Tea With The Queen (TEC)

When one was summoned for tea by the Queen, one did not simply ignore the request. Ella had received the summons only ten minutes ago, via Lady Valaria, one of Queen Avaline's ladies in waiting.

Ella knocked gently on the door to her mother's solarium. "Enter," a delicate yet firm voice called from the other side.

Ella looked at her bodyguard, with a soft sigh. "You can stay out here with Matthew, Adam. That way, the Queen won't force a cup of tea onto you," Ella said with a soft smile.

Adam smiled back at his charge, "Thank you, Princess Eleanor. Enjoy your tea with the Queen."

Ella nodded as she opened the door and entered the solarium. The young princess closed the door behind her, then stepped into the room.

"Come sit down, Ella," the prim voice that belonged to Ella's mother, Queen Avaline said with a soft smile.

Ella sat down next to her mom, in an ungraceful fall. The young princess removed her crown and set it beside her as she leaned into her mother. "You've had an interesting morning, I imagine," Ella's mother said as she looked down at her daughter.

Ella met her gaze, with a sigh of defeat. "I'm not going to ask," the princess muttered as she looked at her mother.

"Oh, Ella, you'll find that when you're the Queen, nothing goes on in this palace that I don't know about. You would be amazed what the eyes and ears of the palace inform me about. Such as Skylar's scoff at the the arrival of Prince Damian. Or you're sudden departure," Queen Avaline said with a raised eyebrow and soft smirk.

Ella's cheeks burned with shame, she knew that she hadn't made the best impression on Prince Damian. But she knew that her father had been trying to marry her off to the Evermoon Prince. Ella was also going to be giving one of the said eyes and ears of the palace a stern talking to later, about her actions being reported back to her mother or father.

"I'm not sorry. I don't want to married off like a prized cow," Ella protested as she sat up and poured herself a cup of tea.

Avaline shook her head, her soft wheat colored curls falling from the soft bun that she wore. "Oh, Eleanor. I would never allow for your father to marry you off. You are my only daughter, and I would prefer that you marry for love like your father and I did," the Nightshade Queen told her daughter, as two pairs of honey gold eyes locked gazes with each other.

Ella looked down at the crown in her lap. It was a family heirloom, it had belonged to her maternal grandmother. One of the few pieces of history that belonged to the Grey Light kingdom, before they had been decimated.

"Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a princess. I don't mean any offense, Mom, but there's just so much pressure with being a princess," Ella told her mother as she sipped daintily from her saucer.

Avaline gently brushed a soft brown curl away from Ella's face. "I know how you feel Ella, but you have myself and your brothers to help with the duties that you share," the Queen reminded her daughter. "Now, finish your tea, a walk through the rose garden is needed. Especially after your morning."

Ella's soft laughter could be heard through the door, where Adam and Matthew, Queen Avaline's bodyguard both stood. Adam gave a small smile at the sound of his charge's delightful giggles.

A few moments later, the door opened revealing a smiling Queen Avaline and a slightly glum Princess Eleanor. As the two females passed their body guards, Ella stopped to look over at Adam. "Traitor," she hissed at him as she followed after her mother.

Matthew chuckled at the princess' remark to her shadow. As he and Adam followed after their charges, Matthew whispered to his and Xander's protege, "I told you she would find you about your report."

Ella and her mother had heard Matthew's remark to Adam but neither had commented. The Nightshade Princess looked up at her mother,as they reached the iron wrought doors that led to the Royal Gardens. Avaline opened the doors and led the way for mother and daughter to take a walk through the gardens.

-xxx-

Hey everyone, this piece is a re-written piece from The Eleanor Chronicles. If you want to see the original and the matching set, the link is here.

I added a bit more because my sister has been helping me flesh out the TEC 'verse. I have a few more ideas that I want to write for it. But I've also been working on other pieces as well.

-Alexandra