“The Queen of the family”

(fan fiction on “Royal Jelly”)

by Nancy Daniela Duhalde Gutierrez

‘I don’t like you doing that, Albert,’ said Mrs Taylor.

She was really worried about her daughter’s life. Mabel knew her husband loved the little baby, but that strange idea that Alfred had to save the baby’s life was frightening her.

Mr Taylor knew what he was doing. He was feeding his beauty with Royal Jelly. That would make her stronger and bigger.

‘I told you nothing is going to happen,’ said Albert. ‘Look at me. I’ve been eating it for a year now and nothing bad happened to me.’

‘Uuuhh… but… I don’t know, my dear. I’m really worried about her…’

‘There’s nothing you have to worry about, Mabel,’

Little Mary was born during a cold night. Mabel had gone to hospital very early in the morning that day. She was feeling well, but she thought something had been going wrong. The doctors said that although the baby was fine, she had to stay there because she was in labour.

When the baby arrived to this world, she did not want to be fed. Mrs Taylor tried to breast-feed her, but she did not drink; then tried to bottle-feed her, and she did not taste a drop. Dr Robinson told Mabel that Mary was in good health and that there was nothing to worry about, that she ate too little because she was not hungry.

Years passed. It was a hot summer. Mary, now an enormous beautiful two-year-old girl, and Alfred were outside collecting some honey from the combs that were a half yard from the house. Mr Taylor had become a known businessman because he sells part of his honey production.

Little Mary was all in his life. He really loved her. She was his little creature.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I want to work, daddy,’ babbled Mary.

‘Ohh, my queen. You’re going to hurt yourself. And I don’t want my little creature to be hurt. Go to the house and take care of your mum, she’s a bit ill.’

Some weeks ago, Mabel had started to feel sick. Alfred took her to the hospital, but the doctors said she was perfect. She did not want to eat. She did not want to go outside. She did not want to play with Mary. The only thing she did was to stay in bed and sleep all day long. Alfred was really surprised, because Mabel’s sickness had developed all of a sudden.

That summer afternoon, when Mr Taylor returned home, she was awake.

‘Mabel, come on, try a little bit of this soup.’

‘I’m not hungry. I’ve tried a slice of bread a minute ago.’

‘But, my dear, that’s not enough. I’ll prepare you a glass of milk with some biscuits…’

‘I don’t want… Alfred…’

‘Come on… I’ll bring it to you. If you don’t try it, I’ll drink it.’

He remembered his brilliant idea. When baby Mary was born, he gave her Royal Jelly in her milk.

‘This is going to be useful for Mabel, too…’

Mabel took some sips of the milk. She was tired, so she asked Alfred to let her sleep a little bit.

At eight, while Alfred and Mary were having supper, Mabel woke up. She was felling a bit better than before. She got up and went to the bathroom. She washed her face. When she was drying it she saw her neck in the mirror. It was covered all the way around with those shortish silky yellowy black hairs that she had seen in her husband’s neck some time ago.

Alfred heard some noises that came from the bedroom, so he took Mary from her high chair and went upstairs. He found Mabel sitting on the bed. Mary went running to hug her mother. The woman held her daughter in her arms.

‘Mary, what do you have in your back? You have bitten me…’