Queen's Scars

Chapter 18: Clara

So get ready for some issues. By the way, sorry for the late update! Enjoy! 😈

The queen stares at me and turns pale, as if she were a Sliver. I wonder if she feels the pressing sensation too. No matter. It is not my duty to concern myself with such things. Mrs. Walsh taught me that. I was very excited to be given the job as the Princess's especial servant. I was doubly excited when I was requested to be the first servant to occasionally serve the queen. It is a great honor. As I place the box on the bed, next to where she sits she mutters something. Then she clears her throat.

"Excuse me, but what is your name? And, may I ask why you are here?" She doesn't sound angry, like Slivers do when they request something but merely curious. I curtesy, though not as low as I would to the king.

"My name is Clover your majesty. Or at least that's what Mrs. Walsh calls me." To my surprise, her majesty turns paler. "I am an orphan. All I know about my real name is that it began with a C. I may come and assist you occasionally." I mentally facepalm. I rattled on. A Sliver would have almost certainly killed me by now. But then again, she is not a Sliver. I curtsey again and exit. As I leave she says softly.

"Goodbye Cla-Clover." I wonder what that was about. I mean I know she doesn't get out much but I don't think my name is that hard. I find my red sash around my waist. Someone had made it for me and had embroidered my intails CB for my first and last name. On the inside there is a faint inscription and a symbol. I squeeze the end whenever I miss my parents, feel uncomfortable, or basically just want to. I pick up my pace.

I am needed by Princess Hestia today. She seems kind, and unique for a royal. So are her siblings. They aren't condescending or cruel, but compassionate, curious, sarcastic, and remarkably smart. They can see through any lies, at least any of the servants lies. I knock at the door. The Princess burst the door open and dragged me inside.

"Thank goodness! You're here!" The princess says overly excitedly. "So, number one, do you wanna be friends?" I stare at her. Then I nod happily. Her optimism is infectious. She beams "Great! I have something to show you! It's really special to me." She twists a knob in the back of her closet. Suddenly the sounds of birds and smells of sweet flowers. I gasp. There is meadow in the back of her room. She giggles. "I'm glad you like it. I've only shared it with you. Come out. I love to spend time here!"

I break protocol and and dash into the meadow. As I do the red band I always wear on my wrist slips off. I stop and turn to get it back, when suddenly I appear right in-front of it. I collapse in shock. The Princess sees me and simply nods. Then she goes to to pick up my band and shudders away from it. "That's silent stone inside! That must have suppressed your newblood powers. Were any of your parents newbloods?" I shrug.  I hear that she and her siblings are just barely effected by it.

"I never met my parents. My only clue is this sash," I gesture to the to the red band on my waist. She makes an apologetic face. Then she muses.

"El would know. I think you need my siblings' help. I promise we won't tell anyone unless you say it's ok." For some reason I trust her. I take her hand and pick up the red band, that had suppressed the power I had had. We go back inside.

She scrunches her brow in concentration. She explains that she was calling her siblings into her room. They arrive in seconds. I look down, as they stare at me.

"My name is Clover," I mumble.

"You look familiar," Princess Elara says.

"Of course she does," Prince Samson says.

"How did you girls miss it?" Prince Zeus grumbles.

"Miss what?" Princess Hestia inquires.

"Honestly, Tia, El, she looks like mother. Just a bit." I gasp. How was that possible? Luckily Princess Elara figures it out.

"You look like... like... you could be our cousin!" I stumble backward and almost hit the ground. This is insanity! I'm no one. An orphan servant with no real parents and no real future.

And yet, this makes sense. The odd farmilarty when the Queen looked at me. My initials. CB. Barrow is the Queens maiden name. B for Barrow.

The royals connect the dots the same time I do. "But, which of mother's siblings is your parent?"

"I know, it couldn't have been Aunt Gisa. She was a red head and far too young. Uncles Tramy and Bree, didn't have any significant others. Plus none of them were newbloods. So it must have been Uncle Shade. And your mom..." Princess Elara trails off. "She was one of the most infamous members of the Scarlet Guard. Captain Diana Farley." Now I really do collapse. The princes help me up. My mother was evil! Part of the Scarlet Guard!

"She could have been tricked..." Princess Hestia said hesitantly. But I shook my head. She was a captain, she knew what she was doing. "Well, anyway, your power matches up with what uncle Shade's was. You can teleport."

"But why was she given a bracelet of silent stone, if no one knew she had the power," asked Prince Zeus.

"Father would have known," said Prince Samson, "Father knows everything."

"True," Princess Hestia says, "he can figure out just about anything. He's as wily as a Merandus."

"Would mother have known?"

"I don't know. It's peculiar. Mother seems to know and not know so much at the same time." I am hyperventilating inside. This is madness, I grip my band. I have been trained to never sit in the presence of royalty, but I plop to the ground anyway. This is one heck of a day.

"I...I think the queen knew," I stutter. The Princesses and Princes stop talking and turn my way. "Before I came to Princess Hestia, I delivered a box to Her Majesty. She went pale and almost called me by a different name. She seemed to recognize me." They look at each other in shock.

"Ok, Clover," says Princess Elara. "I believe you should go home right now. Don't tell anyone of your powers and put that wrist band on. We can't have anyone suspect. Especially our father," the Princess inadvertently shivers. The king's temper is definitely one to fear. "We need to talk with our mother."