I meant to have the new chapter out today, and who knows, it may happen, but I got called into work today and so I'm not sure it'll be out today. If not today, tomorrow for sure!
Gloria ached all over as if she hadn’t moved in a week and had lain on a strange mattress. Her finger joints hurt as she grasped the sheets- black as ash and as soft as petals. It smelled floral as well, like an odd flower she hadn’t encountered before.
She let out a groan as she tried to move her legs to roll herself over. They felt like rusted hinges, squeaking and grinding as she forced them.
Her foot caught air, then with a thud she landed on the floor, a jumbled mess. The bed magically pulled it’s sheets and blankets back into place, as if she had never been in it. Gloria shrunk away. Who could place a charm like that? Had she found assistance from a spellcaster? Were they a good witch or a bad witch? Where was she?
“Gloria!” Blake exclaimed, jolting up from the opposite side of the room. His clothes were ragged, and he looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept the whole time she had been. “Oh, you’re awake! Creator be praised!”
He bent to help her up from the floor, and she took his hand, trying to pull herself up. She stared at him incredulously. “Blake, you’re alive! But they were so sure you’d be executed for aligning with the king. How are you alive?”
He sat her down on the bed, and sat beside her. “I got away from the templars and made my way to find you. You weren’t easy to find.” A smile shone across his face as he looked lovingly into her eyes. “I’m happy I found you when I did, any later and you would have lost you.”
Gloria squinted her eyes at him, confusion muddying her features. “I- I can’t remember what happened. Where are we? What happened?”
“You were on an island off the coast. I hired a seer to help me find you, and when we reached you the building was on fire. You inhaled so much smoke, we weren’t sure you were going to make it. We’re in the seer’s cabin; she’s been helping us reach the capitol.”
Gloria licked her sandpaper lips. “But, there was another person there with me. A young man, did you see him? Did you save him too?” The ache in her eyes filled Blake with jealousy. What connection did she have to this boy and why didn’t she save all of her affection for him?
“I’m sorry, love, there were no survivors. The seer didn’t detect any others. He probably perished in the fire.” He watched as her face wrinkled and the tip of her nose turned red with grief. “I’m so sorry.”
Gloria felt like there were rocks piling up on her heart, squishing it. How hadn’t she known? She had spent over a month with the boy she had shared her dreams with, the boy she had mirrored in so many ways. She had grown up with him, and he was gone? And she hadn’t felt anything? She hadn’t known he was gone?
Blake stood up from the bed, not sure how to handle a grieving woman. “We’ll be at the capitol in a few days. Things will be better then,” he said,
“Better so I can be the heir? And be the daughter that the king believes me to be?” her voice quaked through her tears, but it was clear and determined. “Blake, we both know that I’m not the heir to the throne. You’ve met my father, I have the same hair he does. You’ve met my siblings. They look just like me and I like them. I’m not who you’re looking for,”
Blake tried to take a measured breath. He didn’t want to talk about this, not now. Not ever, really. Apparently the people she had been with knew who he was, and who she was and had filled her in. That colored things a bit; how did the young man know so much? No peasant could casually know that much about him and the missing heir, especially when Gloria didn’t know that much about her own fate.
“You are the king’s daughter. You have a strong resemblance to your mother, but you also look like the king in some ways. When you see him, it’ll be made clear. Your siblings look like you because you have the same mother.” His hands balled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms. It had taken so long to find her, so long to get them to this point. She couldn't back out now. Why didn’t she see that she was the heir, and that she had a father waiting to meet her? There was a time when he would have given anything to know his own father, but that was impossible. Gloria was being selfish.
The cabin door opened, and the seer walked through, a smile fresh on her face. “Gloria! It’s so good to see you out of bed!”
“I'm sorry, you are?” Gloria asked.
“I’m Illia, the seer that Blake hired to find you. I’ll be coming with you back to the palace, to make sure you get there safely and to receive my payment,” she said in a bubbly tone. “Did you sleep well? You were out for such a long time.”
“I slept well enough.” Gloria said, wiping tears from her face. “Where are my clothes?” She looked at Blake. “What am I wearing?”
“You were in your bed clothes when we found you, and they were so riddled with smoke and partially burned that we threw them away. But not to worry, I had some spare night clothes and Blake bought some fresh clothes for you at a market we passed two days ago.” The seer went over to her book case and scanned the shelves, turning her back. She was being unusually nice.
“Here, they’re on the dresser.” Blake motioned. ”Do you need help or can you manage them on your own?”
“Well, I haven’t even seen them yet or how to get into them, so we’ll have to see if I need help or not.” She glanced down at her hand, noticing it glitter. Her eyes went wide. “Blake, what is this? Why have you done this?” she asked, bewildered. “Why am I restrained? I’m no danger to anyone.” A bracelet very similar to the one she had worn when she had woken up the first time after Seneca had saved her life resided on her hand, and she felt a necklace tied around her neck.
Blake shuffled his feet. Somehow, Gloria had found every sour topic to talk about. “The seer recommended it. She knows you’re a young spellcaster, and that your power may be hard to control. Besides that, we don’t need any accidents letting anyone know that the heir to the throne is a witch,” he unconsciously emphasized the last word, making Gloria recoil.
“But anyone who knows what the necklace and bracelet do will know that I have the ability! I can control it, I don’t need this!” She tried to unclasp the bracelet with her free hand, getting nowhere.
“Gloria,” Blake stepped towards her, pulling her into an embrace. “Gloria, I know this is all sudden. I know that it’s a big change, but you’re safe. No one will hurt you. No one will ever hurt you again, I promise. We’re together again, and nothing will separate us,”
Gloria sagged against him, her body betraying her to the familiarity of him. She knew that he was a pawn of the king, and Seneca and Henry had told her that he was ruthless, but she hadn’t seen any of that. He was kind to her, and he had been the one her heart had called for for so long and it longed to be happy again beside him.
