Once Upon An End

Chapter 1- The Arrival



         The carriage was about to take it's halt at the kingdom of Carlisle; the place where her mother was executed. Against her will, princess Iolanthe was dragged here by her father who had commanded her chef to drug her and her caretaker take her to the castle. Once she had began to wake, her unfortunate fate had begun to unfold.

         "Why the hell would you do this to me father!" I started kicking around and screaming only to have Lukas cover my mouth and pin me against the seat. When I had calmed down and he let me go and slowly retracted back to his seat across from me.

         "Why are you doing this to me? I thought I could trust you Lukas."

         "Milady, this isn't about trust. I am only to escort you to the kingdom by your father's word, and do not forget that-"

         "It's my father's, the King's words, so you must obey, for each and every subject from the Flore kingdom is to follow the King's, and only the King's words or execution will be your punishment. I know already, I've heard it over a million times Lukas, I just don't like how tyrannical and heartless he is."

         "He may be cruel sometimes but he cares for you, since you are his only daughter."

         "Sure, he cares for me so much, he just decides to sell me off to the Kingdom which murdered my mother only because she would not marry off both Lord and King. What's with their blood lines anyways? Don't both the Lord and King rule and must share their wife? What a bunch of weirdoes."

         "Their ancestors always fought and could never settle their dispute so they decided on a system where both would rule and share a wife in agreement, since back then, both the Lord and the King had loved her dearly."

         I had sat silently watching the fieldsmen gather wheat or woman and children bring back water. The castle had been so close and when we arrived, I took a deep breath followed by a sigh. A guard came up to us and inspected every inch making sure we weren't smuggling any weapons through the kingdom. Once he had finished he gestured for us to move ahead into the castle. The place had been over two times the size of our palace and it was a beautiful scenery. I wish had I had a chance to take in the view before Lukas rushed me inside the doors, which two guards had closed behind us. We had entered a long and tall hallway decorated with painting and furniture which had laid along the walls as we passed. Drapes had hung from the ceiling giving it more life and a few statues had been here or there just standing lifeless, watching our every step. I didn't want to admit it, but the place was a pleasant scene and I'm sure Lukas had seen I was enjoying it, for he started walking a little slower. I noticed his pace and decided to speed up, trying not to make it seem as obvious as I was apparently making it.

         We arrived at two huge doors which led us into the throne room. Three thrones had been aligned and in them sat the King, Queen, and Lord, in that order. We bowed out heads to show our courtesy, and in return, they had nodded their heads.

         The Lord began to speak, "so this is the daughter of Ion, King of Flore?"

         "Yes my Lord. I am Iolanthe, daughter of Ion and Rain."

         "Daughter of Rain?" The King had said.

         "That is correct my Majesty, daughter of Rain." I smirked as I had said that, for Rain was Ion's lover, but also the King's sister whom the Queen had despised.

         They glanced around at each other, wondering what to say next. I couldn't help but let a smile spread across my face at how shocked they were. Lukas had looked at me in anger and my smile quickly disappeared. He was about to speak, but then remembered he needed permission, which was to my advantage.

         "You are dismissed for today, our guards will show you to your room which you will be staying in, and your caretaker will be on his way."

         "Yes my Grace."

         I bowed my head to the Queen and followed the guard out of the room and as soon as the doors had closed, I started laughing. Lukas grabbed my arm and slapped me across the face. His expression showed that of worry. I was surprised at his sudden actions and became speechless as he had let go of my arm and turned away, leaving into the courtyard which we had entered. I rubbed my cheek where he had hit, and as he was no longer in my sight, tears began to well up in my eyes. I held back until I was shown to my room but as soon as that door closed I began to wail. Lukas hadn't even said goodbye to me as he left me in an unfamiliar place which I had hated for so long. My sadness quickly turned to hatred and I threw the pillow which had been on my bed into the wall. I began crying and cursing to the point where my throat became scratchy and loose.

         "What have I done?" I whispered to myself.

         I had laid my head on the other pillow on the bed and drifted off into a dream which I would never had wanted to wake up from.

         As the morning came, birds began chirping and sunlight had broken into the darkness making the lights the colors of oranges, reds and pinks. A light knock on my door was accompanied by a light sweet voice.

         "Princess, are you up yet?"

