Queen of My Heart

It was late autumn, in southern part of Wales in a very remote village lies a single house. It looks like it was isolated from the whole village.

During summer children usually play around the street. But in late autumn and winter the whole place almost becomes desolate.

Darkness usually comes early upon the house, and when it came; it casts long dark shadows over the house. The reason was that their only neighbours for many miles away were the rye field owned by the Pynes’ family.

They usually form towering shadows above the house like green Giants in their height and numbers. They pose a defence that shut-off the daylight as soon as the sun began its slow journey to the western skies.

During late autumn, the early darkness also brought with it the very ugly sounds of chirping insects and grazing animals returning from the field; they do make the home miserable.

This afternoon, a beautiful teenage girl with a raven coloured hair and her two half-brothers Valencia and Ingram were playing outside as they usually do. It was late autumn and the weather was getting very cold. They were swathed with various thick clothing that their mother Fiona made for them.

She was particularly carefree as usual, after her thirteenth birthday last week, her step father has started making arrangements for her to start her education as a governess. He had to borrow from his place of work and close friends.

However, the money needed was far from being enough. Everyday when she plays with Ingram and Valencia was like an additional grace for her. She will definitely miss them when she finally leave for her education.

It has been two months since her birthday, yet her step father couldn’t afford to send her to the school just yet.

“Gwen,” he called her one evening after she served him his dinner, “ father has disappointed you am so sorry.” Gwen was touched by his love for her. “Father it will be alright,” she consoled him. He just shook his head he was disappointed in himself.

It has just been two months but her step father Zack already has wrinkles and a little gray hair. Gwen was startled. For Gwen being a governess is like a dream. At least she can provide enough money for her brothers’ education and help alleviate her parents' poverty.

Gwen cried throughout the night, with the thick bedding covering her the cold winter cold was held at bay. Gwen grew up knowing Zack as father, even though he was not her biological father, Gwen couldn’t care less about who the so called biological father was.

For her Zack, Fiona, Ingram and Valencia are her only family. Valencia was awakened by the sobbing. He lifted his thin white hands and wiped Gwen’s tears. He was only eleven years old, but he has the bearing of a mature man.

“Gwen, don’t worry brother will take care of you!” he said hugging her elder sister. Gwen leaned on his thin shoulders and cried her heart out. Zack has taught the boys right from when they were younger to take care of their sister.

Valencia and Ingram believe that it is their responsibility to help and protect Gwen from the world, no matter what. Ingram was snoring, oblivious of whatever it was that was going on in the room.

During the early hours of the morning, Zack nudged Fiona to wake up. Zack has been troubled for a long time now.

“Fiona, why don’t you write to ‘that man’?” he asked.

For the past fourteen years, Zack and Fiona have never spoken about ‘that man’ no matter what. They treat him as a non-existent character. However, this now involves the future of his daughter.

If he really cares he can give the moon to his daughter. But he was just another privileged man.

Fiona’s heart skipped a beat, that was her first love and her misfortune. She never wants to associate her beautiful Gwen with ‘that man’. She shook her head.

“Zack we will find a way. At most Gwen can forget about her education!” Fiona snapped. She was very furious that Zack woke her early in the morning for such a thing.

“Fiona! This is the future of our daughter. Can’t you make an exception just this once?” Zack asked.

He was ashamed that he couldn’t provide for his family and have to ask another man for help but he was ready to do that.

His family disowned him because of Fiona, if not one of his mother’s estate was enough to pay for his children’s fees even to university level. Being from an aristocratic family, he understands the importance of education.

All these years, he had never regretted his choice to marry Fiona. However, now their children have grown up but he cannot really give them everything they need.

He still remembered the letter his mother wrote him two years ago. “The day you divorce Fiona come back home with Valencia and Ingram,” he had torn the letter in pieces due to anger.

Fiona started crying, she murmured to herself in Italian “non era colpa mia”. Her family’s so called rebellion may be part of political conspiracy but as the sole survivor, she can never accept that her family were traitors.

Zack doesn’t know what to do whether to laugh or cry. He embraced Fiona and comforted her. He knows that even if her family were traitors it has nothing to do with Fiona, she was already in London before that happened. All these are because of ‘that man’ and his mother.

It was dawn, but the snow was very heavy so it was only Zack that went to work. Fiona was in the kitchen singing her opera lines. She usually sings when she was very sad. She had trained Gwen, Ingram and Valencia in opera singing.

Gwen watched her mother. She was crying, her tears were overflowing. She remembered the past in London Opera house. If she had not fallen for ‘that man’ first, if she had known. She grew up with Zack but instead of Zack she made a mistake in her first love.

The Italian nightingale reduced to a housewife that cannot even pay her child’s fees. A noble by birth, now living like pauper. Fiona totally lost it this morning. She didn’t know when Gwen, Valencia and Ingram came into kitchen.

“Mother, why are crying?” Ingram asked. Fiona smiled bitterly, she wiped her eyes with her back hand.

“Just thinking about the past,” she answered.

“Do adults usually cry about the past?” Ingram asked innocently.

He was puzzled by her his mother’s sorrows. Every time she cries, she will allege it to the past. Valencia and Gwen looked on expectantly, they also need clarification.

Fiona hugged her three children, “you have to remember that mother and father loves you very much, that is very important. Do you understand?” she asked them.

She was afraid that when they grow up and learn the truth they might hate them for making their lives hard.

“We love mother and father,” they answered in unison.

“Good good good,” Fiona repeated it thrice.

She felt elated, she felt less miserable. At least her life was not that bad.

“You have to remember that your mother and your grandparents were not traitors. We are honest. Your uncles: Valencia and Fidel and your aunt Michaela. They were staged by despicable villains, they are the victims.”

The children were confused. They were wondering who those people were. They have never seen or heard of them before. Gwen was the first to snap from the confusion.

“Mother where is uncle Valencia and Fidel? What of aunt Michaela?” she asked.

Fiona felt a chill in her heart. Her breathing became heavy. “They are dead,” she replied.

“You must remember that you are the eldest. You have take care of your brothers. Don’t be too trusting, it is better to…,” Fiona couldn’t continue what she wanted to say.

She felt it was inappropriate to say that. After all Gwen is only thirteen years old.

That day’s event was deeply engrained into the Gwen, Valencia and Ingram. Being smart children they know that there is more to the story.

eing children they were they couldn’t make out the hidden meaning. Many years from today, they will remember today and make an important decision.

It has been three days, yet Zack was not yet back. Fiona and the children were very worried.

Even though Zack might stay days at work before coming home, today was very different. It was Fiona’s birthday, Zack will never forget nor will he not back.

The four of them stood outside, even though it was snowing, looking at a particular direction. Fiona was reminiscing the past years.

How Zack always brings her flowers. She was worried, until she saw a silhouette of a man, looking like a snow man walking up to them smiling.

“Happy birthday Fiona, I love you,” he said spreading his arms. Fiona ran into his arms. In spite of the cold they felt warm. They stood in the snow for minutes. Fiona shed tears.

It was a mixed feeling of love, joy, regret, longing… These days, her past has made her more emotional than ever.

“I love you Zack. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me in my life,” Fiona said. Zack used his free hand to beckon Gwen and her br