But to be the heir? She knew she was her father’s daughter; her father was Liam Reed, her mother was Anwyn Cupshire. The king had taken her mother against her will and they had run away. Why hadn’t they told her any of this? Were Seneca, Henry, and the former queen even telling her the truth? They had everything to gain if Gloria didn’t believe she was the heir and Seneca was.
But… she had trusted Seneca. He cared for her when others didn’t. He patched her up. He held her at night. He told her his insecurities. He worked on making a violin that probably would have never sounded any good. She never felt like he lied to her.
She hadn’t felt that towards Blake either. He had been passionate towards her, dedicated for years. She’d known him for three years now, and they had spent so much time together, so much more than she had been with Seneca.
She may not have felt Blake lie to her, but he had. He hadn’t told her his true intentions, to get her back to the mainland to be the heir, that he had tracked her down to fulfil a dream that someone else had for her. Could she trust him? Was he lying to her now?
If Seneca couldn’t ascend the throne, then why not her? She wouldn’t bend beneath the king, no matter how firm his grasp. If she had no choice but to take the throne, she would do it with dignity and be a fair ruler, with fair laws and less religious discrimination towards the people.
She could bear it.
“There’s only one thing I need to know…” Blake asked softly. “Were you- did you- did they violate you in any way?”
Gloria squeezed him a bit harder, feeling his frame and clinging to it as if it were the only thing that was real. “No, they didn’t do anything like that. I’m whole.”
“Good.” Blake exhaled. He didn’t want to have to renounce their partnering because she had lain with someone other than him. That would have thrown a wrench into things. The future queen was supposed to be a virgin until her wedding day, but as they were the only ones who had to know it didn’t matter if they were a few years too early.
~*~
Seneca wrestled with the ropes binding his hands behind his back. He was so tired of this tent. It smelled like sweat and bad breath, both things that he’d added to. He was used to being a bit grimy, but a week of being pushed around and left in a dark tent when he wasn’t in a dark prison carriage was a definite dampener on his mood. Food had been scarce, but at least he didn’t have to walk to the Capitol like he had feared.
His mind was more on Gloria than himself. He knew that Blake wouldn’t hurt Gloria, but what lies was he poisoning her mind with? He could only hope that Gloria remembered all of the things that he had told her about the political climate. How the king was a tyrant, and how Blake had lied to her. Lied to her for years.
The flap of the tent opened and the woman in red stepped in. Seneca squinted at the light, then tried to kick out at her. It didn’t do much good. He just squirmed on the floor.
“My prince, how undignified,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’m here to give you good news and you lash out. Don’t shoot the messenger.” She clicked her tongue.
“What good news?” he asked with a snarl, maneuvering onto his knees.
“Gloria has awakened. She’s unharmed.”
Seneca felt a tightness release in his chest and he exhaled. She would be alright. Goodness knows that if Gloria could walk she would be alright, She could fight her way out of any situation. Or charm her way out.
The woman smiled. “You love her,” she said bluntly, speaking the secret that no one had said. “I can read you just as easily as I can read Blake. Like an open book. But tell me, I can’t read Gloria. It’s like looking through a fogged window. I can’t tell what she’s thinking, but such a young spellcaster shouldn’t be so good at deflecting my sight. Who trained her?”
“If you think I’ll te-”
“Midshore? Midshore… I haven’t heard of that spellcaster before. But then, Gloria is from the Islands. I know that those cowards fled there. She could have taken a new name, as is their tradition,” she sneered.
“See, you already know more than I do.” Seneca would have crossed his arms if they weren’t bound behind him.
“You’ll be very important to Blake, I can tell. I’ll be watching how things play out with great interest.” She smiled and exited the tent. Seneca pushed and wiggled towards the entrance, but by the time he got there it was a solid piece of canvas again.
She had smelled much better than this tent did.
Bloopers!
Taco was a little diva this chapter around, lots of fun pictures!
And I wonder what Illia's stake is in all this. She said she was getting paid, but I feel like there's more to it than that. There's probably a chance that one of the spellcasters mentioned her name before, so Midshore probably knows her
Don't manhandle the urchin. He's not for sale. FIND YOUR OWN! - Xenon the Antiquarian, Dragon Age II
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
The Greenhouse is Nature's Magical Elements by erisema, but I'll upload a copy of my adapted version if you want to see that. I can't remember if I use cc, but if I do it's minimal. It'll be on my gallery account (Irishsong22)
Sorry guys, I think the chapter may be posted tomorrow or Friday. I've been covering a ton if extra shifts this week, and I haven't had the chance to take screenies.
Unfortunately, my week only got more and more busy. At this point, I think I'll shoot for Tuesday. I've worked every day this week, and even though I'm supposed to be part time I am on course to work just over 40 hours. I'm shot .
But hey, we can look forward to bunkbeds, right? Man, I can't wait until modders get their hands on that to make us more!
I hope you can get some rest and relaxation this weekend!
I'm sorry I'm so bad at commenting. Between having a newborn and everything else in my life it easily slips my mind.
This is still one of my fave stories and I can't wait for more!
I hope you can get some rest and relaxation this weekend!
I'm sorry I'm so bad at commenting. Between having a newborn and everything else in my life it easily slips my mind.
This is still one of my fave stories and I can't wait for more!
It's good to see you! And congratulations on the baby! I wish you sleep, serenity, and patience.
“My king, we haven’t prepared for the princess’s return,” the Duchess considered. “Where will we house her?”
“There’s her mother’s room; we could have it decorated for a princess. After so long apart, I think I want her close at hand where I can feel she’s safe,” the king said, rubbing his chin.
The Duchess thought for a moment. “What about the former queen’s chambers? Surely the heir to the throne should have her own rooms, not that simple room at the end of your hall. She’ll rule the kingdom one day; she should be able to stretch her legs, feel important. And it’s been 20 years. That space is going to waste. I never was a fan of the style, either. Why your parents thought an exotic princess was going to make a good queen, I’ll never know,” she trailed off.
The king nodded. “Yes, I see what you mean. Rosa’s rooms have been untouched for too long, and they have a lovely view of the sea. We must remodel them immediately!”