         The door cracked open and a beautiful maid popped her head in and smiled. She opened the door the rest of the way and carried a fresh stack of clothing in, setting it upon the end of my bed. I grumbled and slowly got up, realizing I had been changed into a night gown. I looked at her and she nodded back.

         "May I speak princess?"

         "What's the point of asking when you've already spoken?" I slipped the gown off.

         "The Prince's and Queen await your arrival at the dining hall. Shall I call a guard to escort you?

         "Don't you know the way? You take me."

         "I must insist upon a royal guard to escort you there princess, for it would be a disgrace to you if a lowly maid such as myself escorted you there."

         "I don't want some guard to take me, I want another woman to take me there."

         "Yes princess. Allow me to help you dress." She said as she gave up arguing.

         She helped me tighten my gown in the back and had put on lots of jewelry which I had disliked. When she had finished my hair and lightly sprayed me with some kind of liquid that spelled of flowers, she had escorted me to the dinning hall. When I had opened the door, the Queen was shocked that it wasn't a guard. She sat across a table full of food from two boys that looked almost of the same age as me. They were both quite handsome but I didn't care, for whom sat there were my fiancé's. I took the last remaining seat and had noticed that the Lord and King were not present, so I had assumed that they ate separately from the rest.

         "Good evening my Grace."

         "A lovely evening indeed my dear."

         I knew that from the tone of her voice, she was displeased with me. We had made small chat here and there but that was about it. I was wondering when she was going to introduce my fiancés, but by the end of breakfast, no word about it was said. Maybe they weren't my fiancés after all, but I still couldn't help but feel sickened at their presence. It was quite annoying and I had a hard time keeping my food down at the though of being both of their lovers. I had been excused from the table and was offered a tour through the castle, which I had declined. The same maid had waited in my chamber for my arrival.

         "Princess, how was the food?"

         "Food? Great. People? Not so much."

         "Princess?"

         "Forget it. Could you help me dress in a gown for outdoors? I would like to visit the courtyard now."

         "Yes Princess, of course."

         She had helped me dress and did my hair beautifully. Once she finished I took the metal pipe which was under my pillow.

         "Princess, if not too rude, may I ask what is that?"

         "Stop calling me princess already, call me something else."

         "Would 'milady' be to your likings Princess?"

         I froze for a second. The only one to have called me that was Lukas, and it made me miss him and the palace.

         "Just fine." I said lightly.

         She must have heard me though for she smiled brightly and lightly said, "yes milady" which had made me smile a bit.

         "You asked about this correct?," I held up the pipe "I'll show you if you come to the courtyard with me."

         She followed me to the courtyard and I began to play a melody on the flute which I had brought from the kingdom of Flore, the only one made and made just for me. As the melody played she closed her eyes and began to sway. Tears welled up and softly rolled down my cheek, for the melody had reminded me of my mother. I still continued as I cried and the maid had come over and hugged me. She just listened to me play, but what I did not know, was that she was not the only audience. Once I had finished I rested the flute on my lap only to hear footsteps right behind me. Both of the princes approached and my maid bowed her head. I felt uneasy as they dismissed her to wait for me in my chamber.

         "Why did she have to leave?" I said bitterly

         "She had to leave because we did not want such a lowly creature in our presence." They both said.

         I just frowned at them and sat down on a bench. They too had sat, but each on either side of me. One had brown, light hair and pretty reddish-brown eyes. He was dressed in blue which meant he was the Lord's son. The other had black, dark hair that was a little longer than most boys, but the Lord's son too, had the same style of hair. His eyes were a deep blue that reminded me of the sky. He had worn white, so he was the King's son. They both looked mature even for their age while I looked a little like a younger girl in my current gown. They sat in the order which the thrones were arranged, which I had not liked. I tried to stand up, but the grabbed my arms, holding me to the bench.

         "Let me go!" I struggled to get away but it was no use.

         "Why don't you like us princess?" The King's son said.

         "I don't like you because you belong to this kingdom, now let me go!"

         They both held their grip and smiled slyly at each other. Both had let go of my arms but before I could get up, pulled my hair.

         "Your hair is so pretty, long and shiny like gold. You're eyes are interesting too, a violet shade, correct?" The Lord's son had said.

