TRIALS OF A QUEEN (I)

So my first impression of me meeting my mother in law, well, as you can tell it's not so great!

I mean here I was standing in the town my crown lopsided. I've got paints all over me. In my dress, my hair, my face and I'm pretty sure there's a good amount of dirt all over too. Dahlia, my mother in law stood in front of me taking in my appearance with a look of scorn on her face. I can't imagine how I must look like to her but I have a pretty good idea how you are suppose to look like when you are in the presence of your mother in law and it definitely doesn't involve being covered in paint and dirt.

"Have you all forgotten what you are supposed to do in the presence of royalty or do you not recognize your queen mother again?" Dahlia's voice came out really loud and all at once everyone fell down to their knees and bowed, except for I and Aurora.

I arched a brow up at Dahlia who was looking at the town's people who were still bowing their heads in respect to her. It's obvious she was a no nonsense woman who demands her respect, I must tread carefully with her.

I carefully placed Arnold on the ground and stepped forward. I hiked up my skirt and curtsied at Dahlia who was assessing me with those grey eyes of hers that had a lazy glint in them. "Your royal majesty it's a pleasure to..." I suddenly paused when Dahlia raised her hand cutting me off.

"I'll hear what you have to say when you've had a proper bath and not look like something that rolled in a pigsty." Dahlia said wrinkling her nose at me and I immediately lowered my eyes at her.

"Mother." Aurora said in a warning tone but Dahlia simply ignored.

Instead she stepped forward and pulled Aurora for a hug. "My daughter, beautiful as always." Dahlia gave Aurora air kisses, "We have so much to talk about, you must fill me in on the ride home."

Aurora gave her mother a puzzled look and it was then we noticed a carriage had already been pulled up. "Ride? But mother the castle is just right there."

Aurora was right, I was literally looking at the castle in front of us. It was like a stone throw away and she wants to take a carriage? Talk about a drama queen.

Dahlia huffed. "Nonsense, it's hot outside, the air is humid."

Uh no it's not, I thought to myself and Dahlia turned to look at me. "I'm sure you have no trouble finding your way home dear." She drawled out a fake smile on her face.

"Not at all." I replied equally shooting her a fake smile of mine.

Dahlia nodded her head at me. "Great, that's settled! Let's go Aurora!" She said stepping into the carriage with a reluctant Aurora who shot me an apologetic smile which I returned.

I watched as the carriage pulled away and headed towards the castle. I turned back only to find the town's people slowly rising to their feet and the children already stopped their painting, guess the fun was already over. I raised my hand and waved awkwardly at them before I turned to leave.

"Your majesty!"

I heard a voice call and I turned to find Dorothy staring at me with Arnold in front of her.

"You will attend the summer festival right?" She asked a unsure look on her face.

I smiled at her. "Only if you promise me no more free donuts."

Dorothy let out a small laugh. "Then I'll make sure to charge you a lot then."

"Oh please don't hold back." I told her with a laugh before looking at the rest of the town, "I'd be honored to attend the festival." I informed and everyone grinned at me.

I gave them one last wave before I began heading towards the castle, the guards following closely behind me. When I entered the gate the guards posted there arched a brow up at me but didn't say anything. I continued walking towards the castle entrance when the doors suddenly swung open revealing a panicked looking Yasmin.

"Where have you been the King's mother is..." Yasmin trailed off taking in my appearance a look of disgust on her face. "Who the hell attacked you?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Stop being dramatic."

"Dramatic? Dramatic she says." Yasmin let out a crazed laugh that clearly shows her frustration at me. "May I remind you that the King's mother, a former queen and Luna is around and this__" She motioned to my dress. "This is how you presented yourself to her?"

"Well how was I to know she was coming?" I asked defending myself.

"As a queen you are supposed to look presentable at all times not like you just came out of a pigsty!"

I chuckled dryly at her. "Funny, she said the same thing. And come on, it's not that bad!"

"As if! You are covered in dirt your majesty!" She shrieks at me an appalled look on her face.

"It's not that ba..."

"Save it!" Yasmin cuts me off causing me to swallow my words. "Bathtub now!" She orders me looking at me like I was a vexatious child.

I pouted as I walked into the castle with Yasmin on my heels. All the maids and other servants gaze widened when they saw me but they said nothing, probably because of Yasmin growling softly behind me. She barked orders at some of the maids and together we all matched inside towards my bedroom.

Once I was inside the bedroom, I was stripped and ushered into the bathroom where a bath of hot water was waiting for me. It took four maids to be able to scrub the paints off of me. The water turned into a mixture of yellow and red as the maids scrubbed my body so hard my skin glowed.

