tsubasa

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia nodded and smiled at her mother, "Yes... He showed them to me yesterday when we went into town. I wanted to see the city. Coming here was the first time I've left home... It's all really strange... The fact that I'm a princess isn't making it anymore normal," she laughed a little, "But I also wanted to see the people... They all see really nice. A little boy even hugged me."

She looked at her mother and bit her lip, "Why did you... send me away," she glanced at Samsul, "Samsul said it was something about the vision you were given when you had me... But what did you see that made you send away your only child... Was it that scary?"

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia listened as he mother spoke about her father and smiled softly. It was nice to actually hear about him, instead of the attempt that Samsul made to speak of him. She looked at her mother and saw that she was struggling slightly. She could imagine it was hard for her, losing him. They were in love, it definitely didn't sound anything like an arranged marriage. She pressed her lips together before she reached out and took her mother's hand, "He sounds... great... I wish I got the chance to meet him..."

She squeezed her mother's hand gently, but didn't let go as they walked. When she was younger, her and Mama would walk through fields together like that. She figured it would be nice for her mother, as that was something that she missed out on. She missed out on a lot, both of them did but at least Ana had parents, the Queen didn't have another child. She looked at her, "My first wordwas silly. I don't know why... Normally it is mama or dada but I guess I wanted to be different," she laughed a little, "I was riding before I could walk... Of course, Papa held me but I've lived in a saddle. Although, the last few years, it is only because I was helping with the stallions. But I was walking a month after I turned one."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia was relieved when her mother stood up so quickly. Despite what Samsul had said about her surely wanting to spend time with her, a part of her was worried she'd reject her. She smiled happily and nodded when said she could ask anything. She stepped back slightly when she looked at Samsul and invited him along. Although, she felt as though it were a sneaky order, ordering him but making it seem like it was his decision. She looked up at her mother and soon after the three of them headed toward garden making mostly small talk. When they reached it, Anastasia looked at her mother, "What was my father like?"

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia looked at him when he said they could go if she wished to. She nodded her head and stood, thanking Eric for the meal. Then with Samsul they walked to the Queen's office. Anastasia stood outside the door and stared at it for a little while. She still wasn't sure if the Queen would be able to spend time with her. Samsul had said that she would want to but she couldn't bring herself to think that she had time. After a moment staring at the door, she decided that Mama and Papa were busy in their own way and always made time for her. She hoped the Queen would be the same. She bit her lip as she reached out and knocked lightly on the door. A knight who stood in the room with the Queen opened it and stepped aside once he saw her. Anastasia walked in and looked at her mother, the shy look returning to her face. She held her hands tightly together, wringing them slightly, "I... was wondering if... you wanted to spend sometime together.... We haven't had much time since I got here.... And I know that you are really busy... So I'd understand if you can't... I just have.... so many questions...."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia couldn't help but smile softly when Samsul said he believed her mother wouldn't mind spending time with her at all. She nodded, "I would like that..."

For years, she had thought her mother had never wanted her. That she was a mistake and as much as Mama and Papa tried, they just weren't able to fill that small gap in her heart or that nagging in her head that she was unwanted. Knowing now, that she was a plan, that her parents had wanted her and wanted to love her. That it was some vision of her own future that caused her to be sent away... It melded things in her that she never thought would be fixed. She finished off her meal in silence before she looked at Samsul again, "Do you think we could go once you are done your breakfast? That should leave us plenty of daylight to get my dress from the seamstress and be back for my lessons with Gerald."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia's eyebrows knitted together when he mentioned he was thinking about something she may or may not know. She was even more confused when he looked around the area. When he mentioned the reason her mother gave her to Mama and Papa, she leaned closer. She listened to him as he explained it to her before she leaned back in her seat. That didn't explain much... In fact, she couldn't find much of a reason for him to be so secretive. The visions were common knowledge, with every woman who had children having them and she maybe could have figured out that the vision was part of the reason her mother had sent her away, if she had dwelled on that thought once she had figured out that her mother didn't want to actually give her away. She started to bit on her lip losing herself in thought. She couldn't help wonder what her mother had actually seen when she gave birth to her. Anastasia sat there a moment before she looked at Samsul. She gave him a very shy look, she had hardly spent time with her mother and of course, it was because she was a busy woman but she couldn't help but want to see and speak with the woman who had given birth to her. Anastasia pursed her lips, "Do you think... that... I could.... um... Spend time with... my mother?" After she said it she sighed, knowing it was ridiculous to ask. She shook her head, "No... Never mind... She's too busy after all..."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia went back to eating as Samsul seemed to get lost in his thought, thinking about one thing or another. He seemed to be bothered by something. She really hoped that he didn't think this was all some kind of attack on him. He was after all living, in certain areas, like royalty. She didn't want him to think that she was silently judging him. She hoped that wasn't what he thought. She kept eating her food in silence, glancing at him once and again. Finally, no longer wanting to worry about what he thinking about and if it was with any kind of malice towards her... She looked at him and cocked her head, "Penny for your thoughts."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia looked at him when he told her that it would not be possible for them to change anything about the way the royals saw things. She shook her head, "Well... One day... If I end up out living my mother... I'll become Queen... And then I can break the cycle. It may take a few generations but... One day this," she lifted the book, "Won't be the book that young heirs recieve. We won't feast while people starve, people will read and write even if they don't come from wealth and.... Greenspring will be better off."

She continued to push her food around, she felt silly. She had been here three days and was already trying to change the way people had thought for years. She didn't mind though, she knew she wouldn't see it in her time but if she could just start the chage... someday someone would. She smiled softly, "I think that is what my mother wants... it may not be the reason she sent me away but... things will be different and I think she'll like that."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia looked at him as he spoke, saying it was hard to read a points. She could only imagine that it would be. She felt like it would be hard for her to read, despite the fact that she wasn't even part of the Lost Elves race. She couldn't even start to think how it would feel to know you are part of this race that is dying out. After a bit of time, she smiled at him, "Well, I'm sorry for my kind... That they ever thought that it was the right thing to do."

She looked up at Eric as he came into the room and placed food in front of them. She wondered if he had seen them come in, since neither of them had gone to him to request food. She thanked him and lifted her fork, prodding the food slightly, "It is a shame... That people thought it was okay to do that... I mean... You may be different," she glanced at him, "A good foot different," she smiled, pointing out the drastic height difference between the two of them, "But that doesn't give either of us the right to mistreat each other. Just like the royals and lords and ladies have no right to mistreat those poorer and worse of than them."

She started to eat her food, "This book irritates me though... It calls anyone who doesn't have some kind of title commonfolk," She smirked at him, remembering how just the other day he had used the same term, "They teach you how to rule well... but it treats seventy five percent of the population like pawns in a chess game. In the end... Only the king matters..."

The Making of a New Queen

Anastasia watched him as he seemed to be thinking. For here, The Secret Garden had always been a go to as a favourite. She never thought that maybe some people didn't just know. Especially when they spent entire days working. That could have been why she took to Samsul so easily. He spoke only of work and made her believe that that was in fact all he did. She could appreciate that. Sure, she didn't only do one job on the farm back home, but there was always work to be done. If Samsul had been some kind of snotty Prince who never worked a day in his life, she most likely would have been rather bothered that he was ordered to follow her around. She was pulled out of her own head when Samsul started to speak of his favourite book. She smiled, "A history book? That must be fascinating. Tales of war and heartbreak and it is all educational.... Although, isn't your ancestors history rather... dark. Was it not hard for you to read at all?"