The Stepsister's Lament

by S R Nulton

  Also, it wasn’t quite at the center of the city, more off to one side. At the same time the first manor was being built, a casino opened up nearby. Naturally, the gambling establishment was shut down because it was too close to the farms, but it wasn’t the last. The next one built a little farther away and made sure to be centered on the main thoroughfares for the city, somehow ensuring that the nearest homes were always at least a mile away in any direction, thereby avoiding the previous complaints. Apparently no one wanted to live that close to the casinos. I couldn’t blame them for that. Between the noise, drunks and magic lights, they weren’t exactly ideal neighbors.

  Reese moved us over a few more streets and we were finally in the wealthy portion of town. Large plots of land showed off exquisite homes, many looking like they were smaller versions of the castle Cindy was living in. Some were elegant. Most were gaudy and over the top. Only a select few were understated and comfortable, staying true to their farmhouse roots. Those were my favorite.

  I had been examining a beautifully constructed cottage (albeit much larger than my own) when I spotted the last home on the row. It had been constructed entirely of quartz, in effect making it appear to have been formed of diamonds and other precious gems. Heck, parts of it could have been. The home was the largest around, and extensive grounds held the most impressive rose gardens that I had ever seen. And yet they looked remarkably familiar…

  I drew in a sharp breath.

  This was the place that the spirally hat had shown me! And that’s when I realized why the place had looked so familiar. I’d been there only once, when I was about 5-years-old. This was the home of the most infamous woman in the world. Apparently the seer I was seeking was employed by Charlotte Rancune!

  “Well, crap.”

  ~

  “We have to go in there, don’t we?” I asked, voice resigned.

  “Yep.”

  I sighed. “That explains why you didn’t want to come. I was wondering. I mean, facing down a mad queen, no problem, but going to Crysallia, suddenly you’re hesitant? It seemed a bit out of character.”

  Reese grimaced. “Yes, well, she is not the most pleasant woman. Insanity is nothing to megalomania and either one is infinitely preferable to both. And Rancune is both.”

  We stood outside her gate, staring at the door for a few more minutes. Finally I said, “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  Reese sighed before nodding. He reluctantly followed me to the entrance. There was no guard on duty, nothing to prevent us from entering. That was quite telling. It seemed that Rancune felt that she was safe just based on her name and reputation alone. The sad thing was, it was probably true. It was also a great way to send a message. On the other hand, she probably had traps placed by her magicians hidden all around her property. She hadn’t survived so long by being stupid.

  Charlotte Rancune was the queen of the underworld, and not just Crysallia’s. She had her fingers in every illicit activity on the continent. Rumor had it, she’d been born with another name, but chose the one she did for a reason.

  “Charlotte” was the name of the first queen of Alenia. That woman had been as ruthless as she was unstable. She had her husband imprisoned for twenty years and then tried to convince the country that the ‘forest ghosts’ had stolen him. In other words, the dryads. She really hated anything from the woods. Apparently they could see and feel the sickness in her. Eventually she was deposed, but not without earning quite the reputation for madness and abject cruelty. It was a fitting first name for the criminal queen of Crysallia.

  This Charlotte’s last name was also a warning. “Rancune” literally meant ‘spiteful’. In other words, people only ever crossed her once.

  She was one reason that I still worried about Cindy, despite the royal guard’s protection. Rancune was good friends with my grandmother and hated the crown. She had yet to move against them in an obvious way, but she would never turn down such an easy target. After all, Cindy didn’t have protection spells placed on her from the time of her birth, unlike every other royal on the continent. Then there was the issue of Grandmother using one of our family as a carrier without our knowledge.

  Charlotte Rancune lived to create chaos so she could exploit it and killing the new and much beloved princess would do just that. Added to that, there was a rumor that Charlotte took after her namesake’s feelings for all things royal. The original Charlotte had nearly succeeded in destroying Alenia’s fledgling kingdom; there was no telling what the modern one could accomplish. And now, she had the crown prince’s in-law standing at her door. Oh, yeah. This was going to go well.

  Reese and I stood there awkwardly for a long moment. Finally, I got up the nerve to try and knock. In our defense, the door was incredibly massive and the stone was carved with reliefs of well-known folk tales. Every single one of them involved a horrible curse and few ended well for the cursed one. Before I could do more than touch the platinum ring of the knocker, the door opened. I may or may not have jumped. If I did, I will deny it until the day I die.

  “Come in,” called a decadent voice from behind the door. Seriously, it was so smooth and rich that you felt like you had been enveloped in a swath of dark silk and so lovely that it made me worry that my curse was still there and somehow making me think in poetry. Which is actually a truly terrifying concept.

  I looked at Reese. He nodded and pulled my arm through his own before escorting me into the den of evil. I wish that were hyperbole, but I could actually feel dark emotions leaking from the open door.

