[IC] The Making of a New Queen

[pyroman]

Samsul could feel Melor brushing up against his legs, as did Elana. He could also feel Melor right at his feet when the dog decided to sit down, resulting in Samsul smiling at the little dog. He then nodded at Anastasia with a small smile. "Yes, I do believe that he does." He then attempted to recover from Anastasia telling him that he was goofing off with Melor. "Also, it was your orders to have me spend more time doing things of my own accord, and with Melor, I can watch him, and and do that at the same time." He wasn't sure if it was a good recovery or not, but he did feel that he was watching over the little dog while also playing with him.

Eric came in not long after Samsul finished speaking. He carried two trays, one in each hand. One of them was far larger than the other one, and the other one seemed to only fit one small plate on it. The chef set down the first tray on the table and then set the smaller tray down on the ground next to Samsul's chair.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia laughed while Samsul said that he was watching over the dog, while spending his time doing things that didn't require him to look after her. She looked at Elana, "See, just so he can say he is doing work rather than playing with him," She looked at Samsul, "You are fighting against yourself here."

She grinned before looking to Eric who reentered the room. She looked at the tray he placed on the table then follow the other with her eyes to see it placed infront of Melor. The dog's tail wagged, hitting Samsul's leg. He looked up at Eric, clearly able to smell whatever it was that he had under the tray's lid. After a bit of waiting the dog laid down, still looking up at Eric, tail still wagging, and started to whine. Anastasia smiled at Melor, "It seems that someone is hungry."

[pyroman]

Eric pulled the lid off of Melor's tray first, happy to see that the little dog was excited to dive into whatever the chef had cooked for him. It was a plain steak, but it was cooked so that it was still a little chewy, but still cooked very well. It didn't have any seasoning or anything, since Eric wasn't sure how Melor would react to the food if he had done so. Standing back all the way up, he pulled lid off of the larger tray to display three plates all with steak, all three of them cooked to varying styles. On each of the plates, there was a napkin, a somewhat large fork, and a knife of cutting the steak easily. He smiled at the food and looked at the tree sitting down at the table. "I hope that you enjoy it, and I hope that Melor enjoys his food as well. Do you have any questions?"

[tsubasa]

Melor tail beat faster against Samsul's leg as Eric reached down and removed the lid. Happily, he began to eat the piece of meat. Anastasia looked from her dog enjoying his meal, to Eric unveiling their own. She looked at the steaks and smiled at Eric. She shook her head but said nothing, not wanting to answer for the other two. She then took one of the plates and slowly began to eat her food. She remained eating small portions, not wanting a repeat of her first night. But also because she continued to feel bad about happily eating away while others had to work hard for those meals. She just had to walk into the dining room. She sighed slightly and after a moment, hoped Samsul and Elana didn't hear.

[pyroman]

Unfortunately for Anastasia, Samsul was able to hear the soft and slight sigh, despite no one else picking it up. He took both of the plates left on the tray and handed one to Elana, who grabbed it and set it down right in front of her. Samsul set his own down and begun to eat away at the piece of steak that was on his plate. Once a noticeable portion of the steak was gone, he decided to ask Anastasia about the sigh he had heard. "Anastasia." He spoke calmly. "Are you alright?" Elana raised an eyebrow at him, since she had no idea what he was going on about.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at Samsul when he asked if she was alright. She assumed he heard her sigh, unfortunately. After all, she hadn't given any other signs for being unwell or unhappy. Not to mention, Elana hadn't picked up on anything. She nodded her head, "Yes... Of course. I haven't a reason not to be. I'm with my mother and Melor and you.... I'm enjoy a fine meal that people only wish for... I'm wearing fine dresses and expensive jewelry... Why would I not be alright?"

When she finished, she figured she may have gone on for too long, eluding that she was, in fact, not happy. She looked between Samsul and Elana and smiled, "I'm fine..."

[pyroman]

Samsul had caught on quickly that she in fact, wasn't fine, but he really wasn't sure whether to say anything about it or not. Elana had also caught on, and she was a little scared about it. Did her daughter know about what would soon be happening, and would be thrown onto the throne because nobody else could? "I.." Elana started out, but quickly stopped. "If you aren't feeling well, Anastasia. Would you like to head to your room and get some rest?" She wasn't sure what to say, and had wondered what was going through her daughter's mind.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at her mother, "No... The last thing I need is rest. That is all I do. When I don't have lessons, I'm just relaxing... and I get that these lessons are to teach me to take your mantle some day but... I just feel useless."

She stopped and stared at the Queen, wide eyed. She could not believe she had said any of that to her. Her mouth hung slightly open for a moment as she just stared. When she came back to her senses, she shook her head slightly, "Maybe... Maybe... I should go rest..."

