Michael

I stand behind a heavy curtain listening to two servant girls speaking about Rae. I was walking past to gather dishes when I saw them gossiping about the royal family. I have not seen Rae around the castle recently and I am quite worried about her.

"The queen has not left her bed in days. Nearly three full Suns have set and no one has seen her emerge from her chambers in that time." One of the girls explains. "Some say she is dead and the queen mother is trying to find a clever way to cover her daughters untimely demise."

The way they talk about her makes me sick to my stomach. How dare they talk about my Rae like that?! She is their queen for Pete's sake! She deserves the upmost respect from them.

"Others say the king has her locked up in her chambers because he wishes to rule this country himself. But personally, I believe she is grieving over the loss of the boy she called brother. She was very close to him. I remember when they ran around the halls not too long ago. She would tell him stories. She just adored him." She continues to offer theories about Rae.

When news hit the castle about the boy's death, I was stunned. I did not know she had a brother. I had to ask Calum what was happening. He sat me down and we talked over some bread in his chambers late last night.

He said the boy isn't actually a royal. That is why he is not addressed as such. He has no ties to the royal family at all. He is simply a baby the Queen Mother took in as her own. He told me the Queen was absolutely infatuated with him. She treated him like a best friend. They practically did everything together, or so I was told.

From what I heard, Rae loved the child and is heart broken over his sudden death. The fact that he was murdered by an unnamed man makes this situation a million times worse I imagine.

"Well, she did take that nasty fall when she fainted a few days ago. Maybe she is ill over her loss?" The other girl questions.

"Or maybe she really is dead. I passed her chambers. There was not a single noise coming from inside." The two girls laugh at the thought of Rae being dead.

Why would anyone find that funny at all? I am shocked. The disrespect I am listening to is remarkable. I have never heard such blasphemy. Even when I lived down in the village, people at least held the Royal family with a little respect. There is no respect at all in this castle. This fact angers me.

I do wonder though, if I can somehow get inside her chambers. That way I could see for myself if she is okay or not.

But how could I? The guards outside her door do not let anyone near her chambers without good reason. She is under good care when they are at her door. They do not let hardly anyone past.

But I do need to see her as soon as possible. Even if it is just for a moment, just to know that she is okay.

I have got it! I could write a fake letter from the head chef and deliver it to her. I could pretend to have an important message for her. Surely they would allow me inside to deliver it directly to her! They would have to!

I rush back to the kitchen and dump the plates in my hand in to the sink before grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. I quickly scribble words on the paper and fold it the way I have seen messages folded for the queen before.

A smile plastered on my face, I make my way to her chambers, following an invisible, internal map I made in my head when I followed one of her chamber attendance servants back to her post one day.

This is the hard part now. I have to convince the guards to let me past.

"An urgent letter for the queen." I hold myself up straight, hoping they will take me seriously.

The guard rips the paper from my hands. "No letters get to the queen until they are tested for poison." He hands it off to the other guard and he slips it inside an envelope.

"I really need the queen to see that. May I speak with her myself?" I ask, my plan backfiring.

"No one is to be allowed in or out of the Queen's chambers except for the King and the Queen mother. I suggest you leave before I have you thrown in the dungeon."

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