The Duchess smiled and patted his hand. “That’s the fire I love to see.”
~*~
As they sailed across the water to the palace, Gloria had to focus on her breathing. The capitol had been like nothing she’d ever seen with its tall buildings and thousands of people. The smell had been horrific with human and animal waste lining the streets. She couldn't imagine what it would be like in the summer when the sun and heat amplified the smells. Without spellcasters to charm plumbing, the waste built up. This is what the Islands could be like without us, Gloria thought. How are they so against spellcasters? We can aid in so many things.
Gloria didn’t like the seer. Illia had been sweet, and she had no evidence of ill-will, but there was something… Blake tried to sit away from her. She wore revealing clothing for the conservative area, not caring who saw her. Spellcasters were persecuted here, but why wasn’t she afraid? She had Blake on her side, of course, but even in the capitol there were still supporters of the Church. They weren’t safe, especially with Gloria’s power restricted.
But Illia’s power wasn’t restricted. What were her intentions? Gloria couldn’t read her with the bracelet and necklace on. Why did Blake not want to meet her eye?
This island was even bigger than the island she and Seneca had lived on. It rivaled the largest of the Western Islands, and rose out of the water with hard rock ledges with few beaches. It was no wonder they had chosen this place to build the palace; it was beyond easy to defend.
And hard to flee from. Was it any wonder that her parents had waited to get away from here and into the wilderness to make their escape?
“It’s just a short walk up to the palace, not far. Takes about 15 minutes.” Blake assured Gloria. He looked at Illia, “Have you decided on your payment? I can fetch it for you while you wait at the pier,” he said sourly.
“No, I think I’ll come in with you. It’s been a very long time since I saw the Palace, I want to see how it’s different,” she smiled, but Blake bristled.
“Perhaps we could set you up in one of the little cabins the staff use while you decide,” he offered.
Illia tilted her head to the side. “No, I’ll join you in the palace. I’m sure there’s enough room.”
Gloria’s eyebrows drew together. This was odd behavior. How did this woman have so much influence over Blake?
“I haven’t been home in three years. I don’t know how much space there is. Not that you need space. You have your cabin on command.”
“But the palace,” Illia purred, “That’s a different type of luxury. Besides, I’d love to surprise the king.”
The walk up to the palace was lined with guards holding torches. The setting sun was casting long shadows, though it was hardly dinner time. The days were getting so short. How did anyone like living here with the dark and cold?
As they entered two gilded doors shinier than anything Gloria had ever seen, she was amazed at the glittering wallpaper the color of copper. There were large fires burning in bowls helping to heat the tall room and to provide more light.
To greet them a woman with impeccable dress and hair stood beside a man with a crown sitting low on his head, as if it were just a bit too large for him. His face was lined with age and his hair was grey as ash. The woman was obviously Blake’s mother, so this must be… the king.
Gloria’s heartbeat hit a bit harder. He- he looked like a man. Put in simple clothes, he could have been anyone. She didn’t look like him at all! Where had Blake gotten that idea from? Where had they all gotten this idea from?
“Lucian, welcome home,” the woman cooed, a smile on her lips. She looked friendly enough… “And if my eyes don’t deceive me, you must be the heir, Gloria. You look just like your mother,”
“I hear that a lot,” Gloria responded cordially with a smile.
The king said nothing, instead just looking at Illia as if he had seen a ghost. “It’s- It’s been some time, Illia,” he said, squaring his shoulders to the best of his ability. He shot a look at Blake, then looked back to her. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Darling Lucian asked for my help in finding the heir, and I’m here to claim my price. Try not to worry,” she said as she walked past him without being invited in.
Gloria raised her eyebrows at that. Who was this woman?
Blake’s mother approached Gloria. “I’ll show you to your rooms. I’m sure you’ll want to change out of those travelling clothes, and we’ve prepared some clothes for you. When we’re done I’ll show you around, and then we’ll have dinner!”
“That sounds nice,” Gloria agreed, following her.
~*~
The king slammed his office door closed, nearly catching Blake’s holey sweater in it. “What were you thinking, asking for the help of a seer?!” he shouted.
Blake was taken aback. “I thought that none of the people I was questioning were giving up enough information for me to find Gloria and I needed more help. I know that it’s a bit unorthodox to get help from a seer, but-”
“Then you push further!” the king pounded the desh with his fist. “You cause more pain! You make them more afraid! You make them want to tell you because then they may get mercy! Do you know why you never go to a spellcaster for help? Because all of the spellcasters that remain on the mainland are not afraid. They’re either clever enough, powerful enough, or mad enough to think that we won’t be able to affect them. Illia is one of those who is a potent mixture of all three, and you let her in our front door!”
“All we need to do is pay her,” Blake to reason.
“With what? Has she named her price? What if it’s my daughter’s first born child? What if it’s yours?” he asked.
“I-... what?” Blake wasn’t quite sure what understood what the king meant.
“I know how that woman works. She asked you for your hair, coaxed you into her bed, all for the ‘good of the mission’. She nearly got my father with that trick, nearly razed the monarchy to the ground. I didn’t give her any of my hair, so she couldn't control me, but my father was under her thumb for a few years, all because he didn’t want to lose the war to the south. He won the war, but he nearly died because of it. I got my first wife out of that arrangement, then I sided with the Church to drive out those heretics from our borders,” he took a shaky breath, “And you let the worst one right back in!”
Blake looked at the wall ahead of him, trying to be the good soldier he had been raised to be. “My king, if I had known I never would have done such a thing. I’m sorry.” He paused. “I have something that may make it up to you. I captured a prisoner who was there with Gloria when we found her. The seer thinks he’s important to something, but she refuses to say what it is. Let me make it up to you and find out what he knows.”
The king looked at him over his shoulder. “Very well. You will be responsible for anything that happens with the seer.” He turned and looked at him properly. “Clean yourself up. We’ll be eating dinner in an hour.”
