Date Completed: 3rd December 2017

Song Recommendation: Park Jang Hyun - Two People

Minor Pairings: BoRene/BoWen(?) - Basically Bogum and WenRene

Finally, a story that I've been working on for months is ready to be released. This is a story hugely inspired by Elizabeth I. I had to do a lot of research regarding her during my thesis and I felt like it was a waste to not use them, so I wrote this fic :D There might be irregularities still, but I tried my best.

Dedicated to Kim on her 22nd birthday. Happy birthday, Christmas Eve's baby! This is the renaissance/royal AU I've been telling you for months.

For Blingers and Shawols: My heart is aching along with all of you. It's been almost a week and I still can't regain my footings. How much harder it must be for all of you...stay strong <3

 

 

Long live the Queen!

Long live the Queen!

Long live the Queen!

 

She could not show any weakness, not when she knew people were just waiting for her to fall. There was no one around that she could lean on, no one she could trust even for just a short moment. Not when own half-sister, the late Queen Jisoo had sent her to the prison because she was accused of complotting against her; as she trusted words of others rather than the person who shared the same father as her. Not when her own father gave her mother a death sentence because he wanted to be with someone else; and this was the person who turned against his own religion and defied all the rules in the name of love for her mother. Not when the said father deprived her from the line of succession to the throne, just because he was disgusted of her being a woman.

 

There was nobody for her to quietly lean her body and depend on or entrust her weary heart. She only had herself and she had accepted that since a long time ago. At least that was what she thought before the weight of the throne was placed upon her shoulders.

 

Queen Irene was 25 years old when she first became the Queen of England.

 

 

“Lady Wendy! You’re not supposed to join your brothers during their hunting trip! I thought I asked you to stay with your sister for your dancing class!”

 

The girl’s flushed pink cheeks and bubbly laughter almost brought a smile on the nurse’s face but she tried to keep a stern look.

 

Truth was, she did not mind much when the second daughter of the Earl of Devonshire went along to hunt with Lord Eric and Sir Mark, her older brother and younger brother. However, Lord Devonshire would be back that day and she was worried the girl would be punished again. Her father had already disapproved of her learning Latin and French alongside English; she had also been warned over and over again to stop hunting after it was discovered that her eldest brother, Eric had been secretly teaching her how to. Both of them were punished severely by the Lord but that did not deter them from doing what they loved.

 

“Miss Kim, it’s Mark’s first time hunting! How can I miss it?”

 

The girl gestured proudly at her younger brother who was dismounting from his horse with Eric’s help. Mark was holding a rabbit carcass in his hand, he was smiling sheepishly at their direction.

 

“A rabbit for a first time! What a lucky boy.”

 

Lady Tiffany strolled to the front door of the household with her booming voice. Wendy tackled her elder sister with a hug.

 

“Tiffany! You covered for me right when Master asked?”

 

Tiffany rolled her eyes at this, feeling outlandish that Wendy even had to ask her of that.

 

“Of course, I’m your older sister. That’s my job. I suspect Master is already suspicious that you might be skipping his dance class on purpose. Although how can he even begin to entertain such a ridiculous notion, I have no idea.”

 

Wendy and Miss Kim laughed and the light-hearted talk was joined by Eric and Mark. All of them then chatted on the fate of the rabbit, whether it would be better roasted or stewed. As they were talking, Lord Devonshire sauntered in the front door with his men and all of them quickly bowed.

 

He was a serious man in his early 50s and he was always strict with all of his children. His wife passed away shortly after Mark’s birth and since then, he had devoted himself to the country and was always at the castle. His children were not close with him due to this reason but he ensured that the best people would care for them and taught them the skills required for them. His absence was an opportunity that his daughters took great advantage of. Noblewomen during their time usually only learn to read and write English, learned music and dance, filling their time by learning ethics and making new social connections. However, Wendy and Tiffany learned all that and more alongside their brothers as no one else dared to stop them.

 

The lord nodded and gestured for his men to dismiss themselves. His children and their nurse waited nervously for their turn to be dismissed, as he usually did but his next words took them by surprise.

 

“Our house has been chosen to send a Lady-in-Waiting as a companion for the new queen.”

