“Down!” Eliza yelled, clasping Lucie’s hand. She flung herself awkwardly to the floor, tugging a shrieking Lucie down with her. The two landed on their sides, half-lying on the floor.
A crack and a bang came from the window, as the glass doors rocketed apart. The black orb had collided with the windowpane and sped right into the room, as it soared through the sky.
Dawn’s pointed head targeted Eliza, as the raven flew to her side. A squawk came from the bird, as it nuzzled against her.
Eliza felt relieved, stroking the birds head. Lucie screamed, pulling the sheets over her head; the sheets that had been tugged off the bed along with her.
“It’s only Dawn,” Eliza laughed, as the raven perched on her finger.
The maiden’s eyes peeked out from beneath the sheet, as she glared at the bird. Lucie had landed in a strange position, face-first on the ground with her hips upwards.
“It’s a foul creature, it’s ugly.” Lucie spat out, with her cheeks as red as a spring strawberry.
Eliza scanned the open window, looking from it to Dawn. The raven must have spotted her from far off, sending it spiralling towards the tower.
Dawn wobbled on its stick-like legs, its neck curling around in circles. Eliza giggled, stroking its head.
“That is what you deserve, for flying head-first into a window.” Eliza said, “You are a daft bird.”.
Peering at the mirror, Eliza’s eyes widened. Her hair was frizzled and thick, landing in a heap. Her used nightgown was sweat-drenched and loosely hanging from her shoulders.
“I look like I’m already dead.” Eliza groaned.
“Do not say that, you look fine.” Lucie scolded.
Eliza opened her mouth to reply, as a thud came from beneath them. The two froze. Footsteps came from the staircase, echoing throughout.
Lucie stumbled over words, skipping to her feet. The noise grew louder.
Taking hold of Lucie, Eliza threw the maiden behind her, pulling the wardrobe door open, and pushing the girl inside.
Lucie squealed; her eyes wide as she collided with the dense wood.
Eliza slammed the wardrobe doors shut before Lucie could protest, locking her inside. Stumbling across the tower room, she searched for a hiding place.
The tower door swung open, revealing two distressed knights. Thomas and Edward stood in the stone entrance; swords aimed.
“Surrender!” Thomas yelled, sprinting toward Eliza. He grabbed hold of her and swung her into the wall, pressing her against it.
Colliding with the wall, her head started pounding. Turning around through gritted teeth, she saw his sword inches from her neck.
“Stop!” Edward yelled, marching to them. “I told you, do not jump to conclusions.”.
Thomas’ armour clinked and clanked as he moved, embarrassingly sunken from his frame.
“It was her, I told you she’d pull a trick on us!” Thomas shouted. “I knew you would hurt her, you witch!”.
“What are you talking about?” Eliza winced. Thomas scowled, as his eyes searched the room. He let go of her arms.
Edward sighed, briefly nodding toward her. Thomas had reached the open window, leaning on the edge, and peering down to the ground.
‘I’d push him, if I had the energy.’ Eliza thought, before shaking the violent thoughts away.
“Before he throws a tantrum, where is the lady?” Edward whispered to her, shaking his head at the young knight.
“She’s hexed her, I know she has!” Thomas yelled, “If I had it my way, she would never associate with a witch like you!”.
“Jealous?” Eliza scoffed, with a sour look. “You drooled over her for four years, and she never gave you a second glance.”.
Eliza remembered the first time Thomas McGlynn had met Lucie Benson, and how he set his heart on marrying her. His infamous attempts became the talk of the town, as he became fascinated with every move she made.
Lucie, despite needing to marry a nobleman, never once considered him as a suitor.
“No, I’ve changed from my old ways, now I—” Thomas froze, as a bang echoed throughout.
A shriek came from across the room. Lucie came tumbling out of the wardrobe, landing flat on her stomach with a grunt. Her gown flowed out across the floor, as her hair covered her eyes.