~*~
Sitting down to eat, Gloria wanted to rub her scalp. Her hair had been parted, brushed, pulled, braided, pinned, and spritzed with something to make it stiff. She had to wear a corset which wouldn’t be uncomfortable if she didn’t have it pulled so tight and didn’t have to sit down, and they had picked out a white and red dress for her to wear. She was going to stain this in minutes…
They sat in silence for a few minutes, no one having anything to say. Gloria wondered what people of the court even talked about. Breaking the silence felt like it was against the rules.
“So, tell us of the south, Lucian. What ‘s it like down in the wilds?” The king asked as he bit into his food.
“They lean on the Church heavily, and the Templars roam freely, making whatever judgment they wish that fits their agenda. If it were up to me, I’d say that they’re due for a visit from our military to put them in line,” Blake reported.
“But the people I met were kind, just trying to get by. Perhaps if we show them kindness and mercy, help them along, they would want to join us instead of the Church,” Gloria interjected.
The king laughed. “Being kind and showing mercy will make them think I’ve grown soft with age and we’ve gone weak and our cause is inferior. No, we’ll send a platoon of our best men to show them our strength and that they should fear us over the church.”
“But if you do that, you’ll only push them further away!” Gloria interjected. “If we can show them that we’re the better option than the Church - if we send them food, or support them, anything to help - they’ll see reason and join us. They're just tired people looking for hope.”
“They’ll see reason at the end of a sword!” the king boomed as his fist pounded the table. ”Burnt fields will teach them to not form against the crown, and they’ll not stray for a long time after!”
Gloria flinched, averting her eyes. The king softened.
“My rose, there’s so much you don’t understand. So many facets to the problem. I can tell that you’re tired. Think nothing of it. I’ll talk to Lucian about it and it’ll get sorted out.”
Gloria turned her gaze to her plate of perfect food. They didn’t believe she had a brain. That she couldn't think. That her opinion didn’t matter.
But then, she didn’t know much about the situation. She was embarrassingly under-educated on the topic. Maybe he was right. What was the history behind the conflict? Had they rebelled before? Had they tried peace only to have it fail?
They finished the meal quietly, talking about which soldiers to send, what had happened in the three years since Blake had been gone, how much gold they had in the treasury, all things that Gloria should have paid attention to, but she felt… hollow. She had gotten used to being able to read things, to sense what was happening instead of just being able to see it. She had almost been able to walk around the little house with her eyes closed after she had the bracelet and necklace taken off the first time. Now she felt like a doll, a piece of wood that had been carved to look like her, unable to feel anything.
“I think I’ll go to bed,” she said as she finished her meal. “I can find my way. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
They didn’t have much staff for such a large house. While she was happy that she didn’t have to act above anyone else, she was also confused by it. There were guards everywhere outside, so maybe all of the budget went to them?
Gloria peeled off her dress as she entered her bedroom, unlacing her corset just enough to wiggle out of it, and kicking off her shoes. Blake’s mother would be mortified at the mess.
The room was foreign to her, with the white marble turning burnt gold and flickering in the candlelight. Had she been scared when the house burned? She looked at the candle with no fear; if anything she was more frightened by the shadows cast than the flame providing light.
“It won’t make much difference once my eyes are closed,” she tried to assure herself. “Best to just go to sleep and look at it all with fresh eyes tomorrow…”
As she went to pull back the bed covers, there was a knock on her door. “I told them I was going to bed…” she grumbled. “Come in!”
The door opened, and one of the king’s golden guards stepped in, covered from head to toe in plate mail. I don’t know how they could possibly be able to see where they’re going… Gloria thought.
“Can I help you with something, sir?” she asked.
The guard didn’t move for a moment, then slowly removed his helmet. Out from under it sprung the never messy hair of her godfather, Romeo.
“Pops!” she jumped and grabbed hold of him. “What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why aren’t you at home?” she asked.
“We were worried about you, squirt. Your mom, dad, and I came here to get you home. We’re on the island, and we need to get you out of here. Not tonight, but hopefully soon. Montoya, the head of the guard, you can trust him. He’s an old- well I’m not sure if I can call him a friend. I don’t think I would invite him over for dinner, but he’s trustworthy. He helped get your father out of prison and he kept their affair hidden. He’ll let us know what the plan is, he’ll tell you too. We’ll communicate through him, ok?”
Gloria tilted her head. “What do you mean dad was in prison?” she asked.
“What- you- oh no one told you that part,” Romeo looked dejected. “You remember how when you were really really little your parents got married? They got married then because your father was here, in the palace, being interrogated by the king himself to find out where your mother was. He was here for months. That’s where he got the scars on his back.” Romeo tried to make these events sound like they were butterflies, light and airy and not as terrifying as they actually were.
“The king did that to dad?” Gloria asked, horrified.
“You don’t even want to know what he did to your mom…” Romeo grumbled.
“I thought- I thought for a moment that maybe he wasn’t as bad as everyone said he was. That he was misunderstood. That I could maybe play this game of his, but… Pops, I met the true heir to the throne. The queen before my mother had a son by the king, but he died in a fire recently,” Gloria’s felt her nose tingle, and she knew she was going to start crying. Why did she have to be so weak? Why couldn't’ she face facts like they were, flat and plain? Why did they hurt so much?
“I have a feeling there’s a lot to tell each other. I have all night, munchkin, let’s talk.”
A few extra pictures:
^When all of your sims are looking in one direction, you take a picture.
^That's right, king, talk to the hand!
^Some more Gloria and Godfather Romeo. It's sweet
Again, sorry for the lack of a chapter last week, I worked way more than I'm used to, and I had a date, and I rode with a friend out an hour and half away to look and see if they liked a town... It was a week to be sure! But Now we can hope that things aren't as busy, so I can get back to writing and playing! As always, if you have any thoughts or comments, let me know! I love to hear from my readers.
Oh no, now Gloria is in the Lion’s den and it’ll be even harder to get her out. So the king and the seer know each other! Ooooh that’s a twist. I wonder what her price is going to end up being. Gloria is right – her powers being restricted but Ilia being free to cast should have set off all kinds of alarm bells but she’s missing pieces of her memory and still infatuated with Blake. Poor Gloria.
