Chapter 30: The Graveside.

                                    

                                          
It's been years since Arthur died but each day brings its own battles. As Teddy knelt beside his headstone she did something she never thought she would, she prayed. Andrew had tried his best with her but she knew he was at the end of his tether; she would never be the queen he wanted, she'd never be the queen Aderelle deserved and she could never be the Wife he wanted. Arthur always knew this. He knew she was destined to be more, to do more but he'd have never thought she'd become who she had. 'The Valkyrie' was something that came from grief, from loneliness, from her brother being the stupid twat he is. He was working with Tanya. Fucking Tanya. The woman who had sourced so many problems, why had she not seen that she had been Mason's too. 
                          
"Arthur would have handled all of this better." Teddy was startled by Andrew's approach. When Andrew couldn't find her, he knew exactly where she'd be. The hidden grave of Arthur had been her newest discovery on the castle grounds. Hidden in his favourite spot, under his favourite tree with his abandoned treehouse above. "No." Teddy laughed softly, "He would have been a mess." She turned to look at him "He was always supposed to be the emotional one." Andrew silently agreed and moved to kneel beside her, "He loved you so much Teddy. For such a small child he has so much love to give and he chose you. No matter what happens please remember that."  As he spoke as stroked the headstone. "Life has been cruel but brought you back to me," he turned to face Teddy "I need you. I'm sorry I pushed you to be this 'perfect' Queen, I thought that that is what the country needed, what I needed, but the truth is this: I just need you." 
                          
"Oh how cute." Teddy and Andrew turned sharply to look, only to find a dishevelled Tanya swinging a gun about. "It seems like all the men in my family love the little runt I took in. Your mother," she pointed the gun at Teddy, "was such an awful friend. I'm glad your parents are dead Dora." With a heavy sigh Teddy started to rise from her knees, but Tanya almost looked disappointed. "What did you expect from me Tanya? Did you expect me to be angry about that? I know you had them killed. Did you think I wouldn't? You obviously hadn't realised who I am yet." Teddy walked towards her with Tanya raising her gun. She was scared. She knew exactly what Teddy was, she thought they were just lies but the look in Teddy's eyes told her otherwise. "You think you're so fucking clever." With each word Teddy to another step, "You think you hide things so well," the closer she got to Tanya, the more determined she got. "Hiding behind your non-existent debts to cover for the fact you're a liar and a cheat. Maybe Joe realised he didn't love you because he could tell that you were dead behind the eyes like I can now." Teddy grabbed her wrist and brought the gun to her just in front of her forehead. "If you want to kill me like you did them, then do it Tanya. Do. It." 
                          
Tanya's hand was shaking. Theodora was crazy. She couldn't kill her, but she couldn't back down. "Mum," Tanya slowly looked to her only living son, "Put the gun down." This time it was Andrew how shocked himself, he had pulled out the gun that John had given him this morning. "I swear to God mother that if you don't put the gun down I will shoot." For a few minutes his threat stood strong, until his hand dropped and he released a strangled gasp.  With Tanya distracted by her obviously hurting son, Teddy took the time to force the gun from her hand, and turned the gun on her. She forced herself to look away from her son only to find herself face to face with 'The Valkyrie' and no longer the child she once knew, "I wonder Tanya, have you seen Mason recently? Well I know you haven't but maybe soon you'll see him again soon." It soon dawned on Tanya that Teddy had killed her brother. That whilst she had tried to force Mason to kill her, that it was always his who was stronger, who was calmer, who was cold. 
                          
Andrew had fallen to his knees, he watched as the love of his life was about to take the life of the one who gave him his. "Teddy" His quiet utter of her name drew her from her murderous haze and she quickly ran to him, skidding on the wet grass as she desperately wanted to comfort her love, her life. He wrapped his arms around her only muttering "I need you" over and over into her shoulder. In her rush to him she had dropped the gun, not caring what happened to it or to Tanya, she just needed Andrew to be okay. It had started to pour with rain as Teddy stoked his back telling him "It's okay, I'm here. I'm with you. Always with you." Within seconds Andrew heard a sound, a whisper of a sound really, that made him look to where his mother once stood, only to see her once again holding a gun pointed towards his love, his Queen and without a further thought he raised his gun and....
                          
BANG
                          
** 
                          
Sorry I didn't update on my current usual Thursday, but tomorrow is my birthday so I thought I'd wait until today so that you can have another chapter TOMORROW too! Surprise?!!?!? 
                          
As my birthday gift to you, you guys will receive the FINAL chapter tomorrow. And yes I did say final. So please get excited. Or not. But it's my birthday, so do.
                          
Much Love, 
                          
Shannon; the almost birthday girl x