Chapter 7

When I returned to the palace, I spent the next few hours listening to the queen lecture me about how my reckless behavior could cost me dearly and damage the image and reputation of the royal family. Thankfully, thanks to Commander Chase's kindness, I had returned without causing any further harm.

I could have tried to tell her that I had actually been kidnapped, but it was unlikely she would believe me. There was no way to explain what Dimitri Sidorov had done to me. It would sound like witchcraft, which would only make everything worse. She would think I had been possessed by evil and call priests for an exorcism, which I could certainly do without.

So I settled for listening to her endless complaints.

"I truly hope you have kept your honor intact, because if you haven't..." She stared at me, looking both worried and furious.

"My honor is intact," I assured her, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

She studied me for several seconds, trying to determine whether I was lying. Finally, she said:

"I hope you're telling the truth. Meet me in the healer Lydia's chambers in an hour, and take off those horrible peasant clothes. Just because you look like a peasant doesn't mean you have to dress like one!" With that, she stormed out of my chambers, slamming the door behind her.

What a hag, I thought as she left.

I lay down on my bed and took a deep breath. It was going to be a long day.

As I walked through the corridors toward healer Lydia's chambers, I wondered what the queen was planning.

When I reached the door to the chambers, I pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered Lydia's square room. Everything smelled as it always did there—herbs and potions she was constantly preparing for the palace residents.

Lydia stood beside the bed with her head lowered. She was a tall, round woman in her late thirties, her red hair pulled into a bun, and she wore her usual work apron.

On the other side, sitting in a chair with an imperious posture, was Queen Hera. Her authoritative gaze met mine.

"What does this mean?" I asked, still standing with the door behind me.

"Come in and close the door," the queen ordered.

"My queen, I must insist that this isn't necessary. I believe Princess Helena's word," the commander spoke, and only then did I realize he was there.

He had been hidden in the shadows of the room, but now he had stepped forward, allowing the light to illuminate his face. The moment I looked at him, the truth struck me like lightning.

The queen was going to verify my virginity in front of the commander, ensuring that she had delivered a virgin princess.

That was so typical of her that I felt like a complete idiot for walking all the way here without realizing it sooner.

That was why Lydia couldn't raise her eyes to look at me. When I glanced at the bed, I paled considerably at the thought of what was about to happen there.

"You can't be serious. I'm telling the truth, I swear!" I pleaded.

She maintained her usual cold expression.

"The commander doesn't think it's necessary," I said, trying to gain more support from him.

"The princess's word is enough for me," he said in my defense, and I felt grateful to him.

"The princess's word was enough before she ran away with another man. Now she will have to prove her word. Helena, lie down on the bed and let's get this over with. I don't have all day to waste on your drama."

I swallowed hard at her insensitive, biting words and looked at the commander, who, just like me, realized there was no choice.

Tears threatened to fall, but I held them back and walked to the bed and lay down. Lydia, still unable to look me in the eyes, gently parted my legs. Then, without any warning, in front of the commander and Queen Hera, she lifted my dress to my waist, exposing me, and inserted her fingers into me.

I froze, feeling my face flush. My heart pounded so hard against my chest that I gasped. Humiliation and shame covered me like a black cloak. I was being humiliated.

Lydia made a few movements before saying:

"The hymen has not been broken, Your Highness."

Then she withdrew her fingers, and I closed my legs and my eyes as well, unable to look at anyone in that room. All I could hear was the queen's voice.

"Perhaps you would like to confirm it yourself, Commander."

I stiffened instantly at the thought of him touching me.

"I've seen more than enough, Your Highness."

Then I heard the sound of heavy footsteps and a door slamming shut.

"Thank goodness you were telling the truth, Helena, or this would have been very embarrassing."

I opened my eyes and sat up on the bed, looking at Hera after she uttered those words so casually.

"Yes, because what just happened wasn't embarrassing and humiliating at all!" I snapped, exasperated by her casualness and disdain for what she had just subjected me to.

She stared at me with her icy blue eyes.

"You should have thought about that before deciding to run away with that Dimitri," she retorted.

I clenched my teeth, furious and feeling powerless in the face of her accusation.

"You only had to believe me!" I said, feeling the tears stream down my face.

Her expression, hard as stone moments before, suddenly softened, and I saw the same tired expression in her eyes that I had seen in the commander.

"Leave us," she ordered Lydia without looking at her.

When Lydia closed the door behind her, the queen approached the bed where I was sitting. She looked at me and gently sat down on the edge of the bed. I kept my head lowered, staring at my own hands in my lap while tears blurred my vision. Then I heard more than I saw.

"Do you think the Lancasters maintain their power ruling Shivia by believing people's word? Because if you do, you're a fool."

"The commander said it wasn't necessary," I murmured, my voice trembling.

She sighed.

"He said that today, but you must always think years ahead, Helena, and think about how an action today might affect the future. I did this today to spare you trouble in the future. Let's say that someday a marriage to another princess becomes more advantageous to him than his current marriage to you. He could then use this as a weapon against you, accusing you of having married impure and deciding to repudiate you. I just took that weapon away from him. Men always seek power instead of love, Helena. Keep that in mind, and perhaps you'll survive your first year of ruling. Always stay one step ahead of him."

With those words, she left me alone with my tears.