Sanity

3. Killer

"Lady Kamryn, it's good of you to join me," the Queen announced when Jaelyn was escorted to the palace gardens. She smiled in response and sat on a stone seat opposite.

"It's nice out here," she pointed out, glancing up and around. "Quiet, too."

"Oh, no one disturbs me out here," the Queen assured her. "This is my own private area. Not even my husband has been here since I declared it mine."

"Wow," Jaelyn said, grinning. "I feel honoured."

"Oh, dear, you are always welcome here," she replied with an encouraging smile, lifting a small delicate cup to her lips. "Would you like some tea?"

"Um, I don't think I've ever tried it before..."

The Queen turned her head, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "You've not had a cup of tea in all your days of living? My, that's unheard of."

Jaelyn tried not to panic. "Yes, well, I never knew my mother, and my father had no time to speak with me, let alone sit me down for a cup of tea."

"Well, you must have a cup now; I will not have my daughter-in-law go on with her life without at least trying such a delicacy."

"Of course, thank you," Jaelyn replied with a warm smile, taking the small cup the Queen handed to her. She looked into it; the water was warm, and the smell calmed her a little. Her shoulders loosened up slightly as she leaned forward to take a sip.

"Is it to your liking?"

Jaelyn looked up, wide eyed. "This is beautiful!" she exclaimed, staring at the little tea cup in her hands. "I cannot believe I haven't tried this before!"

"A life without tea is no life at all," the Queen agreed, looking around delightedly. "Now I can look back on my life knowing I did a good thing."

Jaelyn hesitated, holding the tea in her lap. "Surely you know you have done more than one good thing in your life?"

"I'm afraid the only thing I did right was give birth to two sons," she sighed, suddenly looking old and tired. "Other than that, what have I achieved? This city is falling apart; all the money the boys give to the poor is wasted on alcohol or mugged from children. No matter what I do or say, there are always going to be people on the streets without homes or jobs, whether it's the same people or not."

Jaelyn pursed her lips, thinking about this. "But... you're a Queen. You're a role-model; I know more than enough young children dream of having the crown you have, to be able to do things for their families. To change the world, make it a better place to live in. You have to be doing something right if everyone wants to be you."

"They want the power, yes," the Queen agreed solemnly. "But for all the wrong reasons. I know many people, not unlike your father, who are greedy and want more than they have. They want to control people, not help them." She paused. "I'm sorry, dear," she added quietly, looking down. "That was out of turn. Perhaps you would do best to leave me to my thoughts."

Jaelyn nodded, putting her tea down. "Of course," she murmured, rising from the stone chair beneath her. "Please, forgive me, your Majesty, if I have in any way offended you."

The Queen nodded, looking upset, so Jaelyn turned and made her way back to the palace, where a guard opened the doors for her. She nodded to him, trying to get used to not opening doors for herself as she refrained from thanking him. She was really not going so well at this 'Princess' thing.

Doing her best to avoid running into either of the Emery brothers – especially Noah – Jaelyn made her way deeper into the palace, suddenly very eager to kill something. She had a fierceness in her eyes that she didn't want anyone to see, and she had some idea of why this anger was showing itself. It had something to do with what the Queen said about not being able to save her Kingdom, no matter how hard she tried. It had to be it, surely. Nothing got her more riled up than comparing her old life to her new one. Now the contrast was being justified; the people just go around in a loop, replacing each other in an endless cycle of rich and poor. So it wasn't the royals, not really; it was the whole system that was messed up. Just thinking about it made her sick.