         The Lord's son had let go of my hair but pinned me against the bench leaning his body over mine. He grinned evilly which had not been a good sign. He stole a kiss, which wasn't much, but had surprised me so I turned away, only I should've turned the other way cause the King's son had also done the same. This time though, I bit his lip making it bleed a little. They had looked at me in shock as if I had done something wrong then they both grinned at each other, then at me. They finally let me go, and as they walked away said their names. The Lord's son was Angelino and the King's son was Aries, so I didn't have to keep calling them the son of whoever. I quickly made my way to my chamber to find my maid standing there in wait of my arrival. I grabbed onto her skirt and cried until I fell asleep. My dream had been of what happened in the garden, except this time they had cut me, and in the end held me captive until I was executed. With the end of that dream I woke up, my maid sitting in the chair next to my dresser waiting for me, and dressed again in a night gown. I smiled lightly at her and she returned the favor.

         "Could you help me dress out?"

         "Of course Milady."

         "I also have a question.," I slipped of my sleeping gown.

         "What is it Milady? Ask anything you please."

         "My lady in waiting, can it be someone I choose?"

         "Of course Milady, but you would need consent from the Queen."

         "Well if I were to get her consent, would you become my lady in waiting?"

         She stood there shocked for a second, they smiled sweetly at me.

         "But of course Milady." She said as she finished buttoning my gown.

         She sat me in front of the mirror and fixed my hair to the side. She was very good a styling hair, and I always loved how gentle she was with the whole process. She also looked at me with gentle eyes, but the one thing I hate about the look in her eyes, was the other way she looked at me. I must have reminded of someone for the look in her eye's were of sadness, and I would hate if that was the only reason she was kind to me. Once finished she used the same spray and left me, asking me to wait a moment for her return. She came back in with a tray of fruits, chesses and bread. I had asked her to have some but she kept declining. In the end I only ate half and she took it away. When she returned, I played her a song on my flute and she was pleased, for I had written it for her. She also took me exploring through the castle, we hid from the royal guards a few times and laughed about it afterwards. Everything went nicely before dinner and I had lots of fun, but one the bell to call me to the table ran, everything turned serious.

         I entered into the dining hall again without a royal guard, and the queen looked quite annoyed. Aries and Angelino were sitting where they were before and the snickered as I walked by them. The King and Lord were joined with us this time. I bowed my head and they gestured me to take a seat. The food had already been set upon the table and my plate had little food on it. I'm guessing my lady in waiting made it like that since I had a snack when I was not supposed to. I smiled and took a bite, when I realized that the prince's were staring at me. I frowned and looked away. The Lord had seen something was bothering me.

         "How was the castle, were you shown around?" He said

         "Everything was excellent my Lord, I fancy most of the paintings hung around the castle."

          "They indeed are interesting. They've been here since the War of Fields."

         "The war of fields? Pardon me my Lord but I've never heard of that war, only of the one four years ago."

         "Well since the kingdom of Flore is more of a western castle, I wouldn't expect you to know." The Queen had said.

         She glared at me and I looked away toward his Lord. He went on about the War of Fields which was a huge battle between the kingdoms of the Moon, Basque, and Carlisle. I had never heard of the Moon Kingdom and I guessed I was not taught about it since it was the kingdom which had fallen years ago. Apparently the town had still stood but had been abandoned and the castle had fallen in ruins. Everyone calls them the 'Ruins of the Moon' from the kingdoms name. After we had finished some of the servants had cleaned the table. There were also servants who were men, but they mostly catered to Aries and Angelino. I had decided to ask about my lady in waiting.

         "Excuse me my Grace, but may I ask you about my lady in waiting?"

         "Lady in waiting? Of course. May I presume you have chosen one?"

         "Yes my Grace. I had wanted the maid catering to me lately to become my lady in waiting, for she is a very good caretaker and she has helped me get used to the castle."

         :"A lowly maid? Why not one of our higher attendants? I'm sure there are plenty of better caretakers here in the kingdom. I'm sure that I can find you a better lady in waiting."

         "No one is better than her. Pardon my rudeness your Grace, but I'm positive you couldn't find anyone better than her for me. I would throw tantrums if I did not get my way. Trust me, you'll run out of attendants to help me before you could find a lady in waiting."

         The princes started chuckling at how I stood up against the Queen, and her puzzled look told me that she was more than surprised I had my own voice. The Lord and King had also grinned a little.

         "You little-" The Queen had begun but the King had motioned her to stop.

         "I shall permit your maid to become your lady in waiting and she will also receive a new name of honor. Does that sound alright with you?"

         "Yes my Highness, thank you."

