BIRTHRIGHT (complete #Wattys2016)

Chapter 15: The letters that were never received

A knock awoke the two royals that lay sleeping in each other's arms.

"Yes?" Alexander called out, as he drowsily lifted his head off the pillow.

"Sire? Queen Isabelle requests your presence for breakfast!" The guard outside informed. Alexander raised an eyebrow at the statement, as he looked beside him to his fiancée, who also had a look of amusement adorning her features.

"They don't know I'm here. Just go along with it." Isabelle whispered to him as he nodded.

"Alright, tell Queen Isabelle I'll join her in a minute." He said as a smile stretched across his lips while Isabelle suppressed her giggles from beside him

"Of course, your majesty."

With that said, they heard the retreating footsteps of the guard. The moment he left the door, both the royals burst into a fit of laughter, flopping back down on the bed. Both of them lay on their sides, looking at each other. Alexander caressed her cheek with his knuckles, as Isabelle outline his features with her finger tips.

"It has been three years since the last time I saw you." Alexander murmured softly.

"Three rather lonely years, I must say." Isabelle responded to which Alexander had to agree wholeheartedly. "I should get back to my chambers, my mother might come and look for me."

Isabelle proceeded to get out of his bed and made her way towards the door, when Alexander called out to her.

"Mon ange?" He called out causing her to halt in her steps. Alexander took three quick strides as he covered the distance between them and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "You're forgetting your robe." He said in his thick French accent as he held out Isabelle white robe to her.

A look of realisation dawned on her as she smiled at her forgetfulness. Alexander helped her wear the robe, and fastened it around her stomach as she pulled her hair out from beneath it.

"I'll be seeing you at breakfast then?" Isabelle said with a smile as she opened the door.

"Yes, see you in a few minutes." Alexander smiled as she slipped out the door and into the grand foyer beyond.

***

Everyone was glad to see Alexander at breakfast, he had come down with Isabelle's arm looped through his, as they both had smiles on their faces. Mary was surprised to see Alexander, but glad none the less, or was she?

***

Some times in the early afternoon, Isabelle found the messenger boy whom she had giving the letter to. Stopping him in the hallways, she asked him a few questions. Isabelle looked dubiously at him. She asked him something more which he truthfully answered. Nodding her head, she excused the messenger boy and made her way back towards her chambers.

That day Isabelle didn't come down for lunch. Mary becoming worried, had gone to foresee her daughters health and knocked on the door before entering. When she entered Isabelle's grand chambers, the curtains were drawn open and the bed made as Isabelle stood out in the balcony, overseeing the back of the palace gardens.

"Isabelle, my dear. Why didn't you come down for lunch?" Mary asked as she stood behind her daughter, a hand on her shoulder.

"I wasn't hungry." Isabelle responded monotonously. "Mother? Do you love me?"

"Of course I do my dear Belle! Why would ask me that?" Her mother asked flabbergasted as she spun her daughter or be facing her, cupping her face in her hands. Isabelle had an impassive expression on her face as she looked at her mother. Suddenly Isabelle pulled away from her mother's hold and took a step back.