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She’s drop-dead gorgeous. She always is.
That was what Taranza, humble servant of the fair and kind Queen Joronia, thought to himself as he brushed through the palace gardens. Just recently, he had received a notice from one of the Sectra Dees that his presence by her side was called for. This wasn’t abnormal by any means, of course. Her Majesty was almost always with Taranza during her day-to-day activities. Or rather, he was almost always with her. This shared time, time that he had dedicated to being by her side, made the aide the Queen’s go-to for any matters of interest, as such was the situation now. Past the roses and the tulips and petunias, and under warm summer light, he spotted her sitting on her lonesome amongst the flora, half-mindedly twirling a light persimmon blossom between her delicate hands.
He stopped a few steps away, and quietly cleared his throat before making his presence known.
“Your Majesty, I am here, as you requested.”
Joronia perked up at his voice, and, on the small, carved-stone bench she rested upon, raised a hand to beckon him forth. The spider-boy could see her lovely silver hair shine in the light as she turned to face him.
He smiled as her soft voice hit his ears: “Taranza! Punctual as always.”
Taranza nodded. He adored the compliment– not that he didn’t already get them often enough from the benevolent Queen. Although never necessary, she showered almost all of her servants with gentle praise, encouraging work well done, and all with the demeanor of an absolute angel, too. A little deep inside, he felt biased to believe that she gave him the most compliments of all, so he made sure to never let a single one ever fall on deaf ears.
But, he could tell something was off, today. Dear Joronia’s eyes looked a little sadder and colder, and the well-polished pincers atop her head seemed to quiver unhappily.
“Please, do sit with me, for a moment..?” She asked politely as ever, as though there was nothing amiss.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Taranza waited for the Queen to scooch over, before she lightly patted a spot next to her for him to sit. Once he had lowered himself (and quickly adjusted his hair with a flick of his hand,) he quietly stared off at the rest of the garden, waiting for her to talk.
Except, she didn’t, for a short while. Instead, it seemed as though she was letting the surrounding environment fill in for her. Birds chirped as they flew over the bright and ornate garden trellises, which were wrapped in vines, and water bubbled from a large fountain nearby. Taranza noted the wind-chimes in the far corner of the garden, lightly trilling with every soft breeze. Their recent addition really did pull the whole place together. He’d have to commend whoever had them put up.
After a few moments of dutifully sitting in silence, she still hadn’t spoken. Taranza shifted to glimpse at her, though in a way he hoped wouldn’t pressure her to talk.
He had also always been told by fellow servants that he and Her Majesty looked awfully alike. He couldn’t agree at all. Not to call himself unsightly by any means– his own appearance was a great big deal to him– but Joronia had features he could never, and did never, dream to attain for himself. Smooth, deep sepia skin was complemented by rosy-pink eyelashes. And as he recalled earlier, her own silver hair, nary a strand out of place, held a perfect volume that looked just natural on her sweet head. Her adorable, petite fangs would complete her perfect smile, too, had she had a whisper of one in the current moment. No, instead, Joronia held a faint, distant stare.
She opened her mouth to speak.
“Taranza, am I a good person?”
He almost choked. Joronia glanced at him as he let out a huff, now waving his hands frantically and sputtering for an answer. What an incredulous question!
“Your Majesty! What spurred this line of thought– of course you are a good person!” Taranza balked. “The most fine, the most radiant, the most fair-minded of them all!”
He didn’t know whether or not to reach for her hand to hold in support. No, he couldn’t bear the thought of it; just out of courteousness. He forbade himself from doing so. But he was genuinely appalled; Her Majesty was only loved by the whole kingdom. Why would she have doubts in herself? Was there some gossip going around that Taranza didn’t know about?
“...That’s what everyone says, Taranza. I just want to know the truth.”
“...”
She continued. “I’m the queen. No one wants to upset me. I fear… I fear that they lie for my sake. They put on a facade, and tell me that I’m so bright and brilliant, when in reality they hold no respect for me at all.”
“...Who’s they?” Taranza tentatively asked.
“Everyone!” She replied. Her hands gripped at the edge of the bench as she visibly grew tense. “My butlers, my maids, and my advisors and my citizens…”
“...You… ” She finished, eyes now misted over with bitter tears.
Taranza couldn’t do anything but sit in a stunned silence. This was awful. He worried for her so deeply, but feared if he made any move to comfort her, she’d turn away. No– these thoughts of hers, they weren’t right. They weren’t true at all. That’s how he felt. But, same as the Queen did to him, all he did to her was praise her, for what she must’ve felt like was her mere existence. Truthfully, he didn’t know how to put his thoughts about Her Majesty any other way. He didn’t know if he could.
Which is why he felt anxious when she faced him again.
