-October 16th of 1963

The maids quiver as Queen Florence rises from her bed. On her feet, Queen Florence allows the slip to fall onto the floor as she leisurely steps over the crumpled slip. A maid hastily offers a robe to her as Queen Florence coldly ignores the held-out robe and strides into the bath chambers. With a sigh of pleasure, she sinks into the rose scented, warm bath water.

The maids scurry forward and gently wash Queen Florence’s raven hair. Queen Florence frowns as a maid pulls to hard as a pointed prick digs into her skin. The maid is almost in tears as she hastily apologizes as the Queen magnanimously accepts the lowly servant’s apology.

Queen Florence dismisses with her hand as the maid gratefully flees away. The water stream downs Queen Florence body as she steps out of the tub as the maids hastily hand her a bath robe and towel her dry. The troop of maids seat her and prepare her for tonight’s social.

Queen Florence drifts in memory as the King announced her confinement until the entire mess died down. With great relish Queen Florence watched as that foolish woman was charged and condemned. The tiara’s effects had worked perfectly as the Scarlet Princess did not even utter a word in her own defense.

It was so easy to set everything up for that woman to take the fall. But now, she would have to watch her back against them. They knew far too much about her affairs especially that they had begun to move. She could not afford to publicly antagonize them as the light was not to be trifled with.

A maid fearfully interrupts the Queens reverie and says, “Your Majesty, the King wishes for thy presence.”

Queen Florence allows herself to be escorted, not before pausing to gaze at the painted hues of a winter’s sunset. The maid and guards grow impatient until Queen Florence strides forward into the private chambers of the King.

The guards allow bow as they allow her to enter. King Julius is finishing dressing as Queen Florence runs an appraising eye over him. Still handsome and fit, the King was a particularly fine specimen.

Queen Florence licks her lips as her appetite is wetted. It had been some time since she had visited his chambers. Tonight, would be a good as any, waste not she would say.

King Julius dismisses his valets as they silently scurry out and the doors shut firmly before them. Queen Florence bows and softly says, “You look fine this evening, my King.”

King Julius icily retorts, “My Queen, I needn’t remind you to comport yourself this evening?”

Queen Florence stiffens, but swiftly composes herself. “My King, is something wrong?” Queen Florence softly asked.

“Florence, I will not tolerate another incident again,” King Julius tautly said as he moved towards the door.

Queen Florence angrily hisses, “Incident? I am not on trial. I have done nothing wrong to be spoken in that tone!”

King Julius halts and rapidly turns to face her. Queen Florence eyes widen at the fury in his eyes as he grabs her chin and forces to gaze him in the eye. “I have tolerated thine extracurricular affairs for many years and even turned a blind eye to the toying of my nobles. But I will not tolerate having my hand forced again, Florence of Apone.

How will thy precious Apone react, when the earl’s 2nd daughter returns in disgrace as a divorcee? Will the earl permit that daughter to reside in his manor?” King Julius roared.

Queen Florence pales for the first time in her life. Never had King Julius spoken to her in all the years they were married. But most of all, she had never believed he truly was aware of all his doings. But if he knew, then her time was at an end.

King Julian reflexively offers Queen Florence the crook of his arm as she automatically intertwines her hand. Queen Florence glides through the hallways in a daze as the ball room doors open before her. Queen Florene moves as if in a dream as her children are noticeably absent from court.

The court greets her as Queen Florence barely finds it in herself to remember her part. The faces begin to swirl and mock her as her pupils dilate. Queen Florence staggers out of the ballroom alone and retiring early for the night.

The maids undress her before being dismissed from the room. Alone in her bedwear, Queen Florence glances at the locked windows. The familiar tapping was gone as Queen Florence felt inexplicably lonely. As she glances down, Queen Florence notices the small signs of ages on her hands.

With horror, Queen Florence rushes to her mirror to find her face hideously wrinkled and spotted with age. Queen Florence lets out a scream as shatters the mirror with a vase. Her screams send a troop of guards and maids into her room.

The maids try to calm Queen Florence down, but Queen Florence screams. “I’ll kill you all! Which one of you was it! Who cursed me, I look hideous!”

The Queen Florence smashes anything she can get her hands on as she screams vile obscenities at the guards and maids. At last a pale servant leads King Julius to see his maddened Queen. The calm, beautiful face is viciously disoriented as she snarls at any who dares approach her.

King Julius brows furrow with anger as he roars, “Queen Florence, control yourself!”

Queen Florence darts forward and grabs King Julius by his vest. “I’m hideous, look!” Queen Florence shrieked a she held up her spotted aged hand to his face.

King Julius sees nothing wrong with her perfect unblemished skin. With a glare, King Julius forcefully removes her hands from his clothing. “My Queen, I see nothing,” King Florence harshly replied.

Queen Florence sneers as spittle flies from her mouth. “Oh, playing coy I see. Throwing me out, finally are we? I will not be so easily cast aside Julius! I will see you dead, before I fall so low,” Queen Florence snarled as she glared at King Julius.

King Julius eyes turn chilly as he turns to the physician who had accompanied. “Physician Pierre, my wife does not seem to be well. Issue whatever order is needed to prevent her condition from leaking out. I leave any prescription of medical treatment to you and the residing healers,” With a flourish King Julius stomps out.

Physician Pierre orders the maids to not utter a word as the guards forcefully still the raving Queen. Queen Florence shouts and curse them as traitors, but none pay heed. The physician removes a green flask from his bag as the guards hold her down on the bed. With some aid, they pry her mouth open and force her to swallow the concoction.

Queen Florence gurgles the vile concoction down, but manages to spit some of it into the guards faces. Suddenly, the room begins to swirl as Queen Florence falls into a swirling haze of colors. Physician Pierre upon noticing the still Queen cautiously signals for the guards to remove their hands. After all, she was still the Queen.

Physician Pierre sends some of the guards to grab the healers to diagnose the Queen. The remaining guards remain to stand watch as they wait for the healers to arrive. However, before the healers arrive Bishop Monroe arrives to give assistance. He was a healer and a mage of light.

Bishop Monroe takes the Queen’s hand and pulse as he frowns. The healers arrive to find Bishop Monroe inspecting the Queen. The healers bow before his graces as they humbly watch his expertise. Bishop Monroe was a far more talented healer than they and would accurately be able to diagnose the problem.

After some time, Bishop Monroe gently makes the Queen comfortable. “The Queen is stricken with an illness of the mind. Mind healers are rare even among the Light and even more rarely are ever permitted to leave the headquarters. But I will beg his holiness the pope for an audience,” Bishop Monroe softly said.

Physician Pierre bows in thanks, before turning to one of the guards. “Inform his majesty of the diagnose as the Queen will be secluded from now for her own well-being. The healers and I will keep her calm and sedated as needed,” Physician Pierre ordered.

The guard departs as Bishop Monroe does as well. Physician Pierre and the healers sit down to discuss the medical treatment best for the Queen. Time goes by unnoticed as the sun rises in east. The hunger in the healer’s stomachs remind them of the hour as hey swiftly break up into groups as one departs and one remains behind.

Physician Pierre studies the attractive sleeping woman before him. It was a damn shame that the Queen had gone mad.