[Toward Morning]

[Southern Kingdom - Queen's Palace - Bedchambers]

Gloriam: y- Your Highness. I -hic!- so sorry. -sniff- I merely left her for a moment. -hic!- ..requested a cup of tea before-...and I -sob-

Roman: ...

Gloriam: -hic!-...

Roman: It is alright now, Gloriam

Gloriam: ...hic!

Roman: ....

The distraught lady; clutching her bandaged arm, trembled while she wept. And Roman, observing this, placed gently a comforting hand upon her shoulder as he inquired of another

Roman: ..How is mother?

Lady in waiting #3: Your Highness, m'lady- Her Majesty's forearms are scratched and bruised. And it took some time to calm her..

Roman: Is she asleep?

Lady in waiting #3: M'lady rests, yes

Roman: ..I shall go to her.

To a male attendant, he then demanded

Roman: You!

Male attendant: Yes, your Highness?

Roman: All the balcony doors on this floor and the next are to be barred shut first thing in the morning!

Male attendant: Yes, Your Highness.

The prince made his way toward his mother's bed chambers, and found a lady quietly sitting beside the queen. She watched over her as she slept.

On becoming aware of his presence, she hastily stood, addressing him in a whisper

Lady in waiting #4: Oh! Your Highness!

He placed a finger to his lips and the lady nodded before silently taking leave.

The prince stood watch in silent thought for some time over his sleeping mother before occupying the chair from which the lady had departed.

Restless, the Queen stirred, murmuring incoherently as she did.

Roman: ....

Golden and dreamlike, the lamps' light pierced through her eyelids and Marie soon noticed that a figure quite unlike her ladies, adorned in white, was seated beside her.

Marie: Valentin?

She winced and groaned in her strained efforts to push herself upright.

Roman: No, mother. Here, allow me...

His once long, black hair had been trimmed low and he now had three short braids running along the side of his head.

As he assisted his mother, she faintly asked of him

Marie: What of your father?

Roman: ..Well. I suppose.

Marie: ...? Do you not know?

Roman: Father refuses anyone but his doctors and close servants to see him

Marie: But how is he? Have you not seen him since?

Marie then discerned her son's changed expression, though slight, it was reflected in his tone as he sternly questioned

Roman: Mother?

Marie: Yes?

Roman: Why did you do it?

Roman made to reach for her, to take her by the hand, however, the Queen immediately withdrew both her eyes and bandaged arms from him and gave no answer.

Roman: Look at me, please.

Marie: ...

Roman: Why have you done this?

Marie: ...

Roman: Why did you jump from the balcony?

Marie: ...

Roman: ...Will you not answer me?

He sighed and made to leave, saying

Roman: Very well

But as he stood, the Queen hastily grabbed his robe.

Marie: Roman..wait..

Roman: ...?

Marie: ....

Roman: ..Will you tell me now?

Though Marie tried, no words came forth from her moving lips, only tears to her tired eyes. And so, she released his garment and instead wept openly.

In his eyes, Roman too felt it welling up, accompanied by the detestable, painful, choking sensation in his throat.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and in reopening them, quietly said

Roman: ...then I must leave. I shall return in the morning.

Marie: ....

Roman: Rest well, mother.

----------*----------

XXth October 18xx

----------*----------

When I questioned her, she refused to look at me; to answer me.

It hurts me deeply to know that mother would attempt such a thing. I had the doors to her balconies and the windows barred shut.

What would I do if she left me as well? I must keep a constant eye on her, for fear she attempts anything of the sort again.

For now, I am under obligation to remain strong. For all of our sakes.

-----

**

**

[Mid-morning]

[Southern Kingdom - Queen's bedroom]

Shut in, she sat by the window, her head leaned against the cool stone wall. Marie observed outside; scarcely blinking.

Roman on the other hand, took note of her, doing so briefly before he approached and said in a low voice

Roman: Mother?

The Queen, replying while she peered at the gardens below, questioned softly

Marie: Damian?

Roman paused in his approach and concernedly replied

Roman: No, mother. It's... Roman

Marie: Roman?

Roman: Yes?

Marie: Where is Alex?

Roman: ...

Marie: Is he out there?

Roman: ...

Marie: Is he playing in the gardens?

Roman: ...

Marie: I cannot see him from here...

With heavy eyes, she looked away from the window to her eldest and questioned further

Marie: Roman...where is he?

The prince lowered his head and said

Roman: ...I do not know, Mother

Marie: ...much has changed..

With the back of his hand he swiftly wiped his eyes. But Marie, noticing him crying, reached forward and with outstretched arms gently beckoned

Marie: Oh..,my precious one..here, sit

And he silently obeyed; seating himself on the long sofa beside her.

Marie: There, there...

Roman: ...

Marie: ...don't fret

Tenderly she wiped away the tears on his cheeks; taking hold of her son's broad hands, tracing the outlines of his veins with her fingertips, she smiled to herself.

But gradually, her smile faded and tracing stopped; replaced instead with renewed tears and hurt.

Wearied, the Queen then placed her head onto her eldest and only son's chest and wept.

**

**

----------*----------

XXth October 18xx

I visited her today as promised. She addressed me by 'his' name and I became further concerned for her well being.

I sat by mother's side without speaking a single word as she held my hand and slowly cried herself to sleep.

She laid deeply wounded before me and it pains me deeply to know that there is nothing I can do for her.

The image of her, so fragile, so weak, broken; a flower, nay an entire garden, trampled upon. Her frail state resides forever in my mind. All of mother's sorrow and hurt is all father's doing.

To see her this way today brought me to tears. An act of which I would rather not perform ever again.

-----

----------*----------

XXst October 18xx

I can still yet recall the first time I saw mother cry; not from sheer joy as she often did; it was also, I do believe, the last time in which I saw father and mother together in a tender moment. For that time he embraced her on the chaise as she wept. Grandfather had died.

I had no words then and only looked on. All the while listening to her sobbing, brother's repeated sniffing beside me and father's strange low voice as he spoke into mother's ear. Shortly thereafter, Cyrus removed us from her chambers at father's request.

-----

➵