The Tea Room

I was with Charlotte still at the gates waiting to see what would unfold and it was at this point when the guard who had gone in previously returned and had informed us that Elizabeth would see us. We followed him through the castle and we were lead into a room that looked very much like a room at Luxembourg. As we entered I noticed Elizabeth standing next to Nadia and she was by a chair that a lady was strapped to and at the back or the room was Cassandra and Robert and James was there too.

I noticed Kyla with her hands bound and then Elizabeth turned to look at me and she came over to me and hugged me tightly in her arms and kissed me. "Elizabeth, what is all this that you are doing? We need to talk.

I saw James and my sister enter the room and it was at this point when I went over to him and hugged him and gave him a kiss.
"James, it is so good to see you. I thought something tragic had happened to you. You come all this way and then tell me we need to talk. Very well we can talk, but we do it privately just the two of us. I say as I still had my arms around him as I turned to Cassandra and Matthew.

"Matthew, watch my sister like a hawk and Cassandra, watch Kyla whilst I am busy. I will return soon. It has been so long James, we must catch up.

I watched as my sister and James left to another room and I noticed how Matthew was watching me, but it was at this point when I took the chance to go ver to Kyla to make sure she was okay. There was the mage standing next to her along with Cassandra who gave me an acidic look.
"Kyla, please tell me you are not hurt? I say as I did notice Nadia talking to some of the guards.

All of the people who were around me. They watched closely.

. Yes, Queen Charlotte I have not been harmed. I am just frightened. Are you and Father here to take me home. They grabbed me and brought me here. I do not understand why am I here. Elizabeth is telling me that Mother hurt her by taking Father away from her. And that Mother had Elizabeth's daughter tortured and left to die. I know that that is not true. I told her that Lucy was alive and well. She does not believe me. She has Nadia watching me because Nadia wants to test out this horrific machine that Elizabeth brought her.
What is going to happen to me. Will she have me tortured and die the same as Lucy

I looked at Kyla and she was scared about the whole situation.

"Kyla, I am glad that you have not been harmed in any way. Your father and I, we have both come here to help you. I will not let any harm come to you. We will bring you safely home. If they want to hurt you, they are going to have to go through me.

My eyes brighten when Queen Charlotte said that Father is here.

Father is here now.  That is happy news.  Elizabeth tells me that Mother hurt her so that is why I am here. She wants to hurt her by hurting me. She also believes that Mother hurt Lucy. I hope that Father can persuade Elizabeth to release me.  Talia is also here.  She is in the dungeon.  Nadia has said that she should rot there.  Do you know why she is so angry with you.  I think that she has been told that you are not a good person.  I am sorry to say that.  I think that you are a great person.

I smiled at Kyla as she gave me a nice compliment and I put my arm around her and hugged her.

"Your father James is currently here and is as we speak talking with Elizabeth about your release. I know and understand now that your mother had nothing to do with any of this, but I feel there is someone trying to split Marie and Elizabeth's friendship. Talia, why is she locked in the dungeon, the poor child. I will speak with Nadia, even if she hates me, her mind has been poisoned to dislike me.

I was so relieved that my father and Queen Charlotte are here.  I hope that he is able to get Elizabeth to understand what is happening.  I knew that Mother could not have done what Elizabeth accused her of.  I am sorry that she was lied to especially about her daughter. Having her think that her daughter was dead. To think that she died after being tortured. Know one should have been told a lie like that.  I wonder how would Father be able to convince Elizabeth to release us.

I looked at Kyla and was relieved to see she was okay.

"Kyla, your mother, as you can imagine, is really upset and worried, but I was able to assure her in this challenging time. There is someone amongst us all who is trying to poison minds against one another. Elizabeth was told that her daughter was dead after being tortured and she blamed Marie for it as that was the lie she was told. She was so full of hate she wanted to hurt Marie by hurting you Kyla. We came here to rescue you. There is one thing that your father has always had with Elizabeth which I wouldn't burden yourself with, just know this, she trusts him. I say as I look at Nadia. "Nadia, a word with you.