She quickly stood from the table and walked out of the room. She felt horrible, both for how she acted to the Queen and also now, surely, dragging Samsul away from his meal. She walked into her bedrooms and sat on the couch, slightly dumbfounded. She sat there for a moment before she felt tears stinging her eyes, "I miss my old life..."

[pyroman]

Elana only nodded to her daughter in silence as she quickly left the dining hall. She assumed that she would go back to her room, or possibly out to the stales where the horses were. She didn't see it as a young princess talking rudely to her Queen, but a daughter speaking her mind to her mother. She felt bad thought, since she hadn't given her daughter anything to do other than the lessons, and probably should have given her simple tasks around the castle. Samsul was about to stand, but Elana raised her hand and looked at him with sadness. "I will be taking my leave tonight, Samsul. You're her guard and companion. She needs you, so stay with her. If she asks questions, give her the answers that you believe she needs to hear."

[tsubasa]

Millie and Arabella, who were both cleaning the girls room, looked at her. Noticing the tears, they quickly walked over to her. Millie sat in front of the younger woman and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Now, what makes you say that, Anastasia?"

Ana shook her head, "I just... miss it... Having to clean my own room... Or feed the chickens... Going out in the fields... being by myself. I just miss all of it. I mean... I like it here. With my mother and Samsul and you two... but there is just so much I'm not allowed to do because I'm a Princess..."

Millie sighed and lowered her hand, "Things are very different for you, I'm sure. But you make your mother and so many other people so happy. And your lessons seem to be going well. Gerald was saying how you seem to be enjoying them. And if it makes you feel any better... We can leave your bedroom for you to clean tomorrow."

Anastasia laughed and nodded, "I would like that."

Millie smiled, "Wonderful. Now, how about you take some time to relax and calm down... We'll draw a bath for you."

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly at his Queen as she told him the news. If it were her in her daughter's place, she would not be happy to have suddenly been given the thrown because her mother would be gone for an undisclosed amount of time, and this way Anastasia wouldn't be able to deny the throne. Elana hated this plan, but she believed that this was the best way to do things, and only hoped that her daughter wouldn't hate her for what she would be doing.

"Samsul." Elana spoke softly, lacking the usual enthusiasm that she usually had. "Please go and see to it that Anastasia is alright, and keep her in her room throughout the night." Slowly, the queen stood from her chair, as did Samsul. "I hope to see the both of you in the future. Please make sure that she is as happy as she could be." Elana slowly and quietly left the dining hall, a small frown etched on her face as she left his view.

Samsul sighed softly and left the dining hall as well, making sure that Melor was with him, as to not create another incident. They two of them walked through the halls slowly and quietly, save for the occasional bark that Melor would make because of a passing person. Finally, the two of them reached Anastasia's room. Samsul knocked on the door slowly and waited for a response.

[tsubasa]

At the sound of knocking, Millie ran over to the door. Opening it, she looked at Samsul. After only a moment, she stepped outside and closed the door behind her, "The Princess is upset... She says it is because she misses her old life.... But honestly, I think she feel like she doesn't belong," she looked at him for a moment then gave him a small curtsy, "My apologies... I just wanted you to be prepared. I think she is very... fragile right now."

She looked up at the guard and after a moment of looking at his face, she sighed, "It's happening tonight... isn't it," Having been the Queen's handmaiden before being handed over to Anastasia, Millie knew much of the Elana's worries and plans. After all, she spent much of the woman's down time with it and Millie was a very calming person. She helped her come to the decision of bringing the Princess, or at least assured her that it would be fine. People seemed to like confiding in Millie and Millie liked them confiding in her. She nodded as she sighed, "Right... Well then... You'd best go see her... She likes you being around," She smiled at the guard before stepping aside to allow him into the room.

[pyroman]

Samsul looked down at Millie and kept his eyes on her as the closed the door behind her. He took a small step away from her to give her a little more space just before the curtsied to him. He nodded at her and gave her a small bow in return. "I see. I will choose me words carefully." His eyes widened a little as she asked about tonight, and he had wondered how she knew about it. He sighed as well and nodded at her slowly, listening to what else she had to say to him. He was sure that Him and Gerald were the only ones that knew of everything that would be happening, but he had no idea that Millie would know as well. He smiled back at the handmaiden and nodded once more at her. "Thank you. I will try my best to calm her down. Tomorrow will be stressful for her, and it should help if she is calm before hand." He took a step into the room and looked around for Anastasia, whom he wanted to comfort at the time being, since tonight would be very important, as well as the following day.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia sat on her couch in a floor length sleeping gown. When Samsul opened the door, she looked over her shoulder at him. She bit her lip and stood. She held her hands tightly and sighed, "I'm sorry for how I acted... That was very unladylike..."

