A Different World

CHAPTER 20: Growing

Location: Obscurity Forest, Night Kingdom

We had a small party for Frederick and invited Nellie, Cornelius, Rosalie, and Ingrid. Frederick seemed to have taken a liking to Ingrid and was always talking to her about strategies during his free time.

"Dr. Charice, you made it.... Oh, you are real, hi lovely wife of Dr. Charice" Ingrid said taking Rosalie's hand and kissing it. "That's enough Ingrid," Cornelius said grabbing Rosalie's hand. "Fine, it's just you never mentioned how lovely she was" Ingrid responded. "He didn't?" Rosalie responded. "I'm joking he mentioned it a few times, by the way, Doctor, I'll report the updates, First I'm commander now yay. Second uh yeah their relationship is advancing... also, it's starting to get around the castle... health wise she's really strong I sparred with her and almost died." Ingrid responded. "Of course she sparred with you when I strictly told her to rest, congrats on your promotion" Cornelius responded.

"Thank you?" Ingrid replied before being called by Naeva and leaving the room to accompany Nellie and Frederick to the garden.

"Now that I'm older can I start training?" Frederick asked as he walked over towards me during the party. "I didn't mean one year older sweetie, ask again in a few years" I answered ruffling his hair. "...Okay" he answered a bit disappointed sitting next to me to play with Lucius. "Frederick I can teach you how to manage your father's company. It will be yours when you get older" Nellie said. "Yeah, but I still want to train..." Frederick answered. "You don't need that leave that to the guards" Nellie responded. Frederick just pouted without saying much more than that.

"When will you be coming to visit little prince," Nellie said looking at Lucius. "Your brother always comes to visit me you know" She continued. "I'm sorry for not visiting, I've been busy here" I responded. "Yes, I know. I've heard a lot about you from my friends. You're started be known as an eccentric Queen." She replied looking over towards me. "Good to know" I answered. "Naeva, maybe you should get some tips from the Lavine's, they're very well respected and know very well how to rule" She suggested. "Tips? I manage well on my own. I don't want to turn my kingdom into the reflection of another, I have my methods" I answered. "Sweetie, you're still young and fairly new to this lifestyle they can help" She insisted.

"I visited my people, I spent time with them. I saw how they live, I lived with them once. That's experience that the Lavine's lack they spend time in cooped up in their castle and hardly know their people. The people respect me as a person, not a monarch because they know me" I responded. "You may have done things this way before, but you cannot just act you have to think clearly. Consider your safety when you travel and what others will view you as" She continued. "My safety is not my concern, I meet my people with minimal guards to be approachable. How others see me, That's minor they'll get used to it in time" I replied. "I'm sorry, You're no longer who I knew. What happened to the sweet joyful girl I met?" She said standing up.

"She woke up to reality" I answered looking up. "Frederick, why don't you go show me around the garden?" Nellie said shifting her gaze towards Frederick. "Okay," he said jumping from his chair. "Ingrid, accompany them," I said since she had been standing on the side this whole time. "Yes, ma'am," She said hurrying behind them. "Is your advisor working? I haven't seen him all day?" Cornelius said walking over. "Winston said he'd rather not come since he feels out of place," I responded. "Looks like he's finally getting a hint," Rosalie said walking over. "I see, you're following your parent's footsteps Rosalie" I replied.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked. "I wonder" I answered standing up. "Naeva, Rosalie calm down," Cornelius said standing in the middle seeing it wasn't leading anywhere good.. "Oh, I'm perfectly calm" I responded. "You insult me to defend him?!" Rosalie continued, she had known Naeva for a long time yet she was defending someone she hardly knew. "Was that an insult to you, I was just making a comment" I replied. "If you weren't holding Lucius right now," she said before being interrupted "Rosalie," Cornelius said stopping her seeing some guards were starting to get closer. "You'd what?" I replied with a smirk. "We're leaving, let's go Cornelius," She said turning around and Cornelius following close behind. I took a deep breath and sat back down, "My precious prince don't leave mommy too" I said caressing Lucius hair as he tried to pull mine.

"Why did you stop me are you on my side or her's" Rosalie responded. "Rosalie it's not about that, look I'm just as mad as you but Naeva is a Queen if you even lay a hand on her you could be executed" Cornelius responded. "Ugh, the fact she knows that very well did you see her face ugh," Rosalie said. "I know" Cornelius responded.

The others returned a bit after, "Where are the others?" Frederick asked. "They went back home because they're busy" I answered. "Aunty, are you gonna stay over?" Frederick asked looking up at her. "I would love to dear, I'm sure your mom won't oppose" she replied glancing up towards me. "Go ahead, I have no problem," I said walking out of the room with Lucius and Ingrid following. "What happened? You seem in a bad mood ma'am" Ingrid said catching up. "I'm fine just a bit tired, Lucius needs his nap. Please keep them company" I said making my way to my room.

After setting Lucius down in his crib I heard a knock on my door "May I come in?" Winston said opening the door. "First time you knock" I replied before I felt his arms around my waist. "I heard you got in a fight with your friends so I thought I come to check how you're feeling," he said kissing my neck. "You know what we're doing, is wrong right?" I said placing my hands over his hands. "Since when do you care about right and wrong" he replied kissing me. "I just don't want to hurt you when it comes to an end" I replied as he continued kissing as he slowly unbuttoned my clothes. "It doesn't matter now so don't worry about it," he said slowly pushing me towards the wall. "You always find a way to find me when I need you," I said kissing him back loosening his cravat and unbuttoning his shirt as well. "You're just so hard to forget and leave," he said biting my ear.

There was a knock on the door. "Ma'am a letter arrived from the Lavine's," Ingrid said from the other side of the door. "Wait a minute," I said buttoning my shirt quickly as Winston still kissed me. "Stop it," I said pinching his cheek before making my way to the door. I opened it, Ingrid still stood there and handed the letter but wouldn't stop looking at my neck. "Sorry, did I interrupt something," She said looking in to see Winston with his shirt still unbutton sitting on my bedside. "What?" I asked confused and looked to see my reflection on her armor and found a hickey on my neck where he had kissed me a moment ago. I instantly turned towards him and he smirked. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone... I'll let you guys carry on" Ingrid said bowing before hurrying back. "You," I said walking over to him. The moment I arrived in front of he grabbed me and threw himself back so that I was on top of him. "Shall we continued" drawing me in closer. "Don't you have things to do?" I asked. "You're my priority," he said continuing.

As I removed his shirt I noticed the scars from the time with the manticore on his abdomen and placed a kiss over them. "You like to hide your scars," I said caressing them. "Just like you hide yours," he said grazing his hands over my scars in my back next to my wings. "I healed these wounds so let me be greedy and never show these scars to anyone but me," I said caressing his cheek. "Who else would I show it to but you," he said. We carried on for a while without interruption till Lucius woke up from his nap. "Did you wake up sweetie?" I said walking over to pick him up. "I wanna wake up to that Winston said sitting up. "Of course you do" I replied as I cradled Lucius. "It's getting late I should go get the papers ready for tomorrow's meeting," he said starting to get dress. "Yeah... Oh, Winston, you might wanna put your cravat a bit higher I said chuckling. He turned over to me for a moment and walked towards a mirror to find a hickey. "Ah, of course, you did," He said as he adjusted his collar. I gave him a devious smile as he made his way out. "Lucius I think mommy has gone mad," I said as soon as he closed the door behind him. "Don't worry my child you and your brother take up all my love" I said kissing Lucius forehead. We continued this way after that.