“My Queen, Princess Lucy is here to see you.” Julie bowed her head with respect.

Queen Grace replied, “Tell her to come in, I don’t want to waste more time here than we need to.” She rolled her eyes. Her daughter was a naïve, selfish woman; how could she be of the same blood?

Lucy strolled in, her typical posse of bodyguards nowhere to be found. “Mother.”

“Hello, Lucy. Have you come to gloat?”

...

You didn’t say it.

When you left to go to the bar.

When you went to take our dog on a walk.

When you slammed the door behind you.

You cursed my name.

I thought you an evil,

Evil man.

But then you were gone.

Desolate,

I called you every night.

But you couldn’t hear,

For you were already

Six feet under....

She was silent. How foolish was she to think that their summer would be frozen in time. That the leaves would never turn brown. That their Special Spot by the pond would never freeze, trapping all its fish and creatures underneath. Time doesn't stop, it doesn't wait for you, it takes and it takes and it takes. And now, it's taking again.

"Baby..."

"Don't." She was short with him. She knew it was...