         "Also, for her to become you lady in waiting, you must agree to a term from all of the court."

         I looked at them seriously, and I had been prepared for the worst. If it was from the court, it meant all of the Ruler's of the land, and if you were to decline after agreeing, them you are to be executed on the spot, no matter if you were the current lord, king, queen, duchess, duke, or even the royal council. if you agree and find out that you do not like it, it's to late. I swallowed the saliva building up in my mouth and took a deep, silent breath.

         "I agree if she can stay my lady in waiting."

         "She must be an amazing caretaker for you to agree. Since the terms were agreed you may not break your word, and the promise is to marry our sons and become the next queen.

         My breath stopped and my heart was beating so fast. I remembered what they had done earlier that day. Once I caught my breath I, calmed down a bit.

         "Then I must request one thing else."

         "You may, but only one and it must be spoken."

         "If anything were to happen to either my lady in waiting or me before I became queen," I directed my eyes at the queen, but the Lord and King hadn't noticed "then the deal shall be cancelled."

         "You are a daring girl. Me and his Majesty agree to your terms, may you live in happiness until then."

         I was dismissed right after and I couldn't help but feeling regretful. The one thing I had not regretted was that I now had my lady in waiting, and it had been my maid. As I took a step the prince's had left the dining hall as well.

         "You're so sly, my wife." Aries had said as he passed.

         "Keeping my mother off of your back until she is retired from the throne. So sly my fiancé." Angelino had added.

         They continued walking down the hallway and we parted ways at the chamber's part of the castle. The prince's chambers were probably a few floors above me. I walk into my own chamber when I find my lady in waiting had fallen asleep in the chair. I get my gown off and change into my sleeping gown quietly so I could let her sleep. I crawled into bed and ended up sleeping as soon as my head had hit the pillow. It was a tiring long day, but I had fun most of the day.

         Chapter 2: The End of Her Peace

         The morning had come and I found my lady in waiting standing next to me, shaking me awake and calling my name lightly. Once I had got up, she got me dressed and ready for the day. As she was doing my hair I had told her the good news and her face had enlightened which made me smile. I couldn't tell her about the agreement of the court or else she would be executed for knowing. We could actually be on the terms of friends now instead of master and servant, which had actually made me happy I agreed to the court.

         "May I know a little about you now?"

         "Of course Milady. What would you like to know?"

         "How old are you? When did you come here? How old were you when they brought you here? How did you arrive here? And what's your name, so I don't refer to you as 'my lady in waiting' all the time."

         "Lots of questions. My name is Cynthia named after the cynthian flower of the Moon Kingdom, my place of birth. My mother was brought here as a mistress to a Duke and I was sold off to this Kingdom when she gave birth to me because I was an inconvenience to her. I was raised here to be a maid since I was five and I am now fifteen. That's all the answers to your questions."

         "This may sound bad, but I'm glad you were an inconvenience to your mom, so I wouldn't be alone here. Do you want to hear my story?"

         "Of course Milady, if you do not mind telling me so."

         "I was born of an affair between my father, the King of Flore, and princess Rain, the princess of Carlisle, the current King's sister. The current Queen was brought here and my mother was hated by her from all the attention that was given to her by the King."

         "Milady, I don't think you should be telling me this."

         "I won't matter, I promise. Anyways, the Queen had found out about the princess's love affair with my father and had her executed on the spot. Little did they know that they had already had a child that lived with the King. He had kept me a secret and married the current Queen of Flore and she was a horrid woman, for she raised me as a slave and when she had her own sons, she sold me so her sons could rule Flore. They had made a promise to the current Lord that I would be married of to their sons but only if their sons agreed to the marriage proposal."

         "Milady, I have finished you hair.," she put my braided hair with blue flowers in my hair over my shoulder.

         "Beautiful as always Cynthia. would you like to hear the rest of the story after breakfast?"

         "If you would be up to telling me Milady."

         She left and came back with a cart of food. We had eaten and shared stories of growing up and as soon as we finnised, I set my plate aside and began telling her the end of the story I was telling her earlier.

         "After that I arrived here, and during our first meeting I had told them I was daughter of Ion and Rain, which had made them flustered. For me that was good, for I must get revenge on the Queen. Not physically though, but mentally."

         "Milady," Cynthia whispered "you must not stick your head into what you're not supposed to, for it may cost you your life."