 

Everyone seemed shocked and Wendy’s hand automatically reached out for Tiffany, squeezing her older sister’s hand in dread. They were very close with one another and the thought of separation burdened their hearts very much. Tiffany, being the eldest daughter had been prepared for this all of her life although they had hoped and prayed it would not happen. Eric looked grim and Mark appeared to almost be in tears. Being a companion for the queen meant that they could barely see their sister anymore.

 

Tiffany regained her composure and bowed to their father.

 

“I will go now and prepare for the departure, My Lord.”

 

She was about to turn around when the gruff voice of their father stopped her.

 

“Not you. Wendy, you’re going as the representative of the house.”

 

Everyone was frozen in their places. Wendy gulped and nodded. felt dry under everyone’s stares but she bowed and excused herself and made way to her room as her tears started to flow.

 

 

“I don’t get this at all! Shouldn’t it be the oldest daughter’s responsibility? Why must you be the one sent away?”

 

Eric paced back and forth in anger at Wendy’s room. Tiffany was silently packing Wendy’s belongings and Mark was clinging to Wendy, his face was still streaked with dry tears. He was the closest to Wendy as they were the youngest two and Wendy always had a soft spot for him. They would all mourn too if Tiffany was the one chosen, however it was rather expected as she was the oldest daughter in the family. They were more prepared at the thought of their older sister going away but Wendy was like a sturdy tree in the family, unshaken, unmovable and would always try to provide shade for all of them. Wendy being the chosen one made no sense at all.

 

“Calm down, dearest brother. At least you get to accompany father’s party in sending her to the castle tomorrow, it’s still better than me and Mark who will have to stay here.”

 

Tiffany’s sad voice countered his narrative and Eric grunted in response. Wendy had been mostly quiet and seemed to be lost in thoughts as she Mark’s hair.

 

“It’s okay, I’ll try to visit often. The queen might be different from the previous queen. She had been through so much…I think she would sympathize her subjects more.”

 

Wendy gave a weak smile but no one, including herself really believed in her words.

 

“Besides, I’m closer to age with her than Tiffany. It makes sense, really.”

 

Again, no one bothered to point out how that was not really the case.

 

“Will we get to visit Wendy?”

 

Mark’s small voice broke everybody’s heart. It would be extremely difficult for them to do so; the only person with a chance was Eric, as he would be required to assist their father in his task. Tiffany stopped her tasks and walked over to the youngest, hugging him.

 

“Hey, of course we can. We will find a time when everyone’s free and then we’ll go and visit Wendy alright?”

 

Tiffany ruffled Mark’s hair as the youngest nodded. Wendy tried to bite back her tears and Eric seemed like he was going to explode.

 

They did not know that their father was outside the room, his face unreadable as he heard his children’s conversation and he slowly walked away with a heart that held the burden of millions of subjects.

 

 

Queen Irene almost groaned when her arrow slightly missed the mark but she calmed herself and only let out a small sigh, befitting of a queen. She reached for another arrow and aimed, but the deer that she had been targeting in the last 10 minutes was faster than her. Irene heard bubbles of laughter behind her and she turned to the source and glared at her companion.

 

“I’m glad you’re jolly enough to enjoy even the queen’s failure.”

 

Her companion smiled and walked closer to Irene before curtsying politely.

 

“Apologies, your majesty. I’m just surprised that you’re very well-trained in using bow and arrows. I thought you would be more…subdued in such matters.”

 

Irritated, Irene let out a scoff before she climbed on her horse, ready to track the deer again when she heard the sound of a neighing horse and saw one of her royal guards approaching her. As he got nearer, he stopped his horse and quickly jumped down and bowed to Irene with one knee on the ground.

 

“Your Majesty, I apologize to cut your outing short but Lord Devonshire has arrived with your new Lady-in-Waiting and it is best to not keep him waiting.”

 

Irene regretted that she had to stop so soon when she had not caught anything yet but she understood the great responsibility that came with her title. She excused the man and turned around to her companion as she cocked her eyebrow.

 

“Well Prince Bogum, are you going to accompany me to head back to the castle?”

 

With a charming smile, Prince Bogum of Sweden nodded before he boarded his own horse.

 

“I shall follow you wherever you go, my liege.”

 

 

Truth be told, Irene expected her new Lady-in-Waiting to be older than her, pompous and is a person who would carry the air of wealth and had an elite presence wherever she was. Instead, she saw before her a blonde woman, who might be even younger than her and seemed nervous to be in such a formal affair. Irene was reminded of her days in prison, when she felt scared and trapped; no matter how good the guards and dungeon master was to her, the fear never subsided.