“I-I’m here…” Lucie croaked, raising a hand with her face on the floor.
Thomas sucked in a breath, rushing over to Lucie’s side. He flung his sword across the floor, as he gripped her arms, lifting Lucie to her knees.
Lucie’s wobbled in a daze, as she tried to stand onto her feet.
“Stay down, you’re faint.” Thomas whispered, in a comforting tone Eliza had never heard.
Lifting her like a glass doll, Thomas lay a light-headed Lucie onto the floor. He knelt beside her, with a proud smirk on his face.
Edward coughed, averting his eyes. Thomas said nothing, unmoving from his place beside the maiden.
Eliza marched across the room, stifling a humourless laugh. Reaching the tray beside her bed, she gripped the goblet of water in her hand.
Thomas glared at her, as she marched over to Lucie. The maiden, even while half-fainted, remained perfect. Her face was pale and lips a soft pink, like a fairy-tale princess awaiting true love’s kiss.
“Get up!” Eliza exclaimed, splashing the full cup of water over Lucie’s face. The maiden immediately sat up, water dripping from her and mouth open wide.
“Don’t do that to her!” Thomas growled.
“She’s awake, is she not?” Eliza replied, “Lucie faints all the time, especially after falling face-first out of a wardrobe.”.
Lucie, struggling for breaths, half-nodded. She wiped away the water from her soaking face, as droplets fell from her flustered cheeks.
“That’s true, I’m used to it...” Lucie drawled, her eyes floating off-centre.
Thomas sulked, still crouching at the maiden’s side. It was clear he hoped to be the knight in shining armour, and the one to save the girl.
“Ah-hem,” Edward coughed, gesturing to Thomas. “I believe our business here is done.”.
“I believe it is not,” Thomas replied, “I will stay with the lady until she has recovered.”,
“No, you won’t!” Eliza and Edward said, simultaneously.
Thomas shot her a nasty look, firmly knelt in place. Eliza’s eyes darted over to Thomas’ abandoned sword, inches away from her.
Her hand reached out, gripping the swords’ hold. Slowly, focusing her eyes, Eliza pointed it at the kneeling knight.
“Out.” Eliza warned, as Thomas’ eyes sparked his fear.
“Don’t you dare touch me, w-witch!” He gulped, fumbling in his back pockets. He scampered to his trembling feet, whilst Eliza stepped over Lucie.
‘He’s a coward, at heart,’ Eliza thought, ‘Use that.’.
Edward remained silent; his feet glued to the floor. His eyes skimmed between the two, as he clutched his own sword.
Thomas backed away from her. His eyes flickered over to Edward, as he nodded towards her.
“S-She’s using my own sword against me, that’s not fair!” Thomas cried, narrowing his eyes at her. He stopped pacing backwards and took one step toward her.
“I’ll give you your sword,” Eliza murmured, shaded eyes focused on the boy. “If you leave.”.
Edward glared at her, pushing past them both. He took hold of Thomas’ shoulder blade and pulled the boy to the door.
“N-No!” Thomas whined, “I can fend her off, I don’t fear her!”.
“That’s not what I am worried about,” Edward grumbled, swinging the tower door open and pushing the knight out. Thomas’ pleading face was the final sight, before he was covered by mahogany wood.
“Put the sword down,” Edward warned her, and Eliza dropped it at her feet. The sword hit the floor with a bang.
Dawn began to chirp from the back of the room, as all three eyes turned to the new sound. Edward gasped, reaching for Thomas’ sword.
“No!” Eliza yelled, taking hold of his arm. The knight froze, with the sword in mid-air. Edward squinted his eyes at her, then Dawn. His face mellowed from its irritated state, as the sword lowered to his feet.
“It’s yours?” Edward asked, gesturing to Dawn. Eliza nodded.
“It’s my company,” Eliza said, “There’s no crime in that.”.
Lucie pushed herself to her feet, stumbling over to the two. She placed a hand on Eliza’s shoulder, balancing her shaken self. Edward’s eyes shot between them.
