You might have heard of the tale of how I was once very sickly when I was pregnant and how the magic sun flower saved me. Resulting in my daughter being kidnapped.
That is all true, as is the ending in which Rapunzel is now with us, in her rightful place as Princess of Corona.
Please, do not hesitate to stop by for tea or if you find yourself needing someone to talk to. My doors are always open!
Well, I haven’t anything planned for that day, and I doubt anything else will come up.
I will make sure to be there!
Chuckling as his hand was swatted away, the king looked to the servant. “Your Queen had a nightmare,” he explained gently, though his deep voice made is sound gruff. “The guards woke you to ready some tea for us, do you mind?” He braced himself for a blow that would likely land upon his arm.
Scoffing at her husband, she swatted at his arm- just as he probably knew she would. She didn’t appreciate that his telling of why they were awake, even if the staff did know that she used to suffer from chronic nightmares. And quite honestly, she didn’t want tea anymore.
“Tea won’t be needed anymore. We’re,” she stressed the word as she pointedly looked at her husband, “going back to bed. You may do the same.”
“Sometimes I don’t know if I should be smitten or offended,” he joked. His hands settled on her hips for a brief moment before he allowed them to move to her lower back. One hand, his tricky hand lowered slightly and delivered a small but firm pinch in response to her words. “My dear, this is hardly appropriate kitchen talk,” he reminded her, pressing a kiss against Corrine’s forehead.
At that moment, a member of the kitchen staff walked in, looking terribly groggy. “Sire?” he asked with a yawn, raising a brow at the lowered position of the kings hand.
At first, an amused smile had appeared at his comment, knowing that they constantly joked about how stubborn he had been in courting her. Feeling his hand lower however, her eyes narrowed before flying open on a squeak at the pinch. Clinging to him in shock, she glared up at him as he spoke, a light blush coloring her cheeks.
Her blush immediately heightened in color at hearing the servant’s voice, pulling out of Julian’s arms and slapping his hands away. Not looking the servant in the eyes, she cleared her throat. “You may return to bed, the King and I were just about to do that same.”
Amelia smiled at the woman. She looked of royal birth and from the fact there was practically a guard at every door, Amelia guessed as such that she was really important. She cleared her throat and was very careful with the words she spoke to her.
“Well, you are at the Benbow Inn, one of the finest restaurants you could ever come across in this galaxy and you are on the Planet Montressor. You don’t look like you’re from around here properly. Where are you from if I may be so bold to ask, my dear?”
She was on another planet. Not only had she left Corona, but she had left Earth too.
Well. This changed things.
Feeling light-headed at this realization, at the fact that she had traveled through space, she leaned against the wall and pinched the bridge of her nose. One of her guards stepped close and bent to ask if she was alright, but she waved him off slowly. Leaning her cheek on her head, she turned to face Amelia.
“No, I’m not from this.. planet.” Giving a slight laugh, she groaned and rubbed her eyes. “I’m from Earth, the kingdom of Corona, to be exact.” With a weak smile, she waved a hand around to all the guards that had accompanied her. “The queen of said kingdom. I’m Queen Corinne and I’m so very much confused.”
Corinne pushed herself off the wall and tugged on her hair nervously, looking around the inn a very frightened manner. “How-how is this all possible? Space travel is pure fiction!”
The new and improved Benbow Inn was bursting at the seams with new customers today- always a new batch of so many different people from all over the galaxy; foreign dignitaries, government officials and such like thanks to Amelia’s renowned reputation and word of mouth moving from planet to planet faster than a Calypsian Kite in the middle of one of their eight sweltering summers.
But Amelia was always able to get her usual table no matter who was there. She and Sarah had become great friends over the past few years and while Jim was away at the Naval Academy and Delbert was on the verge of a major astronomical discovery, they had had a lot to talk about.
Having left the children with their nanny and Delbert at home to work, Amelia sat down at her table and smiled warmly at B.E.N. who immediately nodded and headed into the kitchen, getting her usual order. She sat patiently and watched the new crowd silently, imagining what lives some of them must’ve led. Her train of thought was soon interrupted, however, by someone approaching her table.
“Well, hello there,” she smiled “can I help you with anything?”
Corinne was, by no means, sheltered. Just a few months shy of her fortieth birthday, she had traveled extensively after her marriage to Julian. She would confidently say that she knew her way around well enough, and her sense of direction was quite able also.