 

“Your Majesty, this is my youngest daughter, my third child, Wendy. I present her to you as your new Lady-in-Waiting, may she be able to assist you and be your company during your reign.”

 

The girl, Wendy, seemed to cower even more as all eyes in the royal court were trained on her and Irene wished she could send some comfort to the young girl.

 

“Why are you disrespecting the queen this way, Lord Devonshire? I believe you have an older daughter, yes? Wouldn’t she be more suited to a companion for the queen?”

 

Irene could have rolled her eyes at such a fake concern raised by one of the members in her court but she kept a straight face as she sat on her throne. Bogum, who was walking to his position to the right side of the court knew how Irene felt and he gave her a knowing smirk before turning his face into a calm expression.

 

They were a pretty picture, to be honest. Irene and Bogum were both good looking and Bogum, despite being from a poor country – Sweden was well mannered and humble. He was not the eldest prince, therefore he had been sent to serve in Irene’s court. They shared a lot of interests and Bogum had once expressed his interest in being something more than merely friends to Irene but Irene had refused him. Despite that, he respected her decision and stood by her side, becoming her confidante and trusted advisor. Initially, she did not elaborate on her reasons for rejecting him but when Bogum coaxed her day by day, she relented and told him her deepest, darkest secret. He was among the first real friend Irene had among the elites in the castle, aside from Lord Devonshire who had sworn his loyalty to her secretly some time ago.

 

That was probably why he spoke up to defend this girl, he knew Irene had agreed on having this girl as her Lady-in-Waiting without the queen having to express her decision verbally.

 

“Being younger doesn’t mean that she is unsuited for the position, sir. I don’t need to present more evidence on this as our Queen herself is very young and yet she has done so much for the country, has she not?”

 

“But still-“

 

“Are you perhaps, suggesting that the queen is incompetent in performing her tasks?”

 

The man, one of the lords seemed horrified by Bogum’s suggestion and he quickly bowed at Irene, who was still not giving any reaction; she was merely witnessing the exchange happening in front of her although she was secretly smiling inside.

 

“Your Majesty! I never meant to imply something so treacherous! I just thought a person with better experience will assist you better in your position therefore I said something I shouldn’t have. Apology, Ma’am.”

 

“Enough. I agree in taking this child as my Lady-in-Waiting. If she is lacking in experience, she will learn as she serves me, won’t she? Besides too much experience can be dangerous too, she may play me in her palm before I even know it.”

 

Some of the men in the court flinched slightly and Irene noticed this. She was well aware that a lot of people still thought that she was not the person who should be sitting on the throne and she had heard whispers, plots of dethroning her and she was well on guard due to this. The court had started to push for marriage plans and Irene had no interest to entertain this request. She knew that so many powerful families were waiting to send their house representatives to steal her heart but they did not know her secret yet, therefore she would always have an upper hand against them.

 

She would not let herself be governed by anyone, she knew all too well what would happen to her. Her father had demonstrated that enough when he executed her mother. She closed her eyes as the memories washed over her again. She would never get over this pain, no. Her father had betrayed her and her mother in the worst way possible and Irene could not let herself love if it meant surrender. Her mother did not even fight as she walked to her death, did not even think to go against her father and fought for her. Both of her parents betrayed her so much. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, trying to calm down before the rush of memories took over her.

 

“That’s enough for today. I will dismiss the court earlier. Lord Devonshire, please bring your daughter over to my residence and we will have dinner together.”

 

Irene was about to stand and left when a voice cried out after her.

 

“Your Majesty! We’re supposed to discuss about a suitable husband candidate for you today! We cannot postpone it for much longer.”

 

The air in the court suddenly felt so much colder as Irene turned to look at the man who had spoken.

 

“Are you, perhaps, the King of the court now?”

 

“N-no. No, your majesty! Forgive me for speaking out of my place.”

 

Everyone fell into an uneasy silence as Irene’s eyes pierced at the man, seemingly cutting through him by just a mere look.

 

“Then I, as the Queen, declare that the court is dismissed for the day. Is that clear?”

