At the Queen’s question, there was a notable silence, in which I believed that Peter and Laura were gathering genteel strength; checking to ascertain if their earlier decision of keeping me had been right; if I was worth the trouble of going against the queen; if they should have submitted me to the Queen first.
With the shadowed scared look on Laura’s face, I actually said a little prayer for them. I didn’t know the punishment for going against a queen’s order, but from the way they were acting, the queen wasn’t all smiles and happiness.
“Peter..??” The Queen called again, darting glances between the couple, wondering what was holding up the answer.
“Well..” She was talking now, deciding not to wait for their input. Bad if you ask me. “She can stay at Laude and …” She was still speaking when Peter cut her off guard with his sharp reply. But I noticed that he had looked at Laura hard and long before giving that reply.
“We have decided to let her stay with us.”
“We?? She doesn’t have a choice?” The queen asked, and I almost barfed at the irony of the statement. Before Peter had chosen to save me right there, she had relegated me to Laude-whoever and whatever gender that bore that name-without seeking for my thoughts.
When I saw that her question had slightly thrown the couple off balance, I decided to save them as they have saved me.
“I had chosen to stay with them. They are a loving family. I will heal faster over there than at any other place after all.” I answered steadily, whilst wondering where my shyness and timidity had gone.
Had they died just like my emotions for Adam had died? If that was so, that was one good thing that had come from that near death experience.
Even as I looked into the Queen’s eyes, of which I would find out later was a sin-looking at the queen eye to eye at a close range was an offense. But at that moment, when I was fighting for Peter and Laura, it didn’t even cross my mind.
When I felt Laura’s hand enclosing mine, I felt more at peace, knowing that the thread or cord holding me and the beautiful woman was growing stronger; feeling sadder the next second when I remembered that my stay with them was temporary, that at this moment actually, I was just using them.
“Even more than me? Why don’t you spend a day at my place and decide later?” The queen said in her reply, and I almost scoffed.
What was she trying to do now? To win me over? Why?
“Why I had mentioned that you stay at Lourdes and Dim, is because they will see to it personally that you recover and that you begin training, but that’s if you wish; either that or you leave. If you stay with me, well, the conditions are more favorable. I believe my daughter would be happy to make an acquaintance since you are around her age.” The queen mentioned, not blinking while we held each other stare.
Laura’s hand clutched around mine, and I sighed, knowing that the calm woman was not pleased with what the queen was doing. I had a feeling that they didn’t agree about things a lot, but Laura, in any situation, would have no choice but to comply.
I was beginning to fear that I would have to break Diana’s heart and her obsession with the perfect queen.
“As I have mentioned earlier, queen…”
It sounded weird in my mouth calling her queen without the suffix of her name, and probably that’s why I paused a bit, and tasted the term in my mouth, hoping that in the absence of my words, she would fill in her name, so that I could complete my statement. But she kept mute and stared at me with her ice blue eyes which I noticed were beginning to get dimmer. Anger or tiredness?
“…I have chosen to stay with Laura and Peter. And during my stay here, I would complete my training, and school, if that is what you wish. I only pray that you let me stay with them. I could probably visit you or the Lourdes if you wish.” I said, inhaling softly when Peter flinched at the mention of Lourdes, and Laura clutched her hand around mine again.
Just who was Lourdes? A bad neighbor? Probably this community wasn’t as peaceful as I thought.
“Okay, if you say so, Maya. Well, as you know, this community is one of witches and wizards. We do magic, and since Peter and Laura say you have the magic trait within you, we will have to check it out-hence the training. Yes, for school, you will be completing that. You will be placed in the same class as my twins, at first, but if you perform way below the average student, we will have to put you in a lower class. Classes will be starting within the next three weeks. I believe that Laura and her husband would be able to whip you into shape, and put things in place for you. And if you encounter any problem with that, you should let me know.” She said.
Her last statement was definitely made for Peter and Laura, because there was no way in hell that I would make a report against my saviors.
“You can leave since all that is settled.” She continued, and I muttered a feverish thank you, with Peter and Laura, before we stood up, and began to walk out of the room. But just as we got to the door, the queen spoke again.
“Maya, can I have a minute of your time, without your new family.”
I heaved in, calling for control, while Peter and Laura tapped reassuring touches on my shoulders, telling me non-vocally to hang in there. They had no choice after all. The queen must be obeyed.
After they left, I turned around and strolled toward the queen, choosing to stand up. She had said just a minute after all.
“Well, for starters, my name is Aliana. So call me Queen Aliana, incase of the next time.”