Did you read it?

“Actually, it is from the future king” Announced Milo proudly, before the little boy continued to hit the other over the head. Was that really what his people thought? That the royals simply did not care? It hurt him to hear it, although he began to be less and less surprised by the way the royals were viewed. As Evie came to his father’s defence, Milo noticed the baby in her arms. He had not noticed the babe until then but smiled gently at Evie. She looked like a natural with him. A baby suited her perfectly.

“You mean the prince?!” Gasped a little girl and Milo returned his eyes down on the children again.

“I’ve heard he is the handsomest boy in all the kingdom!” Said another girl with a dreamy look on her face. The comment made Milo chuckle.

“He’s not a boy though, he’s a man” said a boy quickly.

“Well, I am very close friends with him and I must say, he is quite good looking” He glanced over at Evie, humour clear in is eyes.

“Really? Oh wow, I would love to meet a handsome prince some day!” Gasped another little girl.

“I want to be a knight for the prince, once he becomes the king!” A boy piped up and Milo nodded and pretended to consider the boy for a moment.

“Yes, I think you would make an excellent knight! But you must keep practising of course. Do you have a sword?” The boy looked delighted at this and shook his head. “Well then, I shall try and see if the prince might not have a spare sword somewhere which Lady Evie can bring you next time” He smiled.

Lexi stared at the servant. She did not exactly look pleased at the way he had spoken to her. After all, if a servant spoke to Andy that way once she was queen, she would most likely have them fired, or worse.

Without another word, the queen opened the letter, read it quickly as Andy anxiously waited, silently plotting her revenge for when she became queen. Lexi would pay for this. As Andy’s heart beat hard in her chest, praying that the letter was not too explicit or would turn the queen completely against her. Andy’s father would never forgive her if she lost all of the queen’s trust, surely.

The queen’s hand shook as she brought it to her lips in shock. She shook her head slightly, looked at Andy, then back at the letter. Finally, she ripped the letter apart.

Andy gasped but could not do anything. Lexi was queen. When she finished, furious tears were streaming down Andy’s face as well as the queen’s.

“Get out of my sight” Lexi breathed quietly and Andy wanted nothing more than to smack her across the face for what she had done.

“Your highness” The words came out harsh and sounded more like an insult than anything as Andy curtsied and then turned on her heel and ran back towards the castle. How dare she! That letter was private! What right did she have to open it and tear it apart?!

But she was queen.

And Andy was nothing.

As she reached the halls of the courtyard, she finally stopped. She put a hand against the wall to steady herself as she was breathing deeply and quickly, tears running down her face. Somewhere in the distance, a crack of thunder sounded.

As she looked up, she saw the servant from before.

“Did you read it? The letter?” He was most likely her only hope to know just what that letter had said. The king would never remember such a trivial thing as what he had written in one letter. If this servant did not know, she would never find out what it had said.