As we've known, the golden reign had ended tragically. No one later would remember a great monarch, Anaivere Renata Plantagenet, who brought life of hope to England's miserable peasants. The history wouldn't remember what she did, who she was and even her existence. She was simply a legend. A forgotten legend.

Anaivere of Nottingham and Jeanne of Domrémy, were so similar but also so different. When Anaivere lived her rest of life in anonymity, Jeanne d'Arc was praised as a virgin martyr, a saint and a patron. We knew Saint Jeanne's victory at Reims, but we would never hear or know about Queen Anaivere in the Fifth Crusade. To the day, she was nothing more than a legend, just like her allies, Robin Hood and his merry men. Although, Robin Hood was considered to be a historical figure through the evidence that proved him real person, nothing which related to Anaivere that we could find, no one know if she did truly live. She existed as a phantom of history, just like Pope Joanna, Sweeney Todd or Jack the Ripper.

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March 1218...

A new spring had come, but the dark clouds surrounded England hadn't faded. People still loved their former monarch, although the Crown had official declared Anaivere was no longer Queen of England, and restricted people to refer Anaivere as anything beside "Her Majesty". Whomever dared to break the laws would be severely punished. Thus, when anyone talked about the former queen, they would refer her as "Lady Renata", "Her Excellency", or indirectly and connotatively, "an Angel in the Tower".

One morning, Maid Rosette strolled down the market to find if it had some of her mistress's favourite rose tarts. She then accidentally met her uncle, who was choosing some fabrics at a stall, looked happier than ever before.

"Muslin or silk, milord?", asked the merchant.

"How about satin? Rose or turquoise is better?", replied Lord Timbley.

"I think rose would be wonderful, but turquoise also looks classy..."

"My fiancée loves bright colours although she frequently has to wear dark. So I think I should choose precisely and carefully, as this will be my engagement gift..."

"Why don't you purchase a ring, milord? Isn't it easier than choosing silk for wedding gown?"

"She doesn't prefer engagement rings, if it does, then it would be in wedding ceremony..."

"Uncle Ferdinand, what makes you so happy to-day?", called Maid Rosette.

Maid Rosette's calling disrupted Lord Timbley, he turned to look at his niece with surprise.

"Rosie, what are you doing here?"

"Lady Renata asked if I could find some of her favourite tarts..."

"So, it was Her Excellency... I thought you would spoil this to your future aunt-in-law...", sighed Lord Timbley in relief.

"What's the matter?"

"Dear, you've already known! It's hard to find a suitable fabric for her wedding gown!"

"Should we let Her Excellency know? She was Her Excellency's former maid, though..."

"No, you shall not, dear. We won't let anyone know about this, even Lady Renata, okay, maybe it's fine to tell her and... just don't mind about this merchant who is just helping me to choose the best one..."

Maid Rosette looked at the stall, rolled her eyes through stacks of fabrics before gave her uncle a final decision.

"If it would be wedding gown, then it should be pearl-coloured. I think she suits muslin best..."

"No one understands women than women!", commented the merchant.

"Thank you for the praise, sir. I'm on to the bakery", replied Rosette.

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The bakery, located down the streets...

"A good day, milady, how can I help you?", asked the baker.

"If there are any fine tarts...", said Maid Rosette while looking around.

"O, then well! We have some newly-baked custard and cherry tarts. Do you want some puddings too, milady?"

Maid Rosette got close to the baked shelves, searching for her mistress's favourite, but there weren't any.

"If there are any rose tarts, sir?", asked she.

The baker shook his head and replied:

"Roses are far too unaffordable for us, milady. Actually, there were rose tarts before, when the taxes were still low. Now we can't afford those, custard and cherry jam are far cheaper, so..."

"Who would make rose tarts delicacy for nobilities only?", said Maid Rosette, sadly, "Her Excellency didn't acknowledge about the taxes and people's recent life. She thought King Henry was still easy for England citizens, but... Shall I disappoint her?"

"I'm sorry, milady..."

Maid Rosette left the bakery in distress, intendedly returned to the Tower, but she was stopped by a strange man.

"What do you want, sir? Let me go!", shouted she.

"Calm down, m'lady, I just have a thing I would like to ask..."

"Please, if I know I would answer", replied she.

"I'm once Lady Renata's knights, but I failed to protect her before. I just want to ask that if you have some news about Her Excellency..."

"About four months ago, she was gravely ill, but she is fine at the moment", answered Maid Rosette, and she asked the knight in return, "But... who in fact are you? I've never seen you before here..."

The knight laughed hysterically.

"How can a person who lives in Nottingham doesn't know about this Sherwood legend? I'm Sir Robin of Loxley, formerly known as the master of outlaws, Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest!"

He replied and then bowed with respect to Maid Rosette.

"The legend is standing before you, m'lady, with flesh and bones..."

