The Black Haired Witch
Grace had easily fallen asleep in his arms and had almost consented to be with him that night. She was glad she had not come the next morning. There was a commotion outside her bedroom door that abruptly woke her.
"I am sorry ma'am but these are the queen's chambers I can not just allow you in like that. I will inform…"
"I am the queen now so they are my chambers. Open the door now!"
Gabriel stirred.
"It seems she has claimed your chambers." He shrugged. "Sorry."
Grace frowned as she moved his arms from around her and put on her robe. Was he always this weak? He had seemed so strong.
"I thought you said you were king and you had things how you wanted them."
He shrugged again. "Not when it comes to Ester."
She looked to the door "Constance let her in. It would seem that these are now her chambers." She sighed. Why was she being so easy going with all of this? Was she in Shock? If she kept this up would Albert be king or would it be Ester's future son?
There was a pause at the door and Grace went and woke the children's nanny. She was already awake and dressed. She nodded to Grace and began waking the children.
Still the woman hadn't entered. "Constance let her in and help me gather my things. The children and I will move to the blue wing."
"Yes My Lady." And the door finally cracked open and Ester flew in, her eyes wildly searching the room.
The blue wing was the wing with the children's school and their chambers. Grace had a bedroom there in case the children took ill and needed to be quarantined there.
Constance and three other chamber maids came in and quickly began to collect Grace and her children's things.
Gabriel rolled over. "Wait! Leave the finished works of art, better yet move them to my room so that I can see them. Also set up a time today for me to hear my son and daughter sing and play music."
At the sound of his voice Ester let out a strange squeal and dove onto the bed.
"There you are love. Why did you not sleep with me last night?" She sounded like she was pouting and every adult, including Gabriel, rolled their eyes.
"This is my favorite bed so I had to sleep in it my first night."
"You and Vanessa and I will try it out now then."
Eyes went wide as the maids, the nanny, and Grace redoubled their efforts.
The blue wing was just as beautiful as the queen's wing. Grace made sure that her children always had more than they needed. The queen and her children settled in quickly and all of the chambermaids from the queen's wing self relocated to the blue wing.
They were not leaving the queen and they definitely weren't helping the black haired witch.
Breakfast was an odd affair. The children, Grace, the queen mother and her daughters and their husbands had begun breakfast first. The conversation was animated and lively. In the middle Gabriel and his new wife and sister in law entered. Grace almost dropped her fork. They all entered the dining hall half dressed and disheveled.
All conversation stopped. Gabriel's mother looked to Grace, then her grandchildren with concern. Her son was behaving very badly. Her servants had already informed her of him going to Grace's bed and then this thing demanding entrance this morning. Grace, ever the efficient one, had already moved into the blue wing.
The children stiffened. They did not trust this woman and they did not know their father well enough.
Gabriel brightened when he saw the children. He looked down at his clothing and frowned. "Forgive your father's appearance little ones. I have been at war for far too long and forgotten my manners."
He went to each one, addressed them by name and hugged and kissed them. Grace smiled at each of them when they looked to see her reaction. This made them smile more.
"Your mother has told me of your talents."
Sabrina spoke first. "Nanny says Devon and I will perform for you later this morning and again after lunch. Do you have a favorite song daddy? Devon can play anything and I can learn the words."
Gabriel opened his mouth to respond when Ester spoke. "How absolutely interesting, but we already have plans little girl. Maybe…"
"This is something the king requested madame. Is it truly your place to cancel it?"
Grace had no problems with this woman terrorizing her but she would not harass her children. Ester smirked and was about to retort when Gabriel spoke.
"I want three performances and I want to see little Albert's art studio" All three of the children beamed. "As for my favorite songs ask your mother. She knows me better than I know myself. Come Ester, Vanessa we will eat in the queen's chambers."
At first they could hear Ester grinding her teeth then she put on a huge smile when she heard they would be going back to the queen's wing.
When the three left there was silence in the room for a long moment. Then Gabriel's youngest sister spoke.
"Now I understand why they are calling her the black haired witch."
Grace frowned but she didn't say anything.
"Grace. I feel like you and my grandchildren are in danger with that woman here."
Grace's frown deepened. "I have a rather capable guard queen mother.'
The queen nodded as she looked to the far wall where all the guards stood.
"Talk to your captain, see about doubling it."
Grace nodded.
Grace was quickly walking to a meeting. She was not late but she liked to be early, review documents, and have her thoughts together. Suddenly Ester was in front of her sneering.
"Look there can't be two queens. You had your turn now it is mine. I worked hard to obtain Gabriel and I won't have you or your brats ruin it. You will go to the northern castle, Gabriel hates the cold so he will never visit, and the children stay here. I do not want to mess up my body like you did."
Grace raised an eyebrow and then her guard moved out of the shadows and surrounded her. Ester paled and swallowed hard.
'She worked hard to obtain him? My brats?' Grace frowned as she took in this odd woman's words. Had she not stepped to the side for her when in actuality she should have fought for her husband? It took her a full minute to extricate herself from her thoughts and that was when she saw the frightened Ester surrounded by some very upset guards.
Grace calmly stepped forward and made sure that none of her children were in the immediate vicinity. She signaled her guard to stand down and they did, to a certain extent. They relaxed a bit but they stayed close and remained visually intimidating.
"Who exactly are you and why do you feel you deserve to come and disrupt my home?" As Grace finished she imagined she saw a few guards nodding as if in agreement.
Ester stood a bit straighter even as she continued to eye the guards warily.
"I am Ester McAllen and my house is much older than yours."
Grace nodded. She knew House McAllen. It had once been a rather prominent house but scandal had all but destroyed it. They retained their money and their property but they had to close down businesses, move locations and sell well known properties.
When the world found out that they were essentially a family started by madames and pimps they lost a lot of credibility. It was said that they simply moved their businesses to remote locations and different kingdoms but continued their main enterprise of prostitution.
Of course it was all rumor so Grace was not sure how much was truth and how much was lie.
"Gabriel loves me and you can not change that. I can give him everything he needs and I can make him truly happy. Why should a man like him be in arranged boredom?"
Grace nodded again then turned her back on her and resumed walking to her meeting. But now she had to regain her focus and calm herself.
"I want you out of this castle and out of our lives. We will take good care of your children, Gabriel and I"
The woman actually yelled after her.
The guard tensed. Grace could feel the anger rolling off of the men.
"I can no longer entertain this nonsense. Please do not approach me like this again. From hence forth my guard have permission to detain and or remove you from my presence."
The guard were escorting her away from Grace before she had even finished her statement. Both women were livid and both began planning how to get out of their current situations.
As this occurred in the castle the kingdom was becoming more and more upset about their beloved queen being relegated to second place. The people were getting angrier and angrier as more vague information filtered through.
The royal advisors recognized that a storm was brewing and they went to Grace first out of habit. She listened to every word with growing alarm and just as she was about to give orders she remembered what her life was now.
"You have to take this to the king. I do not think I have the authority to do anything in the kingdom anymore.
Everything paused. Of course she was right but no one else could actually do what she did.
We're they all doomed?