The White Wolf Chapter 72: Out of the Palace

As they emerged from the sitting room, the sun had begun to rise. With her belly full, Alexia was ready for the day armed with her phone in one hand and her coffee in the other.

Enzo was waiting for them at the doors to the palace with his own coffee in his hands. His tired eyes had Alexia wondering what had kept him from sleep.

Before long the party was loaded into various SUVs and with enough guards to rival a small army.

The capital was coming to life as they drove, its sleeping inhabitants waking to start their days.

The route they took was long and indirect to prevent attacks that could occur to the royals.

The sun was shining as they arrived outside of the orphanage. Cameras flashed and people cheered on either side of the barricades in front of the entrance. Reporters took their positions hoping to get the best spot. Flags and banners were strummed over every service as well as in the grip of hands that waved them in delight.

First, the queen mother stepped out and greeted the crowd. The cheers shook the car and could be heard in the small space at the sound Alexia became self-conscious worried that she would not have a warm reception. The seconds that passed felt like hours and the heart beat erratically echoing in her ears.

Her first public engagement as queen. It could set the tone for all future endeavors as well as how the people would see her. She bit her lip in worry.

She finished off her coffee and then handed her coffee and phone to Harley who sat behind her.

Suddenly her door opened and before she knew it she was stepping out of the vehicle. Like a stunned deer, she stood there for a second unsure of what to do but as if her body had a mind of its own she began to smile and wave to the crowd.

The crowd roared in delight. "The Queen! The Queen!" They screamed as if they could not believe it.

None expected the queen to make an appearance, the surprise could not be contained. The people began to push and shove to get a better look, straining their necks to see better. The reporters turned to their cameras and eagerly reported the arrival of the queen hoping to be the first to break the news.

The people that gathered remarked to one another how surprised they were to see and how her beauty had been undersold.

Walking near the barricades they tried their best to say hello to as many as they could. Alexia leaned in closer on instinct to a smiling young woman when Enzo's voice came through her head *Be careful not to get too close your Majesty, some may try to grab at you in excitement.*

Alexia looked at him standing behind her and nodded before making sure she was out of arms reach from the crowd. Each woman greeted the crowd on either side but as it showed no sign of calming down they made their way to enter the building.

Waving to the crowd, Alexia came to stand next to the queen mother who introduced her to various people from the orphanage.

Various representatives from the different departments stood at attention waiting in a line at the entrance, each bowing as the Queen mother introduced them. The royal secretaries stood a few steps behind the royals only taking a step forward to take the various gifts the orphanage staff presented to the royal family. Flowers, cards, group pictures of the children, as well as other sentiments would be filed away for safekeeping.

"The director, The Head Nurse, The Head of Security..." Judy's voice spoke and Alexia tried her best to remember their face, name, and title but as Judy moved on to the next one the previous one slipped from the queen's mind.

They each offered a polite smile that Alexia tried her best to reciprocate. They stepped aside and guards who had arrived earlier and scanned the vicinity opened the front doors for the group.

Alexia took the first step in as she was the highest rank in attendance with Judy just a step behind.

"It looks absolutely wonderful." Judy admired as her head took in the lobby that shined.

Inside waiting for them were more of the staff who bowed to the royals but stayed in their ranks.

"What was the cause behind the expansion?" Alexia looked at Judy.

Instead of responding Judy motioned for the director to answer the queen's question who Alexia had already forgotten his name.

"We were over capacity your majesty, the new wing will allow us to tend to more children as well as separating the older kids from the younger ones who have been forced to share the same dormitories. This way the older kids may have more privacy." He explained to her.

"Has there been an increase in children losing their parents?" Alexia asked in worry as they walked down the hall.

"There has been. Over the years we are seeing a steady increase." He said in a sad voice as they came to a door that he had led them to.

"Your majesty, your highness, the children have prepared a song for you." The director told them.

He opened the door to reveal the children of the orphanage standing in various lines. At the best of their caregiver, they bowed in union before saying "Good morning your highnesses!" They said in delight with the little kids yelling it as loud as they could.

The action made Alexia smile in pure delight. "Good morning children, my word don't you all look splendid this morning."

At her praise, a few of the children blushed and looked down.

Judy joined in her praise "Yes they look wonderful, I cannot wait to hear their pretty voices." Judy's voice was gentle and reassuring.

The director looked to their musical leader who turned to them and signaled to them it was time to sing.

They sang a few nursery rhymes and ended their performance with the kingdom's anthem. While some yelled more than sang the sound was pleasing to Alexia.

As they finished everyone clapped loudly for the children. "Wonderful!" Alexia praised.

The director dismissed the children before continuing on the tour with the royal guests. While the director was enthusiastically telling them of every detail of the orphanage, Alexia found herself unable to concentrate on his words and instead offered a smile from time to time. At the end of their tour, they came to the craft room where the children had gone.

They watched from the window as the children played. Their laughter was a sweet sound that Alexia found herself turning the knob to the door and slipping in.

Enzo cut into her mind *Your majesty-*

But he was cut off. *Enzo if I cannot handle myself with children I deserve what harm may befall me.* At that he stepped back allowing her to enter. Judy stayed outside watching her daughter-in-law to see how she would do.

The children stopped their playing and turned to look at her. "Do not stop, pretend I am not here." It took a moment but the children eventually continued in their play.

She was watching a little girl color all by herself when she cautiously approached and crouched the girl's level. "May I ask what you are coloring?" She said in a careful voice.

The girl's response broke her heart "I am drawing my wolf big and strong so that when I am older no one will be able to hurt me."

Alexia did not know what to say, she had no words of comfort to this girl who could be no more than seven so instead she changed the subject. "What is your name?"

"Ellie." She said before adding "Your majesty."

"Ellie, that is a lovely name." Her attempt was feeble but earned her smile.

"Here I'll draw you a picture," Ellie told her. Alexia watched as Ellie drew her a flower trying her hardest to make the lines neat.

When she was done she turned to the queen and offered her the piece of paper. "Here you go."

"Thank you, I will cherish it," Alexia said taking the paper.

With that, she rose to rejoin her group with the paper in hand.

They made their way out of the building. The party waved to the crowd one last time before returning to the vehicles in which they came.

Once inside the safety of the SUV, Alexia could feel her eyes start to water as she thought of the children she had seen. She fought the tears that threatened to spill.

"It never gets easier," Judy said to her in the quiet car as if she could read her thoughts.