I returned to the tea room with James and my breasts showed a little at the front of my gown after my private conversation with James. I entered the room once more and looked over at Kyla and at Charlotte.

"Kyla, my dear girl, I do hope that you understand that I would never had hurt you. It has been bought to my attention recent events and James here has told me a great deal. I have no quarry with you Kyla, you and your companion Margarita are free to go. Feel free to come with me to Luxembourg as I am going there very soon. Tell me have any of you seen Cassandra?

I looked up to see Duchess Elizabeth come into the room with my father in tow.  She smiles at me and I listened to what she is saying.  I started thinking about what she said about not really hurting me but I am not sure that I believe her.  She was angry with Mother and I know that she would have let Nadia torture me. But I see Father coming towards me and I smile at him because I knew that he would not let her harm me.

Father I am so happy to see you.  I was frightened because  I thought that I would be tortured for what happened to her daughter.    You were able to get her to understand that Mother would not be that cruel.  That her daughter was alive and well.  She would not believe me.  We are going home now.

I walked towards Kyla and her her hands in mine as I reached her.

"Kyla, we are indeed going home and I have already informed your mother that we are coming. Elizabeth is returning with us to see her daughter Lucy and if she agrees, you may get to meet Lucy. Let us just say that myself and Elizabeth share a bond together and when I spoke with her no harm was ever going to come to you.

Father I am so happy that you are here.  You have feelings for Elizabeth?  I whisper to him   I am not sure that she would not have let Nadia torture me.  Please believe me but I do not trust her.  She had me brought here because she wanted to hurt Mother.  She believe that Mother harmed her daughter.   She was angry with me and she showed me this contraption to torture me.   I feared that she would have carried it out and if you did not come she would have.  Please tell me that you believe me ?

I looked at Kyla and now it seemed that my own daughter was against Elizabeth too. I held all of my anger inside of me and I did not show any of it.

"Kyla, I am so happy to see you and I am pleased to be here. Yes, Elizabeth and I have had feelings for each other, it is quite a long story and one that can wait for another day. Right now we need to prepare to leave for Luxembourg and home, we shall talk another time Kyla, we must leave for your mother is waiting.

I smiled at him. I going to go home.
Father I have missed you so much.  I was happy to see Mother.  She was so worried about me.  But Queen Charlotte is a very kind person and I hope that she can talk to Nadia. She told me that her sister is in a dungeon right now. I hope that Queen Charlotte can get threw to her. Did you know them.   I did not have much with me but I am happy to leave whenever you are ready.   Perhaps when we get home Elizabeth can introduce Lucy to me.

I smiled back at Kyla.

"Kyla, I do know Elizabeth's sister very well for she was there with Elizabeth growing up and I got to know them both. I am sure that Charlotte will be able to mend things with her daughter, it is Cassandra Pennyfeather who has caused all of this chaos that is surrounding us. If Elizabeth is happy to do so, then you will meet our daughter.

I listened to Father. I am so happy to hear that we are going home. I am surprised that I have an older step sister.

You wrote to Mother informing her that we will be home soon. I have an older sister I hope that we can be friends. I do not know about Cassandra Pennyfeather. Is she responsible for all of this. Why would she do this? What does she gain from these lies. I hope that she is punished for this.

As I was speaking a thought of something.

Father.  I think I know why Cassandra Pennyfeather may have done this.  Perhaps she did this for Elizabeth.  If Elizabeth believed that her daughter was dead, Cassandra could lead Elizabeth to assume that Mother hurt her daughter.  That way she could console Elizabeth.  Get on to Elizabeth's good graces.  What do you think about that.

I listened to what Kyla was saying.

"It is a good thought Kyla. The matter surrounding Cassandra we will deal with when the time is right. For now we must return home and have a rest for all this does make me very tired too. I want you to get to know your half sister too. I will have to talk to Elizabeth about letting you meet her.

I smiled at Kyla.

"Your step sister is indeed older but only by a year. Lucy is 17 now and Elizabeth, having spoken with her, has said that you can talk to Lucy.