With Arms Wide Open 3

Queen Milerna third daughter of King Aston of Asturia sat on a small cushioned window seat in a secluded corridor. The large airy window faced out onto the royal gardens which belonged to her sister, Eries. She was there now with her personal gardener strolling along pointing at several different brightly coloured blooms while the short old man nodded and agreed. Milerna sighed and dropped the book gently onto her lap. She hadn’t really been reading it, just distracting herself.

Men had been coming in and out of the palace all day; she could hear their muffled voices echoing through the silence of the great house. They were workmen, mostly Asturian though there were some from Fanelia and Bazram looking for work anywhere they could find it. They had been driving the palace staff crazy by dragging their muddy boots and dirty clothes over the beautiful marble floors. One little usher in particular a small rat of a man had been scurrying about reprimanding them in loud stage whispers. They simply sneered and boomed that Lord Dryden had commissioned them to do some work for him. Milerna got up and drifted away from the window gloomily. She’d been there all day desperately hiding from her husband and from her chancellor who had been everywhere looking for her. However she hadn’t seen Dryden since three days ago when she had tried to…She was so ashamed of herself! How weak and pathetic! She couldn’t believe that she had deliberately tried to take her own life. It actually scared her to think that if Dryden hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t be here today! She knew it was childish, but she really didn’t want to face him. No doubt he’d try and throw it back in her face and let her know how stupid and immature she had been. Turning a corridor she heard the voices more clearly, they were arguing very loudly. Milerna’s interests were sparked. What work had they been doing for Dryden? And why had he chosen the Old Palace to construct this little project of his? Stopping in her tracks Milerna fought the curiosity back. Since when did she even care what Dryden did?

Briskly she carried on until she stepped out onto the landing above the stairs. A scruffy looking labourer was standing adjacent to the rat man looking very peeved.

“Look Ratty, Hevshen didn’t mean to break the vase, Lord Dryden sorted it all out, so what’s your problem?” The little man’s face turned several hues of red before his twisted little mouth opened and closed in a series of short sharp words.

“My problem sir is that that vase was an Aston family air loom worth millions!”

“Well you should have it locked away, not on display”

“Don’t you dare tell me how to do my job you silly little man!”

“Little? Who are you to call anyone little, Ratty!”

Milerna cleared her throat and stepped out on the top of the stairs, she was tired of this little petty argument. “Sir, How did Lord Dryden suggest the vase should be paid for?” She asked trying to sound fair and resolve the problem in the interests of both men. By this time both men were on their knees.

The workman lifted his head timidly. “Uh… Your majesty, Lord Dryden took half out of our pay and paid the other half himself,” He said quietly, robbed of his former aggression.

She nodded gracefully “This has been resolved then Mr Rat, thank you for your help on the matter” The small rodent man bowed neatly before scurrying off in a foul mood. Milerna turned her attention back to the workman “Excuse me sir, before you leave, could you tell me what it was you were working on for Dry…ahem…Lord Dryden?”

The man smiled with a hint of mischief lifting his roguish features “I’m afraid I’m under strict orders not to tell you Ma’m” He bowed clumsily before leaving her to find his workmates.

Queen Aston Fassa stood for a moment processing all the information she’d heard. What secret was Dryden holding from her? She gripped the bookbinding tightly as frustration overtook her actions. That man was so infuriating! Well, she thought, I’m going to find out exactly what he’s keeping from me.


