Raven

Chapter 18

By the time my first week is queen is over, I am exhausted. The members of the court are slowly warming up to me, though some I fear will never, like Frederick who has drained me of all energy with merely with his questions. However, the young nobleman, Malcolm, has supported me all through the week. We have grown close over this, close enough that we go for walks in the garden in our free time which is becoming almost non-existent.

Sitting at the table in my bedroom I have begun to turn into my desk, I am hunched over files, reading them to prepare for the next time I have to enter the Great Hall and speak with my court as a whole. I haven't done this since that first day as queen and so Malcolm and I had decided that we would all meet again tomorrow. There were two reasons behind this, the first was that we did need to speak about the kingdom again but the second was that I had sent those spies into that enemy camp in the forest to the east to spot my stolen people amongst Bronwen's forces. That had been as soon as I left the great hall at the start of the week, meaning I should be hearing back from them today, either sometime soon or later in the day.

I hear someone knock on the door to my room. Looking up from my files, I glance at the door which Phillipa is already hurrying over to. When it swings open, revealing Malcolm. Phillipa steps aside, allowing him to enter the room. He walks over to me and stands across the table from me as I watch him curiously.

'Your Majesty,' he begins. 'The spies have returned from the eastern forest.'

I get to my feet, pushing the seat back as I do. 'Where are they? I want to speak with them,' I tell him but he puts a hand out to stop me. I frown, wondering what else there is.

'Someone else has returned to the castle with and I believe you should see him. He's in the western wing, you should go immediately.'

I open my mouth to ask who it is and what's so urgent but Malcolm is already gone. I look to Phillipa, silently asking her what I should do. Phillipa always knows what I'm saying, even without words, and she always, always know what to do.

'Go, Raven,' she tells me.

I smile, feeling glad that someone has called me by my nae for once. Now I am Queen, everyone addresses me as 'Your Majesty' and no one ever uses my real name. They hadn't really before either, but at least then someone would decide they could get away with not using titles and call me Raven. 'Okay,' I say. 'I'll go see whoever it is and then I will check in with the spies.'

I exit my room and begin my journey to the western wing, which isn't far as my quarters are in the central area of the castle. As I enter the western wing, I turn a corner to see Alexander standing outside the door to one of the many guest bedrooms. At first I think that it's his bedroom door but then he looks up, sees me and speaks.

'He's in there,' I'm told.

Again, I frown. 'Who?' I ask but receive no reply. I storm up to him, frustration burning through me as I grab his shoulders. 'Alex! Who is it?' He only pushes me away from him and towards the door without a word. That's when I notice the look on his face. He looks upset, but why? I don't say another word to him as I turn around and put a hand on the door handle. Whoever is behind this door must be pretty important to him to make Alexander so upset. But when I twist the handle, pushing the door open at the same time I stop, frozen in horror. A figure lies in the bed, the covers up to his chin and cushions all around him. I take a step into the room but it doesn't feel like me moving my body. It's like an instinct to keep moving forward, towards the person in the bed while my mind is shutting down.

It is William who lies there. Poor, sweet William who has always been there for me. Tears well in my eyes and fall as my heart breaks. His skin is either red or blackened in places, scars cover his face and his once chestnut hair is mostly burnt away. The only recognisable part of him are his beautiful hazel eyes. I reach the side of the bed and kneel down, watching my dear friend and the way his chest rises and falls as he struggles to breath. I see his eyes flick over to meet mine