Sir Denver rubbed his forehead with inner turmoil coursing through his veins. Finally he nodded his head, sat down on Arianthe's bed and began to talk.
"Your mother was betrothed to your father for her whole life. Your father was overjoyed at this because she was everything he could ever want in a women; she was beautiful, powerful, kind, generous and any man would be lucky to have her. However, your mother was not happy about this arrangement as she was deeply in love with someone else; her stable hand. Now there were many rumours about this stable hand at the time from the other palace staff - they didn't dare tell the her or her family this though.
"Well, your mother and the stable hand managed to keep their relationship a secret for a year until she realised that she was pregnant. She panicked and decided to run away with him until she'd had the baby, then she'd come back home and force herself to marry your father."
Arianthe's eyes opened widely.
"I have a sibling?" She said barely above a whisper.
Sir Denver didn't reply but plunged straight back into the story.
"And so that is what they did. The young princess instructed the palace staff to continue as normal as if she was still there; the only person she told was her closest friend her old nanny, who also happened to be my grandmother. Your mother's parents were always abroad and so when they came back for a week in the autumn they assumed their daughter had gone out to be with friends or her betrothed.
"So she went and had her boyfriend's baby and then left her newborn daughter with him. It was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do.
"When she came back she said she was desperate to marry Prince Eustace; although I strongly doubt she did really - no offence to your father.
"Their wedding was magnificent, they really didn't hold back on the decorations and the feasting lasted a whole week but I don't remember it very well, I was only about 7 or 8. I was a squire to a knight." He explained seeing Arianthe's confused face.
"It wasn't long after that that your mother realised she was having you, your father was so pleased; he was finally going to get the son he needed. But when you were born he took it very badly and blamed it on your mother. What he would've done if he had discovered she'd had another child I don't know but perhaps it's best he didn't know.
"However he was over it - or so he seemed - a few weeks later and although he didn't want much to do with you he focused on nothing else but having a son. But when eight years went by it was clear that his wife would not have any more children, let alone a son, and that's when she went missing."
Arianthe day listening to this in silence but this last sentence made her think.
"You say missing; do you think there's any chance that she's still alive?" She said.
Sir Denver paused.
"My Lady, I for a fact she is."
YOU ARE READING
Her Portrait
FantasiaYoung Princess Arianthe has never stepped foot outside the castle. Her father, King Eustace is determined to keep her safe due to the disappearance of her mother years ago. But what he doesn't know is Arianthe is slowly learning his secrets and find...