I woke up feeling very tired after the party last night. I took a bath and got dressed to visit my mother. I ran into a man on my way to her chambers, and I assumed he was my mother's investigator, so I asked him for information.

"Hello, sir."

"Your royal highness"

He bowed

"Are you looking for my mother?"

"Yes, it's important news."

"Oh, important news? Tell me about it. "

"Is it about the place?"

"Ah yes, your royal highness."

"But I don't know if your mother would..."

"Agree for you to tell me?"

"I already know that don't worry, and also, my mother's business is my business, so please go ahead."

"What Lady Lennox told your mother was true."

"It's not Sandwich Castle anymore..it's a cell house."

"A jail with fences"

I was shocked and, deep inside, angry and filled with rage until, suddenly, he was being called to the throne room. I snapped out of my shock and followed him to go see my mother.

"Mother"

"Princess Alexandra"

"Your Majesty"

Uncle James arrived in the throne room, so I stood near him.

"So what is the news?"

"Queen Mary, what Lady Lennox told you is true.

"My men checked and it's real."

"It is a cell house—a jail house with fences surrounding it."

"It doesn't look pleasant."

She was shocked and immediately asked the guards to fix a carriage for her.

"Okay, thank you."

"You are excused."

After her investigator left, she left us inside the throne room without saying a word about what to do next. I know she's so confused and I feel bad for her. For my safety, I followed the carriage by riding a horse, with Casper following me too.

As we stopped following them, we snuck behind a wall near the place until I saw my mother come out of the carriage. She went out and met up with Lord Blackburn. She looked worried, scared, and raged about what she had heard awhile ago. I passed by them and walked like a normal Scot. There, I was able to hear them talking about the marriage proposal.

"Gideon"

"I'm sorry."

"Why Mary?"

"She lied to you."

"Elizabeth lied to you"

"The promise of having our freedom to love and live together at an English castle called Sandwich Castle in Kent, England"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't understand."

"It's not a castle... It's not a castle, Gideon.

"It's a jail house with fences surrounding it."

"What?!"

"How do you know?"

"Lady Lennox told me"

"What?"

"She might be lying."

"Elizabeth promised me"

"Actually, it is true"

"I believe Lady Lennox"

"I sent my men to check it out."

She sighed

"Oh my God, Mary!"

"I'm sorry... I didn't know."

"I know Lord Blackburn."

"But I'm sorry.

"I cannot marry you."

She left Lord Blackburn hurt and teary-eyed. She went back to the carriage, but Lord Blackburn tried to stop her.

"Mary"

Lord Blackburn called for my mother. She looked back with a very sad and hurt look and turned back till she was back inside the carriage. I couldn't stand seeing my mother in pain with all this drama.

I told Casper to follow the carriage back to the castle together with my horse. I stopped the carriage as the guards saw me coming to them. A guard has announced that it's me— Princess Alexandra. I was escorted by the guards to head inside the carriage and told them to bring us back to the castle. I sat beside my mother, and as she looked at me, she began crying.

"I'm sorry that I followed you, mother."

"Before you go, awhile ago, I felt that you were hurt, sad, angry, and confused all at the same time."

"I don't want you to do something that you will regret."

"I followed you with Prince Casper for my safety."

"I know you're hurt. I saw what happened. I heard your conversation. "

"With that, I learned that you really do love Lord Blackburn, but all of that is shattered because you're a Queen and you know your duty is to Scotland."

"I understand, mother."

"I'm here for you."

I said

We had arrived at the castle, and Casper mounted off his horse and nodded at me as he left and went inside. As I escorted my mother inside the castle to her chamber, I thought of staying with her for the night since she was still hurting and crying.

"I'll stay here for the night, mother."

"I'll take care of you."

I said

"Alexandra"

She called me.

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry"

"Sorry for what, mother?"

"For not giving you a normal life."

"Mother, what are you saying? This is my normal life—our normal life. "

"We are born to be royal."

"It is our duty to our country."

"I know my power and limits as a royal."

I assured her

"How about love?"

"You know, not all the time we can fall in love with another royal. Sometimes we fall in love with normal people—low-born people. "

She said

"As of now, mother, I haven't experienced falling in love with a low-born man."

"But I get your point"

"But as I told you before, I will do everything for the good of Scotland"

"You're just like your father.."

"Francis..."

"His love for his country"

"We both do have this kind of courage and strength in fighting for our country"

"But his determination was very different than mine."

"Just like you... you got that from him"

She smiled

"Oh how I miss my father.."

"He would've been a great king until now."

"And you would not be worrying about marrying another man now."

"I miss Francis."

"I miss my life with him... A happy Queen and King with our very wonderful Princess."

"Shall we visit France soon?"

She asked

"Yes, sure, why not?"

I smiled

"It's already late, we should sleep now, Alex."

"Goodnight, mother"

"You will get through this"

"You're brave"

"Goodnight, my dearest daughter"

"And yes, we will"

She smiled