“You two are friends?”.
“No.” said Eliza.
“Yes.” said Lucie.
The two girls turned to one another, like they were talking in telekinesis. With a wordless nod, they both returned to Edward.
“Yes.” said Eliza.
“No.” said Lucie.
The knight’s brow raised, as he stifled a laugh. Eliza and Lucie shot each other another confused look, whispering under their breaths.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Edward said, “Or not.”.
He turned back to Lucie, with an unreadable face.
“You must remember your professional duties, Lady Benson.” Edward warned. “Provide Miss Spinner with necessities, no more.”.
Lucie hesitated, before lowering her eyes. The maiden spun around and began pacing the room, balancing recklessly tossed sheets on her arms.
Edward directed his gaze at Eliza, scanning her with his eyes. Standing in her paper-thin nightgown, she knew she looked a state compared to Lucie.
“And you,” Edward began, eyeing Eliza. “You’re a wildcard; unpredictable.”.
“Aren’t you a charmer.” Eliza scoffed. His hand braced her shoulder.
“It is not an insult,” Edward said, “If you play your cards right.”.
Edward smirked, turning to leave the room. He noticed Eliza’s furrowed eyes, as she thought over his words. With that, he left the room, leaving the two girls stunned. Lucie nudged Eliza’s arm.
“That was…wise,” Lucie said, “What did it mean?”.
“Who knows?” Eliza smirked, “He’s a bit strange too, they ought to lock him in a tower.”.
Lucie giggled, nudging her elbow into Eliza’s again. The smirk on her face was contagious, as her hand clutched her mouth. Eliza stared, with a lost look. The girl continued to laugh, as her giggles filled the void room. Lucie’s cheeks had flushed boiling red.
“Two strange people who use a lot of long words I cannot understand,” Lucie giggled, “C’est l’amour.”.
“Oh, hush,” Eliza scoffed, giggling under her breath. “He’s guarding the tower that I am imprisoned in, that is certainly not love.”.
“Well, it was a mere suggestion,” Lucie shrugged, “The look he gave you, there was admiration in it.”.
“I am the last person to be admired, Lucie,” Eliza said, “He’s nicer to me than the other knights have been, yes, but being nice is the bare minimum. If you swoon over every man who is nice, where do you draw the line?”.
Lucie folded her arms, shaking her head. Eliza knew all-too-well that the maiden was a hopeless romantic, but unfortunately, Lucie tended to fall for the ones that would not give her a second glance.
Then, the maiden perked up. Her eyes met Eliza’s own, as she leant in. Eliza prayed that it was not another love suggestion.
“The plan, I forgot!” Lucie whispered, gripping onto Eliza’s hand. The two shared a glance, before Eliza stepped away.
“Plan? What plan?”.
Lucie hesitated, with her eyes floating adrift. Whatever the ‘plan’ was, Eliza knew Lucie was hesitant, that she was doubtful.
“Lucie, tell me.”.
“I have an idea, listen;” Lucie said, “We both know that Elizabeth cannot make it out of here alive, but…what if someone else can?”.
5
Watch Your Back
Eliza sat on the edge of the windowpane, patiently awaiting the arrival of her maiden-friend. Dawn’s eyes squinted toward her, as it fluttered over her head.
“I could care less that you are angry, Dawn,” Eliza said, “Eat the stale bread, if you are that hungry. I am not allowing you to eat a shoe.”.
Her pet’s boundless appetite had worsened overnight. Dawn nipped on her arms and sat on her head, desperate for a bite of food. To Eliza’s disgust, it had tried eating her worn shoe.
Dawn bit her forearm between its teeth, pecking at her skin. Eliza flicked it away with her hand, earning a cry from the bird.
“Shoo!” Eliza said, waving Dawn away.
She had managed to dress, after one of the maidens had popped in with clothes while she slept. Her navy-blue skirt ran down past her ankles, and a white linen shirt gave her warmth.
