The Queen's Nanny -5
Virginia felt a certain emotion for the first time in a very long while. The last time she had felt it was about five years ago. She recalled Richelle’s induction ceremony into the Order of the Holy Grail and Sacred Blood. That day, Richelle had been knighted by the previous queen, clad in armor inlaid with gold and a cloak as red as blood. At the moment when the child she had nursed with her own milk was recognized as an adult of the Zylan royal family and as a knight in her own right, Virginia realized she had grown old. Nearly five years had passed since then, and now the fact of her age struck her anew.
She opened her eyes to the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains and sat up. Almost immediately, she regretted rising so quickly. Yesterday’s hangover was tormenting her head. It was not only the hangover that plagued her. Forcing herself upright, she pressed a hand to her dizzy, heavy, aching head and climbed out of bed.
She drew back the curtains and opened the window. A crisp breeze swept into the room, clearing her mind. She drew a deep breath. Cool air filled her lungs to the brim. She exhaled it completely, sighing in the hope that yesterday’s events would simply vanish. Of course, the sigh of an old woman could not erase the fact that she had been drunk and rude before King Philip.
She did not like drinking. She was certainly no drunkard. If she had been, she could never have become the nanny to the princess who would inherit the throne. Yet that did not mean she was so weak to wine that a few glasses would strip her of self-control. At least, that had once been true. Now she had to admit it: she had grown old, and it was no longer merely a feeling.
When she herself pushed aside the curtains and opened the window, the bedroom door opened.
“Good morning, Dame Virginia.”
“Thank you, Casey. A fine morning it is.”
Virginia greeted the maid and accepted the basin of water she had brought. After washing her face in the warm water, she looked into the mirror and saw the face of an old woman. Her eyes seemed more sunken than usual, her wrinkles deeper, her skin more slack. It was partly the drink, but once the thought of age had taken root, everything in the world seemed to confirm that she was growing old.
She shook her head. Of course she was not young. And she would only grow less young with time. She thought to herself, So what if I am? She steadied her heart. What did it matter? Growing old meant the day of death drew nearer; it was not death itself. She could still move, and she could still do what needed to be done. What she had to do was help her lady, Richelle.
Yesterday she had proudly launched into political talk with King Philip while drunk, but she knew full well that her learning and ability were limited. Moreover, she was not of a station to help Richelle in that way. No matter that her grandfather had been a noble favored by the queen, and that she herself received treatment nearly equal to nobility as the queen’s nanny, she was legally a commoner without title. No matter how much she cherished and loved Richelle, no matter how much she wished to help her, she lacked both the ability and the qualification.
Yet she did what she could. That was how Virginia, the queen’s nanny, had always lived.
She gathered her embroidery frame, fabric, and sewing basket and sat by the window. The gold thread on the red silk gleamed so brightly in the sunlight that it hurt her eyes. She gazed at the distant blue hills, then returned her attention to the fabric once her eyes had adjusted. A sigh escaped her. She was not pleased with the embroidery. It was not a matter of skill. Even as a maiden she had been confident in her needlework, and after more than twenty years of practice she dared to call herself the finest in all of Zylan. The problem lay in the motif.
Virginia knew well that people rarely changed. At the same time, she also believed that people’s behavior could be changed. Without that belief she would never have nagged Richelle so relentlessly. If all her teaching could produce was a violent, unladylike tomboy, there would have been no need for a nanny, nor any need for the nanny to educate Richelle. So from the moment Richelle began knightly training, Virginia had drilled her with a severity that bordered on violence.
Virginia had been wrong. Despite her harsh and merciless instruction, Richelle had not been properly educated. Her efforts had only produced the opposite effect. Richelle had not become a graceful Zylan lady. The situation was far worse. Richelle had become the sort of person who lied to escape scolding on the spot. And she was over twenty!
“Dame Virginia.”
“What is it, Casey?”
She composed her tangled emotions for a moment before responding to the maid.
“Prince Leo has arrived.”
“Prince Leo?”
The maid’s answer startled Virginia. Still holding the frame and needle, she rose hastily from her seat. She did not even think to set them down; she was flustered now. While she hesitated, the door opened and Prince Leo entered. He looked slightly tired, though not as much as Virginia. He offered her a bright smile despite his weary face.
“Good morning, Gina.”
“Ah, yes, good morning. What brings you to my room…?”
“I have something to discuss.”
“What…?”
She looked puzzled. Prince Leo spoke with a somewhat grave expression.
“It concerns the present and future of this kingdom.”
“The future of the kingdom? Why come to me to speak of such a thing?”
“Gina, because you are the right person.”
