Rosalie

Soon the festive season was upon them and court was being decorated in bright colours in preparation for the arrival of the queen's sister. A huge feast was organised for when her sister would arrive at court, and then shortly afterwards there would be another feast, grander than the Queen had organised in years, for the presentation of her daughter. For the first time, she would be presented to court as a lady, ripe in womanhood and finally fitted with the title of Princess. Even when she had first returned, her daughter had never been introduced to court officially, but now she was ready. After being confined to her chamber without any leniency, the girl had finally learnt what she must.

The Queen was thankful that Prince Christian had returned to his father's land shortly after she had forbid her daughter to receive any visitors. He had understood her reasoning behind restricting her freedom and had announced his imminent leave, claiming that he had some leads to follow up concerning the whereabouts of her captor, and the Queen had pardoned his leave. It was not that the Queen wanted rid of the prince, for she would never be able to convey how grateful she was for his rescue of her daughter, but she welcomed his absence from her court as she did not wish to keep being reminded of the subject of her daughter's marriage. The prince himself did not constantly speak about it but whenever she would see him, she would be reminded of his proposal and how close her daughter was to finally being declared proper.

Soon the day that her sister was expected arrived and the Queen waited anxiously in her private chamber for word that Lord Dawmoth, who had been tasked with receiving her sister when she had arrived in the kingdom, was on his way. Though not her most trusted Lord, she had delegated him the task of receiving her as she knew that he was the man who would be less likely to speak a word about the condition that her daughter was recovered, and also would not permit the rumours that the girl was not the real princess to be spoke of in his home.

A knock on the door made her rise and stand by the window. "Enter," she called.

One of her ladies entered. "Your sister is on her way."

The Queen nodded and left her chamber with her lady, making her way through the corridors and towards the throne room in which she received private and high ranking guests. Whenever she would receive an audience of peasants or, rarely, rebels, her entire court would congregate in the main throne room which was larger than the private one and sparsely used.

"Be sure all preparations for their stay have been finalised. Her last letter spoke of her husband visiting with her, and I assume her children shall be accompanying them as well," she said as they approached the throne room. Her lady bowed her head and scurried off.

It wasn't long until Lord Dawmoth came strolling into the throne room and bowed at the Queen. "Your Majesty, your sister, Her Highness Princess Isabelle," he said, gesturing to the woman behind him.

The Queen stood up and drifted towards her, embracing her younger sister with a smile on her face. "Isabelle, it has been too long," she said as they pulled away from the hug.

Her sister smiled. "Truly," she agreed before stepping back and placing her hand on her husband's arm. "And you remember Thomas."

She smiled at the man. "You honour us with your presence, Your Highness."

"It is nice to spend the festive season in your lovely domain," he said, "though I hear you received a miracle during the year."

The Queen gestured for wine to be poured in the goblets as they moved into the private room behind the platform. They sat in front of the fire and took a sip of the wine. "Indeed I have. I do believe you only met my daughter once, when she was Blessed under the Gods, but in a few days' time she shall be presented to court and you shall become acquainted there."

Isabelle clapped with glee and grinned happily. "I cannot wait to meet my sweet niece."

The Queen smiled and sipped her wine. "Where are your children? I was under the impression that they would be accompanying you."

Thomas nodded. "They stayed with Lady Dawmoth. They wanted to go riding with her son but he returned as we were leaving for court, so I granted them permission to stay and then join us in a few days. They will be here before your daughter's presentation."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, irritating the Queen. "What is it?" she snapped.

The door opened and a servant bowed his head. "Your daughter's governess asks that she may speak with you, Your Majesty," he said.

The Queen drained her goblet, excused herself and headed towards her daughter's chamber. She was planning on reprimanding her daughter for causing enough trouble to have her governess send for her but she forgot her irritation as she approached the chamber and heard screaming from within. The physician and three of his assistants were there and none spared a look at her as they rushed through the doors into her bedchamber. Her daughter's governess was stood in the main chamber and rushed over to the Queen when she noticed her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"She got too near the fire, Your Majesty. I tried to stop her but it seemed as if she were almost..." She stopped short, making the Queen glance at her sharply.

"As if she were almost what?"

"Possessed, Your Majesty."

She jolted in her spot at the word and hurried through to the bedchamber. Her ladies were crowded by her head on either side of the bed, one holding a rag to her forehead while the others tried to sooth her, and the physician was tending to her while his assistants mixed concoctions. She could not see what was wrong with her daughter but when the physician pressed a rag to her hand and she let out a scream, she could guess. A strong vile smell filled the room before one of the assistants handed the physician a concoction.

When another scream tore from her daughter's lips, the Queen left the bedchamber and shut the door. She turned abruptly on her heel, crossed the room and opened the doors. "No one is to approach this door, do you understand?" she told the guards before she shut them.

The governess had a hand pressed to her forehead as she stared out of the window when the Queen approached her. "Tell me everything."

"The princess had been excelling in her studies, Your Majesty. I could not commend her more. However, today she kept complaining of feeling feverish but did not feel warm, so we continued with her lessons. I had planned on allowing her to retire early when she asked me to request a book for her. I did not leave her but instead opened the doors to tell the guards to fetch a servant, and that was when one of her ladies began to panic. The princess had been with inches of the fire when I spotted her, and I reprimanded her but I fear she could not hear me. She did not look like her own self, Your Majesty. It was frightening."

Could her daughter truly be possessed? She had never heard of a woman of her status becoming possessed, only those that dwell in the villages were known to be susceptible, but her time with her captor was still a mystery to all, so perhaps that contributed to how she acted today. Perhaps she needed to consult a priest of the Gods and allow him to examine her daughter.

It was a long while until the doors to the bedchamber were opened and the physician stepped out. The Queen stood from where she had sat and approached him. "How is she?" she asked.

"I gave her something to sleep but I fear there will be permanent damage to her arm. Luckily her hair was pinned up otherwise it could have been worse. She was delirious right until she was sedated, and still she was fitful," he said.

She put a hand on her forehead and turned away. "What is wrong with my daughter?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty."