Kathani was still frozen in a state of shock as the Queen stared at her with her sharp eyes. "Walk with me child."
It took a few seconds before she realized that the Queen was descending down the terrace stairs and asked her to follow.
She hurriedly walked a few steps behind the Queen as they walked towards her huge gardens.
There they crossed the guards who bowed to their Queen.
"I do not want to be disturbed." She told the guards as they continued walking towards the stone benches near the fountain.
Once she was comfortably seated she patted the space beside her. "Join me Lady Bridgerton."
Despite her heart thundering inside her Kathani tried to remain calm as she settled beside the Queen on the stone bench.
"When I was young." The Queen began with an amusing smile on her face. "I was a very curious child and loved learning new things, especially those which my parents used to say are no concern for young girls like me, especially everything they were teaching my brother.."
She then stared at Kathani as she leaned in to whisper her secret. "Even then I was not the one to follow the rules so sometimes I would dress up in my brother's clothes and join him as his friend for his lessons. Blessed my sweet brother who always encouraged me, in fact after my papa passed away he hired a tutor for me so I could learn everything I wanted to learn."
Kathani was shocked to hear this similar story and while she tried to process this Queen grabbed her hand and touched the signet ring on her finger. "Forty years I had worn this ring and each time it left a mark on my finger like the first time I took it off."
Kathani eyes widen as Queen pulls out ring to show the mark left on her finger making her head snapped at Queen who was still examining her finger with amused look in her eyes.
"Earlier during the trophy ceremony?" Kathani began.
"I noticed the mark but even if it was not there I would still have recognized a fellow impostor, impersonating her brother."
Kathani felt her face heating up as the Queen patted her hand in comfort. "Now tell me child, why are you impersonating as your brother in one of the most prestigious universities in the world."
So Kathani began from the beginning and as her story continues Queen eyes turned from amusement, to sympathetic and finally thoughtful.
The second Kathani concluded her story the Queen looked surprised as she asked. "Lord Bridgerton and his family along with young Simon Bassett are supporting you in your quest?! This is truly surprising."
Fear rising in her heart Kathani start begging for her husband and family to be spared. "Please your Majesty! I beg you to punish me instead of them! They were just trying to support me as I tried to keep my brother's place secure in case he ever returned. If you want to punish anyone then please just punish me!"
"Punishment! No, No, No child, you have completely misunderstood this situation. I could never dream of punishing a remarkable girl like you! No, never! in fact if you work with me then your secret will turn into a blessing for the next generation of girls.
Kathani looked dumbstruck at the Queen's face which was lit with sudden excitement as she continued. "For years I have been trying to change our education system so that women can have equal opportunities to pursue any academic field they want but those snobbish Lords of parliament and scholars are refusing my wish because they think girls are too fragile to compete with men!"
At that both Kathani and Queen scoff at these idiots ignorance.
"Some men can be so full of their egos!" Kathani began feeling angry about this injustice women have to face. "We women are as much capable of achieving things as these men are and if I daresay we could even surpass them if opportunity presents itself."
"Well said Lady Bridgerton!" The Queen beamed in approval. "Our lives are governed by them! We are dependent upon our male members of family for our lives. Now I agree marriage and family are important factors of our society but not every woman can get married nor is she fortunate enough to live less than their husbands. It's saddened me that widows and spinsters are left on mercy for others to provide for them."
Queen Charlotte then turned towards Kathani and grabbed her hand as she stared at her face with new hope. "But you are my remarkable child! You went beyond any woman dared to do in your situation. The way you risk everything to protect your family and loved ones is truly admirable and today when the Oxford Principal called you the best student their university has ever seen, well it gave me hope for my wish to finally come true!"
Kathani frowned in confusion as she asked. "How can I possibly help a Queen achieve her greatest wish?"
"By continuing with your studies my child. For the sake of the next generation of women you have to top each exam you take and become the best student of Oxford history!"
Kathani bit her lip nervously as she tried to tone down Queen's excitement. "Your Majesty, I am only there because of my brother but once he returned..."
The Queen cut her off as she said impatiently. "If your brother is alive, which I hope he is but still it could take months or years until he can get rescued so until then you are stuck in that place but if you do as I say then I promise you that no harm will ever come to you or your family. After your studies are completed I will tell everyone you were my experiment as prove that girls are as able to get an education as boys. Because of your success, I will get chance to open school and university for women's education and do not worry Lady Bridgerton, I will make you Principal of that school and I promise to pay for your brother's education when he returns and give him highly paid job in my court."
Kathani stared at the Queen's offer with wonder. As she said, this opens so many possibilities for women like her.
"So Lady Bridgerton what say you?" The Queen inquires but before she could reply they heard noises nearby and sure enough Anthony and Simon were there besides the guards looking worriedly at her.
The Queen clapped her hands letting guards know to let them pass.
She watched as these two young men approached them quickly but nervously. "Your Majesty!" They bowed as their eyes filtered between both women.
"You know I never thought I would ever meet men like my brother and husband again who would support a woman's dream but luckily I met you two." Simon's mouth hung open while Anthony spluttered. "Your Majesty?"
The Queen stood up and held her hand out for Kathani as she asks. "So Lady Bridgerton are you going to help me out with my dream project?"
Kathani stared at her husband and Simon, who looked a little pale as she gave them an assuring smile. "It will be my honour!"
The Queen clapped cheerfully as she beamed. "Splendid! So from now on I want monthly updates on your studies and I am sure Lord Bridgerton and Lord Bassett will assist you anyway they can and during your holidays you and I will get together to work on our project."
Anthony was ready to pass out as Queen walked closer to him and lightly tapped his cheek. "Get a grip on yourself! I need you focus so you can help your wife achieve my dreams!'
With that the Queen smile at Kathani and left already planning a head the things she needs to do and the structure of the world's first ever school and university for women named after herself.
Late at night at Bridgerton house Viscount Bridgerton found himself feeling restless as he paced worriedly inside his room.
Kathani was watching her husband from their bed as she sighed. "Anthony, come here darling, let's sleep because we need to travel early in the morning."
But when he did not stop his pacing she sighed and crawled towards the edge of their bed and grabbed her husband wrist. Startled, Anthony turned to stare at his wife looking at him as she tugged him closer.
Before he knew it, he was sitting beside his wife as she tilted his face towards her. "What is the matter darling? I thought after hearing Queen proposition you would be relieved because now, God forbids if anything goes wrong we will have her protection..."
"I am delighted about that! Truly! The Queen's proposal will not only open so many possibilities but also keep you protected from any harm but still I am scared for your wellbeing."
Kathani looked confused as her husband's eyes filled with unseen troubles. "Why are you scared? After all nothing is going to change for me. It's not like I am going to do anything different from before?"
"You are wrong sweetheart, I know you better than yourself and I know that from now on you will start studying harder, you will push yourself to be best and I am afraid the stress of these new expectations will affect your health."
Kathani opened her mouth to deny but her husband shook his head as he kissed her forehead. "I just want you to know that you do not need to put extra strain on yourself and I promise I will do everything to help you out."
She smiled as she embraced her husband and assured him in soothing voice. "Then you have nothing to fear because as long as I have you by my side, I can achieve anything I want."
And in her husband's arms Kathani let a new hope blossom in her heart, a hope for better future.