It was prisoner clothing at best, but more complimenting than her worn-out nightgown.
The room had gotten uglier, she was sure. The dusty-old wardrobe seemed to stare into her soul, and the stained antique mirror had fingerprint marks. The walls were smeared in a strange substance, while the tower itself was cold, suiting for a prisoner in every aspect.
After spending her tower days in misery, while forcing a brave smile for Lucie, her emotions were quick-changing.
It was easier to pretend she was fine, that she was paving her way through with a smile. The late nights shadows knew that was not true.
The wind brushed her face, while Dawn perched on her shoulder. The world passed by, as it always did.
Still, Lucie’s masterplan brought her more hope than anything. The risk it took could cost her head, but she knew, she had nothing left to lose. Her head was the least of her concerns.
Eliza straightened out her skirt and turned towards the mirror. For the first time in forever, she smiled. Her face felt strange doing so, and her cheeks melted. A bittersweet feeling struck her heart.
Lucie would sneak past the guards soon and arrive to the tower room for their plan to be set in action. There would be limited time, and if they were a minute overdue, the knights would get suspicious.
A squawk came, as Dawn came flying head-first towards her. Eliza screamed, ducking away.
“Stop that!” She yelled, pushing the bird off. She was fully convinced that the bird was a human soul in an animal’s body; it was far too eerie how self-aware it was.
Dawn began circling the room, squawking, and chirping in its flight. That was never a good sign. When Dawn got exceedingly restless, it was usually a sign of trouble.
“You are either creepily possessive or creepily possessed, stupid bird.” Eliza grumbled, sighing at the window. Her own reflection could be seen in the glass, covered by the drooling rainfall.
‘If Dawn acts this possessed with Lucie, she’ll throw a tantrum.’ Eliza thought.
“Did I raise you like this? No.” Eliza smirked, playfully scowling at the bird. “Poor Lucie, you’ll scare her to death.”.
She had listened all morning, her ears perking up each time the door creaked open. To her dismay, it had been Thomas entering the tower, listening for anything to use against her.
Gazing out the window once more, she saw King Richard and his men, as the soldiers marched back and forth. Eliza smiled.
“Why do they move their arms like that?” She laughed, turning to Dawn. “When they march, they swing their arms forward and back, did you notice?”.
Dawn ignored her, and she expected no reply. Eliza turned back to the marching men, resting her face on her hand.
She never understood why The King could not march with them on the training grounds, where they trained for war.
Their bulging boots squashed the small flower petals, ruining the sweetness of the castle gardens.
Eliza realised that if the guards were at their training, Lucie could sneak past them. She scanned the outside world, and her gaze landed on a hooded figure, crouched beside the evergreen hedges.
Her eyes squinted, focused on the strange person. Their face was covered by the charcoal hood, along with their clothes.
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br /> ‘Lucie would wear her maiden clothes, would she not?’ Eliza thought. ‘Perhaps she is taking incognito to heart.’.
Then, with a closer look, she realised the figure was far too tall. They moved cautiously, taking side steps along the hedge, keeping a firm hold on their hood.
A pit of suspicion grew in Eliza’s stomach, and a feeling that something was wrong, very wrong.
Lurking around the castle grounds in such an antisocial manner was highly forbidden.
The figure reached into their cloak. They pulled out a sword, sharp and shimmering, edging closer to The King.
“Is that…” Eliza’s voice wandered off, as she anxiously watched.
‘I have to do something, anything.’ Eliza thought, gripping the windowpane.
For once, Eliza watched in awe as the roles reversed in front of her very eyes. The King likened to prey, and the anonymous figure the hunter.
Like a blood-hungry animal, the hunter’s moves were slow and deliberate. The sword swung around a few times on the figure’s arm, and he creeped up behind His Highness’ back.
Eliza had to admit, this hooded person had a logical approach. They chose to strike The King at a rare point in time.
Bewitched Page 5