She reached forward to knock the heavy mahogany door but found herself hesitating. What if he’d built something really grotesque back here…like some erotic torture chamber. Milerna paled. No, that wasn’t Dryden’s style. He might be a crackpot and a bookworm, but he had his mind and heart in the right place. Taking a deep breath, the young Queen rattled her knuckles against the wooden panels. The familiar deep but confident voice called “Come in!” Milerna found herself having to swallow her nerves as she turned the handle. The room already smelt like Dryden; woodsy but fragrant, manly but not macho, autumn but spring. The room was filled with associated smells: Fanelian tobacco, pleasant like drying leaves, Musky from his piles of books and scrolls and rich with coffee. She had to admit Dryden did know how to make a place feel homely not matter where he was. When the door opened fully she stepped back in shock. The room had its usual Drydenesque furnishings, dark and rich, but the far wall caught her attention, like a bolt from the blue. The whole of the far wall was no longer a wall but a giant glass enclosure. It streamed blue-green light into the dark room as the light of a skylight poured through the crystalline water. Beautiful sprays of pink and purple sea plants waved to and fro in the still water, something inside the tank flitted around like a bird. It looked something like a dolphin. The great body of water looked like a huge azure jewel glittering and brilliant. From behind a large stack of books a familiar slightly hairy hand extended and made a submissive movement. “Just leave it over on that table!”

Milerna ignored her husband never taking her eyes from the spectacle. So that’s what he had been making? A fish tank? But sort of fish was flitting about inside so gracefully, doing twists and loops. A sudden lurch towards the face of the glass revealed two large eyes, mirrored, reflective, weepy but tempting. As soon as they had appeared they vanished with but a flick of a fin. Milerna gasped and held her hand to her bosom. Suddenly her husband was by her side. “Now look what you did,” he said playful annoyance toying in his deep nasally but smooth voice. “You went and ruined my surprise”

Milerna pried her eyes from the glass. “What’s in there Dryden?” her voice was a little weak with wonder.

Dryden smiled that lopsided smile of his and stepped towards the tank. In front of it there was a small cushioned ledge for viewing. He knelt on it, his olive green overcoat billowing over his knee. Placing his hand on the reinforced glass he tapped it lightly. From the uncertain depths of the back of the enclosure a tail slid by with the slow agility of a snake. A swirling mass of deep blue …something or other was flashing around in front of him, until a face emerged. A beautiful young ethereal woman pushed her hand up against the glass and against Dryden’s outstretched hand. A strange clicking noise soon followed, something like a dolphin and a woman humming. Milerna felt herself a little faint. Her husband turned his head and looked at her.

“Milerna…this is Sylvie, she’s a friend of mine.” He said casually as though she were simply an old figure from his past. Milerna looked at him dumbstruck. “But…it’s a …a…” Dryden looked at her dryly for a moment

“…a mermaid” He smiled cockily

“And she’s pleased to make your acquaintance” With a swish of her tail, the mermaid disappeared into the depths of her new home. Dryden chuckled lowly. “We’re old friends, aren’t we Sylvie?” He squinted into the dark, as he spoke to Milerna. “I bought her from a business partner of my father’s. I wanted to put her back into the ocean, but Sylvie had other ideas. I found her washed up a few miles out on the sand next to our family home. We’ve been together ever since.” Milerna squirmed, he sounded like he was talking about a wife or something.

The Regent turned to his wife, pushing back the stray hair that framed his face. “So Milerna, what do you think of my new study?” Milerna’s lips turned into a small shy smile. Her husband noticed and his visage softened. He knew exactly why he hadn’t seen her in almost a week. She was scared of what he would say to her, and as much as she said she hated their marriage, she did want his respect as her husband. It did matter to her what he thought. She was so young so inexperienced and so alone. All of this he understood and knew that it might be a challenge but he could make her learn to love him. Involuntarily his hand slowly moved forward and caressed her arm. Milerna stiffened at his touch and withdrew. She was confused; she didn’t hate Dryden, but she didn’t feel right in his company right now. She felt like a little girl wearing her mother’s shoes and trying to be an adult.

She clutched her hands back to her chest. “I’m sorry for bothering you Dryden.” She dared not meet his eyes.

He sighed and scratched his chin in that eccentric way of his. “Ah, worry not my dear, I just had your first meeting with Sylvie planned a little differently, but oh well” he retreated to his desk, where he had been penning something.

Milerna felt a little out of sorts and with his back to her now she looked at the tank once more. The watery apparition had returned and was watching her closely now those endless, soulless eyes, mirroring everything they saw. The third daughter of King Aston, Queen of the Great Asturia and all her provinces…was out of her depth.