          Her smile faded away as she said this, and she cleaned up the dishes without a word. I became curious at what she meant and decided not to pry to much into her words.

         "Milady, may I ask your name and age as well?"

         "My name is Iolanthe, which is translated to Violet Flower in English and I'm thirteen.

         "A very beautiful name suits such a beautiful woman such as yourself."

         She had smiled at me as she left the room. I grabbed my flute and headed out towards the west wing. Once I got there, I climbed the steps to the top and opened the wooden door which led to the top of the tower. I began playing the "Melody of the Forests" and my music was carried through the wind as it surrounded me, making me fall into a whole other world. I was lost in the music and I heard the trees call back to me through the same wind. When the song had ended I just looked at the sky. Someone tapped on the shoulder. When I turned around I was greeted by two faces which I would not have liked to see.

         "Hello Iolanthe, what brings you up here?" Aries has said

         "What is that thing anyways? It makes amazing sounds." the other added

         "It's none of your business what I'm doing up here and what this is, what are you two doing up here anyways?" I asked sharply.

         "Why are you so cold to us?," Angelino said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

         "If it's the other evening in the courtyard," Aries began "we weren't doing anything, just playing around. And weren't you the one who had bitten my lip?"

         I brushed away Angelino's hand and walked towards the exit when they had suddenly pushed me to the ground, scraping my arm.

         "Let me go! Just leave me alone you demons!"

         "So we're demon's now? We'll show you how demonic we can really be since you keep ignoring us." They said in perfect unison.

         Aries held my arms while Angelino held my legs. I struggled to break free but they were to strong for me, and Aries began to unfasten the back of my dress. I felt cold chills run down my spine and my heart stop. I couldn't speak and I started to freeze up. They had taken off my dress and tossed it to the side, leaving me with only a thin underdress and trousers underneath that. I tried to cover myself but my arms were held tightly in Aries hands. Angelino had taken off my trousers but I managed to get a good, clean kick into his face. When he turned to face me, I glared at him and spit in his face. He frowned at me, clearly pissed off as he unbuckled his pants along with Aries. I tried my hardest but in the end, they had succeeded. I was crying when they got dressed and they threw my clothing on top of me.

         "Stop crying you baby, you asked for this." Aries had said

         "Maybe this will teach you to answer kinder to us." Angelino pitched in.

         They both left as I started to put on my dress. I was weak and my body had been shaking so much, I couldn't finish putting on my dress and my hair was all messed up, so as I walked back to my chamber I looked like a mess. The first person I saw was Cynthia. I ran to her and cried clutching to her dress. She carried me to my room so the other's wouldn't see me and laid me down on my bed. She had started taking of the gown and I slapped her hand away, frightened.

         "I've probably hurt her. Don't look. Just don't look at her face." I had thought.

         Even though I told myself that over and over again, I looked up. She had the look of worry and sorrow on her face. I thought that it was my fault and I turned away and started crying even harder. My powders and dyes on my face had started running and dripped onto my gown that was clutched tightly in my hands. She sat next to me and held me gently. Then I realized, she didn't have that look because of what I said, but she had that look because of me. I cried on her shoulder and she just sat there holding me gently. I fell asleep like that and when I had woken up I had been in a sleeping gown. this one was new though. It was the color of light violet and white ruffles sewn onto the bottom. I look up and Cynthia smiled at me, but she had the look of pain in her eyes.

         "To make such a young girl go through that." She had said as she stood up.

         "Please don't worry about it to much," I said " it will become just a small memory by the end of the sun's cycle."

         She smiled at me and under her breath I heard her say, "what a strong girl you are". I fell asleep until the early dawn's sun had awoken me. I got up and sat down in front of the mirror. My face was wiped clean but I still felt filthy and disgusted. My body began to shiver at the thought of what had happened, but Cynthia comforted me by hugging me around my shoulders. Even though yesterday I had pushed her away because she touched me, some how my body felt at ease when she touched me.

         "Milady, would you like to bathe after your first meal?"

         "I am not hungry and since I am not required to join the Queen in the dinning hall, I will not be eating this morning, but please allow me to bathe."

         "Milady, I must insist that you eat."

         "When the sun is in mid sky I will, but for tonight I shall bathe and rest, please understand Cynthia."

