Chereads / The Queen's Affairs / Chapter 9 - A Plot

Chapter 9 - A Plot

Maria's POV:

I was getting time off for the first time since I had been 9. I was always doing something, running around, following my tutor's instructions, Following my father around the castle, doing small tasks for him as he prepared me to eventually take office. I turn 26 tomorrow, and I was going to get a full week off. I had also made sure Ray would be able to see his aunt this week. I felt bad that the week he spent here, he hadn't hardly had the time to call her. I was sure she was missing him. Tonight was the last time I would see him until the end of the week. His aunt would be taking him back with her after my birthday "party". Really it's just going to be more of the same "dance with suitors and please just pick someone already". I put on a blue dress with a slit down the leg and an open back. It was the most revealing dress I had worn in a long time. I put my mother's necklace on, as I had a hundred times before, then put on a silver tiara to complete the outfit. I heard a knock at the door and sent back a "Come in" flattening out my dress behind me as I sat on my bed, the slit being hidden by the rest of the fabric.

My maid came in and handed me a box. She curtseyed and left swiftly, ready to go serve with the rest of the staff. I looked at the small label attached. "From your Favorite advisor, Ray." I read out loud. I smiled to myself and opened the box, revealing a drawing of two deer, a buck and a doe, in the forest at night, a star covered sky above them. It was in a picture frame, and I set it up on my dresser before heading out of my room. I was led by the guards to the ballroom, where everyone bowed to me as I entered. The duke's first son was the first to ask for a dance after I danced with Edward. I declined, walking over to Ray's friend Alicia, who I had invited to hopefully make friends with. I put my hand out. "Would you dance with me?" She seemed shocked, but took my hand and followed me onto the dance floor and with most of the ballroom watching, we danced and talked a bit about her life. I smiled as Damien came up and stole her for a slow dance. When I looked over, Raymond was watching me with a smile on his face. I tried to walk over to speak with him, but was ushered away by some prince from somewhere. When would they realize that I just wanted to be left alone?

After the ball, around 11 at night, only Ray, Damien, Alicia, and Macy remained. Edward had passed out in the corner and I had to have Zeno carry him back to his room. Ray came up to me and smiled. "Thank you for inviting my family. It was great to see them." Macy must not have told him he had the week off yet. "I won't be going back with my aunt tonight." I looked at Macy and she shrugged. I nodded quietly and stood up. I shook hands with Damien and Alicia. When I tried to shake hands with Macy, she pulled me into a hug and whispered "Thank you." I didn't know what she was thanking me for, but I simply nodded and told them to have a good night. When they left, Ray stretched his hand out to me and I took it. He led me to the library, where he had set up a small stereo. I raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled. "I wanted to dance, out of the servant's way." I nodded as he pressed a button on the old stereo and took my hand, leading me into a dance. "I liked the drawing. Just, by the way." I added the last part quietly.

After a few songs had passed, and we had talked a little, he stopped moving with the music, making me stop as well. I looked at him as he tightened the grip he had on my waist and pulled me closer. I gave him a confused look as the music stopped completely. He pulled me behind a bookshelf and put a finger to my lips. I nodded, as someone walked into the library. two people actually. I couldn't see them, they were obscure by the shelves, but I recognized one of the voices as the duke. "If you don't find a way to get time with her, she will never fall in love with you. I want to make sure that she pays for the problems she has caused us by making the peasants less, well less like peasants. It's only been a month since she took over, and my business is already making less money. If I keep having to pay my workers like this we will be out of money!" A second voice spoke up. "I can't get close to her with that damn peasant always around her! She won't even give me a second glance. You saw her overlook me for that peasant girl for a dance today. She deserves to be one of them the way she treated me." I tensed up at those words. The way they spoke of Raymond and Alicia made me almost sick. I looked at Ray and he shook his head, his grip on my waist loosening, telling me that the words affected him too.

"The best way to overthrow her is to marry her. You get her to agree to marriage, we are set for life." The duke seemed to say it like that was the end of the conversation. The second voice started to say something but the duke silenced him with a statement that shook me deeply. "If you don't find a way to overthrow her, you will find her dead in a month." They left and I sighed. Ray took a deep breath in before he realized I was crying. He tightened his grip on my waist again before pulling me into his chest and rubbing my back while I cried into him. I had trusted the duke for my whole life, and now I was hearing that he wanted to take my kingdom from me? It hurt a lot. "We will take care of this." I shook my head as he spoke. He grabbed my arms and pushed me away from him, drawing my attention to his eyes. He spoke again, his eyes looking almost on fire with anger. "I give you my word my queen, You will be safe. I will protect you Maria. Duke Marshall won't hurt you." I nodded and wiped my cheeks of tears.