray you find a woman that will truly love you." Then he turned back to his mother.
"I don't trust you enough to release you. If you did you would be a danger to my soon to be wife." At this Alisha turned her attention back to Gabrielle, with her hateful glare. "Give it up mother, the prophecy has come true despite all you did, or perhaps because of what you did. A queen will take your place whose beauty will outshine yours and who will hold the hearts of the people and be greater than you will ever be."
"What the hell are you going to do to me?" Alisha asked her son in a growl.
"I'm going to keep you locked here and guarded only by my most trusted guards so I won't let any of your spies help you escape."
"I thought you would have me executed!" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, believe me mother. I want to, badly, but the kingdom would not like kindly on a king who committed matricide. So you get to live, but in a cell." He gestured to a guard who then opened the former King Oswald's cell. The new king motioned for another guard.
"Take my father to my office." Then he spoke to another guard, "And take my mother back to her cell." Alisha let out a stream of foul language which only seemed to affect Gabrielle because Adrian and Oswald ignored her. She felt Adrian gently grasp her wrist.
"Let's go." They all walked out of the dungeons, except for the former queen who was still screeching behind them. Gabrielle thanked Hestia when she out of the queen's cries. When the got back to the lower level of the palace her fiance turned to her.
"I need to speak to my father. I know you will understand, you are free to do what you want for the rest of the day." Gabrielle gave a nod, as father and son walked off. The future queen was thankful that she didn't have a lesson with Kianda today, or there would be no way she would be able to focus. On days without Kianda she would ride to the lake and shoot her swan arrows, but she didn't want to do that. She was too in shock from the events she had just seen. Instead she wondered too the library, but she wasn't in search of anything to read instead she wanted to wonder around in a quiet place.
She entered the library and just did that. Wondering around the silent library, until she wondered to the far end she had never been into before, full of dusty tomes about mostly encyclopedia information. Then she heard it.
"So Duchess Laura really was executed for treason for spying? Are we sure she was ever a real spy?" That voice, she recognized it. That was Rosella. But what was she doing in the library, she knew her older stepsister had changed, but to be in a library? Then she heard another voice, a male one.
"Well, that is debatable there are arguments on both sides?" That voice...it was familiar.
"But what do you think, Peter?" Asked Rosella. That voice, it was Peter the dwarf she had introduced her sister too on that day she had rescued her from Annetta. Gabrielle started to move to where she heard the couples voices.
"I personally think she was innocent. I think her cousin wanted her out of the way and paid off the judge."
"I was thinking that too." agreed Rosella. Finally, Gabrielle stealthy made her way over to the where the could hear the voices and she poked her head around the corner. There sat Rosella on a pillow on the ground with her full attention focused on Peter who was sitting at a desk with an old volume in front of him. Peter gave Rosella a nod,
"Now, let's move on to our next lesson about how King Daniel's paranoia eventually cost him the throne..." Then the dwarf looked up and spotted Gabrielle's blonde head peaking around the corner. Oh, no looks like she had been caught. But was she really seeing something she wasn't suppose too?
"looks like we have a guest." Peter announced. Rosella turned herself and eye blue eyes meet Gabrielle's green ones. Then the curly haired girl smiled and got up from her pillow to go greet her stepsister with a hug. Even though Gabrielle had over a week to experince to experince the 'new' Rosella she wasn't quite use too her. She was expecting any moment for her spoiled brat behavior to return at full force.
"Um...was I interrupting something?" Gabrielle asked hesitantly. Rosella shook her head.
"No, you came at a perfect time. We just finished our lesson on how King Daniel executed the Duchess Laura." She told her
"I see...but Rosella...when did you become interested in things...like history?" She didn't mean that in a mean way, but her sister had never shown interest in books, or any such thing, and Isodara encouraged it
"Oh...will that day after you brought me to the library, Peter spoke to me and I was impressed by how intelligently he spoke and all that. Then through our conversation he learned how little I knew about history. He looked very embarrassed for me. I never thought a man would look, or feel embarrassed for a dumb girl my mother always said that no man wanted to marry a woman that was smarter than him. When I told Peter that he said it was ridiculous! He said that any man who thought like that wasn't worth marrying a beautiful girl like me." Then she gave a laugh, "After he called me beautiful, he had the most adorable blush on his face."