Seeing the royal family, Blake and Gloria bite down into a pizza of all things made me laugh. 😂
Yes! Romeo! Oof, that’s such a risk to infiltrate the palace but at least Gloria has one ally now, two if Montoya can help her from the shadows without being caught. He’s done it before – fingers crossed that he can do it again.
I wonder what it takes to get that necklace and hand thingeys off of Gloria. Can anyone do it that’s not her? Do you need a key? A command word? Could Romeo take them off of her right now?
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
Comments
May you all find the bearers of the heir to your throne
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Chapter 61
Gloria ached all over as if she hadn’t moved in a week and had lain on a strange mattress. Her finger joints hurt as she grasped the sheets- black as ash and as soft as petals. It smelled floral as well, like an odd flower she hadn’t encountered before.
She let out a groan as she tried to move her legs to roll herself over. They felt like rusted hinges, squeaking and grinding as she forced them.
Her foot caught air, then with a thud she landed on the floor, a jumbled mess. The bed magically pulled it’s sheets and blankets back into place, as if she had never been in it. Gloria shrunk away. Who could place a charm like that? Had she found assistance from a spellcaster? Were they a good witch or a bad witch? Where was she?
“Gloria!” Blake exclaimed, jolting up from the opposite side of the room. His clothes were ragged, and he looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept the whole time she had been. “Oh, you’re awake! Creator be praised!”
He bent to help her up from the floor, and she took his hand, trying to pull herself up. She stared at him incredulously. “Blake, you’re alive! But they were so sure you’d be executed for aligning with the king. How are you alive?”
He sat her down on the bed, and sat beside her. “I got away from the templars and made my way to find you. You weren’t easy to find.” A smile shone across his face as he looked lovingly into her eyes. “I’m happy I found you when I did, any later and you would have lost you.”
Gloria squinted her eyes at him, confusion muddying her features. “I- I can’t remember what happened. Where are we? What happened?”
“You were on an island off the coast. I hired a seer to help me find you, and when we reached you the building was on fire. You inhaled so much smoke, we weren’t sure you were going to make it. We’re in the seer’s cabin; she’s been helping us reach the capitol.”
Gloria licked her sandpaper lips. “But, there was another person there with me. A young man, did you see him? Did you save him too?” The ache in her eyes filled Blake with jealousy. What connection did she have to this boy and why didn’t she save all of her affection for him?
“I’m sorry, love, there were no survivors. The seer didn’t detect any others. He probably perished in the fire.” He watched as her face wrinkled and the tip of her nose turned red with grief. “I’m so sorry.”
Gloria felt like there were rocks piling up on her heart, squishing it. How hadn’t she known? She had spent over a month with the boy she had shared her dreams with, the boy she had mirrored in so many ways. She had grown up with him, and he was gone? And she hadn’t felt anything? She hadn’t known he was gone?
Blake stood up from the bed, not sure how to handle a grieving woman. “We’ll be at the capitol in a few days. Things will be better then,” he said,
“Better so I can be the heir? And be the daughter that the king believes me to be?” her voice quaked through her tears, but it was clear and determined. “Blake, we both know that I’m not the heir to the throne. You’ve met my father, I have the same hair he does. You’ve met my siblings. They look just like me and I like them. I’m not who you’re looking for,”
Blake tried to take a measured breath. He didn’t want to talk about this, not now. Not ever, really. Apparently the people she had been with knew who he was, and who she was and had filled her in. That colored things a bit; how did the young man know so much? No peasant could casually know that much about him and the missing heir, especially when Gloria didn’t know that much about her own fate.
“You are the king’s daughter. You have a strong resemblance to your mother, but you also look like the king in some ways. When you see him, it’ll be made clear. Your siblings look like you because you have the same mother.” His hands balled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms. It had taken so long to find her, so long to get them to this point. She couldn't back out now. Why didn’t she see that she was the heir, and that she had a father waiting to meet her? There was a time when he would have given anything to know his own father, but that was impossible. Gloria was being selfish.
The cabin door opened, and the seer walked through, a smile fresh on her face. “Gloria! It’s so good to see you out of bed!”
“I'm sorry, you are?” Gloria asked.
“I’m Illia, the seer that Blake hired to find you. I’ll be coming with you back to the palace, to make sure you get there safely and to receive my payment,” she said in a bubbly tone. “Did you sleep well? You were out for such a long time.”
“I slept well enough.” Gloria said, wiping tears from her face. “Where are my clothes?” She looked at Blake. “What am I wearing?”
“You were in your bed clothes when we found you, and they were so riddled with smoke and partially burned that we threw them away. But not to worry, I had some spare night clothes and Blake bought some fresh clothes for you at a market we passed two days ago.” The seer went over to her book case and scanned the shelves, turning her back. She was being unusually nice.
“Here, they’re on the dresser.” Blake motioned. ”Do you need help or can you manage them on your own?”
“Well, I haven’t even seen them yet or how to get into them, so we’ll have to see if I need help or not.” She glanced down at her hand, noticing it glitter. Her eyes went wide. “Blake, what is this? Why have you done this?” she asked, bewildered. “Why am I restrained? I’m no danger to anyone.” A bracelet very similar to the one she had worn when she had woken up the first time after Seneca had saved her life resided on her hand, and she felt a necklace tied around her neck.
Blake shuffled his feet. Somehow, Gloria had found every sour topic to talk about. “The seer recommended it. She knows you’re a young spellcaster, and that your power may be hard to control. Besides that, we don’t need any accidents letting anyone know that the heir to the throne is a witch,” he unconsciously emphasized the last word, making Gloria recoil.
“But anyone who knows what the necklace and bracelet do will know that I have the ability! I can control it, I don’t need this!” She tried to unclasp the bracelet with her free hand, getting nowhere.