When I was done Yasmin began to do my hair into braids, intertwining them with flowers. When she was done, she pulled out a new crown for me to wear. The maids had pulled out a dress for me to wear. It was a white shimmery dress with a slit at the left side. I wore a pair of strap sandals and with that, I was set to go.

I walked out of my bedroom and headed to the dining hall where I was told Dahlia and Aurora were. I pushed the door open only to meet Dahlia seated at Ivan's seat. I arched my brow up at that but didn't comment on it, instead I made my way towards my seat across Aurora.

"Glad you could join us." Dahlia commented as she took a sip of her wine.

I waited for the male servant to serve my food and fill my cup with wine before I spoke. "I apologize for not greeting you properly on your arrival. I wasn't informed." I said this shooting Aurora a look.

"Neither was I and I'm pretty sure Ivan and Kiran aren't aware too." Aurora told me and I relaxed at that. "While it's a pleasure to see you mother, I'd like to know the purpose of your visit." Aurora smiled tightly at her mother and I wondered what the story was between the two of them.

Dahlia cut her meat and took her to swallow before she answered. "Must I need a reason before I can visit my own children and also to see my son's wife?" She said this looking at me and I smiled at her.

"Yeah right, why are you really here mother?" Aurora asked giving her mother a pointed look and I'm starting to wonder what was really happening. I mean it's clearly obvious Aurora isn't happy with her mother's arrival to the castle.

"Aurora dear." Dahlia said using a napkin to dab her mouth lightly, "It's been a long journey and I'd like some place to rest instead of being interrogated like an intruder."

Aurora was about to say something but I beat her to it. "Of course, I'm sure a room have been prepared for you." I told her but Dahlia just gave me a tight smile in response but didn't say anything.

We ate our food in uncomfortable silence before Dahlia stood up and went to her room. Aurora watched her mother like a hawk as she left the dining hall. After a while, Aurora dropped her cutleries and stood up.

"Where are you going?" I asked taking a sip of my wine.

Aurora answered without looking at me. "Going to go and find out the reason she's here."

"Okay I think you are being paranoid, I mean she's your mother. She's probably just here because she misses her children."

Aurora scoffed at me. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what she wants everyone to believe but I know my mother, her turning up unannounced means there's something else we are not seeing." She says her eyes narrowing in suspicion at the door.

"Oh alright then." I informed her standing up from my seat too.

"I'll be going then and try to avoid my mother if you can, she isn't very fond of humans." Aurora told me with a wary smile and with that she left.

I went out of the dining hall glad that the whole lunch with my mother in law was over. Even though I thought Aurora was paranoid about her mother I also felt unease with Dahlia. She had this calculating look in her gaze anytime she looked at me. She also didn't seem to hide the fact that she doesn't approve of me.

But I was alright with that, soon Ivan would be back and everything would be alright! I thought to myself as I pushed the door to my bedroom and closed it. I was about to removed the crown on my head when I heard rustling behind me. Startled I turned only to find a man who was dressed in only his breeches standing in front of me with a smile on his face. I let out a shriek as I stared up at the man when I realized he looked familiar. He was the male servant who served me wine!

"What the hell are you doing here?" I yelled at him staring at him in horror.

The male servant merely smirked at me as he grabbed his manhood through his breeches. "I am at your service mi'lady!" He said with a smile on his face.

"What?" I gasped wondering what service he was talking about. I didn't ask for wine and most importantly if he was going to serve me wine, why do it naked? I asked myself as the man took a step towards me. "STOP!" I yelled at him my eyes darting nervously to the door.

The male servant paused before cocking his head at me. "But you smiled at me."

"What does that have to do with you being in my room?" I asked looking at him in disbelief.

"You smiling at me means you took a liking to me and you needed my services rendered because you were feeling lonely!" The servant pointed out and I eyed him like he was crazy.

Yeah that must be it! He must be crazy! Steeling myself I raised myself as I stared at the man. "I don't know what you must think of me but I am not that kind of woman, now get out before I call the guards."

The male servant smirked at me. "You don't have to be shy about it besides you are not the only queen who has taken a lover into her bed besides her husband." He told me with a leering gaze which made me very angry.

I marched towards him prepared to reach for the door but the male servant grabbed me tightly by my hands and with inhuman speed he rushed across the room and pinned me up against the wall. "Guess we doing this the hard way then." He growled at me while using a hand to muffle my responses.

I tried to scream against his hand on my mouth but he just slammed me harder against the wall making me wince at the impact. The male servant tightened his hold against my hands while keeping his hand on my mouth, growling harshly at me and I could feel him harden against my thigh.

Oh gods! I thought to myself as I thrashed against him but he only smirked at me. And just when I thought the worst was going to happen. The door to the bedroom opened. I could feel relief course through my entire system but that was only short liived because standing right at the doorway was Aurora and my mother in law and they were staring at me with a look of horror on their faces.