Gabrielle looked over to Peter and could see his face had turned red again, but it also had a smile too it. Rosella continued her story.
"Then he offered to give me a history lesson. I will admit...I was a bit hesitant at first. But I figured I had nothing better to do so I let Peter teach me and it to my surprise it was utterly fascinating the way he spoke and described events that happened before even my grandmother was born. I remember my old history tutor was such a bore that I often fell asleep during class." Gabrielle remembered that Estelle had mentioned how dull most of their tutors were and now she couldn't quite blame Estelle for it.
"It was going along swimmingly, then...a guard came into the library calling for my name." At this Rosella gave a grimace. Gabrielle braced herself for what she knew was coming.
"That was when they informed me that you were missing and I knew at once my stepmother was involved. She had come to me earlier wondering where you were and I told her about your meeting with Kianda on that path and she quickly rushed away." A look of pure shame crossed Rosella's delicate features. "I knew at this point it was all my fault with the letters I had sent her accusing you of every crime under the sun and telling her where you were. I never thought she would go so far. Back then, I just wanted her to take you home, that's it." A few tears were now starting to roll down Rosella's cheeks.
"Rosella-" Gabrielle said in a gentle voice, pulling back a loose blonde hair from out of her stepsister's face. "-it's not your fault, not at all. Isodara was on the queen's payroll. She would have come for me, your letters, or not."
"But back then, I didn't know my mother was conspiring with the queen. I thought it was all my fault, so I started crying and Peter asked me what was wrong and I went back to my room and cried some more. Guilt started to torment my body. I tried to make excuses for myself, but I couldn't. I just laid there and sobbed until I heard a knock at the door and thought it was a maid bringing me dinner and I cried that I didn't want anything. But instead I heard Peter's voice asking to come in. At first, I wanted to send him away, but I couldn't. I needed someone to talk to so I invited him in." At this Rosella's expression changed, to one of happiness.
"Oh, Gabrielle, I poured out my whole heart to him and I thought he would think I was the lowest scum for my treatment of you, but he didn't he just listened patiently with such kindness. I have never poured my heart out to someone before. I couldn't do it to mother because when I was little, before Estelle was born, I would be punished for bothering her, so I learned to keep it in. I know I am emotional, but the truth is I keep so much of myself in that often the tantrums and spoiled brat attitude was my way of dealing with the frustrations of living up to my mother's expectations of me." Gabrielle was impressed at such a thing, in truth Gabrielle had thought Isodara had a great deal of influence over Rosella, but until now she never understood it ran so deep. But then again, still waters run deep. Rosella was not yet done with the story.
"I confessed with all my heart all my feelings and what I had done to you and I was crying the whole time and thinking that by the time I was done that Peter would think I was the most ugly person to ever exist, but he was gentle and understanding. He never condoned my behavior though and I didn't want him too. Then at the end he told me that no one is too late to change and he said the proof that I was now regretting meant somewhere deep inside that I was a truly good person." Rosella looked around to Peter who had now recovered from his blush, but still showed happiness on his face.
"I have been called many thing in my life, some good and others bad...but now one has told me I was, or had the potential to be a good person." Rosella looked back over to Peter.
"Rosella..." Gabrielle was feeling very overwhelmed by this, first King Oswald and now the confession of what had made Rosella change.
"From that day on, I made a vow to become the person I wanted to be, not the person my mother wanted and I would have never done it without Peter. I am so thankful toward him." Gabrielle looked back at the dwarf.
"Thank you, Peter...thank you so much." Peter gave a bow of his head.
