Daughter of Death -Chapter 3 (Patreon)

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CHAPTER THREE

It was the seventh day when Her Royal Highness finally felt well enough to spend her day outside her chambers.

All of the servants and courtiers greeted her happily with fond smiles when they saw her at last out of bed and moving about court. She felt happy by this; it was good to know she’d been missed and to be acknowledged. 

However all could see that her illness had taken the blush from her cheeks. She looked rather pale now although her natural beauty still served her. She would recover with time –they thought. Meanwhile she still held such charm, attractiveness and elegance –it was undeniable.

Her father had almost forgotten about his desire to start conversing with her in order that he might get to know her better. But he and his wife took lunch with Princess Reina and the thought returned to him again.

“I am glad to see your recovery is well underway,” he expressed, “I shall have to pay well the doctors who have attended you this past week.”

“You needn’t bother,” Reina replied, “They did very little to help me. All I required was rest.”

“Well I’m glad you got it,” The King smiled knowingly. All of the reports back to him had indicated so.

“Thank you Father,” she replied politely.

“My daughter...as you are now coming of an age I wished to have this conversation with you however your illness postponed my doing so. I would like to discuss your daily life with you; your interests, your strengths, your fears, your ambitions for your life and our kingdom.”

The Princess looked at her father with some interest. “You wish to prepare me to receive the throne,” she stated.

“Essentially yes.”

“Brilliant. That is pleasing.”

The King glanced at his wife fleetingly before looking back on his daughter with some amusement at her enthusiasm.

“Her Majesty tells me the grooms have your horse ready at all hours. I am glad to hear you enjoy riding and being an equestrian of sorts.”

“I love the freedom it allows me,” The Princess admitted truthfully.

Her father smiled a little. “And what else is of interest to you?”

Reina took a small morsel on her tiny fork and consumed it quietly and slowly before she responded to her father’s question: “The history of this kingdom. I should much like to continue knowing whence we came from or rather where our people have.”

“This can be easily arranged,” The King nodded.

“Yes,” Reina agreed.

“And what concerns do you have if any about our kingdom?”

“Concerns?”

“Is there anything in the kingdom or that has taken your notice that you feel deserves your attention? Perhaps something that could be changed?”

“Certainly.”

“Might I know what that may be?”

Reina met her father’s gaze. “The first thing I shall do away with when I am queen is the usual going to my mother’s grave on my birthday.”

The King gazed at his daughter in extreme surprise and some horror. “Your mother gave her life to give you yours that is why we remember her and honour her.”

“That may be so however should I not also be honoured? I am heir to the throne and long awaited and it was a miracle that I was born. Have you not all told me this? Beginning my day that should be a celebration of life in deep solemnity and remembrance of death is difficult and almost insulting. Would my mother not wish us to celebrate life and not pay homage to death? May we celebrate her life and mine?”

The King could see his daughter’s point however the nonchalant way in which she spoke of this matter was alarming. “My dear Reina... though truth rings in your words I cannot help but feel uneasy that you should speak in this way.”

“Mistake not my intention, Father,” she spoke confidently, “I do not harm the memory or reputation of my dear beloved mother. I only wish to change that which is a hindrance. Was this not your intention in asking your question?”

“Yes it was,” King Arnaud admitted, slightly impressed by his daughter’s direct and sharp manner of speaking. She was both intelligent and unafraid to speak out that which to others may have been quite uncomfortable to broach upon.

“Now if you wished to have an answer more closely related to politics or the way in which the kingdom is run well I admit a short-coming as I am not as involved as you in its workings and grand tapestry. Granted it seems this is something you wish to expose me to considering the nature of our present conversation.”

“Indeed,” His Majesty nodded. “I wish for you to feel ready for your responsibility as a Queen as well as suited towards it. Then I can happily pass on my crown and leave our kingdom in your capable, secure hands.”

“Then we’ve a lot of work to do in two years, Father.”

He smiled a little. “Legally yes you are eligible for your coronation at eighteen years of age. However should things take longer I’ve no qualms. You should be Queen when you are ready.”

“We are all flawed Father, are we not?”

The King and Queen were both taken aback at Princess Reina’s statement and so remained quiet for the seconds following it.

“I will do my best however.”

This eased her father’s heart some.

In the days and weeks following, preparations were arranged to begin upon and further The Princess’ education and exposure to the kingdom and her future duties as monarch over Bayern. Her father could not have been more relieved that his daughter had taken all of this so well and was eager and willing to go forward.

Two weeks after the initial conversation was had, The King breeched another topic with his daughter: “Of course your future husband will have some duties in this regard,” he explained when they were covering the topic of charitable endeavours within Bayern. “However whatever projects he devotes himself to will have to be supported by you even if only in word. If it is of his own volition he must have your approval, essentially. If you assign him to a project or role naturally he must abide.”

“Does every monarch require a spouse?”

“Require? Well truthfully no it is not a requirement. However without an heir to your throne; a legitimate heir your succession to your rein is not secure.”

“How so?” she questioned.