Suddenly, another man came over and disrupted the conversation. He was muscular, had huge build and holding a basket, had just come out from the crowd in the market.

"Master, I found what you requested for..."

That was our good fellow Little John.

"Well done my gentleman, you are indeed a man who could be rely on", praised Sir Robin while receiving the basket.

"They weren't as affordable as before, master. But at least I found them", smiled Little John.

Maid Rosette looked at the covered basket curiously, asked:

"What are they, sir? They're so aromatic...!"

"Her Excellency Lady Renata's favourite sweets, rose tarts!"

Maid Rosette gasped in surprise.

"I couldn't find them anywhere, so why...?"

"They could be easily found in lord's bakery, by the way. And... uh..., does Her Excellency prefer rosé?"

"I... have no idea, sir. By the way, Lady Renata is waiting, I must return...!"

"Shall you let us come along?", warmly requested Sir Robin.

___________________________
Lady Anaivere Renata's chamber...

Maid Rosette invited Sir Robin and Little John along, although only her was allowed to freely enter the prison chamber as she was the former queen's maid after the late lady-in-waiting Lady Sylvia Walther. By the chamber's window up high on the North Tower, the unfortunate queen was sitting, her eyes looked deeply into the fair blue sky and she seemed as pale as a corpse.

She was no longer the majestic Queen Anaivere the First who previously had stood on the balcony of Nottingham castle, proudly looked down at her kingdom and wished for the golden reign to be the eternal. She was no longer a queen. The Anaivere of the presence was no one more than a prisoner, even she wasn't referred to by her own name, but her middle name Renata. At this situation, it could be said that Anaivere Renata Plantagenet was neither one nor two people. Anaivere was a proud monarch who would do anything in order to make her people out of misery; and Renata, was a shameful and pitiful late royalty who failed under her own young cousin's hand. She just seemed to have two souls in one body. A typical Jekyll-and-Hyde kind of person, or, the person who had two personalities, as we usually say. And we also could say that, Anaivere had died in absentia after the Anarchy and Renata was only a loser in the war of throne.

"Your Excellency?", called Maid Rosette.

Anaivere recognised the voice and looked down. She saw her maid along with her old friend and once ally, Sir Robin of Loxley. "How could he come here? He should have known what would come if he concerned about the Anarchy...", a thought passed through her mind, and a sign of nerve showed on her eyes.

Rosette went through the stairs and entered the chamber where the unfortunate Anaivere was being imprisoned. She held the pastry basket and asked:

"Your Excellency, I found your favourite tarts! Would you like some rosé, too?"

Anaivere, without turning over to see her maid and still looking at the sky, replied:

"I thank thee, but I do not fancy to have some sweets at the moment..."

"Are you ill, Your Excellency? You look seriously blue...", said Rosette, worriedly.

"Just... do not mind about me..."

"Your Excellency, at least you should tell me if you feel tired. Lady Walther had entrusted me to take care of you, and if you have any health problems, then it would be better that you just simply let me know..."

Anaivere silenced for a moment.

"If Henry would execute me, if I would die, if Anaivere would die, then, which devil would befall England?"

A tear fell down from her eye.

"I was given the responsibility of a monarch. I had sworn with my heart to protect this kingdom by my own life. I have failed the war of throne... How could I pass on in peace? With this unblessed fate of mine...?"

Suddenly, Sir Robin appeared behind Maid Rosette.

"Someone who was just born with a harder life, just like Her Excellency and I, when I was twenty. But by Heaven's sake, I got my friends, the merry men, Little John, and Alan-a-Dale who would always be by my side and help me as they were... My life is blessed, and so would be her also..."

Anaivere turned over just to see her old friend.

"How could you come here, Sir Robin?"

"You are my friend, my mistress, Your Excellency. How can I abandon my own friend and especially, my Queen?"

"You know what will befall you if Henry acknowledges that you were concerned to the Anarchy..."

"I know, Your Excellency. I just couldn't help myself comforting the only monarch whom I would loyal to until my death. As the duty of a knight...!"

"I shall not let you be executed just because of a disgraceful former monarch just like me! I honoured your protection, but I also have to protect my loyal knights from death!"

"Everyone has to die once, Your Excellency. From William the Conqueror to Henry the Third, I've never seen a monarch who would sacrifice and dedicate her own life for her people and her kingdom. And... in front of myself right now wasn't the once Anaivere the First of pride whom I've ever known. This is unlike who you truly are, Your Excellency..."

Anaivere lowered her voice.

"I am useless, now. I can do nothing but standing here and looking down the kingdom impotently. Sometimes I just wish to be born a commoner..."

"If you were born a commoner, there wouldn't have been a legendary Anais d'Nottinghamshire, a brave and majestic Anaivere the First, and a dearly beloved Lady Renata...", said Sir Robin in a sympathetic tone.