Leo met Virginia’s eyes as he spoke. She found it difficult to grasp the young prince’s intention. She asked him, “I am merely Her Majesty’s nanny. I am hardly a suitable partner for political discussions about the fate of the realm.”
Only after she said this did Leo smile and reply, “That is precisely why. What matter in this country could be more important than the person of the supreme sovereign?”
Startled by the prince’s words, Virginia forgot she still held the needle and reached for him. “Has something happened to my lady?”
“Gina! Calm yourself! The needle!”
Leo cried out and stepped back quickly. Had he not, she would nearly have committed the crime of assaulting royalty. She hurriedly offered an apology. Since no harm had been done, Leo forgave her, and Virginia asked again, “The person of the monarch—what has happened to my lady, Your Highness?”
“Nothing yet. But something may happen soon.”
“How… how did this come about?”
“It would be better if we sat down to talk.”
“Oh, look at me.”
In her fluster she had not set down the frame and still clutched the needle; when she tried to pull a chair closer she dropped it. Only after Leo repeatedly urged her to calm down, fetched a chair for himself, and sat did she manage to steady herself.
This elderly nanny must truly love Richard. At least, that was how it seemed to Leo, and he suspected others would not disagree. Once his beloved elder sibling’s nanny appeared somewhat composed, he spoke.
“Are you a little calmer now?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I apologize for showing such a spectacle.”
“Not at all. It is only natural to be alarmed upon hearing that something may be amiss with Her Majesty’s person.”
At the prince’s words, Virginia’s expression hardened. She immediately pressed him. “Prince Marion said the same, and now Your Highness does as well.”
“What do you mean?”
“Please stop treating my lady as a man.”
Leo grinned at her. “That is exactly why I came to you, Gina.”
“Did my lady send you? Did she tell Your Highness to inform me that she was once a man?”
“No. It was not my elder sibling who sent me.”
Despite Virginia’s sharp tone, Leo steadfastly referred to Richelle as “elder sibling.” For him it was only natural. Of course, his memories contained both the image of his sister Richelle and that of his brother Richard. But it was different for Virginia. The monarch of Zylan she knew was Queen Richelle, not Richard.
She snapped, “Do not call my lady that!”
“I have no choice but to do so.”
“Does Your Highness believe what my lady said?”
“Yes. I do.”
“What?”
Virginia looked incredulous. Leo continued without reacting to her expression. “Rather than merely believing, I know it to be true.”
“You sound like a hermit.”
“Indeed. I believe my elder sibling’s words are the truth. And I know that truth is fact. But you cannot accept that, can you, Gina?”
“Of course not. I am beginning to wonder if Your Highness has lost your mind instead.”
“How fortunate. It seems your mind is still sound.”
“What?”
Virginia’s face twisted. Leo, on the other hand, smiled at her expression. “Is it not so? That the Queen of Zylan was a man until the day before yesterday—how could anyone entertain such a notion without having gone mad?”
“Your Highness!” Virginia shouted. “How dare you speak of my lady that way! Was the danger to the monarch’s person perhaps your intention to replace her?”
Leo was impressed. Her presence rivaled the majesty Richard had shown on the battlefield. She possessed the bearing of a knight to that degree. Leo spoke with tension in his voice. “Gina. Put the needle down.”
“Ah, I am sorry. I became too excited…”
“And you know I would never do such a thing, do you not?”
Leo did his best to assume a dignified expression as he addressed her. “I am royalty of Zylan—not merely royalty, but the monarch’s only blood relative. And I have no claim to the throne.”
“Because the throne of Zylan passes only to women.”
Leo felt a complicated emotion but did not show it. He nodded deeply and said to Virginia, “That is why nothing must happen to my elder sibling. Now do you understand why I call Her Majesty ‘elder sibling’?”
“…Your Highness is indeed thoughtful.”
“Because we are siblings.”
Leo gave a hollow laugh. He did not expect the meaning of that laugh to reach Virginia. “I believe my elder sibling’s claim. And I know it to be true.”
“…I see. Your Highness has always followed my lady closely. But that does not mean you must be so blind about it.”
“If the one I followed were merely the heir, your words would be correct. But my elder sibling is the sovereign of this country. My elder sibling’s person is the very state of Zylan. Think about it, Gina.”
“Think about what?”
“Has my elder sibling ever told you before that she was in fact a man—before the coronation?”
The conversation paused for a moment. When she was about to speak, Leo spoke first. “To my knowledge, no. And you would not remember it either. Is there any such memory?”
“Your Highness is right. So what?”
“You told me that only someone whose mind had snapped would believe a person had become a man overnight. Then the one who first uttered those words—would they have said them without believing them themselves?”