Long May They Reign

Pt 3

Today was the celebration for little Lady Jane.

The little girls and their sisters were calling out Thor's name.

"Jane is so quiet. How will he ever hear her?" Laura said. She was smiling though.

"They're just children."

Steve walked up to Nat.
"Do you rember this game?"

"Yes and she's getting irritated with him."

"He's not listening. Getting distracted by this one and that."

"Well she's impatient."

"Steve, when I was told that someone placed high in the court ordered Colin's betrayal. Your parents were both surprised and upset but I don't think we were told the whole truth. That night, I was warned before I came down to the ceremony not to drink the wine. Someone knew. Someone hidden amongst the shadows. Unseen. Unheard."

"Nat are you saying we have traitors in our midst? We know that already."
"No. I'm saying we have a traitor in our own circle. Of course I know we have traitors here, that is our life unfortunately. I think we need to be extra cautious about who we are around. Even with our own people. I trust our friends but who knows who they are talking to. One of their friends could be the traitor."

"I hear you and I get it. My parents have already doubled the guards inside and around the palace."

"I'm not sure who you fear. The germans or the Americans."
"The germans have threatend me for years. But Colin said someone at American court was after me."

"Well I'll ask around and see."

****
She was looking for Thor.

"Thor! Jane thinks you're ignoring her. Wait- who are you talking to?"

"No one! Just a friend!"

She turned and walked into the little stone clubhouse.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Nothing but water dripping from the runoff was heard and she spotted something glinting on the ground. A glass marble. Leaning down she picked it up and so she didn't see the hurried steps of a shadowed friend. She picked it up and turned am to see that Thor had long since gone back to join the games. Shrugging she put the marble into her cloth bag and left shutting the heavy door behind her.

When she arrived back in her room after the party, she came across a servantmaid. She waa spinning around her room. In her dress!

"I'm- I'm sorry, I haven't seen you around before?" The young woman blushed and looked down ashamed.

"Uh... Is that my dress?" It is!

"Your grace, it's so beautiful. The tailor had given it to me to give to return back to you and I thought I could try it on. I've never had anything like this. So soft and beautiful. I just wanted to see how it felt and how I looked in it. I- I..." She dropped off and her face became one of panic. She waw suddenly grabbing her arms and her face.

"My skin. My skin is on fire! It burns. It burns. Help me. Please, help me." Her cries got louder.

"Are you okay?"

"Stay back! Its poisoned!"
Nat turned around and ran out the room screaming for the guards to help her.

"Someone! Help me Please! Guards! Please!". By the time they got back to the room the girl was gone and the room was empty.

"Nat!"

"She was right there! Right there! I don't, I don't know where she could be. Wait." She pulled him by the arm to where the tunnel was.

"Do you think they could've gone through here?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I'd forgotten about these. I didn't know one connected here. We may have to move you Nat. You're not safe with this here."

"I don't know. I keep giving you guys more to do and watch for. I can stay here and we can just seal it off?"

"If we can I'll have it done. Where were your guards when you came in?"

"They were gone. I thought it was safe. Surely no one would attempt this in broad daylight. Not with so many people but there were no people. Not even a guard anywhere around my room. Its like..." She trailed off.

"Like it was planned. Like they knew. Nat did anyone know of your wanting to come back?"

"Of course not. It was a quick decision. Unless they followed me but that wouldn't have been enough time to plant the dress..."

"Unless it was already there. They were just waiting for you to put it on. Lucky for you, you didn't and unlucky for her, she did." Steve knew his parents would not be happy with this news.

Steves POV

They couldn't do this! How dare they try!

"Father please. We have to either honor this alliance now or get the germans out. Torture the envoy like they've tortured Nat."

"Steven. I know you care for the girl and believe me, so do I, but we can't do anything until we get the Bolsheviks out first. Without a nation to rule Natalia is just a pawn without a kingdom and a pawn without a kingdom, is a dead pawn. We signed the betrothal when you two were six and amended it when the first war began. After her family died it was deemed that Natalia couldn't be married until she had her country back. We need the pope's blessing and thats the only way he gave it to us."

"She's no safer here than anywhere else."
"You may be right but for now this is the best place for her. Please be patient. This alliance with be honored with just a little time."

"I trust you and mother. Nat does too. I'm just scared for her. We are all she has right now."

"I know. And we will continue to be here for her no matter how long it takes."

*****
I'm ending it here so I cam move onto the next part. This will be the 4th and final part for Snakes in the Garden and then we'll move on. I'll be moving it faster than the series did for Reign.