"The King was sick.
That was all the people knew about the situation in the castle. Everyone thought of it as nothing because the kingdom was still running. But it was not the King who was running it.
In fact he could barely breathe let alone talk.
No, the King was not the one ruling the kingdom. In truth it was the Queen.
Of course no one actually knew this because according to the Council a Queen was not fit to rule. She was only to stand silently by the King's side.
So to keep the kingdom running the Queen simply told the Council that the King was bed-ridden and was telling her what to do. The only people who knew the truth were the 3 chamber maids who were tending to the ill King, and the his personal butler who never cared much for the King but had always respected the Queen.
During those 3 years the kingdom had run smoother than ever before. So much so that the council began to suspect something was going on they were just uncertain on what. And the Queen, having been a theatre performer before marrying the King, knew how to put on a show.
The kingdom had continued to gain new allies, win wars and the commoners were happier and healthier than they had ever been.
However, tragedy struck when the King finally died. The Queen knew it was coming she had just hoped she would stay in power when it did.
The council did not feel the same.
Once the King died the Queen was quickly removed from the castle and the Duke and Duchess took residence there. Their family continued to run the kingdom. Sitting upon their stolen throne."
My grandmother had just finished telling me that story for the thousandth time. It is my favorite story of hers despite the short length. However this time, she did not end it there.
"My grandmother used to tell me that story" she said looking straight in front of her, as if talking to herself. "Only she did not refer to the King and Queen by their titles." She said looking at me.
"Well, then what did she call them?" I urged.
"She called them 'Mother' and 'Father'" my grandmother answered with a bit of glee in her eyes.
"Oh, really? I suppose that would mean we are actually royalty then?" I laughed.
"Yes." My grandmother answered earnestly.
I continued to laugh knowing this was all a story but appreciating the idea of us, a poor blacksmithing family, being royalty.
My grandmother looked at me and sighed, "darling, the tale I have told you, is no tale at all." She said it with such intensity that my laughter quickly ceased. "I do not know how to make you believe me when what I've told you sounds so fake but it is true, I promise y-" she was quickly cut off by her violent coughs. Her illness was winning.
After a while of nothing but the sounds of her coughs filling the room she handed me a small package with a note attached to the top. In between coughs she told me to open it once I've finally begun to believe the truth she shared. Her coughing had now gotten so violent that my parents hastily guided me out of the room while the doctors tended to her.
Eventually, the coughing stopped. And that is when my mothers tears began.
After the funeral I started to wander around. I did not want to be at home, my mothers tears had gotten to be too much. Instead I went to my favorite spot, a little clearing in the woods where a beautiful pond sat. Sitting there holding my grandmothers package, that I still had yet to open, I was startled when a girl walked out from the woods on the other side of the pond.
A girl who I later came to know as Nadi.
A girl who would cause me to open the package.
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