Hidden through time

19. Safe and sound

                  

Written 2015 by VeGirl ©

This photo of Biltmore Estate gives just the impression I imagine that meets Francine's eye. Not mine though.

* * * * * * * *

"That's what a mansion of the light elves looks like."

My mouth fell open in awe of the palace in front of us. "Wow!" Palace was the only description I had to the impressive building that showed in front of us.

"It's a little ostentatious in my mind."

I gave him a pointed look. "You have an exquisitely grand home, Quin."

He grinned.

"And that is a great opportunity to practice saying 'thank you' if I might come with a suggestion."

His dark eyes flashed dangerously. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

I gawked. "You saved my life; I will forever be in your debt."

"Yes."

It dawned on me. "That's it? Is that why you don't accept my gratefulness or apology, you think I'm getting out of my debt?"

His uneasy posture told me I had hit the right spot.

"Quin."

He turned to look at me. It took no more than a look from him for me to coil like a spring. It looked like he felt the same.

Quin was the one who broke the tension quite physically when he turned his attention back to the palace where he had spent so much time growing up. "When we meet the Queen it is important to curtsy."

"The Queen?" I was instantly alarmed.

"Yes," Quin said as if that was the most natural thing. "Didn't Ty tell you that he lives at the palace? He's the prince."

I looked wide-eyed at the man by my side. "Buggers!"

"What did you say?"

"I mean..." I made a massive effort to snap out if the shock. "No, he failed to mention that."

There was an odd shadow passing his face as Quin smiled. "You can relax, he is not the crown prince. The Queen is his aunt and she's very nice."

I said nothing while I watched him tell the story of how Ty's parents had died and how his aunt had taken him in. "But protocol is important, so we do curtsy," he smiled at me. "Do you need me to teach you?"

For a moment I wanted to find out how a tall and muscular man like Quin curtsied, but I withheld the smile that threatened. "I know how to do it." I had been involved in a local theatre when I was young and there I had plenty of practice while acting. "Don't look so surprised; we also have a Queen." I feigned, thinking of how Ty had made the connection. He had failed to mention that he belonged to the Royal family.

* * *

After having the palace in our sight for a long time, we finally reached it. Quin murmured something about how this was not the entrance he used to take, back in the days when he and Ty had been close. This was a formal affaire and staff came to meet us. Through wide corridors with goldframed paintings of long lost ancestors we were led to finally enter the formal greeting-room.

The Queen sat on some kind of throne, just the elevated one that I had expected. It was exactly as I had imagined it from a Victorian drama. Dressed in a frivolous blue dress and with her blond curls up in a beautiful do, she looked the perfect picture.