The Second Queen

Chapter 33

Isabella Victoria

I signed my name on the letter for my father and set it to the side. I walk away from my desk towards the bookshelf. I look over the rows of books, trying to find something to read for the time being. When I reach the bottom of the shelf I find Agbateru okunrin written in Aiso. I pluck if off of the bookshelf, walk over to the circle of furniture and curl up in the loveseat. I open the book and begin to read the tales of the shape shifting man, the deaths and disputes of the gods, and the anger of the Earth. A knock sounds at the door. I place a ribbon upon the page I was on and close the book. I set the book on the table in front of me and walk across the room. I open the door, revealing the Princesa's footman.

"May I help you?"

"I have a message for Lady Isabella Parr."

"I am she."

"The Most Noble Princesa, Princesa Lucia de Leon, is wondering if you would accompany her on a ride through the palace forest in one hours time."

"Please tell the Princesa that I would be delighted and that I will be waiting by the stables for her."

The footman bows and walks away from my chambers. I close the door and walk to my closet. I begin to search through my clothing for my riding wear. When I find my riding wear, I carry it into the dressing room and hang it up. I begin to strip off all of my jewelry and shoes. I begin to remove the pins from my hair and pull it into a braid. I wrap the braid around my head and pin it in place. I reach my hands behind my back and struggle to unbutton my gown. When I am finished unbuttoning the gown I slide it off my body and pull the non hooped burgundy gown over my body, button it and pull the navy tailed doublet. I sit on the only chair and stuff my stockinged feet into the low heeled boots. I tie the boots and stand. I pin the navy tophat to my braided hair and place the navy gloves in my pocket.

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I close the door to my rooms behind me as I leave and walk down the hall. Maids curtsy as I walk past them and guards stand at full attention. I walk through the main entrance and continue towards the stables. The stables come into view, and Lucia is standing outside of the stables next to two horses.

"Good afternoon, Princesa Lucia."

"Oh good you're here. I am so glad you decided to come. If you didn't come, Edward would have taken your horse and bored me to death."

"Then I am glad I saved you from a boring death."

"As am I."

We mount our horses and head towards the forest. We ride in silence for a few minutes. "Tell me Isabella, what do you think now of your great king?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think of Edward after having a private dinner with him?"

"I think he is quite nice."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What else do you think of him?"

"He is kind and human. He may be a king, but he does not lord it over his people. He is what most people want in a king. What I want in a sovereign."

"I think you have begun to fall for your illustrious king."

"Me, fall for the king? You can not be serious."

"I am being serious, look at yourself, what do you see?"

"I see someone who doesn't fall in love, someone who's her mother's daughter."

"Really, because I see more than that. I see someone who doesn't let herself believe when she begins to fall in love. I see someone who is her mother's daughter because her mother was kind, thoughtful, caring, and strong. I see someone who wraps herself in armor but doesn't let herself see the armor. You are so strong Isabella, but you don't let yourself see it."

"Why does everyone say that?"

"Because it's the truth. Isabella, you must stop lying to yourself."

A man jumps out from a cluster of bushes, holding a knife, and shouting at my horse. The horse lifts its front hooves off the Earth and bucks, trying to hit the man. I am thrown from the back of the horse and I hit the cold, hard Earth. The Princesa's voice screams out for guards. She climbs off of her horse. A ragged man dressed in nice clothing is standing above me holding a knife. Fire spreads across my face as my cheek is split open by the blade. The thudding of hooves hitting the Earth comes near my head. "ISABELLA! GUARDS COME QUICK!"

I open my eyes and blink blood off of my lashes. The Princesa desperately pats her skirts looking for something. Hooves flash next to me and the man backs a few feet away. I push myself to a sitting position and try to untangle my skirts so that I can stand. Lucia throws something against a tree and holds a small crossbow. She slaps the quarrel into place and points the bow at the man's forehead. Both horses run off back along the path. The man laughs mercilessly, "You really think you can defeat me with that?"

"I never said I could defeat you."

"Ah, the poor maiden admits defeat."

"Defeating has nothing to do with it. The one thing that matters is that I am successful in my goal."

Annoyance drips from his voice, "Which is?"

The Princesa laughs, "Why would I tell you that?"

"Because I'm betting that you can't even properly shoot that crossbow."

She lowers the crossbow to be level with his chest, "Would you stake your life on that?"

The man takes a step closer to her and she places her finger on the trigger. The man laughs and holds up his knife. He takes a few steps towards me, and then stops as the sound of rustling bushes comes from around us. Palace guards come into view. A group of palace guards surround us in a large circle. Half of the guards have their swords drawn and the other half have crossbows pointed at the man who stands between the Princesa and I. Her crossbow remains pointed at the man's heart. The guards begin to move closer to us, shrinking the circle. The leader of the guards breaks the circle and begins to walk towards us. The two men on either side of him leave the circle and follow him. They sheath their swords and walk past the leader. They prowl over to the man in between Lucia and I, and wrestle his knife out of his hand. They grab his arms and pull them behind his back, tying his wrists together. The leader signals for the two guards to pull the man off to the side. Lucia unloads her crossbow and returns it to its hiding place in her skirts.

"Princesa Lucia, Lady Isabella, are you much harmed other than the cut on the lady's face?"

"I think not London, unless Lady Isabella suffered injury when her horse threw her."

"I am fine, London."

"Isabella, shouldn't you be trying to stanch the bleeding?"

"It's fine Lucia."

"No it's not. There is blood practically sticking your left eye closed."

London walks over to one of the guards and speaks with him quietly. The guard runs off down the pathway. I take the kerchief out of my pocket and wipe the blood off of my face. I fold the kerchief and slide it back in my pocket and people talk around me. I see my top hat lying on the ground and walk over it. I pick the hat up, brush the dirt off of it, and set atop my head.

A/N: mwhahahaha. i'm so mean to my fictional children. thank you for reading, please vote. love, M