~.✧ Love & Tradition ✧.~

~.✧ mother & queen ✧.~

A/N This one shot is told from the perspective of Saidy's mother, Queen Rhaella! It is set right after she talks to Saidy (the same chapter Saidy has her really bad panic attack and Gentry and Ezalie help her calm down). Hope you like it! :D

I closed the door to Saidy's bedroom, my trembling hand lingering on the handle. I knew that Opelius said we were doing the right thing, but I'd never seen my daughter look so broken. I didn't feel like I was doing the right thing. I wasn't sure from the beginning, but my hurt had driven me to let Opelius dole out the punishment his saw fit. But now that I was truly seeing my daughter and the repercussions of our decision instead of letting myself be blinded from the pain...

It was all a mess.

This thought lingered with me throughout the entire day and the guilt that clung to my heart and caused it to shiver and tighten only worsened as the day lengthened into evening. The Dining Hall felt so empty with only one of my children present. I felt like I was trying to hold onto sand too tightly, only to have it slip through my fingers anyway.

That night, the pain of it was nearly suffocating me. I knew I had to do something or I'd ruin it all; my relationship with my daughter, my integrity, and both of our hearts.

With a shaky breath, I straightened out my shoulders and brushed a light knock against the King's Quarter's door. I normally never knocked since I stayed in here with him most nights anyway—I generally only used my Queen's Quarters to get ready or to have a moment of quiet to myself during the day—but his temperament had been volatile these past few days and I didn't want to make it worse.

"Enter," his deep voice allowed. I grabbed the handle and tentatively stepped in to see him already preparing for bed. When his eyes found mine, he seemed to relax a little in his broad shoulders, though I could see the exhaustion riddle throughout his entire body. "Oh, it's just you. I was scared it was something else I forgot to do today."

Though I'd come with a determined front, I softened slightly at seeing the many burdens sitting atop his shoulders right now. Every day, I watched as they mounted higher and became heavier for him to bear. I tried to help him the best I could, but there was only so much the wife of the king could do. The best I had was to provide him with a steady shoulder to lean on and my advice when he asked for it.

I gently closed the door behind me and walked up to him as he buttoned his nightshirt. While we needed to talk about Saidy, I knew it would go better if he wasn't so stressed. So I reached up and massaged his shoulders.

He paused before nearly instantly deflating, his muscles unknoting and relaxing at my touch. I could see his eyes flutter closed and his breathing steady slightly at the simple touch.

"Thank you," he said, turning around to face me. He gave me a tired, sad smile and took my hand. "You're my rock, Rhaella." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, his beard tickling my skin.