The evening sun cast long shadows on the peaceful soil of the Humane Kingdom as the slanting rays of setting sun giving a warm reddish-orange tinge to the sky under the chiming bell against a background of chattering and clamouring of the Humanes at their streets. Wren was staring at the window alone in her room observing the birds in the sky, flying freely around the huge bell tower in middle of the Kingdom, with her hand on her chest still slightly, feeling the overwhelming force in her heart earlier at the courtyard, she took in a deep breath slowly walked to the mirror, picked up her tiara on her bed, raised it up to her head as it partially touched her plaited hair while staring at her reflection in the mirror then heavily sighed and threw it back to her bed. Everything she'd experienced the past few days began to flow in her mind; about what the Seers predicted; about her heart sometimes rapidly beating for some unknown emotions; about her inescapable marriage setup between the Humane and the Nymph kingdoms. She sat down looking exhausted in her thoughts suddenly, she heard a knock.
She glimpsed at her door.
"Come in." she commanded, the door opened slightly.
"Yes, my Princess." Luna said with a bow.
Wren smiled.
"How are you doing? Is it time for training?" Wren asked about standing up, Luna immediately bowed again,
"No, my princess. I'm here for another purpose." She explained, Wren lay back comfortably. She nodded. Luna continued, "There is someone here to see you."
Wren slightly opened her eyes before Luna's words,
Someone?! Father said he will be having a meeting with the Divine Humanes earlier. But who will see me at this hour of the day? Wren mulled over then glanced at Luna, "Who is the person?" she asked, before Luna could answer someone came in.
"It is I. My Princess or should I say my Queen."
"Lady Beth!!" Wren called out of surprise, she stood up, Beth bowed with a smile then she walked closer to Wren.
"I see your handmaids are no where to be found. Sorry for the disturbance at this hour before your training." Beth said, Luna bowed and left them as she closed the door behind. "Do you mind. I came to talk."
Wren sat back on her bed.
"Okay. Sure." the Princess tapped her side, "here, you can seat."
Beth bowed and sat down, looking at the ground in a sad way. Wren took noticed of her handler.
Beth actually not only trains the princess but also handles everything including having to be her mother right after Wren lost her mother after birth which was ordered by the dying Queen herself for her to be Wren's caretaker. This act paved way to the closeness between those two. Every secret and questions the princess ask of a lady she'd wants Beth to be the first to know as she sees her handler as her mother.
"Uhmmm. Lady Beth is there something wrong?"
Beth took a deep breath.
"Nothing is. But about earlier,"
"About earlier?" Wren asked looking anxiously at Beth, she suddenly looked at Wren with revealing tears in her eyes.
"I know it is really hard for you. Giving yourself out to the Forest Nymph Kingdom. Forced and rushed into… into. something you couldn't avoid… something taken from you with a little or no choice... "
"Like marriage," Wren elaborated, Beth nodded.
"Yeah. But something more,"
"More?"
"Yes,"
"What is it?"
"Your Affections!!" Beth griped.
Wren widened his eyes.
"My Affections." She whispered, looked at her tiara near her then she looked at Beth with a smile. "Well, Lady Beth. Am okay with it. Has the next Queen of the Humane kingdom, there are no sacrifices great for me to face."
"You mean… have you already decided?!"
"Yes. It is the choice I made for peace ever since I knew what it meant. Lady Beth." Wren acknowledged.
Beth sniffled. Immediately she cleaned her eyes before any tears dropped down,
"Am sorry I lose my self. Seeing your handler like this. It must be weird. Excuse my manners my Princess." Beth said with a bow. Wren nodded, she slanted her head slightly.
"Looking at the way you acted. Have you in any way experienced it before?" Wren asked, Beth was shocked by her question.
"I… me… I… " Beth stammered. Wren giggled, Beth looked at her in amazement. "Why... are you laughing, my Princess?"
"I knew it. There is no way, it isn't true." Wren said with a smile.
Beth blinked.
"You and Father."
"What?!" Beth fidgeted about standing up. Wren held her hand.
"I know everything. I have eyes and I can see clearly what is between you and my Father… but," Wren sighed, "But. My Mother." She said in a low tone then she raised her voice once more. "I know it was a settlement offer between the two Kingdoms for peace and I can't try to think how my Mother must have felt when she was told she had to be in engagement with my Father from another Kingdom. Anyways all of that resulted to this very moment." Wren expressed, Beth held Wren's hand closely.
"Am truly sorry. We can't quantify the loss when your Mother left us." Beth lamented. Wren nodded, they both sighed, then Wren removed her hands from Beth's.
"When are you both getting married?" Wren asked.
Beth eyes slightly went round as her face turned red.
"Eh?! I can't say. I can't take your Mother's place. The Queen's place... " Beth said, "Even though she knew about our affairs I had with the King, which was before they both got married, on knowing the truth she insisted I should stay in the castle with her for she felt bored only talking to the royal families… years later I remembered she whispered something into your ears the periods you were being born. Her dying wish was that I should look after you not only as a nanny but as someone who is my child, I wondered if am ever good enough."
Whispered?! Wren thought, she looked into Beth's eyes. "Am totally on your side in marrying the King."
"The King, your Father?! It's hard... Am… " Beth stammered.
Wren nodded.
"Am honored to have you as my Mother. You did a lot for me most especially, you were there for the King when he needed help to go through his dark days." Wren stood up and bowed. "My Queen." Beth suddenly, went on her knees and bowed her face.
"No my Princess. Am just a mere handler who your Father and I fell in love when we were in our teenage years while training together. The House of Ida's are only a handler to the Royal family, firstly it was a Love that was forbidden." Beth narrated while on the floor. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, Wren looked at the door then at Beth as she bowed her face to the ground.
"Lady Beth please stand up you are embarrassing me. Please." Wren said, as she held Beth up to her ground. Wren looked at the door. "Come in." immediately Luna came in and bowed.
"My princess. It is time for your training." She said. Wren nodded, Beth immediately turned towards the door.
"I will go arranged the courtyard." She turned towards Wren and bowed. "My Princess." Before leaving the room with Luna.
Wren looked at them go as they shut the door behind. She walked to the mirror looked at her tiara then at her reflection in the mirror, took in a deep breath and smiled.