"It was nothing, Lady Gabrielle. She did most of the work, but I just lead her a helping hand." Rosella turned and went back to Peter and Gabrielle gave a happy sigh.
"Well, I should be going, I don't want to keep you from your lesson anymore." They said their goodbyes and the future queen left feeling much better. Another week passed and things returned to their normal routine. Then one day in the library, Miss Goose came to see her, along with a servant.
"Oh Gabrielle," cried the fae in happiness. "Your wedding dress is ready." Gabrielle smiled at her.
"Did you have a hand in it, Miss Goose?" The fae shook her head.
"I haven't even seen it, yet. I wanted us to see it together!" Gabrielle gave a nod, while she never planned a dream wedding gown like many other girls did, she couldn't help, but be excited to see her's. They started to walk down the hallways toward the tailor's workshop.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Gabrielle the King will also be with us to inspect it." Gabrielle gave a look of surprise.
"But isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?"
"In most cases yes, but since Adrian is King it is his job to oversee the wedding and find the gown acceptable and appropriate." Gabrielle gave a nod that made sense. They trio finally entered the tailor's workshop and they noticed a large curtain was covering part of the room. Gabrielle guessed behind it that was where her dress was. She could hear someone rustling behind it and soon the shortest man Gabrielle had ever seen (who was not a dwarf) stepped out. He was dressed in bright purple clothes that seemed to glitter in the light. He was bald, but had a gray goatee and had what looked like on heavy make-up to hide his wrinkles, which wasn't really working. His smile faded when he saw her and looked her up and down.
"Are...you Lady Gabrielle? King Adrian's bride?" His tone had some worry in it and Gabrielle had no idea why.
"Why..yes...yes I am." The tailor narrowed his eyes as he looked over her again.
"I am just surprised, I always thought that a prince would have...more refined taste in a queen. I would have expected you to be a mistress just by looking at your plain face and clothes." Gabrielle felt a rush of shame pass through her? Plain? Did Adrian think she was plain? She suddenly felt very self conscious. But not Miss Goose.
"How dare you insult the future queen like that! Gabrielle is a beautiful girl and if you insult her looks you are directly insulting the king and his taste in women. You should be fired for such arrogance!" The tailor looked unmoved by the fae's anger.
"I was just making an observation, madam." He turned away, "Well, I take it the future queen wishes to see her gown?" The tailor didn't seem happy that such a plain girl was going to wear the dress he designed.
"Yes..." She spoke hesitantly, "Yes...sir, I would." Even with Miss Goose's claims she was beautiful, she was now feeling extremely self conscious.
"Well then," The tailor gave the curtain a tug and it failed down to reveal the dress. Both Gabrielle and Miss Goose gasped. The first thing that struck Gabrielle was the size of it, it was so huge that she didn't think she could even get through the temple with it on or walk down the aisle without hitting some poor guest. But that was not the worse part, the skirt of the gown was decorated in a bright pink ruffly material along with leopard skin that seemed to be sewn on randomly. The bodice was covered in glittery and far too many sparkly gems and it's top was so immodestly cut that Gabrielle couldn't even see herself wearing it in private.
Gabrielle turned to the fae and she had the most horrified expression that Gabrielle had ever seen on her, Gabrielle became worried that the fae might faint. The tailor turned to them with a smug look on his face.
"I see...that my design has rendered you speechless." Gabrielle had to admit he was right about that. She wondered if Miss Goose was going to say anything, but she was still in shock from the sight of the wedding gown to even speak. It looks like Gabrielle would have to break it to him.
"Um...I appreciate your work, Sir, but the wedding dress...is a bit too...much" The tailor's mouth fell open.
"What do you mean, girl! This is the height of fashion. If you tried it on you would change your mind." He started to reach for her, but Gabrielle backed away, then they both heard a voice.
"Burn it!" The looked to see Adrian at the doorway with a look of absolute disgust on his face. The tailor looked in shock.
"But your...majesty, I did my best to make the gown the height of fashion!"