“Gloria,” Blake stepped towards her, pulling her into an embrace. “Gloria, I know this is all sudden. I know that it’s a big change, but you’re safe. No one will hurt you. No one will ever hurt you again, I promise. We’re together again, and nothing will separate us,”
Gloria sagged against him, her body betraying her to the familiarity of him. She knew that he was a pawn of the king, and Seneca and Henry had told her that he was ruthless, but she hadn’t seen any of that. He was kind to her, and he had been the one her heart had called for for so long and it longed to be happy again beside him.
But to be the heir? She knew she was her father’s daughter; her father was Liam Reed, her mother was Anwyn Cupshire. The king had taken her mother against her will and they had run away. Why hadn’t they told her any of this? Were Seneca, Henry, and the former queen even telling her the truth? They had everything to gain if Gloria didn’t believe she was the heir and Seneca was.
But… she had trusted Seneca. He cared for her when others didn’t. He patched her up. He held her at night. He told her his insecurities. He worked on making a violin that probably would have never sounded any good. She never felt like he lied to her.
She hadn’t felt that towards Blake either. He had been passionate towards her, dedicated for years. She’d known him for three years now, and they had spent so much time together, so much more than she had been with Seneca.
She may not have felt Blake lie to her, but he had. He hadn’t told her his true intentions, to get her back to the mainland to be the heir, that he had tracked her down to fulfil a dream that someone else had for her. Could she trust him? Was he lying to her now?
If Seneca couldn’t ascend the throne, then why not her? She wouldn’t bend beneath the king, no matter how firm his grasp. If she had no choice but to take the throne, she would do it with dignity and be a fair ruler, with fair laws and less religious discrimination towards the people.
She could bear it.
“There’s only one thing I need to know…” Blake asked softly. “Were you- did you- did they violate you in any way?”
Gloria squeezed him a bit harder, feeling his frame and clinging to it as if it were the only thing that was real. “No, they didn’t do anything like that. I’m whole.”
“Good.” Blake exhaled. He didn’t want to have to renounce their partnering because she had lain with someone other than him. That would have thrown a wrench into things. The future queen was supposed to be a virgin until her wedding day, but as they were the only ones who had to know it didn’t matter if they were a few years too early.
~*~
Seneca wrestled with the ropes binding his hands behind his back. He was so tired of this tent. It smelled like sweat and bad breath, both things that he’d added to. He was used to being a bit grimy, but a week of being pushed around and left in a dark tent when he wasn’t in a dark prison carriage was a definite dampener on his mood. Food had been scarce, but at least he didn’t have to walk to the Capitol like he had feared.
His mind was more on Gloria than himself. He knew that Blake wouldn’t hurt Gloria, but what lies was he poisoning her mind with? He could only hope that Gloria remembered all of the things that he had told her about the political climate. How the king was a tyrant, and how Blake had lied to her. Lied to her for years.
The flap of the tent opened and the woman in red stepped in. Seneca squinted at the light, then tried to kick out at her. It didn’t do much good. He just squirmed on the floor.
“My prince, how undignified,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’m here to give you good news and you lash out. Don’t shoot the messenger.” She clicked her tongue.
“What good news?” he asked with a snarl, maneuvering onto his knees.
“Gloria has awakened. She’s unharmed.”
Seneca felt a tightness release in his chest and he exhaled. She would be alright. Goodness knows that if Gloria could walk she would be alright, She could fight her way out of any situation. Or charm her way out.
The woman smiled. “You love her,” she said bluntly, speaking the secret that no one had said. “I can read you just as easily as I can read Blake. Like an open book. But tell me, I can’t read Gloria. It’s like looking through a fogged window. I can’t tell what she’s thinking, but such a young spellcaster shouldn’t be so good at deflecting my sight. Who trained her?”
“If you think I’ll te-”
“Midshore? Midshore… I haven’t heard of that spellcaster before. But then, Gloria is from the Islands. I know that those cowards fled there. She could have taken a new name, as is their tradition,” she sneered.
“See, you already know more than I do.” Seneca would have crossed his arms if they weren’t bound behind him.
“You’ll be very important to Blake, I can tell. I’ll be watching how things play out with great interest.” She smiled and exited the tent. Seneca pushed and wiggled towards the entrance, but by the time he got there it was a solid piece of canvas again.
She had smelled much better than this tent did.
Bloopers!
And I wonder what Illia's stake is in all this. She said she was getting paid, but I feel like there's more to it than that. There's probably a chance that one of the spellcasters mentioned her name before, so Midshore probably knows her
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
I'm away from my laptop rn, so I can't tell you which poses I used, but I'll look it when I can!
I can find the dream greenhouse later too.
The Greenhouse is Nature's Magical Elements by erisema, but I'll upload a copy of my adapted version if you want to see that. I can't remember if I use cc, but if I do it's minimal. It'll be on my gallery account (Irishsong22)
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
But hey, we can look forward to bunkbeds, right? Man, I can't wait until modders get their hands on that to make us more!
I'm sorry I'm so bad at commenting. Between having a newborn and everything else in my life it easily slips my mind.
This is still one of my fave stories and I can't wait for more!
It's good to see you! And congratulations on the baby! I wish you sleep, serenity, and patience.
Chapter 62
“My king, we haven’t prepared for the princess’s return,” the Duchess considered. “Where will we house her?”
“There’s her mother’s room; we could have it decorated for a princess. After so long apart, I think I want her close at hand where I can feel she’s safe,” the king said, rubbing his chin.
The Duchess thought for a moment. “What about the former queen’s chambers? Surely the heir to the throne should have her own rooms, not that simple room at the end of your hall. She’ll rule the kingdom one day; she should be able to stretch her legs, feel important. And it’s been 20 years. That space is going to waste. I never was a fan of the style, either. Why your parents thought an exotic princess was going to make a good queen, I’ll never know,” she trailed off.
The king nodded. “Yes, I see what you mean. Rosa’s rooms have been untouched for too long, and they have a lovely view of the sea. We must remodel them immediately!”
The Duchess smiled and patted his hand. “That’s the fire I love to see.”
