Delvin mulled over his thoughts as Lavinia left, debating on whether or not he should give her warning. The Queen would be speaking with the maid today. Using coin and status as bargaining chips, she would attempt to sway Lavinia onto her side. Yet, he couldn't deny how good of an opportunity this would be. If Lavinia did as he said, accepted her offer, but reported back to him still, then he'd know he could trust her. He could go further. He could do more.
He was nothing but a greedy man. Delvin would take everything she could give him until there was nothing left.
But, if she took the Queens offer, and tried to cross him, and he would know. He would know down to the bones, if she did. Then he'd...
Well, he didn't need to say what he'd do. Yet, a part of him denied this, shrewd away from his own cruelty that he'd become so adjusted to, to survive. Somewhere, he knew that even if Lavinia betrayed him, he wouldn't do much about it. Not like the gardener, who'd double crossed him.
Besides that, Lavinia seemed achingly familiar, ever since the moment he met her, something in the back of his brain was ringing alarms. But he couldn't quite place his finger on it.
Had he seen her before? He doubted that. She was a farmhand on the outskirts of the Vespertine Kingdom, some place he'd never even been before. Though he vowed to change that the minute he got the crown. None of the Kingdom would be neglected under his watchful eyes.
He paced around the Magic Tower, as the mages there gave him a wide berth. He had to get his affairs in order before he left for the Havenvale Kingdom. An aide, rushed up to side.
Anthany Wickers, an incredibly small mess of a man, stood besides him. Brown hair, and brown eyes. Plain. Boring. Delvin sneered at him, towering above him.
Used to this, he was unphased, pushing up the glasses that were falling down his nose.
"You asked for these. Though i don't know why, why would you want anything to do with this. Couldn't you have done this yourself, it's so useless..." He rambled, and Delvin drowned out the incessant noise. He plucked the stack of papers from his hands, bringing it to his face.
Then paused. Looking back down at the small man, raising an eyebrow.
"These are the correct ones?" He questioned more than stated, looking back to the forms in his hands. They were standard things, hard to fake, as only Royalty had them. They were simple identification forms. There was one for every citizen of the Vespertine Kingdom. It detailed their family tree, genetic disorders, if they could use magic, family status, their current job.
They were upheld by magic, and would change automatically, as something in the person's life changed.
So why, was the page he was looking at startlingly blank.
"Yes. That's all I could find." Anthany huffed, hands on his hips, before he gave the Prince one last look and walked away. Muttering some insults under his breathe as he went. Normally, Delvin would say something back, retort harshly. But he, for once in his life, was stunned.
Lavinia Artmeris' Identification form was empty. Other than the fact that Linette Artmeris was her mother. Lavinia's own birthday was sans from the form.
'What the fuck?'
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Delvin, begrudgingly, was right. The Queen had asked for her audience the day before they were set to depart. Lavinia had everything ready, sets of her uniform, casual clothes, formal clothes, wash supplies and a set of chess. For when they get bored.
Apparently, according to the Magic Master himself, while magic was permitted in his Kingdom, it was not in any other of the three Kingdoms. So they would use a portal to arrive at the outskirts of the Kingdom, where a carriage would be waiting for them.
But that was inconsequential right now. One of the Queen's Handmaidens stood before her, dressed head to toe in the finest silk. With long, luscious blonde hair, she almost looked like a Princess herself.
Lavinia rolled her shoulders, puffing her chest slightly. She would need all the confidence she could get to trick the Queen herself. Tucking a stray black hair behind her ears, she nodded to the Handmaiden, who in turn began to lead her towards the Queen's personal quarters.
The minute the door opened she was overwhelmed by the smell of petunias, and in an ornate vase in the corner of the room, there they were. The Queen was on the opposite corner, perched delicately on the edge of a green, vintage sofa. A cup of tea, made from fine polercian on in her hands.
