Arabella listened intently as Alexandra spoke, absorbing each and every word of it. There was something amazing about how quickly the Princess could recall each and every detail of the history of the Hospital and how it was run. There was so much that her sister knew that she did not. It was something of a breath of fresh air. Perhaps for too long Arabella had let her faith blind her, and act as an excuse not to pursue knowledge that could have better prepared her, alas, here she was, at least with the assistance of another.
"When this is all over, and you become Queen..." To say that Arabella had not imagined this would be a lie. Granted, Arabella never truly wanted the Crown, but now she wore it, and for the first time had an opportunity to do good. "You will be everything I am not. A true paragon." The smile that had rested upon her face slowly faded. "I pray the people will simply remember that I loved them." Just then it felt all the world had faded into nothingness and left the two sisters together, not even the absent minded stare of Jesus to intervene. It was just Arabella and Alexandra, like it was always meant to be.
"Of course, I shall get no such favor until I fulfil my end of the bargain." Arabella piped up, being brought back to her rather grim reality, the marriage that trapped her, the beast that stalked her, pouncing at every moment deemed convenient for him. "I imagine there are but two things His Majesty prays for on his pilgrimage. That I fall pregnant with a male heir. And that you meet an untimely and gruesome end." Arabella sighed and looked down, her eyes running along the floor, rather filthy as it was. "My beloved husband has made it abundantly clear, I am to give him a son or die in the act."
The thought, rather dark sat heavy on her mind for a moment. "Unless of course, I can convince him there is no greater show of devotion than to care for these children. Surely God could not see me acting so motherly, so longingly and still deny me the child I am due. I only pray the deed is already done, and I am merely waiting the signs." Another smile as Arabella now rested her hands upon her flat stomach, only a hope and prayer between herself and salvation. "So, that's the plan then. I convince the King to cede control to me, everything. I'll dispose of the current proprietors and let them pray to God for the His mercy."
The Queen once more cast her eyes over toward the cross and Christ upon it. "I'll put an end to this suffering. But in the mean time, we should take our leave. We've had enough of this tragedy for one day. I do not think our hearts could take much more of this. Shall we ladies?" Arabella stood, now looking to Alice who nodded quietly in agreement. "We shall use the laws against them, and then we will see who is laughing last."
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