 

Several nods met her order and heads bowed as she left her throne with Bogum, Lord Devonshire and Wendy trailing closely behind her.

 

 

To say that she was scared would be an understatement.

 

Wendy was terrified out of her mind. The queen seemed so cold, calculating and stern, even with the lords so what would her fate be?

 

She was walking behind her father and they had fallen behind from the queen and her followers. Prince Bogum was in the middle, walking between the queen and them. Once in a while, he would turn around to look at Wendy and gave her an assuring smile.

 

“Wendy.”

 

Her train of thoughts were broken by her father’s low voice and Wendy stuttered as she answered.

 

“Y-yes, my lord?”

 

“The queen you saw just now…she’ll create a history no female monarchs before her has achieved before. You will do your best to assist her.”

 

“But…wouldn’t Tiffany be more suited for the task, Sir? She knew the inner workings of court better than I do and-“

 

“She knows of the court, she knows the rules, manners and etiquettes but she doesn’t know how the cunning minds work. She knows not the rule of hunting, the long wait, the pain and the satisfaction that come with the results.”

 

“…Sir?”

 

“It’s going to be a tough reign for the queen, Wendy. She will need all the help that she can get but she can trust almost no one at the same time. Right now, her people are that young Prince Bogum and me. I have to handle the politics outside the court too so I can’t always be here. Therefore, I’m entrusting you to assist her.”

 

“Father, I…I’m not worthy.”

 

The man stopped walking and turned around to look at Wendy. Wendy stopped too, confused and scared with the sudden responsibility entrusted upon her. In front of them, the procession stopped too but when her father politely gestured to the queen to continue, the young queen nodded regally before she moved on. Prince Bogum however, stopped and watched over the two of them from a respectable distance.

 

“Wendy, listen. I might not have been a very good father but I know my children well. You have to trust this old man on this. Tiffany will adapt very well in the castle and she’s got a strong heart but your heart is stronger. You may find it hard to adapt but I have faith in your ability as a good hunter and scholar to adapt and control this castle alongside the queen. You play a bigger role than just a simple Lady-in-Waiting. You’re the queen’s companion, advisor and you’ll become the person she trusts the most one day. In the pages of history, you may just appear as a minor role but for the queen, you’ll be a huge part of her world.”

 

Her father spoke precisely and urgently, there was almost a pleading tone underneath his voice, asking for Wendy to understand. It was hard to grasp everything at once but Wendy could sense that the queen was in danger – from what, she could not tell yet but she would be the one to help protect the throne. She took a deep breath and nodded as she stared right into her father’s eyes.

 

“I will not fail you, father. I will be the queen’s person and help to protect her.”

 

Lord Devonshire’s eyes twinkled and he brushed Wendy’s bangs lightly, which touched the girl’s heart. Her father had never been very affectionate with any of them, due to his position but now that she had a clue of what her father was fighting against, she felt like she was looking at him through a different light.

 

He had been through so much in order to protect them, the people, the queen and the country. She would have liked it for him to be around more as she was growing up but she got something better instead. She got a father she could always be proud of.

 

With hesitation, she reached out to her father’s palm and held his hand. It was awkward and unfamiliar but at the same time, she knew it was right. She squeezed his palm as she held it and they walked along hand-in-hand to the smiling Prince Bogum.

 

Her new life was about to start.

 

 

“Bogum! Go to the left and wait there. I’ll chase the deer to that direction.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“Wendy, stay out of the way!”

 

“But ma’am…”

 

“Hurry! Or else I won’t be able to catch it!”

 

Wendy obeyed Irene’s command although she disagreed that she was being dismissed from the hunt. She hid behind a huge tree and grumbled. It had been 2 weeks since she had been in the castle and she had been surprised to learn a lot of things about England’s newest queen.

 

For a starter, she discovered that the queen was diligently learning new languages and a few other subjects that were uncommon for women to learn. Wendy was especially pleased to learn this, and her thirst for knowledge was partially quenched when she was given permission to be in the lessons with Irene. The queen was initially sceptical of Wendy’s eager request but now, they were able to debate ideas back and forth after their lessons.

 

The second thing that surprised Wendy was Irene’s interest in hunting. This was the first time she had gone hunting since Wendy’s arrival and she was not even informed of where they were going this morning. She was informed that she had to wear a comfortable outfit suitable for running today and she had never been happier. She missed wearing pants and loose shirt after being donned in flowy dresses every day. When they arrived at the forest, Irene just passed her a set of bow and arrows and had been busy marking her hunt ever since.

