Secrets Intertwined

Chapter 14: Part 2

The old man slipped from Aislyn's mind as she began to prepare to leave for the Council House.

She rushed home to gather her belongings before making a quick exit over to the woods. She stopped long enough to dump all she had bought into the back of her wardrobe, put her suit on and put away the masks she had just bought.

Packing light, all she carried was a large, leather bag filled with her and Raven's outfits for the Ball.

Ladled down, Aislyn trudged her way through the trees, cursing and mumbling under her breath. She wandered into the woods until she was far enough out she was sure no one would see her.

Raising her hand, she counted, "one, two, three," before placing it gently on the trunk of the tree.

Aislyn looked up to the sky and the stars far above were the last things she saw as the vines closed around her.

When her eyes opened up again, the first thing she did was shout, "Pissing bollocks!"

"I'm not sure I'm familiar with that phrase."

"Queen Minerva," said Aislyn, dropping into a bow.

"I told you that wasn't necessary-"

"You told me that when I was engaged to your son," Aislyn snapped, cutting her off, "You told me that when I was engaged to Nikolas, but he's dead now so I'm no-one."

Aislyn knew that she should bite her tongue but she had grown weary of having the same disagreement over and over again. She had met with Minerva seven times since Nikolas had died and nearly every time, they had had the same conversation. Before he had died, Aislyn didn't have a problem with being so familiar with the royal figurehead, but ever since it had been Aislyn who had to look into a mother's eyes and tell her that her son had died... well, Aislyn felt as though she had disrespected the queen enough.

Minerva took a step forward, away from the guards who stood menacingly behind her, armed to the teeth in an assortment of weapons.

When Minerva looked into her eyes, Aislyn found herself unable to keep the eye contact, the resemblance to Nikolas was like a twisting knife in her gut.

Her brown hair, a replicate of his. The colour of her eyes, the exact hue of the green highlights that ran through his hair.

"And nothing has changed," replied Minerva, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Everything has changed!" Shouted back Aislyn, her voice loud enough to make the guards reach for their weapons, "Nikolas is dead... He's not going to be king and I'm not going to be... queen."

"You're strong-headed, just like him."

Aislyn huffed out a laugh and replied, "I think I learnt it from him."

Minerva smiled, "I think so too."

As Minerva said nothing else, Aislyn shifted uncomfortably on her feet, clenching her bag tightly.

"So, um, I was just doing a bit of travelling," she said, trying to fill the silence.

"Please, let me accompany you."

"Oh thank you, Your Majesty, but that's unnecessary-"

"Nonsense," interrupted Minerva, voice still no louder than a passing breeze, "I would very much like to take a walk."

She turned to her guards and said, "Aislyn can take it from here."

One of the guards took a step forward, slightly raising a fist holding and bow and replied, "Your Majesty, it is not safe for you to go without protection."