Corona’s navy was very functional. Perhaps not one of the best military wise, given that she and husband, even his parents, were peaceful rulers and avoided war like the plague. However, merely navigationally, she had never encountered anything but the expected troubles when sailing. She was confident in her captain’s abilities.
But when a storm had erupted on her ship, a small traveling ship as she was merely visiting a nearby country, both she and the captain had been rendered useless. It had happened so quickly, neither of them (much less the sailors) knew precisely what had happened except that they had arrived at a very odd port. Filled with creatures that looked anything but human, hearing these creatures speak not only English but her native German- well she was shocked.
Soon enough, the captain had found an inn that a fellow captain (she didn’t even want to know how he had spoken to one) had said was of good standing. Eager to leave the port, off they headed to the Benbow Inn- except she found that the inhabitants there seemed to also be multi… species.
She hadn’t meant to walk towards Amelia. She hadn’t meant to walk anywhere but from her rooted spot at the entrance, really, but the flow of people had led her here. And looking at the feline with poorly concealed amazement, she found herself also at a loss for words, stumbling over her tongue in a very indignified manner.
Stopping herself from speaking, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Clasping her hands before her, she leveled an even, if slightly confused, gaze at Amelia. “If you could help me, that would be much appreciated. Just where and what is this?”
king + queen of corona in gold | requested by anonymous
With a roll of his eyes, the king shook his head while his whiskers formed what looked to be a small frown. “I am a bit insulted by that,” he admitted. “Love at first sight, is what I would call it. Though, it was hardly the same experience for you, I am certain.”
Julian’s momentarily seriousness broke the moment Corrine’s hands ran through his hair. Though, his smiling eyes turned mischievous in an instant. “My darling queen, I haven’t the faintest idea what you are talking about!”
“You did leave an impression on me after the ball, although I would hardly call it love. More like endearing annoyance that was so confusing it made me want to slap and kiss you at the same time.” She tilted her head to the side, twirling his hair in her nimble fingers. “Haven’t I told you this before?”
Her eyes narrowed, albeit playfully, and she pushed herself up on her toes. “Oh, my kind king, I’m sure you know just how much we used to go riding.” Pecking his lips and pouting in a way that she never let anyone else see, she murmured on a sigh, “I do miss those days sometimes.”
He grinned at her backside once again. Julian was very aware that he had the most brilliant Queen in all the land and he wasn’t above bragging about it.
“Corrine, I spent an entire year courting you and would have spent another had the illness of my parents not advanced so quickly.” The King took a step forward, taking her small hands into his larger ones, pressing a rather whiskered kiss to her knuckles. “Besides, we’ve been through enough emotional turmoil in the past eighteen years. I don’t think I could ever put you through that, my love,” he paused, as if to take back his reply. “Although, a new and faster horse would be much appreciated,” he jested, his face growing serious almost immediately.
A soft smile graced her lips as he kissed her knuckles and she took a step closer to him. Tilting her head up, she took one of her hands out of his hold and cupped his cheek. “Just the fact that you spent a year is amazing enough. I told my mother that I expected you to give up after the first two months.”
Corinne laughed softly at his request, shaking her head. “But I like your old horse! A new one would be all fidgety and a handful to train.” Running her fingers through his greying hair, she murmured, “Besides, I haven’t gotten the chance to ride him enough.”
“Ol’ London town? S’ where I wos born n’ raised, sure enough. S’ jus’ th’ accent, m’ sure. From the lower class parts, mum. No need fer someone o’ yer station to be dodgin’ ‘round those parts m’ sure.” He smiled. He was positive she was referring to his cockney, which would only make sense. No one from central London any time she would have visited would have a cockney, unless they were visitors themselves.
“Don’t live round those parts anymore tho’. Out in th’ country is ‘ome now! Nice n’ quiet. Very quaint n’ such…”
She softly hummed in agreement, as her visit to London has been early in her marriage. Back then, she had been too nervous to do anything besides go with the King when needed and then just stay at their hotel. “I would like to see them sometimes, with a guide of course. While those parts sound increasingly intriuging, I know they can be dangerous.”
“I would think that anywhere would be much quieter than London.” She winced softly and shook her head. “Such a noisy city, I don’t know how you all can stand it.”