“You can make an Act of Succession however documents written out do not guarantee that they shall be carried out. Or if your mind changes before you alter your Act then the throne goes to the wrong individual. The only sure and legal way is to have an heir.”

“Surely heirs can be disinherited,” she challenged casually.”

“Well yes but it is a rare occurrence that a child be disinherited from receiving the throne. They ought to be quite awful and a danger to the kingdom’s peace and security in some sense for a King or Queen to disinherit them from receiving the throne.”

“Yes that is considerable,” she nodded.

The King paused for a few moments as they both digested the conversation a little in their minds. He ran the knuckles of one hand across the short hair of his beard upon his jaw line. It had in recent years began to pepper with grey and white. He kept it all short, finding it to keep him looking a little younger than his years.

“Does it concern you to have a spouse?” he inquired, “Are you bothered by the idea of marrying?”

“No,” she admitted, “I just wondered whether it was a stipulation upon the terms of The Crown is all.”

Her father felt some relief. “Marriage of a monarch is often done for the good of the kingdom or kingdoms,” he began to explain further, “however not always is a marriage made as a business deal of sorts. Often too marriage is made from love and companionship.”

“You said ‘often’ twice, Father. Which is it that is most often?”

“In our kingdom? Companionship and love. Bayern has had very little need to arrange politics by the arrangement of a royal marriage bed.” He had forgotten for a moment to who he spoke and blushed following. His daughter did not seem put off however.

“And so you married my mother out of this context,” she stated. “If you had not met her, would you have taken a wife to secure the line of your throne?”

This question put her father into quiet reflection for awhile. Reina was patient and waited for his response. “I imagine I would have, yes.”

“You had an heir by her and lost the woman you loved when she died. Why then did you marry again? It was for advantage now?” Reina could not see how. “Queen Edeline will not provide you with another heir; I have heard talk of her barrenness. And it was not out of passion or love–”

The King was shocked once more by his young daughter’s frankness. “Reina–!”

“Why then did you marry her?” she pressed on curiously as she met her turquoise eyes with his hazel ones.

“I married Her Majesty because I cared for her– I care for her still and we shall be fond companions for one another.”

“But you do not love her?”

“I do. In my own way.”

“But not like you loved my mother,” she stated.

“No not in the same way. But this does not mean that I do not love my queen. We are both getting on in age and the priorities we have are not the same as they once were when we were young– when I was young... When the kingdom is passed off to you to rule over, I shall be glad to have Her Majesty as my companion, friend and love until the end of our days.

You on the other hand shall not have to worry about such things,” he went on, “I shall ensure that you find a suitor suitable to claim your heart and help compliment you.”

“And what if I haven’t need of such things?”

King Arnaud frowned but his daughter went on, “You have said yourself before that you fell in love with Mother easily; unrestrained. You did not seek her out. How then will you ensure that I find the same?”

“I will not encourage or invite you or a suitor to deepen an acquaintance if you are not comfortable with doing so. I shall not attempt to arrange a marriage for you. I may perhaps encourage certain choices or entertain certain situations or matches but I shall not arrange a marriage and a husband for you, Reina. I wish you to be happy in your life as I have been; as I once was.

As I said a spouse to your kingdom is not a requirement but it is certainly an asset and when your rule comes to an end I wish it to be that you hand off the crown as I will with days ahead of you to spend with someone or something most dear to you.”

“Good,” she responded gently. “I much appreciate the sentiment. And, I am glad that such a thing shall be my choice and my choice alone.”

“Has someone caught already your heart? Your eye?” The King asked –recognizing beneath her look a gaze of seeing with fondness some visage.

“I am in consideration, I suppose.”

“Who might it be?” he asked with a contented smile.

“Not anyone that I feel my father consider yet. You are a king; your eye upon anyone could create a stir. If you can trust that I know what to do with my own heart when the time comes to give it, then I shall in turn inform you and our court and our kingdom of my choice in doing so.”

“Very well, daughter. You are wise beyond your years. I do see so much of your mother in you; confidence, intelligence, fortitude and aptitude. She would be proud of you. I truly am.”

“And if you did not see her in me? Would that disappoint you?”

“Certainly not my darling. You have been a wonderful child and I am proud of you Reina whether a piece of your mother’s spirit resides in you or not. I am...regretful that I did not come to see it so clear as I do now sooner in your life and for that I am sorry. I have not been the father I could have been to you I was consumed too far into my grief.”

“The time has passed,” she told him. “You now find approval in me and pride.”

“I do. You are a remarkable young woman, Reina. You will do well with your life.”

“And what if you were not proud of me? What then?”

The King was slightly taken aback at the course of the conversation and the depth of her questions yet again.

“It would certainly take a lot to that end. But I am not; I am indeed proud of you.”

“That is encouraging. I should hate that you find me displeasing...”

“That I do not.”

The conversation ended there as their day carried on.

The King found himself reflective that night as he often did after lengthy conversation with his daughter. He pondered over her words, her questions and her responses to his. He reflected upon her thoughts and feelings and points of view and Arnaud felt confident that with time, education and experience, Reina would become a wonderful ruler for Bayern. Her confidence and intelligence and wisdom alone at this point of her life were remarkable. He was proud, truly, of his heir.

