The Dark Queen of White 1.26.

26.

King Thaddeus was furious at his Queen. She had confronted him on his return from a visit to the neighboring lands. He was away for two seasons and on his return, he had asked for the companionship of Queen Clarity. She however was not in the mood, for she had a shouting session with the precious Princess earlier.

“I have returned from a long journey and just desire…” King Thaddeus stood there in his robe looking outside of the window. His words were cut off by the irate Queen.

“Your desire was well expired by the ladies that Lord Mitchell had sent to you nightly.” Queen Clarity had come on direct. She had not a need to have an informer in his entourage when her tree with the mirrors would not lie.

“Ladies in my ….” King Thaddeus exclaimed in surprise. “Did you have someone trailed me? The servants in your employment too?”

“I had long suspected that. I was wondering when you would had controlled on my servants.” King Thaddeus continued on.

“I did not. I would not need to.” Queen Clarity replied. “I …”

She wanted to say that he was not as discreet as he appeared to be, not so when the Lords are more open to gossips.

“You are a witch.” King Thaddeus uttered in his anger. He bit his own tongue on mentioning the name.

“A witch?” Queen Clarity mentioned the name back in anger. “You accuse me as a witch. Then burn me on the stakes.”

Queen Clarity walked towards the King.

“The night is still early. Take me down to the yard and burned me there.” Queen Clarity pointed to the courtyard. The King looked at her and held out his arms.

“I am sorry, Clare.” King Thaddeus tried to console his Queen, but she had stepped away from him.

“Forget it. I am leaving.” Queen Clarity left the King alone in the chamber. He stood there with his shoulders slumped, and then he sat on the bedding. He regretted his words, but it had come out like a stream of drunken speech. He had long suspected her of witchery, with her selection of friends but the final score was the tree trunk with the mirrors. He had once seen her talking to it.

“King Thaddeus, I came as soon as I got your request.” The voice belonged to Merlin who appeared in the astral form. “I can’t come in person, as the quest of Arthur had just begin. I am needed in person to guide him.”

King Thaddeus knew of the life quest of Merlin but he still appreciated the Wizard coming then. The King briefed the wizard of his plight with the Queen. He had thought of his old wizard, but the later had gone missing and so was the successor, Corellian. Merlin in his astral form stood there and then replied.

“King Thaddeus, I cannot help you. I have my own quest. I would however sent you another.” Merlin told the King. “She would appeared to you in her due time.”

With that, Merlin disappeared. King Thaddeus stood there by himself, and then removed his robe. He rang the servants.

“Get me my armor. I need to ride for the borders.”

At least there, King Thaddeus found peace and his desires satiated.

It also left his Queen the time to be lonely, and also for her to induced herself in her crafts, when she was not handling the precious Princess. Her relationship with the Princess had become more distance, with both their personality clashing. The last argument with the King made her feeling very insecure. She approached the one item which she could console her concerns.

“Mirror, mirror on the tree, who am I?”

“The Queen of the lands. And the most pretty of the Queen in the land.” That made the Queen smiled. Across the lands of the King, after a weary ride of three nights the King arrived at one of his Lords’ castle. He was soon entertained by the Lord with full spread of lavish delicacies.

King Thaddeus sat by his own in the tent, soon after dismissing the local Lord’s ladies. They were good and accommodating beauties, but they were not his real choice of a lover. He still loved Clare and found herself still a beauty. He was looking at the lake before him; a scenic spot picked by the local Lord to enhance his mood. He seen many lakes in his journeys, and most times they crowded by the guards of his army collecting the water or feeding the horses. He had himself drowned some errant Lords or Picts

.

The tent entrance flapped open and snapped his mind thought.

“I had enough. Leave me.” The King was abrupt in his words.

“I doubt it. If I leave you, Merlin would be disappointed.” It was the voice of a lady. King Thaddeus turned to look and saw a tall lady in a flowing white gown with a tinge of green shades that resembled the long grass on the side of the lake.

“Nimue, the Lady from the Lake at your service.” The lady announced herself. “I came on the request from Merlin.”