~*~
As they sailed across the water to the palace, Gloria had to focus on her breathing. The capitol had been like nothing she’d ever seen with its tall buildings and thousands of people. The smell had been horrific with human and animal waste lining the streets. She couldn't imagine what it would be like in the summer when the sun and heat amplified the smells. Without spellcasters to charm plumbing, the waste built up. This is what the Islands could be like without us, Gloria thought. How are they so against spellcasters? We can aid in so many things.
Gloria didn’t like the seer. Illia had been sweet, and she had no evidence of ill-will, but there was something… Blake tried to sit away from her. She wore revealing clothing for the conservative area, not caring who saw her. Spellcasters were persecuted here, but why wasn’t she afraid? She had Blake on her side, of course, but even in the capitol there were still supporters of the Church. They weren’t safe, especially with Gloria’s power restricted.
But Illia’s power wasn’t restricted. What were her intentions? Gloria couldn’t read her with the bracelet and necklace on. Why did Blake not want to meet her eye?
This island was even bigger than the island she and Seneca had lived on. It rivaled the largest of the Western Islands, and rose out of the water with hard rock ledges with few beaches. It was no wonder they had chosen this place to build the palace; it was beyond easy to defend.
And hard to flee from. Was it any wonder that her parents had waited to get away from here and into the wilderness to make their escape?
“It’s just a short walk up to the palace, not far. Takes about 15 minutes.” Blake assured Gloria. He looked at Illia, “Have you decided on your payment? I can fetch it for you while you wait at the pier,” he said sourly.
“No, I think I’ll come in with you. It’s been a very long time since I saw the Palace, I want to see how it’s different,” she smiled, but Blake bristled.
“Perhaps we could set you up in one of the little cabins the staff use while you decide,” he offered.
Illia tilted her head to the side. “No, I’ll join you in the palace. I’m sure there’s enough room.”
Gloria’s eyebrows drew together. This was odd behavior. How did this woman have so much influence over Blake?
“I haven’t been home in three years. I don’t know how much space there is. Not that you need space. You have your cabin on command.”
“But the palace,” Illia purred, “That’s a different type of luxury. Besides, I’d love to surprise the king.”
The walk up to the palace was lined with guards holding torches. The setting sun was casting long shadows, though it was hardly dinner time. The days were getting so short. How did anyone like living here with the dark and cold?
As they entered two gilded doors shinier than anything Gloria had ever seen, she was amazed at the glittering wallpaper the color of copper. There were large fires burning in bowls helping to heat the tall room and to provide more light.
To greet them a woman with impeccable dress and hair stood beside a man with a crown sitting low on his head, as if it were just a bit too large for him. His face was lined with age and his hair was grey as ash. The woman was obviously Blake’s mother, so this must be… the king.
Gloria’s heartbeat hit a bit harder. He- he looked like a man. Put in simple clothes, he could have been anyone. She didn’t look like him at all! Where had Blake gotten that idea from? Where had they all gotten this idea from?
“Lucian, welcome home,” the woman cooed, a smile on her lips. She looked friendly enough… “And if my eyes don’t deceive me, you must be the heir, Gloria. You look just like your mother,”
“I hear that a lot,” Gloria responded cordially with a smile.
The king said nothing, instead just looking at Illia as if he had seen a ghost. “It’s- It’s been some time, Illia,” he said, squaring his shoulders to the best of his ability. He shot a look at Blake, then looked back to her. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Darling Lucian asked for my help in finding the heir, and I’m here to claim my price. Try not to worry,” she said as she walked past him without being invited in.
Gloria raised her eyebrows at that. Who was this woman?
Blake’s mother approached Gloria. “I’ll show you to your rooms. I’m sure you’ll want to change out of those travelling clothes, and we’ve prepared some clothes for you. When we’re done I’ll show you around, and then we’ll have dinner!”
“That sounds nice,” Gloria agreed, following her.
~*~
The king slammed his office door closed, nearly catching Blake’s holey sweater in it. “What were you thinking, asking for the help of a seer?!” he shouted.
Blake was taken aback. “I thought that none of the people I was questioning were giving up enough information for me to find Gloria and I needed more help. I know that it’s a bit unorthodox to get help from a seer, but-”
“Then you push further!” the king pounded the desh with his fist. “You cause more pain! You make them more afraid! You make them want to tell you because then they may get mercy! Do you know why you never go to a spellcaster for help? Because all of the spellcasters that remain on the mainland are not afraid. They’re either clever enough, powerful enough, or mad enough to think that we won’t be able to affect them. Illia is one of those who is a potent mixture of all three, and you let her in our front door!”
“All we need to do is pay her,” Blake to reason.
“With what? Has she named her price? What if it’s my daughter’s first born child? What if it’s yours?” he asked.
“I-... what?” Blake wasn’t quite sure what understood what the king meant.
“I know how that woman works. She asked you for your hair, coaxed you into her bed, all for the ‘good of the mission’. She nearly got my father with that trick, nearly razed the monarchy to the ground. I didn’t give her any of my hair, so she couldn't control me, but my father was under her thumb for a few years, all because he didn’t want to lose the war to the south. He won the war, but he nearly died because of it. I got my first wife out of that arrangement, then I sided with the Church to drive out those heretics from our borders,” he took a shaky breath, “And you let the worst one right back in!”
Blake looked at the wall ahead of him, trying to be the good soldier he had been raised to be. “My king, if I had known I never would have done such a thing. I’m sorry.” He paused. “I have something that may make it up to you. I captured a prisoner who was there with Gloria when we found her. The seer thinks he’s important to something, but she refuses to say what it is. Let me make it up to you and find out what he knows.”
The king looked at him over his shoulder. “Very well. You will be responsible for anything that happens with the seer.” He turned and looked at him properly. “Clean yourself up. We’ll be eating dinner in an hour.”
~*~
Sitting down to eat, Gloria wanted to rub her scalp. Her hair had been parted, brushed, pulled, braided, pinned, and spritzed with something to make it stiff. She had to wear a corset which wouldn’t be uncomfortable if she didn’t have it pulled so tight and didn’t have to sit down, and they had picked out a white and red dress for her to wear. She was going to stain this in minutes…
They sat in silence for a few minutes, no one having anything to say. Gloria wondered what people of the court even talked about. Breaking the silence felt like it was against the rules.
