Royal Mess

Chapter Eighteen

March 2221

I spent some time in the dining hall with Amelie the following day. She was also aware of the fact that rebels from the North had tried to attack the palace in recent times. She gave me a look of sympathy as she spoke again.

"I promise you there is little to fear, Trixie," she told me.

"How do you know that?" I asked her.

"I'm also a Pagan," she explained, "And I have practiced my own magic before. And I can assure you that although it exists, it is not going to alter the course of this world," she stated.

She quietened her voice as we both heard Diane enter the dining hall then. I could tell it was her, before I even looked up from my pumpkin pie, as she was gently humming a royal palace tune.

She looked like an actual angel at times: today the queen was wearing white- a long white gown, and she had her gorgeous golden hair arranged into a fishtail braid at the side of her head, swooping down over her shoulder.

She smiled to me, revealing her pearly white teeth, and that smile only further served to convince me that she was in fact an angel.

I rested my hand on my neck, just over my birthmark, as I watched as King Nicholas entered the dining hall.

"I'll see you later, Trixie," Amelie whispered to me, heading away.

The king walked towards me and smiled.

"I hope you are well, Trixie," he said to me.

"You too, your majesty," I said.

"You know you can drop the formalities, Trixie," he reminded me then.

He had told me this before, but it just didn't seem right.

Sure, I may be carrying royal blood, but I was not royal myself.

I just gave him an appreciative smile at that.

"Thank you, sir, but I really can't," I said.

"So respectful," he muttered.

I just gave him a sincere look back.

"How's the breakfast?" he asked me.

I looked back towards the pancakes piled high on my plate, then. Perhaps you could say that I had taken a few too many, but hey, I was still eating for two. And I would be for another five months, now.

"It is delicious, thank you," I replied.

He grinned.

Before he could say anything more, Lord Roberto then entered the hall, and smiled my way as he came to speak with us.

"How are you doing your majesty?" he asked.

"I am well, Roberto," the king replied with a gentle smile.

It was safe to say that most of the occupants of the palace much preferred Roberto to his wife, but we would never say that out loud, of course.

"And you, Trixie?" he asked me.

"Also well, you?" I asked.

"I am okay. A little anxious after those rumours of rebels invading but... I know that we are well protected here," he said.

"Indeed," the king chimed in, then, "Rest assured that you will be perfectly safe here, Roberto," he said.

Roberto looked towards him with an appreciative expression.

I just managed another bite of my pancakes.

"If they do invade, though-" he started.

"We will be just fine. The soldiers are strong. I have seen them training for battle myself," I told him, then, and he simply gave a nod in response.