 

Wendy watched as the queen jumped down from her horse and stealthily moved closer to the grazing deer. She also observed as Bogum approached from another set; his bow was loaded and he was prepared to shoot at a moment’s notice.

 

Truth to be told, although Irene asked her to stay out of the way, Wendy had chosen a spot that was very optimum to shoot the deer, had she wanted to. However, she made sure to keep herself hidden from the other two as Irene thought she would hinder them more than help. She could not really blame the queen for thinking that she was useless in the sport, really. It was not exactly common for women to be able to hunt. She loaded her bow and took aim, getting ready to shoot just in case the other two missed their chance.

 

The forest seemed to fall quiet, as if all the animals were holding their breath too as they were watching the showdown of the three hunters and a deer. Wendy noticed how well Bogum and Irene worked together, it was as if they were two people who shared one body. Their teamwork was amazing and Wendy wondered if the two of them shared something more than just being best friends.

 

Bogum was nice. Wendy had never seen him without a smile on his face and he seemed to be the gentle flowing water that cooled down the burning blaze that was Irene. He talked often to Wendy and although he appeared friendly and open about his own life, Wendy was aware that he was careful when he talked about Irene, if he did at all. He was good in keeping secrets and he was the queen’s person; his loyalty was unquestionable. Wendy was quick in catching up that at times, he was testing her loyalty and intelligence and she dared say that so far, she had managed to impress him every time.

 

Irene had started to make her move. She took aim and as she fired at the deer, the animal turned her neck around, causing Irene’s arrow to miss by a few millimetres. The young queen growled slightly before rushing forward, ready to make her chase alongside Bogum, who had appeared from the bushes and shot at the deer, only to lose his chance as the deer was aware of the hunters and had ran away from the both of them.

 

Irene and Bogum quickly chased after the deer, with Bogum leading over Irene by the advantage of his long legs. Their chase was cut short as suddenly an arrow came from behind a tree in front of them and shot the deer down. Bogum immediately jumped in front of Irene, making himself as a shield just in case the next arrow would be aimed towards the queen. He lifted his bow, ready to shoot.

 

They were both pleasantly surprised as Wendy stepped out slowly from behind the tree and smiled sheepishly. Irene let out a small groan, one that she rarely did after she became a queen and Bogum laughed heartily, pleased that their new friend was a good hunter too.

 

All of them approached the dying deer to inspect Wendy’s handiwork. Irene and Bogum were especially impressed with how well the arrow was shot, despite the target‘s running speed.

 

That night as they had dinner, Wendy sat beside Irene and recount the tales of her wild days in the woods with her older brother and that was the night Wendy was first called by the queen herself as her companion in hunting.

 

 

Irene rushed angrily to the castle yard, her demeanour was enough for everyone in the castle – from the servants to the lords to scamper away from her path and let the queen raged in peace. Following behind her was Wendy, who had to small jog to match the queen’s quick stride. Bogum’s absence was notable by the castle’s occupants but they dared not ask what happened.

 

After walking around the garden for a while, Irene finally settled at a bench underneath a huge oak tree, her favourite spot in the garden that was quite hidden. Her eyebrows were furrowed, expressing her inner displeasure. Wendy just stood behind the queen, nervous to make even the smallest sound. She had seen Irene displeased in several occasions, but this was her first time to see the queen to be truly mad.

 

“Wendy, sit beside me.”

 

“Par-pardon your majesty? I wouldn’t dare-”

 

“It’s an order. Come and sit beside me.”

 

Wendy hesitated, she took a step forward but her nerves got the best of her this time. They were out in the open at the queen’s garden, what would people think if she sit with the queen like she was the queen’s best friend when she had only been around for around 3 months. Irene turned around and pulled Wendy’s arm, and Wendy almost jumped to sit beside the queen in fear of making the queen angrier. Irene’s expression softened when she saw Wendy’s lowered head and cautious body language.

 

“It’s going to be okay, it’s almost dark. No one will notice us. Besides, you’re my Lady in Waiting, you don’t have to worry about trivial things such as this.”

 

“Ma’am! I’m unworthy of such honour.”

