The Throne Is Mine

"I need to work with someone," Annabelle said, biting her nails as she paced back and forth in her room. She spent the last few days with a fake stomach but she needed to think of something quickly before a doctor would come to visit her. "My lady," a voice was heard followed by a knock on her door.

Annabelle rolled her eyes, tired of the maids constantly checking up on her when she advised them to leave her alone. "I do not need anything and if anyone requests my presence, I am-"

Her words were interrupted by the door of her room opening wide with a slight squeaky sound.

"I knew there was something odd," Margaret commented as she entered the room. Her eyes went straight to Annabelle’s stomach which was suddenly flat compared to the bulge she showed yesterday. "Close the door and have no one interrupt us," she ordered the maid who was supposed to be helping Annabelle.

Annabelle was caught off guard by Margaret’s sudden visit. Reminding her predicament, she turned to hide her stomach. "I cannot be stressed right now," she said.

"Yes, losing a baby is quite hard on a woman’s body. Stop trying to fool me, woman. I am not my foolish child. I have been in your position and I have seen others lose their babies in the early stages. If you were going to pretend, you should have tried to act less suspicious," Margaret said.

Annabelle started to sweat, feeling like her time in the castle was about to come to an end. Without a child, there was no reason for her to be allowed to stay here. Margaret of all people despised her so there was no doubt she would be first to leave. She was certain she acted normal and couldn’t figure out how Margaret knew.

"Did you give the child a proper send-off? Surely you did not just dispose of it?" Margaret asked.