possible, partially afraid I’d say the wrong thing.
“You’re upbringing for one.”
“Excuse me?” I nearly coughed up the tea I was drinking. “Ummm. I do not know how you think I was raised, but I was raised very well. Better than most people.”
“Yes, I am sure. But you were raised American, well off or not,” she stated back.
That was not where I thought she was going. However, I still did not like how she said it. “What is wrong with being American?”
“Americans are pompous, loud, arrogant, rude, and worst of all, hypocrites.”
I put the tea back onto the table because I was feeling like dumping it in a harbor.
Keep calm, Odette.
“I am sure those traits are not solely American.”
“No, but they are quintessential of Americans.”
And this was why American’s did not like royals!
“Maybe you should get to know us more—”
“Not us,” she said, lifting a cookie. “America is no longer your country. Ersovia is.”
I remembered Gale telling me I would have to give up my nationality. However, I was not expecting it this fast. Was my passport already invalid?
“I know giving up one’s nationality is hard. I am half Scottish. While I was born in Ersovia, I lived in Scotland until I was seventeen.” This time, when she spoke, I heard a clear and deep Scottish accent. I think she added it for my sake. “I moved to France to become a ballerina. That led me to my meeting then Prince Lionel Fitzwilliam Archibald III, Adelaar, and future King of Ersovia. To be with him, I had to give up Scotland. I had to give up dancing. I had to relearn how to speak, write, walk, even breathe. When I met Prince Lionel, I had to give up everything I was and hoped to be. Do you know what they gave me for efforts?”
“A crown?” I answered gently.
“Exactly.” She nodded. “And it seemed like a fair trade-off until I realized being queen consort is no more than being a glass doll. I am brought out when needed and put back in my case when I am not. This palace is my case, and no matter how big it is, it is hard to become a doll. But I did it because I love my husband. Do you love my son?”
“Do I need to? I thought you all just wanted my money?” I asked to avoid that question.
“When a queen asks you a question, my dear, you answer that question, no matter how personal you think it is. I cleared the room so you and I could speak openly and freely. So, do so,” she stated.
I did not like being ordered around like this. But the question came to my mind. Did I love him? No. That was impossible. I didn’t know him well enough. We’d barely spent time together. We’d been separated for months. There was no way I could be in love with him. All of that raced through my mind, and yet at the same time, I was nodding my head yes.
“You are not a bobblehead, my dear. Use words.”
“Yes, I think, I do,” I whispered. It didn’t make sense to me how. I just knew that I was happiest when I was next to him. Even this morning, despite all of the craziness happening around me, I found myself relaxing, joking, smiling with ease next to him. It really did feel like we just picked up from where we left off—somehow.
“Did I not tell you that you have to be decisive?” She was unrelenting. This was the woman Gale said was one of the sweetest people he had ever met. “You are going to have to come to terms with your feelings very quickly.”
I thought I was moving quickly enough. I wouldn’t have given into him so easily if I did not love him. It was insane how all he had to do was smile and say please, and I was diving back into his arms.
“Understandably, you are hesitant with your feelings as you two were thrown together by outside forces and separated by them as well. Maybe it will take more time. However, you must understand that during that time, you must change as Gale must.”
I tensed at changing. I did not want to lose myself in all of this. “Gale told me—”
“Whatever Gale told you, that was before he became the Adelaar. That was before you would end up being the future queen.” She paused and inhaled slowly before speaking. “Arthur’s death changed everything.” She paused