Anastasia came running into her mother's study, where she saw an empty urn sitting on her desk. "Was that -- was that -- I thought I saw --"
"Yes, dear, it's true. I retrieved your father's urn from the mausoleum. The science lab called and said they wanted his ashes --"
"Mom, I don't believe this. You donated my father's remains in the name of science??"
Just then Alexandra arrived, returning from her flight classes.
"What did the science lab say? How did they approach you? Did they specifically ask for my father? Why didn't you tell us about this, he IS our dad?!"
Between the two of them, asking questions, Queen Catarina couldn't hear herself think. Rising from her chair, she ordered them to sit down, and they did.
"Girls, you have no idea what I went through just so you could exist. When your father and I got married, we discussed ways of adding to our family. We talked about surrogacy, in vitro, even adoption. Then, at the age of 46, with two adult children, against all the odds, I got pregnant. I was the happiest woman on earth. Your father might have been even happier, he was just over the moon with delight. I was on bed rest the entire last trimester of my pregnancy, because I was considered high risk with my age and the fact that I was carrying twins. I told the doctors that if it came to a choice between me and the two of you, I would choose you every day and twice on Sundays. And I still would. You see, girls, I do what I do because I love you and I want the best for you. Everything I do, everything I've done, everything I've told you and tried to teach you about being princesses and women, I do out of love and because I love you. So you see, Alexandra, when you disobey me to join the military and attend flight school and you run around on your horse in the woods like a wild child and you don't give a second thought to marriage and your life after the military, it hurts me deeply. So you see, Anastasia, when you say all the hurtful things to me and you close yourself off from everyone and you postpone your marriage to that fine young Lucian to go to architecture school, it hurts me deeply. And when Francisca did what she did, in running off to do whatever the heck she's chosen to do with her life, it hurt me deeply. When the two of you behave like absolute spoiled brats at the photo shoot the other day, it hurt me deeply, and not only hurt me but embarrassed me, and the two of you should be ashamed of yourselves!"
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