The Alpha's Unwanted Bride-Chapter 284: The Queen’s acceptance

MQueen Rose stretched as she woke up in her bed.

She gently sat up and smiled to herself as she looked at the rays of bright sunshine amidst the already falling snow.

For the first time in a very long time very long time she woke up excitedly and began to loosen the long single braid she had on.

When she was done she began to come through it.

She was already half way through picking out her dress for the day when her maids came in.

They were shocked to see her packing up and arranging her things.

"Your majesty." The young girl who was named Mary and frequently attended to her needs said in alarm. "You are already up."

Then Mary and the other servant girl Jenny hurried curtseyed their eyes staring right down at the ground.

"It was our mistake to come late. We should have attended to you since. Forgive us your majesty." Jenny hurriedly apologized.

Rose waved her hand to dismiss their apology.

"Do not worry about that." She said with a smile. "How can you even apologize to me when you did nothing wrong?"

The girls looked at each other.

"Your majesty it is our duty to see to your needs and serve you." Jenny said.

"But you came at the appropriate time." Rose said. "You did nothing wrong. I simply wanted to get up earlier and do things by myself. How were either of you supposed to know this."

The girls looked at each other still unsure of what to say.

Rose smiled as she picked up a candle that the was by her night stand.

She blew the fire away and walked up to Mary and handed it to her.

"I simply want to do things for a change today. And now that you both are here, you could help me get water ready for my bath."

She bathed their shoulders and gave them a smile before heading to the closet.

Once she was done bathing and now in her bathrobe, Hildegard came in.

Hildegard was the Queen’s best friend and her handmaiden since she was a child.

Both of them had grown up together and had been inseparable since.

"Hello Hildegard." Rose said as she smiled and put her earrings to her ear.

"Why are you in such a good mood today Hildegard eyed her suspiciously.

It had been a very long time that Rose had been this happy.

Rose gave in a heavy sigh.

"Everything is just perfect today. Do you not think? The weather is nice. The flowers smell lovely. Everywhere is just amazing." Rose giggled.

"Girl are you nuts?" Hildegard said looking at her like she was deranged.

They were so close that Hildegard referred to Rose as if she were her equal.

"First off, the weather is horrible. There is a blizzard outside and then there are no flower scenting because the snow has dealt with most of them."

"You are boring." Rose said as she rolled her eyes and turned to face her mirror.

"Maybe, but I also know you enough to know that something has you excited. And tell me what it is." Hildegard gave her a smile.

"Alright." Rose said raising her hand up and eventually giving up. "I decided to start over."

Hildegard crossed her brows. "Start over what do you mean by that?"

Rose sighed as the maids sprayed scenting oils on her hair.

"I have decided to let go of Scarlet." Rose raised after a short while.

Hildegard said nothing.

"I know that I am wrong and I am being a horrible horrible mother for letting go of my child and giving up when I promised to always search for her." Rose rushed her words as she was extremely heartbroken. "But I have done what I could and I realize that I-

Hildegard hugged her quickly, silencing her words.

Rose froze and then she accepted the hug from her friend. She closed her eyes and delved in the warmth.

"There is no need for you to say anything." Hildegard said through the hug and then she gently let go.

She looked at Rose in the eye. "You are a great mother. You have always been. Do not see yourself as a monster for letting go of what you searched for Al these years and could not find. We all wish we could go back to that day and make some changes.

We all wish that we could bring her back. Stop that accident. But we can not. No one can. And I have seen it drain and take the life away from you. Scarlet would have never wanted that for you."

Rose pushed away a tear that was at the brink of her eyes.

"What made you change your mind?" Hildegard asked.

"Last night." Rose gave a weak laugh. "Last night when I was in the throne room with Roland. He said somethings."

Rose looked down at her hands and fidgeted as the memories came back flooding.

"He said I neglected my duties and abandoned it all for him. He also said that I never gave him the opportunity to mourn Scarlet. He said I abandoned Corral the exact same way I abandoned the kingdom."

She sniffed and brushed away the tears at the edge of her eyes.

"And you know what it is crazy? I have never seen Roland lash at me the way he did yesterday. Especially in front of thw other members of court." She said.

"He did what?" Hildegard demanded rising to her feet.

"No no it was not his fault." Rose expressed. "It wa actually mine. He wanted them to excuse us but I stubbornly insisted that they stay and so did."

Then Rose threw a bitter laugh. "And the best part of it all? He was right. He was absolutely right. Everything he said was true. Because I met corral myself and when we spoke I realized that there were so many things I did not know about her. We were living in this very same castle together and yet I knew little to nothing about her. I also noticed last night for the first time that she had grown. She was now a woman. I mean k always knew but no I knew knew. I did not even know she had moved out of her and Scarlet’s room."

Rose went quiet and was fidgeting at her hankie.

Then she turned to Hildegard who had been quiet all along.

"You would not lie to me and tell me that I never did all those thing would you?" Rose asked as she blew her nose.

Hildegard sighed heavily. "No. I would not. Al those things they said were true."

Rose gave a heavy laugh that sounded a lor like a whimper.

And then Hildegard added. "But what I can tell you is that, it was not your fault. You were mad with grief. You had lost your child and you were distraught. It was not easy for you. If you had seen her body then perhaps it would have been different. Perhaps you would have mourned her and been able to move on from all the hurt. But you never can got that closure. You left with the what ifs. Anyone would have done the same thing in your position."

Rose looked away but Hildegard gently touched her cheek and made her look at her.

"And I tell you now." Hildegard said. "That I let you make this decision because you had to see it for yourself. You had to let go."

Rose sighed heavily. "My kingdom needs me. I made so many mistakes. If perhaps I did not fail the wah I did. Xaden and his family would not have been lost. I should have been firmer."

"Yes you should have." Hildegard admitted. "But what matters now is the fact that you have accepted to bury Scarlet and move on. I am so proud of you and the woman you are."

Rose hugged her friend warmly.

"Even with the kraken getting out I had suspected that perhaps she had lost it." Rose expressed.

"Now what did I hear about the rumors of a kraken." Hildegard said. "Is it true?"

"That is what we heard about it." Rose said. "Not much but if came from the sea. If you remember the kraken is one of the creatures held by the royal emerald."

"Yes, yes." Hildegard nodded.

Rose shrugged. "Well I went a little crazy and assumed that perhaps scarlet had removed it or something. The creatures are only released when the holder of the emerald takes it off."

"You thinks scarlet removed it?" Hildegard asked.

"To be honest I don’t know anything. It was most probably just me being obsessed to believe that she was alive and I used that as a reason to cement my initial beliefs."

Rose said.

"But what if it true?" Hildegard asked. "The emerald has been quiet for years even after Scael