At the mention of this, the Queen saw an arm reach out from the floor next to Elizabella with a manila folder in hand, prompting Elizabella to elegantly receive it in one fluid motion. Not to be outdone, the Shadow Guard with the Queen, also extended an arm to accept the manila folder. He presented it to the Queen who looked over it with mild interest.
Elizabella calmly sipped her tea as the Queen's steady gaze remained, but her hands began to tremble. If the financial report was true, then the Harkins family were no pushovers. No wonder the Head Steward said the mansion received an elegant makeover. The Queen frowned lightly as she calmly placed the folder down and directed her gaze at the young, unfazed girl, sipping her tea.
"From Our understanding, the Harkins family has never seen such earnings in the past ten years. Yet, according to you, this is only a single quarter's financial report. Does your family not audit themselves?"
"Your Majesty, please do not misunderstand. Those are MY earnings, it has nothing to do with the Harkins clan as I just recently moved to live with them, not even seven months ago. My family are strong believers in the motto, 'no work, no bread'; meaning that we have the right to do what we wish with what we earn. The only way the Baroness and her husband can live off the wealth I have accumulated over the years, is if I move in with them and transform the mansion from top to bottom while saying that I miss my mother and father.
"That way, they will not just gift me the mansion and they live off a humble plot of land that has been in the late Baron's side of the family. Seeing as how I was actually born outside this kingdom, lived and worked there as well, it only makes sense that I audit over there and not here."
"Oh? And where is it that you were born?" asked the Queen as she was impressed with the aura Elizabella was giving off during her speech.
"I was born in the Kingdom of Edalelia," said Elizabella as she motioned her manila folder in the Queen's hands.
"Oh? We see... So the traveling that you did was...?" said the Queen as she looked through the folder and saw a birth certificate from the Kingdom of Edalelia.
"I mostly traveled within the Kingdom of Edalelia, for business and educational purposes. I mostly stayed within the territories of the Marquess or wherever he had any influence. They own vast mines and they deal with selling the raw materials. Recently, they decided to make jewelry from the gems being mined, accessories and even clothing. Furniture, like chandeliers, curtains, lamps are also custom made but in limited numbers.
"Within the last six or so years, an artist has emerged in the family and that is how they have been able to expand in business. I was mostly within the growing business, which is where I was able to obtain my current wealth. I hope this is able to put the Queen at ease on my background," said Elizabella as a hand and arm materialized from the top of the table and picked up the teapot to pour on Elizabella's extended hand with her empty teacup.
The Queen silently watched as she stared at the young girl with her Shadow Guard serving her tea. The Queen tried not to show that she was in awe of the Shadow Guard as it was practically unheard of for a guard to leave their master's shadow and move into another shadow. She noticed that the arm had materialized from under the shadow of the flowers as the centerpiece.
"Your Shadow Guard, he seems very strong," stated the Queen with mild interest on her face.
"He was given to me as a birthday gift when I was a child from the Queen of Edalelia. It was due to the Marquess' close family relations. He has gotten stronger over the years," said Elizabella as she sipped her tea while Walliams' arm placed the teapot gently back and moved his arm back into the shadows.
"Hmm..." thought the Queen as she finished her cup of tea and stared at her empty cup.
**********
The Queen sat gracefully in her study as she continued to stare at Elizabella's pictures. As she remembered the girl from her memories, she couldn't help but think that the pictures were at least a year or two old. In the picture, there is a girl with a large bouquet of flowers smiling as she looks at the flowers. It looks like she was in a garden while there was a black and white filter.
The other pictures had the same smiling girl with different angles from what looked like the same garden. The Harkins clan gave them these pictures saying that they did not have any recent pictures. Overall, the girl in the black and white photos looked exactly like the girl she had met. One thing that did startle her though was her Shadow Guard.
After Elizabella had left, she had asked her Shadow Guards on what their opinions were. One of the younger ones had stated that Octavius, the Crown Prince's guard, had said he had met a very strong guard named Ganthony. Ganthony had claimed to be Lady Aphra's substitute guard. It was him who had mentioned of a lad that had practically grown up beside her as her guard and is currently her Shadow Guard.
When the Queen asked how old was the lad, her Shadow Guard had answered, "Ganthony claimed that he was just fifteen, soon to be sixteen." At this comment, the Queen was even more shocked. Why would a Queen give a little girl a boy to be her Shadow Guard from such a young age?
Surely, the boy must have been known to grow up strong or else why turn him into a Shadow Guard and not a servant. But the big question here is, why would a Queen give a little girl a little boy to begin with? That just doesn't make sense.
The Queen remembers that when she asked Elizabella more of her Marquess family background, she simply stated, "I am not at liberty to say any more." With that statement, they had to conclude their little get together. She still remembers how the young girl walked away with such grace and poise that she could almost feel the high noble aura emitting from the girl.
She remembers thinking, "Surely, if the Marquess family had such friendly relations with the Royal family like she claimed, then there is a high chance that she has had the privilege to enter the Palace on more than one occasion."
The Queen was so enthralled with her thoughts that she did not hear the announcement for the Dowager Queen entering the study.
"Queen Daughter, have you met with our future Crown Princess? How was she?" asked curiously the old lady as she sat down in front of the Queen next to the unlit fireplace.
"Dowager Mother, we recently finished the meeting with the young girl..." replied the Queen as she filled an empty teacup with the tea she had and offered it to the older lady before her.
"...And? How was she? Was she like the servants said?"
"We believe she will make an excellent Royal with her grace alone. She already understands Palace etiquettes by her conduct. We find her pleasing. Her first impression was a 'pass'."
"Then, have you announced the engagement? If the wedding is so soon, it must be announced by tonight."
"As you say, Dowager Mother."