She hadn't really been expecting Samsul, sure he followed her mostly everywhere but it seemed when she turned in for the night, he got someone else to stand outside her room. She had assumed, when he didn't follow, that he was just trying to find someone else to stand outside her door. She sat back down on the couch and sighed again, "I don't know what came over me... To speak like that to the Queen... Not just the Queen... my mother. I was so rude and after all she's done for me..." She placed her face in her hands, "And now, I'm just rambling again... I'm sorry..."

[pyroman]

As Anastasia first spoke up, Samsul quickly shook his head at her and sat next to her, relaxing slightly as he leaned back on the couch. He listened to what else she had to say before deciding what to say to her. Millie had told him that she feels like she doesn't belong, and Millie was telling the honest truth. Anastasia was only a simple girl before being found by Samsul and brought back to the castle only a few months before. He thought about what Elana would say to her daughter if she were here and listening to Anastasia go on. She would probably bring all of the blame on herself, and would insist that as much as she wanted to, she hadn't done much for her daughter over the years. In an effort to calm her, Samsul placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her calmly. "Anastasia. even as the months pass, you can't help but to look back at your true home. Your mother is deeply sorry for bringing you here, but you need to trust me when I say that you will become very important in the future." He shook his head at her and smiled just slightly. "Don't worry about rambling, Anastasia. I enjoy hearing you speak. As you know, I never had much of a life outside of my duties, so I'm always happy to hear your view and opinion on things, even if off task."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at him when he started to speak, his hand on his shoulder. The last time they had had contact like that was when she thought she lost Melor and he was trying to calm her down. It was funny because... it did. She sighed and moved to lean against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Millie smiled and took Arabella's arm and guided her into the washroom to clean up while the two of them spoke. Anastasia smiled and laughed slightly, "Well, I'm glad that you like my rambling... Because I seem to have been doing it a lot," she shook her head, "I'm glad that I'm not boring you any."

She sat there relaxed against him for a little bit before she realized what she was doing. She blushed deeply and quickly sat up. She held her hands together tightly and looked at Samsul, still blushing, "Sorry... Um... If you want.... you can go... I don't really plan on leaving... if you want to call in an early night," She started to rub her hands together, "But.. um.... If you don't... That okay too..."

[pyroman]

Samsul was comfortable with having his hand on her shoulder, but wasn't prepared at all for her leaning on his shoulder. It was the most physical contact that the two of them had together, and it was a little surprising for him. He was fighting back against a small blush that he had from it, and was glad to see that he wasn't the only one who was a little surprised at her actions. In all fairness, he focus was to calm her down and he did just that, so he shouldn't be complaining at all. He quickly moved his hand off of her shoulder and placed both of his hands in his lap. He smiled nervously and shook his head. "It's fine. I'm here as long as you need me, and I'll gladly stay if you want me to."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at Samsul when he said that he would stay with her as long as she wished for him to be there. She smiled and nodded her head, "Thank you..."

She sat there for a moment, listening to the two women in her bathroom cleaning, the only noise to fill the room. She stood from the couch and walked over to her window. She opened the shutters and looked out at the stars before, she turned away from them. She grabbed a small box and walked over to Samsul with it, "There seems to be less stars here... Not much less but... They just don't seem to fill the sky the same as they do back home."

She sat down on the couch again and opened the box, pulling out some cards, "Would you like to play?"

[pyroman]

With a thank you from Anastasia, Samsul nodded in response and smiled at her. He allowed for the room to be covered in silence, save for the two woman cleaning the bathroom, and watched as the princess as she made her way to the window. It was a bit of a ways away from her actual home, so the difference in the sky was somewhat obvious to him. Also, the village she lived in was much smaller and more open the the castle and the town just in front of it, so it was possible that it could have something to do with that as well. His eyes followed her back and snapped down to see the box and her had reaching inside of it. It was only some cards, so he had nothing to worry about. He nodded at her question and looked at her. "Yes, I would. Thank you for offering."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia smiled when he agreed to play cards with her. She removed them from the box and started shuffle them. She looked up at Samsul, "You know... You don't need to be so... Proper? If you want... You can relax a little. I don't mind."

She started to deal five cards to them each as Millie and Arabella exited the bath. They curtsied to the two of them, "The washroom is clean. If you need anything just call."

With that the two of them left the room, leaving Samsul and Anastasia alone. Anastasia gathered her five cards and smiled at Samsul, "So, have you ever played 'Go Fish'? I used to play it with my parents... and it is really simple... If you need me to teach you."