Chapter Four-Amber the actress
Queen Yocasta took Amber's hands in hers and began kissing her forehead over and over again. "Poor you, the bite from that nasty Vindscreen Viper must have really hurt you. You're still shaking from it's effects."
Amber forced her voice into a range slightly lower then normal so that she would sound like Chrysta when she spoke. "Mother,I thought I was going to die that day. Please, please don't marry me off to that Prince Mendar, not if you truly love me. I'm your only child, I need to be by your side to learn how to..." Her voice trailed off.
The Queen finished the sentence. "Rule when I am gone. You're right. You've also faced enough horrors already. I won't marry you off to him. Rest now. Tomorrow we will meet again."
The days passed and Amber gradually lost her fear of the Queen and basked in her love. She welcomed the kisses that the Queen gave her and began to act arrogantly to those beneath her in rank. One day when she got a mosquito bite on her arm she scratched the itch instead of leaving it alone like Chrysta would have done, using a bracelet to cover the wound whilst cleaning the scab off each night. She began to be arrogant and surrounded herself with trusted bodyguards whilst alone. As she lost her fear little bits of her old posture crept back into her movements and she no longer acted exactly like Chrysta. She started to give advice at the meetings of the Royal Privy Council more often. She also began to talk with Grand Duke Lariton secretly in his bedroom.
One morning she said "Your Majesty, my birthday is coming up and I wish for a special present. I ask for the Vandersil garrison to be withdrawn. I have had petitions arriving for many months complaining about cases of theft, assault and unlawful imprisonment without trial, and complaining that the taxes have been quadrupled. I ask that the city-state be set free."
The Queen frowned at her with a look that she had never seen before. "You were the one who told me that it would be a good idea to annex Vandersil in the first place, and you were right, our realm of Valermoore is very much richer because of it. We've even managed to lower our own taxes. As for complaining about unlawful imprisonment, we are not democrats and never have been. I suppose you'll want a written consitution next, and a Human Rights Act?? There are times when I wonder about you. I wish you to leave this room."
When Amber had left the Queen motioned to a couple of her spies. "Something is very wrong. Follow my daughter and write down every word she says that is worth recording. Something is strange about her but I can't put my finger on it. First, Amber supposingly goes back to her home city, then my daughter starts walking like her, and vanishing every now and then, and holding her political opinions. I want one of you to hide in Duke Lariton's room as he seems to be at the bottom of this mystery."
*******************
Amber rushed up to Duke Lariton and kissed his cheeks. "How am I doing, Father?"
"Quite well. She hasen't found out and that is all that really matters. I"m starting to think of her as a second mother, she is so kind to me. She loves me and I think I love her but I love you and our city more."
"Did you ask her to free our city as I told you?"
"I did and it made her really angry, like I've never seen her before. She said that it was my idea in the first place. I'd better go."
A while later the spy that had earlier hidden himself in the Duke's wardrobe was at last able to extracate himself and give his report to the Queen.
Queen Yocasta took Amber's hands in hers and began kissing her forehead over and over again. "Poor you, the bite from that nasty Vindscreen Viper must have really hurt you. You're still shaking from it's effects."
Amber forced her voice into a range slightly lower then normal so that she would sound like Chrysta when she spoke. "Mother,I thought I was going to die that day. Please, please don't marry me off to that Prince Mendar, not if you truly love me. I'm your only child, I need to be by your side to learn how to..." Her voice trailed off.
The Queen finished the sentence. "Rule when I am gone. You're right. You've also faced enough horrors already. I won't marry you off to him. Rest now. Tomorrow we will meet again."
The days passed and Amber gradually lost her fear of the Queen and basked in her love. She welcomed the kisses that the Queen gave her and began to act arrogantly to those beneath her in rank. One day when she got a mosquito bite on her arm she scratched the itch instead of leaving it alone like Chrysta would have done, using a bracelet to cover the wound whilst cleaning the scab off each night. She began to be arrogant and surrounded herself with trusted bodyguards whilst alone. As she lost her fear little bits of her old posture crept back into her movements and she no longer acted exactly like Chrysta. She started to give advice at the meetings of the Royal Privy Council more often. She also began to talk with Grand Duke Lariton secretly in his bedroom.
One morning she said "Your Majesty, my birthday is coming up and I wish for a special present. I ask for the Vandersil garrison to be withdrawn. I have had petitions arriving for many months complaining about cases of theft, assault and unlawful imprisonment without trial, and complaining that the taxes have been quadrupled. I ask that the city-state be set free."
The Queen frowned at her with a look that she had never seen before. "You were the one who told me that it would be a good idea to annex Vandersil in the first place, and you were right, our realm of Valermoore is very much richer because of it. We've even managed to lower our own taxes. As for complaining about unlawful imprisonment, we are not democrats and never have been. I suppose you'll want a written consitution next, and a Human Rights Act?? There are times when I wonder about you. I wish you to leave this room."
When Amber had left the Queen motioned to a couple of her spies. "Something is very wrong. Follow my daughter and write down every word she says that is worth recording. Something is strange about her but I can't put my finger on it. First, Amber supposingly goes back to her home city, then my daughter starts walking like her, and vanishing every now and then, and holding her political opinions. I want one of you to hide in Duke Lariton's room as he seems to be at the bottom of this mystery."
*******************
Amber rushed up to Duke Lariton and kissed his cheeks. "How am I doing, Father?"
"Quite well. She hasen't found out and that is all that really matters. I"m starting to think of her as a second mother, she is so kind to me. She loves me and I think I love her but I love you and our city more."
"Did you ask her to free our city as I told you?"
"I did and it made her really angry, like I've never seen her before. She said that it was my idea in the first place. I'd better go."
A while later the spy that had earlier hidden himself in the Duke's wardrobe was at last able to extracate himself and give his report to the Queen.
