The Kingdom of RiverNight- The Tale of the queen and her knight

Chapter 12-The queen's confession

Alex pushed on the rocks a few more times and each time resulted in the same outcome. Nothing. Alex glanced back at the queen, who was just looking back at her. Alex never seen the queen this disheveled. But with no magic, the queen was unable to fix her hair and clothing. She still looks breath taking thought Alex. 

Both queen and knight were covered in dust with a few scratches on their skin. Alex felt around the hole, thankfully it was large enough for both of them to move around in freely. But, there was no outlet and the only light came from cracks in the walls.

Alex sat on the ground and the queen followed. It looked like they would be stuck for a while. They both were lost in their own thoughts when finally one decided to speak.

"So, magic..."Alex began "it has a battery source or something, is that why it ran out?"

The queen leaned back against the cool wall looking over towards Alex. She never spoke much to anyone about her magic. She defiantly did not want anyone to know it's secrets, how else would she rule her kingdom. But, Alex shared her secrets the other night with the queen. And the queen had a pull in her heart towards her knight.

"Magic has it's limitations, like your endurance." The queen began. "little spells do not affect me much, but a large spell like ripping the heart out of a dragon, well.... It's going to take time."

"I think I understand." Alex said still looking at her queen. "But, your magic... why don't you use it to help the crops or give money to your people?"

The queen signed. She knew Alex was just curious, but she wished people didn't always expect her magic to solve everything. The queen still leaning her head back on the cool stone wall, she closed her eyes.

"Well..."she began "magic is not that simple. You cannot create something out of nothing. You can't just make the weather stay perfect for crops and you can't just create money when there is none. I can change clothes because I have the clothes. I can transport myself but not an entire company of soldiers. Magic has it's limits."

The queen voice was sad. She loved her kingdom more than anything. She truly loved her kingdom. It's why after her kingdom won the War of all Kingdoms, she left parts of the other kingdom alone. She wasn't like her father, she didn't want power. Alex moved closer to the queen sitting next to her.

"I wish I could give my kingdom everything they needed." The queen whispered.

"But...."Alex thought how to ask her next question without upsetting the queen. "Why create fear? I mean, your kingdom, fears you. If you could use your magic, even just for a little light in the kingdom....."

Alex tried to continue her line of thought but the queen stood quickly moving away from her.

"You think... you think this is how I wanted to rule... by fear?" yelled the queen. "My father ruled with so much power it cause the war... the war that... killed so many." The queen trailed off slightly when she told about the war killing Alex's parents, but the queen continued speaking "When my father died, I was given a kingdom I wasn't ready for. A kingdom at the peak of war. This was the only way I knew. Have people fear me to earn respect. To make them listen."

The queen covered her face as tears formed but she continued "My father always told me that I had darkness inside me and I needed to let it be free. He wanted me to use it to win the war for our kingdom so we could rule ALL the kingdoms. When he died, I did what I needed to do to end the war. I let the darkness consume me. When it takes over, I don't feel like myself."

Alex remembered the queen's eyes turning dark the day she almost killed Xzavier in the training fields. Alex knotted her head. She knew what it was like to do things you did not want to do in order to survive. Alex stood and walked over to the queen wrapping her arms around her. The queen leaned into Alex. Alex moved the queen's hands away from her eyes and looked into them. They were honey brown. Alex leaned forward giving the queen enough time to stop her and when she didn't, Alex let her lips fall upon the queens.

Alex pulled back from the queens lips a little and lowered themselves on the floor, still holding on to each other.

"My mother..." the queen continued "she had magic also. She is the one that taught me everything. We would train so often, I wasn't able to make connections with anyone. She was worse than my father when it came to punishment."

Alex wrapped her fingers around the queen's and drew light circles on the queen's palm with her thumb. Alex was beginning to understand. The queen never knew love or friendship, she knew only power and fear.

"If you never made a connection with anyone... have you ever...."Alex made a forward circling motion with her hand as if not wanting to ask the queen directly but also curious.

"Had sex?" The queen laughed lightly. "Yes, but that's all it was."

Alex knew all about that topic. Sex is just sex right? She heard of the fairy tales of making "love"... the fireworks... Alex never felt that, not even with Catherine. As if hearing Alex's thoughts the queen spoke.

"I'm sorry about the way I handled Catherine. I..."the queen began.

"It's not your fault." Alex said smiling and bumping slightly into the queen shoulder.

"I did try to warn you..." The queen laughed "I even threaten her on the evening that I knighted you. I saw the way you and her were interacting at the feast. You weren't the first soldier she bedded."

Alex thought back to her first few weeks and it all made sense. Alex brought the queen's hand to her lips and kissed it lightly.

"You should try to get some rest my queen" Alex stated with the queen's hand still pressed closed to her lips. The queen turned her hand over grabbing gently at Alex's face pulling her in for a passionate kiss.

The queen pulled back slightly and said "Isabela"

Alex gave the queen a puzzled look.

"When it is just us, call me Isabela."

Alex smiled looking into the queen's eyes and smirked "Izzy".