Lavinia resisted the urge to scoff, barely hiding the unimpressed look on her face before she realised where she was. Immediately she straightened. The handmaiden beside her shot her a harsh look, clearly she hadn't been quick enough.
"Enter." The Queen said simply, so assured that that was the only thing Lavinia could do right now, she didn't even look at her. "Sit." she then further demanded. As she got closer, Lavinia got a better view of her. The Queen was slender, with long, waist length brown hair and pale, blues eyes. Like the underbelly of a fish, they glistened. Despite her age, there was no trace of wrinkles. She was ethereal.
But Lavinia knew better.
There were signs of aging at her temples, little creases underneath her eyes. The beauty was skin deep at best. The handmaiden had left now, leaving only her and the Queen. Lavinia tried her hardest not to sweat underneath the pressure. Heaven help her right now. The Queen's presence alone commanded authority, one of the only things she seemed to have in common with her son.
"Are you going to sit." The Queen commented, finally looking up at her. She said nothing in response but sat besides the Queen nonetheless. "How rude. Are you not even going to greet your Queen" The Queen added, but there was real hurt or anger in her voice.
There was a costume of course, to greet and bow to the Royal's whenever you saw them. Lavinia could not give a shit if she tried. "I'm sure you know why you're here." The Queen commented. Lavinia remained silent, but shook her head.
"Don't play a fool, speak." The Queen demanded again, patience thinning as the seconds ticked by.
"No, I don't, your majesty." The words were uncomfortable on her tongue, itchy like sand and damn right wrong. The woman laughed into her teacup, before placing it down on the table in front of them. She was dressed like a doll, large gems hung in her earlobes and bobbed as she turned to face Lavinia.
"Of course you do." She smiled, and it was like looking at a picture of Delvin. That same, knowing smirk she so often so on him, was mirrored on the Queens face. It must have been where he got it from.
"Don't be so coy. I ordered you here to work for me. Im sure my son has already made you aware. He's so paranoid, im afraid." The Queen said, feigning innocence. Delvin had already warned her that she'd do this, so it came as no real surprise.
"Yes, he is a bit." Lavinia added, playing into the Queens game. The smile on her face broadened at her words, and it looked like the Queen had her exactly where she wanted her. That was so far from the truth, Lavinia fought down a laugh.
"I'm just worried for his health. He is my son after all. Being so, paranoid all the time is no good for anyone's, is it?" Lavinia nodded obligingly. "So, I will make you an offer. If you tell me how he is, and where he is, i can give you extra pay. Isn't that so lovely?" The Queen finally laid out her offer. It was all going the exact same way Delvin had said it would.
"Of course. Any mother would want to know how their child is? In fact, you don't need to pay me. Ill do it for free!" Lavinia lightly smiled, placing her hands in her lap demurely. She worried momentarily that maybe she'd been a bit too forward. That hers and Delvins play would be obvious. But the Queens grin grew, impossibly more so.
"Exactly. I'm just a worried mother. He just doesn't talk to me," The Queen shook her head, frowning, placing a gloved hand on her cheek. "So I have to go to such extremes, like this. You must think me to be so meddling."
'Yeah you are.'
Lavinia dared not say the words allowed, instead denying the Queen's claims. "Oh no, of course not. Any good mother would do the same."
'Bullshit'
"Thats so lovely of you. Now, you must be off. Im sure you have work to do, and i have some far more pressing duties to deal with." She said, with the wave of a hand. Lavinia took the dismissal as it was, eager to get out of the stifling room. Just as she reached the threshold, the Queen called her out once more.
"Lavinia, im sure you remember our deal." It was a confirmation and a threat all in one. She gulped.
"Yes, i do." Lavinia replied, and hoped that would be enough as she left, and headed directly towards the Prince's room.
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Authors Note-
Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this update, i haven't been able to be consistent the last two weeks as i've been pretty ill. I'm still a little rough, but i definitely feel better than before so there's that.
If you liked it, let me know! Id love to hear your thoughts on this series.
Thank you for reading!
Lots of love,
Sam.E