The Crown's Game

Chapter 18

Wood

The palace had been thrown into Christmas preparations and with the arrival of the Lady Caitlyn on top of the normal Christmas guests, the staff were in every room cleaning and decorating. A humongous Christmas tree had been erected in the main hall, decorated with red streamers and silver and gold baubles. Christmas presents and food were delivered each day in preparation of the ball the night before Christmas Eve. Caitlyn was to arrive tomorrow, and Addison had been unusually absent from the palace. Ciara went everywhere with her, even though she never seemed to actually leave her room. Not even Rhodes had seen her. Although Parliament was no longer in session and the engagement arrangements had finally been decided upon, she seemed to still be neck deep in work. She remembered that kiss, on the day her Dad had been buried. She remembered and if she remembered it was worth it, fighting for her was worth it. The Helian entourage had spent the last few days hunting and meeting with delegates from their homeland over rebel disturbances. The safety of the princes was of huge concern to them, so Ciara had had to double guards and place more security measures around the palace. I was stood outside the Queen Mother's rooms when I saw the Captain of the Guard for the first time in about a week. "nice to see your still alive"

"busy, these delegates from Heliana are a pain in my ass" she muttered "remember those guys you went after a while back?"

"when I ended up nearly dying? It rings a bell"

"we think they were rebels from Heliana" she said quietly

"interesting" I said shuffling my feet slightly "trying to stop the engagement?"

"by the looks of it, is the Queen Mother there?"

"hopefully, or I'm not doing my job right" I chuckled.

"I need to discuss this ball, there's more and more people on these lists every day" she rolled her eye into her head. She wasn't one for balls and dresses.

"how is she?" I asked.

"working, like always" Ciara said quickly, she was lying but she ended the conversation there as she entered the Queen Mother's rooms.

The day went by in a blur, I don't even remember what I was doing besides thinking about the last few weeks and what had happened. How much change was about to take place. The papers were covered in pictures of Ren and Addison smiling, her flashing the ring he hadn't even given her himself. It was absurd that she was going through with this. A date was set for early February. They were to return home to Heliana on Christmas Eve with their entire family to come here in January till the wedding. Already books and bills were piling up with wedding planning. It appeared they were just being ignored, as if, if Addison ignored them, they would just disappear, and nothing would have to happen.

The entire household as it currently stood ate dinner together that evening, before the arrival of the Lady of Kaltain. The Queen Mother, the princes, their ambassador, who by the looks of it had moved out of his town house and into the palace, and Addison. Who was late, Addison was never late. Tensions had been high between Addison and her fiancé, no one knew why, and we all knew better than to talk about it or ask. Since the announcement she had eaten in her office or in her room. No one had seen her but Ciara or Julian, she hadn't even seen her mother. She was, however, meant to be in attendance that evening. Time ticked on and even Ciara was nowhere to be seen. The Queen Mother spoke with Oliver as Ren and White seemed engrossed in some private conversation. "Owens" Athena cleared her throat, the room fell silent.

"yes ma'am" I said straightening from my position by the door.

"my daughter appears to have lost her way, could you go ensure that she is in fact still breathing?"

"of course" but before I could even move the doors opened and the Queen of Ildova entered. Not Addison, the Queen. She was clad in a black gown that hugged every curve with a deep slit showing every inch of skin on her left leg. Her hair was piled a top her head accented with sliver stars. she looked around the room, finally landing on her mother.

"I apologise for my tardiness" she bowed her head to each at the table. "The Prime Minister was on the phone and it couldn't wait". Like a black cat she slinked through the silence to sit at the head of the table. The room hung in silence, as if time had slowed since the moment she entered. Fire crackled behind her eyes, it dared someone to speak against her. But who be brave enough to cross the Queen tonight?