"I don't give a damn. I have fought many battles and seen horrific things, but nothing comes close to that pink and leopard skin monstrosity before me."
"But...but...but-" The tailor tried to stagger out. The Miss Goose got over her shock and went over to the king.
"Your majesty, I have to tell you that this tailor greeted your future queen with the absolute insufferable rudeness I've ever seen! He called her plain and implied you had poor taste for choosing her and he said Gabrielle was more suited to be a mistress than your wife." Now Adrian's face turned from one of disgust to outright furry. The tailor tried to explain himself, but it was clear that Adrian didn't care.
"Guards!" He called, and they came right away, "Take this tailor and have his things packed and throw him out the door. I do not want to see his face ever again." Now the tailor was in tears and Gabrielle couldn't help, but feel sorry for him. The blonde went over to him and gently placed her hand on his shaking shoulder.
"Now...maybe we can-" but before she could finish her sentence the tailor turned sharply toward her and slapped her hand away with such force that Gabrielle gave out a cry of pain. The tailor was about to yell something at her, but before he could Adrian had him by the wrist, of the hand that had struck Gabrielle, in his hand and he bent it back at a sharp angle and a crack of bone could be heard causing Gabrielle to wince. The tailor gave a scream of pain and Adrian released him from his grip.
"Guards take him to the dungeon, now!" The tailor, still cradling his broken wrist to the king, turned to him.
"You are sending me to the dungeons? But I haven't had a fair trial, yet."
"Yes, you have your fate was sealed the moment you dared to strike my bride." The tailor tried to protest more, but the guards just carried him off, once the guards took him off; Adrian called in more guards.
"Take that thing." He said indicating to the dress, "And have it burned." In a rather comical sight the big, burly guards had trouble trying to maneuver the pink monstrosity out of the room and finally the trio was alone. The king still looked furious and Gabrielle wasn't sure what to say. Then Miss Goose cleared her throat.
"Sire.." She bowed to Adrian, "Do you remember the wedding dress that Lady Gabrielle wore to the ball that night?"
"Yes...it was very beautiful. I take it you made it?" She gave a nod,
"It was originally for her mother, Lady Rachel, but I designed it. If you would give me the honor your majesty, I would like the chance to design Lady Gabrielle's wedding dress." Adrian paused thinking this over.
"I will give you the chance to do so." Miss Goose was now glowing.
"Thank you, so much, your majesty. I am above honored." The rest of the day passed rather normally, but the whole palace had heard of what had happened and Gabrielle could hear the whispers.
"I can't believe that the tailor would strike the king's bride?"
"I am still in shock that he actually broke his wrist over it. I never seen or heard of Adrian getting so worked up over anyone, especially a woman."
"I think it was rather romantic. I wish my husband would stand against anyone who treated me like that" Gabrielle overheard this and more. She ended up going to the library and trying to sit down with Rosella for a lesson from Peter. However, Rosella was in the mood to gossip about the wedding dress and tailor. Looks like some things don't change. She gave her stepsister the facts and answered her questions the best she could. Finally, it was time for her dinner with Adrian.
"My father left today, I found an island that we both agreed he would like to live on." Adrian started the conversation.
"Oh, that is wonderful, your majesty, I pray to Hestia that your father is happy with his new life."
"Speaking of Hestia, I have decided to dedicate the wedding altar to her instead of Hera, since she is your patron goddess."
"Oh, I am happy...but isn't that against tradition?"
"It is, but to be honest I prefer Hestia to Hera and besides Hera is my mother's patron goddess and I don't want you to be associate with that Goddess, or my mother in any way."
"Oh, I see." The dinner continued in silence for a little while more.
"You have my permission now, to visit the carpenter's widow." Gabrielle looked up in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes, I have deemed the town safe and stable enough for you to travel in." He continued to eat his food and Gabrielle sipped her tea.
"Thank you, your majesty."
