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“I’ve read about her. She is the longest-reigning queen in your history, correct?” Josseline asked me as we all waited around the table for Odette to return.
“She is. You know your history. She reigned for seventy-eight years after becoming queen at eighteen when her brother, King Lysander, died with no heirs.” I nodded, lifting my glass.
“Ah, I did learn of King Lysander.” Prime Minister Boulle grinned. “He’s the one who kept replacing his wives after their insanity.”
“I think it could be argued he’s the one that drove them all insane,” I replied and drank. It was tiring having people always make my family tree a topic of conversation, mostly because the royals they chose to speak about were often not our most shining achievements.
“Why in the world would he drive them insane, though?” he questioned, obviously not knowing the history as well as he pretended to.
“Maybe it was because he was inept and blamed them for it.” Josseline laughed. Although it was a laugh at my great-great-great-uncle’s expense, it felt more like a dig at her own husband. Which made the ambassador look at me…and me to drink.
That was awkward. What was taking Odette so long?
“Forgive me, what did your family do to earn the sword, Ambassador?” I asked, doing my best to redirect the conversation.
“Ah, right, yes, so as the story goes, my great-great-great-aunt was—”
I stopped paying attention when I noticed Balduin appear at the dining room entrance and beginning walking to me. His face was calm, but his pace was faster than normal. When he reached me, I put down my glass. This was not good news.
“Stay calm, sir,” he whispered in my ear.
I nodded for him to go on.
“The queen is ill.”
I froze.
My blood pressure rose as my brain tried to restart and figure out what the hell he meant.
“Stay calm, sir,” he repeated. “Gelula said she vomited in the bathroom and then fainted. She was only out of it for a few minutes but struggled to stand again. The royal doctor has been called and has just entered. If it is any more serious, we will go to the hospital. For now, it is best not to create a scene unless it’s serious, the queen said. She also said to tell you she’s okay.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.
Was she okay? If she was, then why was she fainting?
“Is everything all right, sir?” the ambassador asked me when Balduin rose and walked back out.
I sat up as their eyes were all on me.
“Yes, well, no. Odette’s mother is a bit ill. She’s on the phone with them now, trying to understand what happened. Please excuse her,” I lied, adjusting my cufflinks a bit.
“Oh, I know they are very close. I hope everything is not too serious,” Josseline said.
“Me too. We will see. As you were saying?” I asked, but truthfully I was not paying attention at all.
Every time someone moved in the corridor, my heart skipped. I knew something was off, but I just thought it was emotionally! Dammit. What the hell was this now? Did she eat something? Come in contact with something?
It felt like I was trapped in my body, forced to listen to polite conversation on dead monarchs and other random French history facts that went over my head as I waited for more news. It was getting to the point that I was actually getting annoyed…very annoyed. I was about to give it another ten minutes when suddenly Odette came into the room, her clothes changed, and her hair pulled back off her face. I stood quickly.
“You all must forgive me!” she called out.
“Is your mother all right, ma’am?” the ambassador asked her.
“Yes, thankfully! I don’t know how she managed to get food poisoning, but the doctors say she’ll be all right in a few days. But I was so panicked, I ended up spilling your hand soap all over my dress. Ambassador, I’ll send you a new one,” she said as she came over to me, and I gripped her hands tightly, looking to her, but she just focused her gaze on him.
“That’s not necessary, ma’am. If anything, I’m angry the soap ruined your clothes.” He laughed as she did.
“What did I miss?” she asked, looking between them and finally me. “I hope it wasn’t too interesting without me.” She squeezed my hand tightly, her eyes pleading with me to help her keep the conversation going.