 

“Wendy, it’s just sitting beside me and I grant you the permission to do so, it’s okay.”

 

Wendy nodded and silence engulfed the space between them. It was not uncomfortable one; it was one that two friends shared when they had too much in mind and they were just lost in their own thoughts.

 

“Do you agree with the teacher?”

 

Irene broke the silence, addressing the elephant in the room that had been there between them since they left their tutor session.

 

“I have no opinion regarding the topic, my liege. It’s all up for you to decide since the matter concerns you. If you disagree…I think it’s for the best when you asked Sir Bogum to find a new tutor.”

 

The queen smiled and let out a sigh as she stared at the setting sun.

 

“It’s hard for me to trust anyone now, not when the tutor who had been teaching me for years turned against me and sided with my ministers. There’s only Bogum left. If he turns into my enemy as well…”

 

Irene’s voice turned sad as the thought crossed her mind.

 

“I’ll be alone.”

 

The other girl realized the gravity of the situation the queen was in. When her father told her she had to be by the queen’s side and be her strength, she never thought that the political situation was this bad.

 

The parliament was forcing Irene to marry and it seemed like every day, one of them would present the idea in court and suggested different candidates they would like to push for the benefit of the country. Wendy noticed that Irene’s patience was already thinning but the was today, when her own tutor lectured her about the importance of marrying and producing an heir for the country.

 

Could Irene not marry because of love? Call Wendy old fashioned, but her heart ached for the most powerful person in the country. She was respected and feared by many but had little say in her own life. The people who smiled and praised her to the sky one day could turn on her the next day.

 

She was so lonely.

 

“No, my queen. You won’t be lonely anymore. I’ll be your person. You’ll have me as well, not just Sir Bogum.”

 

Wendy spoke her thoughts aloud confidently and when Irene turned around to look at her with an unreadable expression, she sputtered her words and tried to cover for her mistake.

 

“I mean, I’m not saying you’re weak for being lonely! Or that I’m implying you’re lonely in anyway. It’s just in case. I’m not saying that I’m worthy to be by your side too! I just want you to know that I’ll be here as your person if you need me. I’m sorry for rambling, Your Majesty. This servant of yours begs for your forgiveness.”

 

Irene chuckled at Wendy’s panicked self. She had only known the younger girl for a short while but it was easy to see that the girl was sincere in her words and actions. She knew for others, Wendy’s words might not mean as much but she felt a huge sense of relief when she heard Wendy’s awkward promise of loyalty.

 

“I’ll take your words as true then. You’ll have to be by my side even when everyone else is against me, okay?”

 

“I will not let you down Your Majesty!”

 

Wendy stood and bowed profusely to Irene and the queen just smiled as she pulled Wendy to sit again.

 

“Wendy, I want to give so much for the country. I wish to give girls more opportunity to study and I want women to be able to do the things that men do as well. I want England to be known as the centre of culture, I want to restore the country’s relationship with France and Spain but apparently, I can’t do any of that without getting married. My own parliament, who swore loyalty for me had refused to approve the funding I need unless if I get married and produce an heir for the throne.”

 

Irene chuckled dryly and Wendy’s heart ached as she saw the queen letting out of all her grief and unhappiness. Wendy could not say anything since she sensed the queen had more to say.

 

“My own stepsister imprisoned me and almost had me tortured because she thought I was rebelling against her. Many of my people think I’m a bastard and should not be the queen. Men line up to woo me because they want to be king. Honestly, I feel like running away sometimes but I have to be strong for the sake of my people who still believe in me.”

 

Looking at the exhausted queen, Wendy knew mere words would not be enough to comfort the queen in her long and ongoing journey. An idea suddenly popped in her mind.

 

“My queen, I have no words that can comfort you enough but if you are willing, I can play some music to chase away your trouble temporarily.”

 

“You know how to play instrument?”

 

Irene’s eyes widened at Wendy’s words as the other girl grinned at Irene and offered her palm, signalling for Irene to follow her.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. If you may wait in your chamber for a moment, Ma’am, I’ll rush to my chamber and get my flute to entertain you.”

 

Irene smiled, it was hard not to be caught up with Wendy’s enthusiasm. She put her palm on top of Wendy’s and stood, ready to walk along with the younger girl.

 

“There’s no need to me to my chamber, I’ll follow you to yours.”