His eyes rolled behind her back, letting out an annoyed huff. “Really, Corinne,” he said shortly. “You behave as if I say it, then I must be partaking in it.” He wasn’t about to pass her in the hall, if she was in one of her moods then him shoving past her would just make her more annoyed.
Instead, the King, feeling a bit like a tease, admired her backside for a brief moment before he added, “Also, I would know because it is in the history books, my love. You should read them sometimes. Besides, why would I need a concubine when I have you keeping my bed and me warm?”
She couldn’t help the small smirk of satisfaction that teases her lips at his subtle -or not, she never really knew with him- compliment. “I do read the history books, I had to when I married you.”
The Queen huffed as she stepped into the empty kitchen, pausing in the middle. Turning to face her husband, she raised an eyebrow. “How do I know that you’re not tiring of me, hmm? Perhaps your ‘mid-life crisis’ is nearing you.”
“Ah, I see.” Merida blew a strand of hair out of her face before taking Angus’s reigns in her hand. Just because she wasn’t riding him, didn’t mean that he needed to be on his own out here.
“Well, do ye ‘ave any idea o’ where ye’d like tae go?” she asked. “Its ‘ard tae show ye around, if ye ‘ave no where in mind,” the princess laughs.
Corinne laughed along with the young girl, simply letting her hair fall down her back. No use in trying to make it presentable, she doubted that it would anywhere near possible given her hike today.
“Civilization would be nice, I’m not feeling particularly picky right now,” she said playfully. Sighing happily, curiosity shone in her green eyes as her gaze looked around her. “So, tell me about yourself, Merida.”
“A Queen??” He asked, sounding quite astonished as he whipped off his hat and bowed his head.
“My sincerest ‘pologies, then, mum. I really ‘ave lost me manners then, ‘avent I?” He chuckled, sliding his cap back onto his head and pulling it down for a snug fit.
“A Brit! Quite righ’, then. Thru’ an’ thru’ an’ ne’er prouder.” He assured her, taking a firm grasp on the collar of his coat, tugging it proudly.
She laughed softly and good-naturedly, finding his actions to be quite endearing. “Oh, don’t fret about it! You already have acted more than kind enough than most commoners tend to act.”
Tilting her head curiously, she tapped her fingers against her skirts. “You don’t sound as if you’re from the capital, unless things have changed since my last visit.”
“Oh, I’d say she treats me righ’ fine then, miss. Kind o’ yeh t’ be askin’!” He smiled, nodding his head in thanks.
“Goodness but where are me manners. Names Bert!” He introduced himself, wiping his hand on his trousers before sticking it before the woman for a nice handshake, never once realizing who he was in the presence of.
Her smile was amused and friendly, enjoying that this man seemed to be of the kinder kind. Shaking his hand lightly, she said, “Pleasure to meet you, Bert. I’m Queen Corinne.” Taking her hand back, she clasped both in front of her.
Raising an eyebrow, she curiously asked, “You have an accent- British, I assume?”
beloved-queen started following you
Ev’nin ma’am!
Oh! -smiles and bows her head- Good evening to you as well, kind sir! How does the day find you?
She hid a couple of giggles as the woman slid down, but was actually very impressed with the woman’s climbing skills. An old adventurous spirit, perhaps?
After shaking hands and learning the woman’s name, Merida immediately moved to give a slight curtsy. The only time she really ever showed such manners was when meeting other royalty….
“What brings you to Kingdom DunBroch, Corinne…? If ye don’t mind me callin’ ye that, o’ course.”
Noticing how well executed Merida’s cursty was, Corinne’s eyebrows raised in shock. The girl was not obviously not a mere peasant, or perhaps she was a ward of the monarchy? She found it just a bit hard to believe a proper Queen would allow her daughter to—
Catching sight of the bow and lone arrow, her eyes widened. She was practicing archery! No, this girl must be perhaps a baron or an earl’s ward, but no higher than that. It simply went against her knowledge of the Queen of Dunbroch that there would be princess’s running around with those weapons.
“Hmm?” Brought back to the present situation, she nodded. “Yes, Corinne is perfect!” Undoing her messy bun, she started to run her fingers through the brown strands. “As for my purpose here, my husband and I had decided that a bit of traveling would do us well. Sadly, he was called away on one-or-another diplomatic meeting some time ago, but I’ve decided to remain here for the remainder of our - well, now it’s merely my - trip.”