“So, tell us of the south, Lucian. What ‘s it like down in the wilds?” The king asked as he bit into his food.
“They lean on the Church heavily, and the Templars roam freely, making whatever judgment they wish that fits their agenda. If it were up to me, I’d say that they’re due for a visit from our military to put them in line,” Blake reported.
“But the people I met were kind, just trying to get by. Perhaps if we show them kindness and mercy, help them along, they would want to join us instead of the Church,” Gloria interjected.
The king laughed. “Being kind and showing mercy will make them think I’ve grown soft with age and we’ve gone weak and our cause is inferior. No, we’ll send a platoon of our best men to show them our strength and that they should fear us over the church.”
“But if you do that, you’ll only push them further away!” Gloria interjected. “If we can show them that we’re the better option than the Church - if we send them food, or support them, anything to help - they’ll see reason and join us. They're just tired people looking for hope.”
“They’ll see reason at the end of a sword!” the king boomed as his fist pounded the table. ”Burnt fields will teach them to not form against the crown, and they’ll not stray for a long time after!”
Gloria flinched, averting her eyes. The king softened.
“My rose, there’s so much you don’t understand. So many facets to the problem. I can tell that you’re tired. Think nothing of it. I’ll talk to Lucian about it and it’ll get sorted out.”
Gloria turned her gaze to her plate of perfect food. They didn’t believe she had a brain. That she couldn't think. That her opinion didn’t matter.
But then, she didn’t know much about the situation. She was embarrassingly under-educated on the topic. Maybe he was right. What was the history behind the conflict? Had they rebelled before? Had they tried peace only to have it fail?
They finished the meal quietly, talking about which soldiers to send, what had happened in the three years since Blake had been gone, how much gold they had in the treasury, all things that Gloria should have paid attention to, but she felt… hollow. She had gotten used to being able to read things, to sense what was happening instead of just being able to see it. She had almost been able to walk around the little house with her eyes closed after she had the bracelet and necklace taken off the first time. Now she felt like a doll, a piece of wood that had been carved to look like her, unable to feel anything.
“I think I’ll go to bed,” she said as she finished her meal. “I can find my way. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
They didn’t have much staff for such a large house. While she was happy that she didn’t have to act above anyone else, she was also confused by it. There were guards everywhere outside, so maybe all of the budget went to them?
Gloria peeled off her dress as she entered her bedroom, unlacing her corset just enough to wiggle out of it, and kicking off her shoes. Blake’s mother would be mortified at the mess.
The room was foreign to her, with the white marble turning burnt gold and flickering in the candlelight. Had she been scared when the house burned? She looked at the candle with no fear; if anything she was more frightened by the shadows cast than the flame providing light.
“It won’t make much difference once my eyes are closed,” she tried to assure herself. “Best to just go to sleep and look at it all with fresh eyes tomorrow…”
As she went to pull back the bed covers, there was a knock on her door. “I told them I was going to bed…” she grumbled. “Come in!”
The door opened, and one of the king’s golden guards stepped in, covered from head to toe in plate mail. I don’t know how they could possibly be able to see where they’re going… Gloria thought.
“Can I help you with something, sir?” she asked.
The guard didn’t move for a moment, then slowly removed his helmet. Out from under it sprung the never messy hair of her godfather, Romeo.
“Pops!” she jumped and grabbed hold of him. “What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why aren’t you at home?” she asked.
“We were worried about you, squirt. Your mom, dad, and I came here to get you home. We’re on the island, and we need to get you out of here. Not tonight, but hopefully soon. Montoya, the head of the guard, you can trust him. He’s an old- well I’m not sure if I can call him a friend. I don’t think I would invite him over for dinner, but he’s trustworthy. He helped get your father out of prison and he kept their affair hidden. He’ll let us know what the plan is, he’ll tell you too. We’ll communicate through him, ok?”
Gloria tilted her head. “What do you mean dad was in prison?” she asked.
“What- you- oh no one told you that part,” Romeo looked dejected. “You remember how when you were really really little your parents got married? They got married then because your father was here, in the palace, being interrogated by the king himself to find out where your mother was. He was here for months. That’s where he got the scars on his back.” Romeo tried to make these events sound like they were butterflies, light and airy and not as terrifying as they actually were.
“The king did that to dad?” Gloria asked, horrified.
“You don’t even want to know what he did to your mom…” Romeo grumbled.
“I thought- I thought for a moment that maybe he wasn’t as bad as everyone said he was. That he was misunderstood. That I could maybe play this game of his, but… Pops, I met the true heir to the throne. The queen before my mother had a son by the king, but he died in a fire recently,” Gloria’s felt her nose tingle, and she knew she was going to start crying. Why did she have to be so weak? Why couldn't’ she face facts like they were, flat and plain? Why did they hurt so much?
“I have a feeling there’s a lot to tell each other. I have all night, munchkin, let’s talk.”
A few extra pictures:
^When all of your sims are looking in one direction, you take a picture.
^That's right, king, talk to the hand!
^Some more Gloria and Godfather Romeo. It's sweet
Again, sorry for the lack of a chapter last week, I worked way more than I'm used to, and I had a date, and I rode with a friend out an hour and half away to look and see if they liked a town... It was a week to be sure! But Now we can hope that things aren't as busy, so I can get back to writing and playing! As always, if you have any thoughts or comments, let me know! I love to hear from my readers.
Seeing the royal family, Blake and Gloria bite down into a pizza of all things made me laugh. 😂
Yes! Romeo! Oof, that’s such a risk to infiltrate the palace but at least Gloria has one ally now, two if Montoya can help her from the shadows without being caught. He’s done it before – fingers crossed that he can do it again.
I wonder what it takes to get that necklace and hand thingeys off of Gloria. Can anyone do it that’s not her? Do you need a key? A command word? Could Romeo take them off of her right now?