The Dark Queen of White 1.19

19.

Gareth carried the jug of wine with him while he rode to the dark plains. He wanted to be alone, for whatever reason that prevailed in his mind, but a part of him was confused. He knew not what, but he just wanted to be alone, and the wine would soothe his mind.

And heart.

He dismounted from the horse and sat down on the grass, while the horse took to trot a short distance away. The horse then began to whine, and galloped off. Gareth pulled himself and reached for his sword. His hands held there, and then let go of the hilt. From the dark plains, the figure of a Man appeared; nude but his swaggering walk tells a lot of him. He was known to Gareth as Michael, the werewolf that once protects the Queen. Since Gareth had taken that task, Michael had taken to keep a distance away.

"Hello, Michael." The other could not speak for his transforming did not provide for vocal speech, but he understood the words spoken by Gareth. He could however speak through his mind.

"Gareth, are you well?" Michael knew of the relationship between the Princess and the other. He had been the Princess Protector, but he knew she was different. She was not like a mate of the wolves, but if she was like them, she was holding the position of Prime. It was unheard of among them in the Clans, but she was not really one of them.

"I am well. Sad perhaps for reasons I do not know." Gareth smiled. "I should be happy for her, but a part of me felt ....I should be sad."

"Drink your wine, Gareth. I would sit by you and looked at the stars." Michael relayed to him by the mind thoughts. He knew of the pain suffered by the other, but was bound by the Clan ruling not to tell.

Gareth soon collapsed into a drunken slumber, while Michael left the place. In the dream state of Gareth, he was standing in the forest facing the house which the Princess was staying. He saw the wolf, and felt no fear of it. The wolf moved off and the doorway of the house opened. The Princess stepped forth, and was joined by the caretaker, Helene. He was to call out to her, but he found himself unable to speak or even move. He was not there in his physical form; he was part of the dream as an observer.

"Clare, look to the land before you. It’s yours." Helene point to the rolling hills among the forest. "It’s your King, and also your....father. He had left it for you."

"Where is the King? I had not seen him. All I heard was from you." Princess Clarity asked back. She looked younger; probably before her puberty, and was seen in a boy' suit of partial leather, and cloth. She had her hair cropped short, and was carrying a wooden replica of the sword.

"The King had a ...lot of things to do. He commands over the land size many times what you seen here and he had also a lot of friends to meet." Helene held out her hands to hold the child. "He would see you one day."

"When, Helene?" The Princess asked.

"I don't know. Soon, perhaps." Helene replied. "Maybe when you are to be the Queen?"

Helene looked to her care and smiled.

"Me? A Queen?" The Princess asked.

"Yes, my Princess. All Princesses grow to be Queen's. You would be one." Helene told him.

"Who would I wed, Helene?" Princess Clarity asked back.

"A King who would protect your lands." Helene replied. It was then Gareth woke up from his slumber. His throat felt dry, and was in need of a drink. He saw the jug, but he ignored it. He stood up and found his horse was nearby. He walked to it and took the water container. He drank from it. With his throat cleared, he thought of his dream. The Princess deserved a King to protect her. He was just a huntsman and did not own even a farm then. His own father's farm was given to his chwaer and she had wedded the neighbor. Maybe the dream was right. He was not deserving of her love. He was just playing a fantasy inside him.

In the chamber of the King, the newly crowned Queen Clarity pulled herself up from the bedding. She grabbed the robe nearby to cover herself, from the cold and also from herself. She felt uneasy having lain in the nude with the man there snoring in his sleep. She had drunk herself much to go through that night, and felt it was justified. She did not remember much, but there were the mutual touches and then the acts of love. She felt so embarrassed. It was so different with Gareth; then she was willing and glad to receive him. Last night, she was the aggressor and did initially shock the King, but he was soon participating into it. Their act was intense with the love making, and then he had satiated himself. He had rolled over and sighed.

"I am sorry, my Queen." King Thaddeus sighed. She looked over and he continued on.

"I never told anyone this, but maybe my healers." The King sighed again. "Since my last Queen died, I had made a rash decision."

Queen Clarity leaned over with her hands to touch his face. The tears had welled up on his eyes and then rolled down his cheek.

"I had myself made .....Unable to have another child. I have one then, Snow White and all she was all I loved then." The King paused and looked at her.

"I ..." The King tried to speak but the Queen stopped him.

"I would love Snow White like my own." Queen Clarity told him. She smiled and he returned her smile. She then climbed up on him and took the initiative. While he was grunting away, her mind was away from her body. She was thinking that as long as the King served her to protect her lands, she would take care of the young Princess. It s was a fair trade for her body.

Her body was part of her lands.

Soon after her one season of intensive love and assumed bliss with the King, the newly crowned Queen met her subjects and allies of the King. One of them was her grandmother, Queen Morgana standing there with another lady.

"Queen Clarity, I am Queen Morgana. You may have known me as your grandmother with Lord Falstof." Queen Morgana stepped forth. The older Queen looked very frail, but she was dressed very elegantly in her green gown with the yellow cloak on her back.

"Hello...Queen Morgana. I am pleased to have finally met you." Queen Clarity smiled.

"I am happy to meet you." Queen Morgana replied. "It such a good occasion for me to see both my grandchildren wed in the same time."

"Both grandchildren? Perhaps age had made you senile." Queen Clarity smiled at her grandmother.

"No, my child." Queen Morgana replied. "Your twin brother had just wedded Princess Deanna a few days ago. I had to rush back there myself soon after yours and then came back here."

"Oh! Before I forget, please allow me to introduce my friend." Queen Morgana pulled the lady to see the new Queen. "She has a gift for you."

The gift was a tree trunk with two main branches and hanging on it were five mirrors.

"The mirrors of Wendell never lied. Its five mirrors read the signs of the five senses in our soul. It interprets them more accurately than any soothsayer. Ask it another question."

"What would happen to my lands?" Queen Clarity asked.

'King Bannion had given it to his new Queen." The tree replied.