Fourth Arc (Thorns of The Black Throne) - 444. Afternoon Tea With The Queen I
Rose stepped forward. "Then how about this instead? Afternoon tea. With me."
Jane blinked. "Just us?"
"Unless you want half the court there," Rose teased gently.
Jane laughed. A real one.
"No. Just us is perfect."
Rose offered her arm. "Come on then. Before I get dragged back into paperwork."
They walked together down the garden path, the scent of blooming jasmine drifting on the air. The afternoon sunlight bled through the leaves, slanting gold across the marble tiles, warm and gentle. Somewhere, bees buzzed lazily.
Jane didn't say anything. She just walked beside Rose, quiet in a way that didn't ask for space—just held it. The warmth of Rose's arm felt real. Human. Not queenly. Just… someone who was trying.
And maybe Jane needed that more than she admitted.
By the time they reached the tea pavilion, a tray had already been set with fine white porcelain, hand-painted with soft blue cranes and silver trim. The cookies were delicate—some powdered, some glazed, some shaped like flowers. The tea itself smelled of jasmine and mint, with just a touch of lemon. Even the sugar cubes looked handmade, like tiny carved pearls.
They sat across from each other. The breeze teased the silk curtain lightly, like it didn't dare intrude.
Rose poured first. Her hands were always steady.
"I asked the kitchen to use Pontian blends," she said casually, as if it wasn't deeply considerate. "They sourced some from the merchant quarter. Thought you might recognize the taste."
Jane lifted the teacup and inhaled. Her fingers paused just slightly on the handle.
It wasn't exactly the same.
But it was close.
"Thank you," Jane murmured.
"Of course." Rose smiled, and that queenly calmness softened for a second. "You don't have to talk. But I'd like to hear if you want to."
Jane looked out the window beside them. Past the white columns, Euphorion's capital stretched in the distance—sprawling in soft lines, its buildings bathed in sunlight and life. She saw children chasing each other in the lower courtyard, guards laughing with street vendors, banners dancing above rooftops. It felt alive.
"This place," she said slowly, "is beautiful."
Rose watched her without interrupting.
"I only caught a glimpse of the city when I first arrived. Just from the carriage. But even then… it was clear. The people are happy. This place is prosperous. There's food in the markets. The guards don't look angry. The women walk without looking over their shoulders."
She paused, holding her teacup in both hands now.
"I know that doesn't sound like much," she said. "But it's more than most places."
Rose tilted her head. "And yet?"
Jane went quiet.
The tea was warm. She stared down at the swirling reflection in her cup for a long second.
Then finally, she said, "I wonder how Pontus's capital is now."
Rose didn't move. Just a slight crease between her brows.
"It used to be like this," she said slowly. "Maybe not as rich. Maybe not as polished. But it was warm. You know? People were kind. We had festivals. Music. My brother used to stand on the rooftops and wave to the crowds during parades—always pretending he loved the attention, even though he hated it."
She smiled faintly at the memory. "He used to tell me that being a prince meant performing more than ruling. That duty was a stage, and every smile was part of the act."
The smile faded. "But then the droughts came. And the taxes. And the raids. And my father—" Her voice caught. "He started listening to people who wanted a crown more than a kingdom."
Rose didn't speak, didn't judge. Just refilled her teacup with quiet precision.
Claire, who had been standing politely in the background, finally stepped forward and poured more tea into Jane's as well. Then stepped back. Her expression unreadable, but not cold.
Jane looked up.
"I know I left," she said. "I know I ran. But sometimes I wonder if I had stayed… would I have made it worse? Or better?"
"You think you could've changed it?" Rose asked gently.
Jane shrugged, her voice cracking slightly. "I don't know. I wasn't strong. I just wanted to live. To get away. To find something that felt like mine."
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