"You are welcome, Gabrielle." The next morning, Gabrielle had her usual breakfast with her stepsisters . It was rather sad to think that the wedding was drawing closer and closer and soon this would come to an end, the day she would marry the king.
After breakfast, she was dressed in a bit fancier dress than usual since this was her first trip in public. It was a pink dress with white trimmings and lacing, along with roses embodied done along the pink skirt and bodice. A part of her blonde hair was braided into a crown surrounding her head while the rest of it hung down loosely. She wore a simple heart shaped rose quartz necklace to complete it.
She was ready as she would ever be. She swallowed, and was escorted into a royal carriage by a guard. It felt so strange to be in a royal carriage. Should she even be in it? Considering that she wasn't even married to Adrian, yet. Then again, Adrian probably wanted people to know their future queen was in the capitol. She took a deep breathe as the carriage started. The cushions in the carriage was much more comfortable than a normal carriage, and even the curtains were finally decorated.
As the carriage continued on it's journey Gabrielle would look outside and could see her carriage was attracting attention. Oswald, Alisha, and Adrian rarely left the palace for anything casual and it was drawing looks and whispers, and some not so whispers.
"Is that Lady Gabrielle? The future queen?" one of the commoners asked another.
"Blonde hair and green eyes, that matches her description."
"She's beautiful...far more beautiful than Queen Alisha was even in her youth." At this, Gabrielle gave a blush. But the prophecy came back to her, a queen will come more beautiful and loved than you. Would the people really love her? She would be Adrian's wife and he was so feared, why not fear his queen as well?
"Did you hear that her stepmother made her a slave in her own house?" Came another voice into the carriage. Gabrielle's eyes widened. How...how did they know about that? What did Adrian tell them? She panic a bit as she thought a reason to why he would admit such a thing, then it occurred to her it was to gain sympathy from the people. Also to let them know the girl who was going to be the queen was once treated as the lowest of the low.
"But is it true?" Came a female voice.
"According to reports from the village she's from, yes. They say they saw the girls going into trips to town to dressed in the worse of rags and they had no idea she was even noble." Still the voices came.
"Did you hear that her voice was so beautiful that it even moved Pri-King Adiran to spare a man's life?"
"Did you also hear that she escaped from a tower when her stepmother kidnapped her by herself?" What had Adrian done? She didn't want the town to know all this. But what could she do know, complaining, or comforting Adrian wouldn't do a lick of good know that it was out. It looks like she would have to endure it.
Finally, the carriage stopped and Gabrielle looked out to see a poor hovel of a home. The guard opened the door and escorted her out. When she stepped out, several children playing on the street stopped their game and starred at her. Then one bold child asked.
"Are you the woman marrying the king?" Gabrielle gave a small nod and the children's faces broke into smiles. Then Gabrielle got an idea. She ushered a guard forward and handed him a purse and then whispered instruction into his ear. The guard gave a confused look, but Gabrielle him a nod of conformation. The guard went away, while another one followed her up to the small hovel. She knocked on the door and could hear rustling inside. Then the door slowly creaked open to reveal a middle age woman dressed in a worn out brown dress and patch covered apron.
She gave a gasp at the sight of her, not understanding for a moment while a well dress noble woman would be at her door. Then her tired brown eyes looked passed Gabrielle to see what was clearly a royal carriage. Then it dawned on her. She quickly went into a bow.
"Your majesty,!" She cried. Gabrielle was not use to people giving her such respect and honestly she didn't want it.
"You may rise, Miss. I am not 'majesty', yet." The woman rose back up, still in shock at the arrival of the future queen at her doorstep.
"Would it be a bother for you, if I came in?" Gabrielle humbly asked.
"Are you sure..." She stuttered out, "My place is pitiful."
"It is all right, I slept on a bed of straw in a kitchen for over a decade." The woman nodded and opened the door to lead her into it. The guard tried to follow Gabrielle in, but she signaled him to stay out. The door closed behind her and the woman lead her to the small kitchen and put a fire on and a tea kettle. She ushered Gabrielle to sit down at the table.
