To Keep a Promise

.24.

'That was quick'

The accented voice in the library scared me and I jumped, turning around to see the one person I truly did not expect.

'Your Majesty' I curtsied shakily to my mother, trying to figure out how she knew I would come here. 'Did you send me the note?' My tone was accusing.

'I would never write something so juvenile. No, I simply intercepted it, and decided I would like to see what this little meeting was about. This little prince must be a blind idiot if it is some kind of rendezvous'

Standing before her, I wanted to be horrified that she could say those words to her own daughter, but it was simply more of the same I had endured when I was a child. The woman was no more my mother than any other stranger on the street. Her sneer was the only expression I had ever seen on her face. As I looked at her I felt nothing close to what a daughter should feel for their mother. Instead all that stood between us was fear and detachment.

'Why have you come to Corisan?'

She laughed without humour 'Why, did you not want me here?'

'Not when I am on assignment' I kept my voice low, aware that if she had not written the note, that would mean Mason was on his way.

The Queen sauntered about the room lit only by the dwindling fire. 'Your father should never have sent you here. You are hardly capable of being a lady, let alone a spy'

'I seem to have convinced them'

'It is not hard to pull the wool over the eyes of those who wish to be deceived'

Her dismissal of me as well as the King and Queen of Corisan grated on my nerves. I counted to ten to gain back my composure before responding 'I am sure they could not suspect a woman to be their undoing, let alone a young friend of their daughter'

She rolled her eyes and looked around the room in distaste. 'If I had been here earlier we wouldn't be in this mess'

'I am not in a mess, Mother, I was doing fine before you or Father decided to intervene with new plans' her eyes narrowed, 'And if Mason is coming here, you need to leave'

'How dare you take that tone with me? I'll have you know I am your Queen and you WILL treat me with the respect I - '

I held up a finger to stop her tirade, hearing footsteps in the corridor. The look on my face was not enough to deter her from speaking but then she heard the footsteps as well.

It was too late for her to get out so I hurriedly pushed her to the back of the room, behind the same shelf that I had hidden a few days previously. It was easy enough to ignore her glares when I turned around and straightened out my dress automatically.

I took two calming breaths and at the knock on the door I hissed a quick 'be quiet' before I called for Mason to come in. He stepped into the room with a broad smile that died when he saw my face.

'What's wrong?' The concern was immediate, his stride to me quick.

'Nothing is wrong, I am just worried about being discovered here when there are so many people about'

Walking over to the fire Mason stoked it, resting against the wall beside it. 'I understand, but you said you wanted to talk, and I didn't get the chance to speak to you at the picnic'

Satisfied with the size of the blaze he came to me again, unexpectedly wrapping me in a hug. Instinctively I tensed up, very aware that my mother was able to see everything that we were doing.

'Why are you tense?' He whispered in my ear.

I consciously forced myself to relax in his arms and breathed in his scent to calm myself down. He was the only person in who's presence I was beginning to feel truly at ease. Even Estelle had me on edge when I could not figure out where her loyalties truly lied.