“Yes,” Selene answered.
The door slid open, and Rylan entered carrying a tray with a steaming pot and a mug.
“The healer suggested camomile tea,” he said, offering me a smile as he lifted the table into the upright position.
“Thank you,” I said, as I sat up from Selene.
“The healer is waiting outside,” he continued, turning to Selene, “Is there anything else you require, Ma’am?”
“No,” she answered, standing up and wrapping her blanket around my shoulders. “Send the healer in.”
9. Slow Down!
Persephone Flores
Ardens Estate was immense. Tall, thick black metal gates greeted us upon arrival, and guardsmen in light grey uniform heaved them open for us to pass.
“Your face is nearly pressed against the window,” Selene said humorously, “Are you that impressed?” she asked as we drove along a long, paved driveway towards an imposing mansion.
It reminded me almost of Selene’s cousin Amelia’s home, but was much larger—maybe ten times the size or more—with miniature peaked turrets like that of Borealis Castle.
On either side of the driveway were manicured lawns that held stone artworks, with benches dotted around.
“The Ardens Estate is different from what I pictured,” I said, unable to pull my eyes away from the statues as we drove slowly past them.
I had never imagine that a man like Valen came from a place so full of art—like something I had only seen in books or in a brochure for the art gallery in Viridis, that I had begged Father to visit one summer. But the journey was too long and costly, so I had never got to go.
“Is that a naked man?” I asked, shocked, distracted from my memories as we passed a stone figure that looked to be that of a nude man gardening.
Selene’s laughter filled the car.
“Man at Work,” Selene said. “It’s one of my favourite pieces. It was one of my mother’s first purchases as a young woman. Bought with the sole purpose of ruffling my grandfather.”
I turned from the window to Selene. She had mentioned her mother so sparingly—hardly at all, and nothing of any significance. I wanted to know about her, but it felt wrong to ask. I didn’t know how to approach the subject of the late Queen. Not when her passing was so recent and not when Selene never spoke of her.
“Did it have the desired effect?” I asked. Selene smiled, the kind of smile that I had once thought only for me, but I knew now that I shared this smile with her mother; it warmed me.
“Oh yes,” she laughed. “Mother told me the story many times, of how grandfather was so angry he could not speak. He could hardly bear to look upon it.”
“I’m guessing that’s why it’s on the front lawn then,” I said, amused.
“Exactly. Grandfather was aghast. It wasn’t that it offended him as such, but more that he didn’t like his little girl looking at such pornography. Mother reminded him that it was not pornography but art. That the artist had spent hundreds—thousands—of hours carving the fine specimen from stone,” Selene explained.
“She told me that for a solid month, he demanded the curtains of any west-facing room he entered be drawn and that he would not look at—never mind set foot in the front west garden lawn.” Selene reached past me and pointed outside.
“That bench there was placed at my mother’s request. Whenever she wanted space from my grandfather she would sit and admire her statue, guaranteed that he would not disturb her.”
I giggled, imagining a young woman resembling Selene hiding from her father in plain sight. “She must have been amusing to be around,” I said.
“She was, yes,” Selene agreed and I turned back to her, in time to see her smile fade from around her eyes. Selene took my hand and squeezed it lightly. “The Ardens’ estate is full of art, a love that my mother and grandmother shared. And my grandfather could denyhis girlsnothing,” she explained.
“Do you share that love of art? Will you show me all your favourites?” I asked her, excited and hopeful. I wanted to know everything about Selene, every like and dislike, every little detail of anything that captured her attention.
“I will make time to give you a tour of the grounds. But I worry that I will not be able to dedicate as much time to you as I would like,” she told me as the car came to a stop outside a grand entrance. There were no stairs, but a large, flat stoned path that led to extremely tall, wide, and intricately carved wooden doors
One of the large doors was already open for our arrival. My car door was opened by a waiting servant and at the slight pressure of Selene’s hand on my lower back, I exited the car with Selene following behind me. She took hold of my hand again and pulled me closer to her.
“My Royal Highness, welcome home,” greeted the servant who had opened the car door. Selene nodded in acknowledgement. “The master rooms have been prepared for your arrival.”