"What is your name?" She asked the woman, who gave a little jump. A part of her wondered if the woman thought that Gabrielle's, the future queen, appearance here was just part of some strange dream she was having.
"My name...my name is Alice." She said, as the tea boiled.
"Alice, here you can just call me Gabrielle, no need for 'lady, or 'your majesty'" Alice paused at this, but gave a nod. Then silence passed as Gabrielle waited for the tea to be ready so Alice could set down. Finally, the kettle let off steam and Alice poured tea into two cups and placed one in front of the future queen. Then she took her seat across from Gabrielle.
"Alice...I am here to offer my condolences for the lose of your husband. I have been told he was the only civilian to be killed in my...future husband's take over of the kingdom." A sad look came over Alice's weathered features at this and she gave a simple nod.
"Yes, he was the only one. Thank you for your condolences...Gabrielle."
"Alice...I want to help you and your daughters. You are a widow without a son to support or defend you. I want to help you in any way I can." Alice's dark eyes widened
"But your maj-Gabrielle, your husband to be has already paid for my husband's funeral. I do not want to ask too much of royalty. I am just a simple commoner." Gabrielle then gave the woman a firm look.:
"Why does that matter?" She asked, "You lost someone close to you and it was because of the ambitions of the man I am having to marry. I want to help you. King Adrian has given me a generous allowance and I can give a part of it to you, every month." She had discussed this over with Adrian at previous dinners and he had agreed.
"But-but-I can't accept this...of royalty." Alice gasped, Gabrielle looked around the pitiful hovel.
"I don't think you have a choice." Alice lowered her head in acknowledgment of this.
"Now that's settle tell me about your daughters. I bet they are wonderful and beautiful." Alice smiled at that and they began to talk for a good half hour until a guard knocked on the door telling her that her time was up. Gabrielle bowed to Alice before taking her leave. Outside was a group of children with freshly baked pastries in their hands. When Gabrielle came out, they all waved to her and gave cries of thanks. Gabrielle had sent the guard to get them treats from the bakery. Gabrielle waved goodbye, as she climbed in the carriage.
When the future queen arrived back at the castle, she made the arrangements to send Alice part of her allowance automatically every month. Truth be told it was a rather small part (The only amount that Adrian would let her give away), but it would be more than enough to sustain Alice and her daughters.
The next week passed and Gabrielle was getting nervous as she saw more of the wedding perpetrations being done. They were much smaller than one would expect of a royal wedding, but they were still rather grand because it was still a royal wedding.
Then one afternoon, while reading a guard came to inform her that Miss Goose had finished her wedding dress. Gabrielle's heart grew anxious while she had no doubt that Miss Goose would do a wonderful job, but the incident with the tailor had made her nervous about wedding dresses. She came into Miss Goose's new tailor room and gasped at what she saw.
There was a pure white gone with a generous, but not too big skirt with a white slash around the waist. The bodice to the breast was a solid white, but covering the collar bone and arm was delicate lacing. Above it was a veil that had a white crown to it and the lace of the veil went to almost above her elbow.
"Do you like it?" She heard Miss Goose and she turned to see her.
"Oh...it's beautiful...too beautiful for me."
"Nonsense, Gabrielle you are marrying the king." Suddenly, dread grew inside her, she was really getting married and would be queen. She would have so many responsibility and duties as both a wife and queen? How could she manage, as though sensing her anxiety, Miss Goose touched her shoulder.
"You will be a great queen, Gabrielle, and a fae doesn't lie."
Fun facts, the wedding dress that the tailor made was inspired by a wedding dress off the show Gypsy Sisters. To see the dress type in Mellie's wedding dress Gypsy sisters on youtube and I TLC clip will show you it. The wedding dress Miss Goose designed was inspired by Grace Kelly's wedding dress when she married the King of Monaco. It is also rumored that the Grace Kelly dress inspired Kate Middleton's wedding dress.