Royal Pain

Chapter Two

Constance sat on the burgundy crushed velvet couch, her back pressed against the hard backing, her eyes focused ahead, staring blankly at her sister, Sharon sitting next to her husband, Renard Monceaux, crowned prince and heir of Estanoi. Sharon was the one that would settle down first, her and Renard been in love since she was five. Despite being ten years apart, their father encouraged the relationship when Sharon was fifteen, setting the who up on a date even though their mother protested. Constance smiled at the thought, the words her mother called Renard: egotistical, tactless, spineless, and Constance's favorite, lily-livered. Of course, Sharon didn't know any of this as she saw Renard to be a strong man who was charismatic and loving.

If only she knew he had seven mistresses, Constance thought bitterly. She will always care and love her little sister, but it didn't mean she had to even like her brother-in-law in any degree.

That smug bastard was sitting there, arm around Sharon, consoling the weeping twenty-four year old, hand on her bulging stomach. The words "stress is not good for the baby" could be heard, a jab at Constance for sure. That man always had eyes for her, but Constance rebuffed his feelings because she knew how much her sister crushed on him, and her sister's feelings use to trump hers. Since, Renard made it his life's purpose to make Constance feel insignificant at every turn, which most never even pierced her skin, but the baby thing, for some reason, did.

"Momma, please say you are doing an autopsy on him," Sharon pleased through a series of sniffs and sobs, her eyes focused on Moira to Constance's left, who's hand was tightly clenching a baby blue handkerchief.

"Carter, you know our laws," Moira replied softly, looking over at her eldest with pleading eyes. "No autopsy on any royal member without the ruler's consent."

How could Constance have forgotten that? Oh, because most noblepersons die of old age or something that was already confirmed to cause death while they were living. She felt sick of the idea of having to call the shot on it.

"She's not queen until she is crowned," Sharon replied, the tone was almost seething. "You're still queen, why can't you order it."

"Carter, you know the law," Moira replied, more forceful this time. "I am not of Wallace blood, therefore I cannot overtake the duties that your father had. It is Constance to make, and right now, she is grieving just like you, but she has more on her plate right now."

"Daddy's death isn't the top priority?" Sharon screamed, standing up abruptly causing Renard to blink at her slowly, trying to process what had happen. "Order the autopsy, Connie. Or don't you love Daddy to know what happened?!" She was borderline hysteric, and it had to be because of the hormones.

"Sharon Carter Wallace," Moira forced out, standing in front of her daughter, "we are all upset, and I think it would be best if you and Renard retire to your room for now. I will send in Monica with some tea to soothe your nerves." The queen didn't move nor dropped her steely gaze until Sharon accepted the fact that she wasn't going to get her way. Constance watched Renard put his arm around his wife and turned her to leave, whispering something in her ear that Constance couldn't make out. Only once they were out of the sitting room did Moira settle back on the seat next to her other daughter with a sigh.

"Momma, I can order it," Constance replied softly, her hand covering her mother's and gave it a squeeze.

"No," Moira smiled, turning towards her daughter, "that is not something you need to worry with yourself right now. I know how your father died, so does the physician. We have seen this coming for weeks now, we just never told you girls."

"Momma?"

Before Moira could reply, the sitting room door was opened and Bernerd, the king and queen's butler, entered.
"Ma'am, your highness," he nodded, the first title threw Constance, but then she realized that her mother was no longer the crowned ruler. "Mr. Rogers has returned and he has a guest."