100 Dates Princess

Reality Check

Queen Julianna's POV

The whole Palace seemed really subdued this morning, where were all the smiling faces, if they did smile it all seemed forced, the laughter I usually witnessed walking down the hallways was missing, no whistling or cracking of jokes.

Another forced smile as the palace guards opened the doors for me to enter the dining room, my family silently eating eyes downcast, as if their plate of food was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Morning" I greeted with a cheery smile plastered on my face and in return I received muted responses and a few nods of their heads.

Breakfast was a solemn affair, trying to have a conversation with my family was like drawing teeth slow and painful, everyone made an excuse to leave until I was left on own.

First to go was Alexander, he had hardly spoken to me since discovering Charity was gone and come to that he hardly spoke to anyone, it was affecting him more than I thought it would, the palace didn't have that buzz anymore.

"Your majesty" a maid curtsied and offered an envelope to me.

"A young girl asked if I would give you this"

Taking the envelope, I thanked and dismissed the girl, then turning back to the letter, I could tell it was indeed written by a young person, tearing open the envelope, I began to read.

Dear Queen,

That made me smile, so I pressed on.

I'm sorry that Miss Charity has gone, my mummy and daddy say the people are sad as they liked her, I'm sad to as she said she was my friend, when she rescued me at the church and carried me, I got to meet you and you were nice to me. I cried a lot when she gone.
I hope you are not to sad like us, but don't worry I'm going to write to Miss Charity and ask her to come back and be my friend again, so the people will be happy and then you and the prince will be happy to.

Gwen Gorbitz

Oh god! How short sighted I have been, how stupid, it's taken a nine year old girl to make me see the truth.

All the arguments and heated conversations I'd had with Alex came flooding back.

Folding the letter and replacing it in the envelope, I rose from the dining table and walked over to the two waiters standing by the tea and coffee pots.

"Maurice, Tobias" I turned to each as I said their names, they replied in unison.

"Yes your majesty"

"Will you both answer this truthfully please"

To which they both nodded.

"Good, how did you get on with Miss Andrews?"

The pairs faces lit up as they remembered.

"She was great ma'am, she cheered us up and made us smile and laugh"

Just as I thought that Charity woman had infected the whole damn palace, no! In fact she had infected the whole country.

Making my way up to the bed room that Miss Andrews had stayed in, I went in and saw all the expensive gifts left behind, I sat on the bed needing to think.

It wasn't till my bracelet came unclipped while I was fiddling with it and fell to the floor, so that I had to crouch down to retrieve it and that was when I saw the screwed up piece of paper under the bed, reaching under I fished it out straightened it out and read it.

It was a note to Alex and the reasons why she had left and I had been so, so wrong about her.

Right this has gone on long enough, I had to act and stop this misery, that meant I had to deal with Miss Charity Andrews and the effect she was having on everyone.