 

Wendy gasped at this and shook her head, seemingly terrified as both her eyebrows jumped in shock. Irene held back a giggle at this at how full of expressions her companion was.

 

“Ma’am! Please don’t tire yourself! I’ll rush to your chamber as soon as I get my flute, there’s no need for you to step in the chamber of such a lowly servant like me.”

 

“Oh? Is there anything in your chamber that I cannot see? Perhaps I’ll find your secret lover? Crouching in front of the fireplace waiting for you to come back after your duties with the queen for a secret tryst?”

 

Irene teased Wendy and when Wendy shook her head rapidly, Irene laughed. Wendy seemed to freeze when she heard the queen’s first unguarded laugh with her and she stared at Irene’s face unabashedly – almost forgetting her manner as the queen’s companion. She knew the queen was beautiful but her expression was always sombre. This was the first time Irene laughed this carelessly and God,

 

Wendy had never seen a more beautiful lady in existence at that short moment.

 

Irene blushed when she realized she had surprised Wendy with her carefree attitude and she slapped Wendy’s palm lightly.

 

“I thought you’re leading the way to your chamber?”

 

Her voice was still light and playful and this time, it was Wendy’s turn to blush. She cleared as she tenderly linked her arm with the queen’s.

 

“This way, ma’am.”

 

 

Wendy was an amazing flutist. She could play almost every song Irene asked her to and Irene could feel the emotion behind the songs. Happiness, sadness, longing and power – Irene could feel them all. Currently, Wendy was taking a break after playing songs after songs for Irene. She was seated on a chair a few feet away from Irene who was resting on her bed.

 

“You’re an amazing flutist, Wendy.”

 

Wendy bowed her head shyly at Irene’s compliment.

 

“Thank you, ma’am.”

 

“I wish I had time to learn an instrument too, but my stepmother, she insisted that I learned as many languages as possible in order to make communication with other heads of the countries easier. Not that I can blame her for that.”

 

“Parents just want the best for their children, ma’am. My own father wanted me to learn music, dancing and new language but I just managed to learn Latin and focused on music. I ran away from dancing class every time and followed my brother, Lord Eric to hunt.”

 

Listening to Wendy brought a smile on Irene’s face. She could somehow imagine little Wendy sneaking out of the house, trying to run away as her instructor loomed around the castle Lord Devonshire’s family lived in.

 

“I think you made the right choice. Not every parent knows what’s best for their children. My own father disowned me after all.”

 

The casual way Irene said it would fool anyone else from the hurt she was harbouring in her heart but Wendy had learned a lot about the queen, especially today after she had stormed out of the class. She appeared as cold and calculative but she was also sensitive and thought a lot about everything.

 

“Then it’s his loss, my liege. He’ll never find out how beautiful and smart his daughter grows up to become.”

 

A blush crept on Irene’s face hearing the cheesy compliment. She turned away from Wendy and walked in front of the fireplace. She could hear Wendy’s light footsteps following behind her.

 

“Ma’am, I have a question burning on my mind that I must ask you about. But if you feel that it’s too personal to answer, I shall not linger and wait for your answer.”

 

“Ask away, Wendy.”

 

“Do you share a special relationship with Sir Bogum? Uh, the kind of relationship that may lead to a marriage one day?”

 

Irene raised an eyebrow at Wendy’s question and the younger girl suddenly felt nervous and she waved her hand in the air, trying to dismiss her question.

 

“Of course that’s…that’s probably something I shouldn’t know right? What was I even thinking, asking such question, haha. It’s okay my liege, you don’t have to answer…”

 

“Calm down, Wendy. I don’t see Bogum that way, he’s just a good friend of mine. He doesn’t fulfil the requirement for my ideal type, anyway.”

 

“You…you have an ideal type?”

 

Wendy gaped, shocked at the new information as Irene chuckled, amused with the various expressions she had seen from the girl in just one evening.

 

“Uh huh, I’m a girl too, you know. Well, an extremely powerful one but still.”

 

“Wha-what is your ideal type?”

 

“Hurm. I like someone who’s brave and witty, good at hunting, preferably have a soothing voice and knows how to play instruments and maybe has hair the colour of the stars.”

 

Irene’s voice trailed off as she looked at Wendy to gauge her reaction and when she saw Wendy was blushing deep red, she decided to tea