“Taranza,” he watched her turn more in his direction, no doubt seeking guidance. “Please, tell me what you really think of me. The whole, unbidden truth. I have to know. I need to.”
“Your Majesty–”
“No,” she chided. “It’s Joronia, right now. Please.”
He smiled awkwardly, nervous and uncertain. She trusted him beyond a shadow of a doubt, he knew. Hell, she probably even trusted him with her life. But he was so wholly unprepared for this situation. Never had he been so close to her, both physically and emotionally, ever before. For all he knew, his very words could steer her actions both as the Queen and as a person for the foreseeable future.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before gazing at Joronia once more. This time, he did reach for her hand, taking it and holding it close to him.
“Joronia,” He corrected himself. It felt awkward for him to say that.
“You aren’t the glittering gem in all the kingdom’s eyes. You are right– there are people who do not like you at all. For what reason, though… I could never hope to understand.”
She listened.
“You’re not perfect either, much like everyone else, but it would be a dastard’s lie to say that each and every imperfection you have does not make you all the more precious in the eyes of the people that really do love you. Even just taking initiative to be the very best for your people blatantly proves that.”
“It’s not… It’s not really about your appearance, or the way you talk, or act– though your efforts to excel in those areas aren’t to be dismissed, of course,” He acknowledged clumsily. “It’s about what’s in your heart, what you truly desire for yourself and others, that makes you the most beautiful in my eyes. My love for you wouldn’t cease for the next million years, if only your empathy for the world didn’t stop emanating from your being. I don’t even know if it would stop even if you didn’t have that compassion.”
“So please, Joronia, if not for your sake then for mine, never doubt yourself! You know It would only tear you apart…!”
Taranza finished, exasperated. He was almost in tears himself at how much he cared for her. He could only hope she’d find comfort in his words, though he wished he had more time to compose himself for it. He sighed deeply, finally straightening himself and unconsciously raising a spare hand to twiddle at his own hair again as a fidget. He searched her eyes for a reaction.
His hand stopped on a strand of hair as he gazed at her. He didn’t find what he had expected. Quite the opposite, actually. Joronia looked… rather perplexed. Perplexed? But why? Had he done something wrong!? What could Taranza have said to upset her–
“Did you… just…” Joronia’s wide-eyed stare bore into his very soul.
Oh.
Oh no. Ohhhh no no no no. This was bad. Oh no no no.
Taranza gasped, his bewilderment before nothing compared to now. Terrified, his hands flew to his mouth, then to his head, then to the air and right in front of her. What inappropriate behavior he just displayed! How completely uncalled for! Taranza had to think quickly, now. He fretfully tried to explain to the Queen.
“Jo- Your Majesty! Oh I, I did not just say that, did I!?” He yelped, shooting up. “I– I apologize, I don’t know what came over me, I didn’t mean to sah– hah, say that–”
He felt lightheaded– unable to think anymore about Her Majesty’s worries. Taranza saw his own future crumbling before him; not only was it looked down upon, it was absolutely forbidden for a mere servant to hold romantic feelings towards Her Majesty. These depraved feelings of desire and lust were enough to force those caught with them banished from the palace, never to return again!
Joronia caught his hand, and leapt up after him, carefully trying to calm him down.
“Taranza, please, don’t– ack– Taranza!” She cried.
The spider stopped at once. The two gazed at each other soundlessly, save for the light panting coming from her aide. Joronia frowned.
…
“Taranza,” She started.
“Your Majesty,” He breathlessly replied.
“Do you love me? Romantically?”
She knew Taranza would not lie. “...I do, Your Majesty.”
“...Hm.”
She pondered to herself for a moment, watching beads of sweat drip down his forehead as she did so.
“Are you aware of what happens… to members of the royal staff who hold those kinds of feelings? For me?”
“... I am.”
Joronia listened to his perky voice now turn raspy, and watched his hair grow more ruffled by the second. Her upper eyes even glanced down at his hands, which were balled up uncharacteristically into nervous fists.
“Enlighten me.”
He gulped. “They are asked to deprive themself of their role, and to not seek further any positions of servitude in the higher courts of Floralia in the future.”
“...Taranza,” She continued, “do you know… what I think of that policy?”
Closing in on him, Joronia let her eyelids droop as her head hung low. Her grim expression was unreadable to her servant– her aide who had been with her for oh-so-many years.
“...Truthfully, I do not, Your Majesty.” He stuttered.
Two more of her hands traveled up his body, to reach for and gently caress his hot, bright red cheeks. She lifted her head, now, and gazed deeply into his shining, glossy white eyes.
“Just this once, Taranza…” She breathed into his ear,
“...I could not care for it.”
In the glowing, tranquil gardens of the palace of Floralia, under the sun’s warm yet gentle embrace, Queen Joronia pulled Taranza in, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.