         She nodded her head and lead me to the bathing room. It was like a pond only instead of lying in dirt, it was lying in gold. There was actually heated water inside too, which I had never bathed in. The soaps and perfumes that rose from the steam had smelled as if I was in a flower bed. Cynthia undressed me from my night gown and folded on a shelf made of metals a little higher on the wall. She then dressed me in a this bathing robe and lowered me into the water. On the opposite end there was water cascading down like a water fall and the soaps were in shapes of butterflies. Cynthia washed my hair first, then started combing it out.

         "Your hair is so long and beautiful and such a pretty golden color."

         "My step-mother had once cut it short and sold it for money. Then it grew out even more the color of gold that she had tried again, but this time father had stopped her. I don't know what he did to her, but she never touched my hair after that."

         Well since she cut it, it became healthy and beautiful, but she was in the wrong to sell it. It would not be precious unless grown from your head."

         "That water over there reminds me off a waterfall that I used to always bathe in as a child."

         "If you want you may sit over there Milady."

         "I will some other day, if I even come to bathe here again."

         "Of course Milady."

         I closed my eyes to relax when all of a sudden I felt something wrong with my lower body. When I looked down I found blood traveling through the water in clouds and I became scared. I climbed out and Cynthia grabbed onto me and dried me off. Blood then trailed down my left leg from my hip and Cynthia left for a moment. She came back holding bandage wraps and herbs.

         "Am I wounded?"

         "It's not bad." She said as she wrapped me leg. She cleaned of the blood trailing down and dressed my in the nightgown again. She picked me up and carried me to my room. I had again fallen asleep in her arms and woke up a little when she had lain me down, but easily drifted right back into a deep slumber.

         Cynthia had not been sitting in her usual chair when I awoke. I waited a bit for her to come, but after a bit I got up and wandered through the hallways. It had been early morning and the Royal Family members had still been asleep. I wandered around for a bit looking for Cynthia when finally, I had found her. As I walked into the garden I saw her and the servant of Aries talking and laughing together. I had thought nothing of it ad approached them. When I neared, they had kisses, and that's when I hid. I quietly snuck back to my chamber, unseen. I hear Cynthia walking down and talking to the servant, and I quickly jumped over my covers as if nothing had happened. As they approached my room Cynthia had said goodbye quietly and sneak into my room. She sat down in her chair and waited for me to get up. I finally arose, not making eye contact with her.

         "Can you dress me?" I said to her, still making no eye contact.

         "Yes Milady of course." she said with a hint of suspicion in her voice.

         I decided to speak and my voice came out normally as I said, "How long have you two been seeing each other?"

         "Pardon Milady?" She said as she brushed through my hair.

         "I thought relationships between servants here were punishable by death."

         I glance up at her only to see her face puzzled.

         "Will you tell me?"

         "His name is Huw, and he is from a land over the Blue Stretch, In the North you are probably familiar with it being called the Sea. We were friends since I first arrived and he helped me out so gradually we became attracted to each other."

         "Sounds like something out of those storybooks for kids my father used to read to me."

         "Milady," she had stopped brushing my hair and bowed her head," I apologize for my behavior and rudeness. You may punish me any way you see fit, but please do not tell the queen. I beg of you Milady."

         "Who do you take me for? I did not go through all this trouble for you to be my lady in waiting just to have you killed off not days later. Also, my punishment for you is to no longer see him in such open areas. If someone of the royal guards or even the princes were to see you then what?"

         "Thank you Milady."

         The day passed on unexpectedly smoothly until nightfall. Cynthia had been brushing my hair for the nighttime when suddenly a maid bursts through the door.

         "This is Milady's room ! Do you understand your punishment for intruding like this?" Cynthia had said walking up to her.

         "Huw is to be executed in the courtyard. Right Now!" she had to catch her breath.

         She must have run all the way here from outside to warn Cynthia. We both rushed out of the room with the maid towards the courtyard, only to arrive the second Huw's head falls into the basket. Cynthia dropped to her knees in shock and tears fell down her face. She grabbed onto my dress and I put my arm's around her. Angelino and Aries had been standing next to the queen who sat in her throne. The prince's looked at me with a pleased look spread across their faces; the queen with disdain.

         "Why Huw? Why not me?" Cynthia muttered as she continued crying.

         I drew her to her feet slowly and lead her through the doors towards my chamber. Right before the doors close I mouth the words "Go die" over my shoulders and I could see that they read them perfectly because of their facial expressions. Then the doors closed.