Two more days passed with Melania in the same condition as before. She had been able to keep some broth down, but was still too weak to stand on her own.
The prince had spoken to his mother and they had come up with a plan. The queen was not doing this for her son but for Melania. Her son had gravely disappointed her and she would have disowned him if she could.
The queen entered Lanie's room. She was sitting up in bed drinking up whatever soup the kitchen had sent up to her. One of the nurses the doctor had sent over was sitting at their makeshift desk typing away at a small laptop.
When Lanie noticed the queen's presence, her eyes widened and she put her soup down. The nurse jumped up hastily and began curtsying to the queen, "Your highness...ma'am. How can I be of service? Ma'am....your highness."
"Get out." Melania's eyes flew to the queen's. She had never seen the queen look so... fierce and she knew something strange was going to happen.
"Don't leave," the girl's voice came out hoarse. The nurse looked back and forth, unsure of her course of action. "I am your queen and I command you to get out," and with that the nurse scurried out leaving the queen and her heir apparent alone.
The queen sat elegantly on the edge of the bed within arms reach of Lanie. And stared at her. For about 3 minutes she just stared at Melania. Lanie couldn't decipher exactly what the woman was trying to convey to her, but she figured it was probably about that vermin known as the prince. She was not going to listen to her try and defend her son's actions. "I don't want any-" "Quiet.
When I heard that my husband was planning on having you brought here, I was angry. I didn't think that an arranged marriage was the way to go for my son, but it is how things are done for royalty. When I met you I thought that you would be able to withstand everything my wayward son would throw at you." She paused," I was wrong." Lanie flinched at that.
"You are better than this Melania. Your identity and self-worth were not tied to Rafael, and it isn't now. Look at you. You've grown pale, dirty, skinny, weak and probably worst of all spineless. This is not the girl I met, neither is it the girl I want to take my place when the time comes." Lanie gritted here teeth and began to speak.
The queen grabbed her chin and pulled her closer. "You are bigger than this. You are bigger than Sarah. You are the future queen of this country and you are letting a little girl intimidate you into thinking you are less than you are. Get up and take charge of this situation. If you cannot handle this, I do not know how you expect to be queen."
Melania was angry, but she understood the message the queen was conveying. "Thank you. Your highness. I will take your words into consideration." The queen had to fight down a smile. "You really think so?"
"I don't know what kind of power trip you think you're on, but I will take your place when the time comes. It would do you good to get used to it."
The queen was proud. She leaned forward and kissed the future queen's forehead and left the room, fighting back a grin.
Things were about to change.
YOU ARE READING
Arranged Love
RomantiekLanie's a young girl excited to be away from home. She's 18, and a sophomore at college. The Prince, His Royal Highness Rafael Michael Qaderia needs a bride. The perfect plan is executed or so they thought. The more he learns, the more he loves. But...