As he fell asleep that night, The King considered that Reina might be a ready ruler by her eighteenth birthday. Perhaps he would pass his crown on sooner than expected. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to voice such thoughts to anyone.

Midnight came and went; the moon casting shadows on the castle grounds outside. King Arnaud had his curtains drawn; his room one large dark space. Despite this obscurity to the vision, a figure silently entered the chamber and moved through it slowly, heading towards The King’s bed.

It paused beside and waited a few moments; unmoving. Then, it pulled the coverlet away from His Majesty’s face and shoulders.

The King woke slowly from this and gazed through the dark with some confusion. When his eyes had adjusted, he could make out some of the features of the mysterious figure standing watch at his bedside. “I-Imogene?”

A pale hand came to the young woman’s lips and a single finger marked that he should stay quiet.

Quiet The King remained; in awe and shock at this ghostly apparition. His shaking hand moved up to reach for her. She remained where she was gazing upon him in silence. After several moments, he dropped his hand.

“I have missed you,” he uttered despite the earlier indication that he not speak.

“Sleep,” came a whispered voice from this pale, dark-haired spectre.

The King realized it was probably bad luck to gaze upon the dead for so long and furthermore to speak to them. His wife’s gentle requests brought this into focus. Perhaps it was not a bad omen to find a loved one watching over you but interaction was likely forbidden. His Majesty had never been terribly superstitious but here this night in the dark of the night in his chamber, he began to take things quite seriously.

He bid her goodnight silently before he closed his eyes and let sleep take him again.

The pale young woman did not move for quite some time as she watched The King drift to sleep and his chest begin to rise and fall evenly, showing that he was once more unconscious to the world around him.

Then, she stepped forward and pulled a handkerchief from the sleeve of her nightgown. Ever so carefully, one pale hand moved until its fingertips were against his jaw on the further side of his face and with delicate pressure, moved The King’s head to lie sideways upon his pillow. The other hand holding the handkerchief made its way to cradle his neck. There was a moment’s pause after all of this and when King Arnaud did not stir, the woman’s face lowered and pressed a soft kiss to his neck before the mouth opened and momentarily his blood began to pump into her mouth.

The scene went on awhile in silence with His Majesty’s life slowly draining away into this beautiful demon who held the handkerchief so delicately against him to catch any stray drops of blood that might have escaped her lips.

And then suddenly, a frenzy seemed to overtake and both hands now pulled The King closer to her and he woke, confused; unable to understand what was going on now in this darkness.

She had sensed this and as he groaned, her left hand instead moved to cover his mouth of any cries while she continued to drain him of his life.

King Arnaud felt disoriented and weak and without understanding what was going on, he tried to make some sense by holding onto this figure that was hunched over him. But everything remained incoherent and soon he felt himself growing tired again; wishing to give into this fatigue.

Still thinking this was perhaps some dream, King Arnaud relaxed and gave into the exhaustion he felt; thus ending his nightmare forever.

It wasn’t long before the woman finished and carefully let go of The King’s mouth before raising her head slowly whilst her other hand still held the handkerchief in place. She gazed down at The King for a long while before movement across the room broke up the moment.

A darkened lantern was undraped of its veil casting soft light into the dark chamber. The figure of a tall, pale man then strode up behind the young woman and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Well done my dearest. I shall finish...”

He handed the lantern off to her and replaced his hand over the handkerchief. The young woman stepped aside as the man’s face lowered to kiss each of the holes that had allowed The King’s blood to flow out of him. Each of these kisses left some new blood behind and as the man watched for a few moments the holes began to heal slowly. The young woman watched in fascination. When he was certain that no blood was further seeping from either wound, he moved the handkerchief to wipe The King’s neck clean and stood to full height to examine.

“You have done well; not a drop was spilt and there is no evidence left behind that anyone should suspect the truth. Come morning, his spirit will have joined his wife’s and Bayern shall mourn the loss of its king who died in his sleep.” The man tucked the spoilt handkerchief into his pocket intending to deal with it later by way of burning it. Unlike the young woman, he was fully dressed.

“Is he still alive?”

“Barely. He has lost too much blood to survive. You took what you needed; fear not that it was too little.”

She handed him back the lantern and he gently caressed a dark lock of her hair away from her eyes. “You did not even spoil your nightgown,” he murmured with smugness as he gazed down at her admiring the shape of her body through the material. “But—” He paused and leaned in to press a deep kiss to her lips; his tongue soon running itself over her lips and a little in her mouth in an almost passionate but animalistic manner. “There...no more blood,” he whispered as he pulled back.

Her eyes examined his face; an expression of admiration and wonder in her features. She felt a pulsing starting up between her legs from his actions but before she could think on it, he spoke again,

“Now it is time to return. I will come to you again tomorrow same time as tonight. You have done well; I am pleased. Come morning, carry on as usual. Be warned you may not sleep tonight but do not be alarmed.”

She nodded acknowledging that she heard and understood.

He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one slow burning before he pulled back. “Goodnight Reina.”

“Goodnight.”

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

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