WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 8

Peter

Peter sat together with Flora and Hanno.

He could hear Marko and Leopold laughing in their room while he was drinking tea and eating bread with yogurt. A small snack, because he, Flora, and Hanno were hungry again. Fiete, Josefine, Finn, and Julia could not be heard. They were probably asleep. Flora and Hanno talked. Peter just listened.

"Well. I'm going to bed!", he finally announced with an exaggerated bow when he wasn't hungry anymore. Flora laughed. But when he couldn't find Fiete in their shared bedroom, he frowned. Is he sleeping in Juli's bed again? Yawning, he walked over and looked into the 'girls' room', as he often called it. Which annoyed Finn. But Finn was cute when he was upset, so Peter wouldn't stop it too quickly.

Julia had pushed her and Josefine's beds together. Finn slept next to her and she held Fiete and Josef in her arms. The two cats purred in their sleep. Of course. Fiete plays pet again... Looks cozy.

In fact, it was not uncommon for Fiete to sleep on Julia's bed or in her lap as a cat. Mostly, however, rather during the day. Smiling, he walked over to his (and Fiete's, but he preferred Juli right now) room.

Julia

In her dream, she heard screams. Flames flickered around her. Then she suddenly sat in a box and the elder of the elven village told her that he would sacrifice her for the good of his people. Leopold apologized to her, but he did not help her. The eldest grinned like a madman and held a torch in his hands...

Julia was startled by the dream. She blinked the last images of the dream out of her mind and sat up. Josef grumbled sleepily and rubbed his head against her arm. Fiete purred softly and stretched.

"Juli? What's going on?" Finn yawned.

"Nightmare!" She lifted Josef up and buried her face in his soft fur. Fiete curled up on her lap and continued to sleep.

"Again?" Finn sighed. "Was it the fire?"

Julia nodded. "The attack, the kidnapping... It was a terrible dream."

"They were also terrible experiences. I also dream about it sometimes." Finn sat down next to her and rested his head on her shoulder. Josef purred softly and rubbed his head against her cheek.

"The worst thing was that Leo didn't help me in my dream." She sighed. "It's been three years. Why can't I forget it?"

"Hm... I do not know. Maybe because it's not over yet? We live here. In exile, so to speak."

"Finn? Do you miss your family?"

"Yes. Of course. But I have long resigned myself to the fact that I will not see them again. Marko feels the same way. That's what he told me. And you?"

"I just miss my siblings." Julia sighed and gave Josef another kiss. "But I have you. And Peter is here. Leo is here. His parents are wonderful. But sometimes... Sometimes I have the feeling that the queen is looking for me. In her visions. I don't want her to find me."

Josef meowed. His purr grew louder.

"I don't want that either. Let's keep sleeping, Juli." Finn kissed her cheek, then lay down again. Josef meowed approvingly.

Annemarie

"Torsten? Are you done? My aunt should be there at any moment!" She hurried to her bedroom, where Torsten changed. From the nursery, she heard the laughter of her children. The two nannies took care of them. "Hurry up! My parents insist that we greet them at the main entrance."

"I'm done, my beauty!" Torsten grinned. "The children stay here?"

"Yes. For now. They meet my aunt at lunch. Now come. Fast. Before we miss the welcome. Mother would be disappointed!"

"I'm coming!" Torsten laughed. He looked good. Annemarie nodded contentedly. Torsten wore a burgundy suit, matching her new trouser suit, which she had chosen. She didn't feel like wearing a dress. Her mother called the garment 'futuristic' and 'cheeky'.

The two went to the main entrance, where their parents were already standing with some servants.

"Well, finally!" Her father shook his head. "I thought we had to greet Coletta without you. She hasn't been here for a long time. I don't want it to look like you don't care!"

"Of course." Torsten snorted. "I'm sure it wouldn't look like that."

"You never know!", the queen objected. "And you don't want to offend the family. My dear."

Then, finally, they heard a carriage. Servants opened the front door and received the guest, no, the guests. Coletta smiled happily and carried a little girl about two years old in her arms, who was babbling excitedly. Annemarie looked confused at her husband. The girl resembled him. Very much. Torsten also blinked and looked at the two with a furrowed brow. Now the eyes of the king and queen also wandered to him. Franka snorted. Then she greeted her sister as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn't just discovered a scandal.

"Colette! Sister!" The queen embraced the other vampire delightedly. "And that's your daughter?"

Coletta smiled like a pure innocent. "Yes, exactly. This is my Coralie."

The queen nodded. "A charming girl. Come in."

"And who is the father?" the king asked, instead of greeting her, looking skeptically at the child who looked at him with interest.

"Oh! It's a secret!" Coletta kissed her daughter and put her on the floor. "My little secret." Coralie immediately ran to one of the servants and greeted him with a cheerful 'hello'. She had long, blonde curls, Coletta's mouth, and red vampire eyes. But otherwise, she looked like Torsten. Annemarie could not believe what she saw. Was the little one his child?

"We are tired from the ride. I would like to rest", Coletta said.

The queen nodded and instructed one of the servants to escort Coletta and her daughter to one of the guest rooms. As soon as the two had disappeared, all eyes were on Torsten.

"Would you like to explain that to us?" the Queen asked immediately.

"I'm just as surprised. She can't be my child." Torsten looked at Annemarie. "I only have two children. With you, my darling."

"Are you sure?" The king wrinkled his nose. "The little one looks like you!"

"But I never have! No. That's not my child. But I admit, the resemblance is shocking! And alarming." Torsten shook his head. "The little one is not mine."

"And from whom then?", hissed the queen. "Because the evidence is very clear! How old may the child be? Two? Then..." She scratched her head. "You only saw Colette at your wedding... Am I right?"

"And we were always together", Annemarie murmured. "He only spoke to Aunt Coletta once. When she congratulated us. I don't know when... But that was about three years ago..."

"It's not my child!", repeated Torsten angrily.

"No...", confirmed Annemarie. " But you are very similar to your father..."

"You can't mean that!" Her father looked in the direction Coletta had gone with her child.

"King Friedrich?" Her mother sighed. "But... That can't be... No. It can."

"He doesn't love his wife." The king looked at Torsten. "And he already has an illegitimate child. It may very well be. And Coletta has never been squeamish in choosing a partner for her small, non-committal adventures."

"Oh my goodness!" Annemarie scratched her head and leaned against her husband. "This is a scandal!" Queen Agathe will be anything but pleased when she learns about it.

"I just hope this doesn't jeopardize our alliance with the witches", her mother murmured.

(c: sasi)