The Royal Two

Chapter 13

The song of the early morning blue birds whistled throughout the castle, echoing around and filled the silent palace with music, as they did every morning.
The sun shone down through the coloured glass and filled the red carpeted ground with colour.

In one of the hundreds of room in the Winston Palace was a white room, everything was white, from the bedding to the drapes.
It was the purest room out of them all.

But today, for the past three weeks, it had been given colour and life as every surface was decorated with flowers, from roses to tulips to forget-me-nots. Every day a new bouquet of flowers for the lady that slept.

Her hair was blonde once more, and her face and body, bruises and cuts healed. Elizabet or Baker had taken it in turns to chant their spells upon the young woman.
This morning was different, The young woman opened her eyes and gazed upon the room with a tilt of her head.
She slowly pushed herself up on the soft plump bed, her hands almost sinking into the mattress as she turned her body. She lifted her right hand and felt her chest, “Hm… Was it a dream?” She asked herself allowed as she slowly picked herself up and onto her feet.

She fell almost immediately, her legs weak and her body frail, she used the bed to push herself back up, she used the bed to help her walk slowly across the room, her hands reaching out to the long white drapes that were blowing gently in the early morning breeze.

She pulled herself over and gazed outside, her vision blinded by the morning sun. she raise her hand and shaded herself as she looked out.
She could see the royal palaces courtyard, the roses in bloom and the gardener working hard whilst maids ran around, attending to their morning chores about the palace.

The young woman turned her head away from the brightness of the outside world, her legs carrying her over to the tall white wardrobe. She opened it up and saw tens of dresses in an array of colours.

She sighed and held onto the doors for balance, “Really?” She muttered as she gazed down to the bottom shelf of the wardrobe. Between all the lined up shoes to match the dresses was a shirt folded up. She let go of the doors and lifted the shirt up, it was a black silk shirt, under it was a white waistcoat and black trousers.

“Thank you Baker.” She chuckled quietly as she pulled the clothes out of the wardrobe.
The young woman looked down at the pristine white nightgown someone had dressed her in, “Such horrid taste.” she muttered, before getting changed.

***

Once the lady had had some practise walking around the flowers in her room and had stabilized herself, she headed over to the large set of double doors.
She placed her hand onto the handle and opened the doors, only to run into a maid, head on.

They both stumbled back, the maid apologising profusely as she looked up at the lady before her.
“I’m so sorry my lady---” the maid then looked at the lady properly, “Oh my… i have to go get--” she ran off before finishing her sentence. The maid’s shoes tapped against the floor as she ran down the corridor with a bowl and towels in her hands.

The blonde woman rubbed her head and choose to ignore the encounter altogether, she made her way down the long corridor, remembering the path from when she was a child. Her blue eyes looking over every nook and cranny of the old palace.

Eventually she found her way to the dining hall, where the king was sat with his back to the door, his crown shining in the rays of the morning sun coming through the large windows.

Beside him sat his wife, a beautiful blonde whom resembled Victoria, btu her face was decorated in a few wrinkles to show her age. 

“Do you think she’ll wake up today?” The woman asked her husband, her voice as sweet as the young woman remembered.

“I hope she does, I have seven years of apologises to give that child and with her asleep… It growing in size.” The king replied, his aged hand touched upon his wife's as she moved herself closer to him.

The young lady stepped forward, her boots heel tapping against the wooden flooring as she took a step into the room.
The sound caught the attention of both the king and the queen. The older woman stood up in second, her hand grabbing her dress and she too stepped forward towards the young woman before her.

“Isa--- Isabella!!!” She cried as she ran towards her daughter. The old woman arms pulled the young woman close to her, “I’m so sorry!”

The king stood up and moved himself forward to join his wife and child, “Isabella…” His deep voice spoke.

The young child looked up at her father, her mother loosening her grip.
“Yes father?” She smiled softly, as her blue gaze followed his eyes.

“We’ve missed you.” She could hear him holding back his emotions as his strong arms wrapped around his daughter, “I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault… i should never have sent my precious child away like that. It was wrong of me--”

Izzy interrupted the old man with a laugh, “It’s in the past, let’s just be happy that we are here.” She hugged her father, her nails digging into the material on his back.

Before long the dining hall doors swung open, a younger version of the queen came rushing through, her arms wrapped tightly around Isabella’s neck as the sound of crying filled her left ear.
“Izzy!!” the female cried softly, her tears spoiling her makeup.

“Vicki, stop crying.” Izzy spoke softly, wiping away her tears and trying her best to keep Vicki’s makeup from getting worse.
“Morning ya’ll.” A male chuckled, it was John, his red hair shone in the light of the sun as he made his way across the floor, “Vicki, sweetheart, you’re going to choke the poor girl.” John laughed softly, his hand patting Vicki’s head softly as she pulled away.

“I’m sorry..” She sobbed.

Isabella laughed sweetly, “Hey John, it’s wonderful to see you again… Brother.”

John laughed softly and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, “And it’s lovely to my sister-in-law up and about at last.”

Isabella bowed her head, “It feels good to be up… Now, I missed your wedding, but I won’t miss seeing you off on your honeymoon.”

Victoria bit her lip and turned her head away as John released his grip on her, “Izzy… We’ve been… You’ve been out cold for over three weeks.”

The young woman stepped back, her heels tapping on the floor, as Baker and Elizabet came running in.
Their voices in sync as they called out, “Where is she?!”

The red and green eyes set upon the young blonde woman dressed in the white waistcoat, Baker ran over and took her face in his hands, “She’s up.” He muttered.

The king shook his head and spoke up, “Welcome done, are you going to tell me she’s a lady next to improve your perception on the matter?” The kings sarcasm was screaming out as he spoke.
The red eyes of Baker glared at him through the corner of his eyes,  “Have you taken that pill yet, your majesty?”

The king frowned and turned his head away.

“I thought as much,” Baker smiled as he released Isabella from his grip, “I’m glad to see you’re fine.”
Isabella stepped back, her blue eyes looking over everyone in the room.

“Where… Where is Ryde?” She asked. Her hands moved to her chest as she asked the question.
The faces of her family changed, they darkened and frowned as Victoria stepped forward, “He went home… To get married.”