As Jessica spoke, she drew closer to Jenkins. Ignoring Chocolate's disapproving glare, she straightened his collar.
"Everything will be alright."
This exchange thoroughly convinced Queen Isabella that this was all Jenkins's doing. Otherwise, there was no reason for Jessica to speak with such confidence.
"I'll be ho as soon as I can, but there's a press conference around five."
Jenkins reminded her.
"Is that so? Five o'clock. Alright, I'll rember that."
But it was "Jessica" who had just inford Jenkins of this, yet now she acted as if she were hearing it for the first ti. Queen Isabella had no idea what kind of ga Jenkins was playing, so she decided to say nothing. She simply watched as Jessica bid Jenkins farewell and then turned to face her.
"You must be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"When soone who has always followed the rules decides to break them, no one knows what they might do."
She offered no further explanation, rely winking at Jenkins before leading her maids in the opposite direction.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
Jenkins asked.
"I have to et up with that 'gentleman' on horseback."
She replied with a smile, and then she was gone, splitting off from their group.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
The old queen demanded of Jenkins, her voice laced with dissatisfaction.
"You'll find out soon enough. Why don't we continue our story? You were just saying how difficult it was to manage in those first few years."
Queen Isabella was irritated by Jenkins's deanor, yet, surprisingly, she seed genuinely more eager to continue recounting her story. Jenkins had been prepared to coax her, but to his surprise, she raised no objection.
"Yes, extrely difficult. Jenkins, I know you've faced your share of troubles, but I'm certain you've never been in a situation where nearly everyone was an enemy."
She was right about that. Jenkins always managed to rally the majority to his side.
"That was my most profound feeling during the first few years after becoming queen. Even now, when I rember those days, a fear still wells up from deep within. Fortunately, I did a decent job. After a while, I gained so supporters, which created a positive cycle. I suppose I must have so talent for politics."
She gazed out at the vast, sweeping grasslands before them and took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill her lungs.
"This is wonderful."
It was hard to tell if she was referring to the past or the scenery.
"Jenkins, as you stand here with , looking out at this kingdom, what do you see?"
"Change."
His reply was simple. Then he asked:
"What do you see?"
"Progress."
Neither of them elaborated on their views, instead returning to her story.
"As my reign as queen lengthened, more and more people began to accept and recognize my abilities. Although the daily work remained just as arduous, life was truly getting better day by day. It felt as if I just buried my head in my desk work, and when I looked up again, I was already a silver-haired old woman."
She touched her hair with a smile.
"It really feels like it all happened in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it, a lifeti had passed. On my wedding day, at the very mont we exchanged rings, I never could have imagined I would spend my life this way."
"So how do you feel about this life?"
"It's been quite good, Jenkins. Think about it. I, who am not a descendant of the Middleton family, was able to beco queen. Should I complain that fate has been unfair to ?"
She took another deep breath.
"I have dedicated my entire life to this country. That is why I hope soone can continue down the path I've laid. Can you understand that?"
"Of course, I understand. No one could bear to see their life's work easily erased by soone else. I can understand, but I cannot accept it."
"It's good that you understand. If you couldn't, I would have been truly saddened."
They walked on, and Jenkins continued to listen. He wasn't easily moved by her words, of course. Rather, he was driven by a genuine curiosity to hear the life story of such a legendary figure.
"At your age, you certainly can't imagine an old person's thoughts. When you reach my age, you will surely look back fondly on our conversation this afternoon, strolling through the horse pastures. You'll rember the sll of the grass, the sound of the hooves, every scene under the dim sunlight... You most certainly will."
She repeated herself, then raised a hand to point at the distant mountains.
"I still rember, when I was forty, I visited Nolan. From almost this very spot, I saw that mountain. I have never climbed it, but I knew it was my territory, knew that everything there legally belonged to . It was a wonderful, intoxicating feeling. For a ti, in my middle age, I think I was lost in that feeling. The dissenters at ho had all but vanished, and our diplomatic relations with Cheslan and Hamparvo were in a brief period of peace. Until..."
"The great plague of thirty years ago."
Jenkins guessed what she was about to say.
"Yes, the great plague. No one expected it. It was only last week that I learned the more hidden reasons from the Church. Thank you, Jenkins, for helping us get rid of that sword. It was thirty years ago that I first realized that everything cos to an end. I don't believe in the god of death, but I truly ca to understand that fact.
It was from that point on that I wanted to groom an heir of my own, soone who could carry on my path after I passed into my final sleep. My luck was quite good; I didn't need to go out of my way to search, or even create an illegitimate daughter. Not long after the great plague ended, a new child was born to the Windsor family.
I wasn't there on the day she was born, but the first ti I saw her, I knew this was a girl who was very much like ."
Her phrasing was a bit problematic, hinting at certain ethical questions regarding the Windsor family, but Jenkins didn't point it out. He wanted to hear the rest of the story.
"The Duke would never have agreed to raising Jessica as my successor. A dogmatic man like him would never allow his child to do such a thing. So, I deliberately got close to Jessica and steadily deepened my influence throughout her upbringing.
My thods were gentle, because I didn't want her to hate , nor did I want her to see as soone who would stoop to any ans. At least, until you appeared, I was very successful."
"Your efforts in raising Jessica were indeed a success, I'll admit that. She is a remarkably outstanding woman—erudite, strong, intelligent, elegant, and independent. Though I may disagree with you on many things, I fully approve of your educational principles and thods."
Especially since Jessica is a person of principle. To have gone through so much and still hold to her principles is truly a rare quality.
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