An Island for a Cloud

8.1 How to love your family like the royals do

The palace of Aleuta

"How dare you touch my son!" shouted the Queen as soon as Stenen walked in and the doors behind him closed. The piercing voice made him cringe inside.

It had been almost three years since the last time Stenen set his eyes on the Queen and the palace. Not even the delicate scent of morning blossoms and the rays of light penetrating into every corner of the Queen's private chambers improved his mood.

Stenen thought it would feel different to be walking through the halls of the palace after such a long time. Yet the feeling of a threat lurking in the corridors and chambers of the palace was as strong as ever. He felt the familiar chill building up in his chest and wished he was anywhere but here. As the Captain of the Guards, he could not allow himself to think that way. He made it his life's purpose to protect all that Aleuta, the palace and the Queen stood for. Perhaps he was a fool and at twenty seven too old to change.

He looked around. They were alone in the chamber if he did not count the old Flizer woman knitting before an open window. Ever since he could remember, she was always there. Always knitting. Everyone knew that the Queen never made any decisions without consulting the Flizer. He never heard the woman speak, never even seen her lift those old eyes off of her knitting. Yet, everything about the Flizer commanded in him more respect than the Queen ever could.

He pushed down the unease and his gloomy thoughts, and concentrated on the Queen. In her appearance, she remained almost unchanged. Only her eyes radiated more suspiciousness and restlessness than before. And they drilled into Stenen and they craved his pain.

A friend of lavishness, she wore a dress made out of light blue silk covered with white pearls head to toe. A golden star-shaped chain interwove in her long brown hair. On her delicate wrists she wore colourful gem bracelets and on her fingers shimmered blood-coloured ruby rings. She might have looked like someone divine to anyone else, but to him she was nothing more than a beautiful statue filled with bitterness and venom.

"A Prince of the Blood!" she screamed. "How dare you touch my boy?" She reminded him of a vulture ready to jump and defend her offspring.

Memories rushed back at him and he lowered his gaze. She shouted almost the same words last time he saw her before banishing him and his brothers to Leivrat. Little she knew that they were glad to leave. Leivrat had felt more real, more like home to him than Aleuta had ever been.

"He told you?" he asked.

"He told you, My Queen!" I am your Queen! And you will treat me with the respect that is due to me!"

"Pardon me, My Queen," said Stenen in the same calm voice.

The Queen was known to be easily angered and wrinkles around her mouth spoke volumes of how often those lips curled in rage. Her tantrums often lasted days and she made everyone around her miserable and she enjoyed it. As children, Stenen would never take her nonsense. But back then she was not the Queen and he was easily able to escape her nagging. Things have changed and now he had to keep quiet even if he burned inside. It was either that or standing and listening to her ranting and shouting until dinner time.

"Do you think I don't know what is happening under my own nose?" she shouted at him and raised her head higher.

This made Stenen almost chuckle. The Queen hardly ever knew what was really happening under her nose. Everyone around her told her what she wanted to hear or what they wanted her to know. Her pride made her too gullible to see through the fog of lies. He doubted that in the last three years that had change. She was still just as vain and empty headed as she was as a young girl. She thought of herself as a beloved Queen, yet if she knew the truth it would be too cruel even on someone like her. Even her husband preferred to hide in his library then be around her. Her son was her only joy and her love for him, Stenen suspected, was the only genuine positive feeling she had within her. Little wonder the boy was spoilt, petty and vain.