  Once over the threshold, we came face to face with someone I recognized almost instantly, although I couldn’t explain how.

  “You’re the seer.”

  “Yes,” she said with a smile lying gently on her lips. She nodded at me. The colored glass beads in her braided hair clacked. “I was worried you wouldn’t arrive in time, especially not with Bekins on your case. Let me see your hands,” she said as she grabbed them. I was a bit confused until I remembered how hard I’d fallen after being tossed into the attic room the night before. “Yep, he bruised them. Don’t worry; they’ll be healed soon enough. Come, this way.” The seer beaconed us further in so she could close the door before turning and leading us down the hall.

  Everywhere you looked, the building screamed ‘obscene wealth’. The floors were made of solid marble slabs and the walls appeared to be as well. Gold practically dripped from the sconces. Tapestries older than the king’s palace graced the walls of the large hall. Even the doors were inlaid with gems and precious metals. We didn’t move very far, only the second door on the right, and then walked through a set of curtains into a completely different world.

  It was the most cliché space I had ever seen; everything about it screamed charlatan. The gauzy curtains cocooned the room and kept the incense burning in the corners from escaping or dissipating. There was a large round table in the middle of the room and a crystal ball was centered on the inlaid pentacle. A pack of beautifully illustrated cards lay next to the ball. It was definitely a fortuneteller's room, but it was making me seriously doubt the powers of the seer that worked there.

  Our host glided gracefully to the head of the table and sat, fanning her multicolored skirts out around her as she did. She stared at me with dark eyes, examining me.

  “Don’t be misled by the trappings,” she warned. “They are useful when I deal with fools, which is most of the time. Few actually wish to know what will happen to them, and fewer truly need to. I learned that particular lesson from your grandmother. Welcome, Joy, Spinner’s whelp. I am the seer Kioni. Now please, sit! There is much to discuss.”

  I carefully lowered myself into a chair near hers. There was no doubt in my mind that she was incredibly gifted at fooling people. The question was, had she fooled us?

  Seer Kioni had smooth, coffee colored skin, large dark eyes, and her form was tall and slim. She was regal, but hid her strength well behind a thin form and delicate fabrics. She was an excellent showman
, knowing just how to play up her exotic features and gain respect without gaining fear. Aunt Grace had taught me early in life that to see the future was to be despised.

  The seer lifted one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Kindred spirits, aren’t we? Both hated for things we have no choice about?”

  “That we are. I’m used to it by now. Still, it’s too bad that we weren’t around one another to lighten the load,” I responded, knowing instantly that she could see my surface thoughts, but not disturbed by it like most would be.

  “Ah, but then we wouldn’t be able to help those like us; those who are lost, forgotten, hated, and worthy of so much more. That is our role in life, little one. We work to ensure that we are the last to ever feel this way.” Her eyes bore into mine, an assurance that I wasn’t alone in this quest. “Now, for the real reason you came. You want to know about your prophecy.”

  “Yes, please. It’s not exactly the easiest thing to understand.”

  She laughed. “No, it isn’t is it? That is partially my fault. I was being forced to tell your grandmother about you. You see, you were originally going to be her heir. Your aunt is an excellent magic, but she was also just too good person. Your mother tried to be worthy of the family name, for a while at least, but always failed miserably before giving up and putting on a show to protect herself. She’s always been too self-serving to fully pull away from her upbringing, knowing the trouble that would follow. You were still young enough to train, though, to teach your grandmother’s ways, her methods of thought. So, she found out some information about me and blackmailed me into reading your future.”

  I blinked. “What could she possibly have on you?”

  “Proof that I was giving false fortunes to people. I’m good at reading people’s behaviors and personalities, so I often use that instead of actual power. It is less likely that people will try and burn me alive,” she replied with a smirk. “Your grandmother threatened to tell my family of my shameful practices. Mother would have had a conniption and disowned me. It may not sound like much to you, but in my culture being disowned is… let’s just say that it is more dangerous that dying, so I gave in. I read your future. Turns out that you were never going to be the evil brat that she wanted, no matter how she treated you. So I told her the prophecy with the best chance of success for you.”

  Reese sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “How did you manage to make it so tangled?”

  She shrugged. “Simple. I just combined hers and her stepsister’s prophecies. It was already halfway there. Cinderella was always going to bring out your protective side, your mother was always going to make you kind by cursing you, and you were always going to butt heads with your grandmother. Every path led to those three things. That’s just how you were made. Because of how close you are to the new princess, you let many of your actions become fueled by the need to protect her and help her become more than your mother would have allowed. You pushed your destiny toward hers and they became entangled. Well, more entangled anyway. You are both vitally important to the future of the other. I’m not allowed to explain that part though, so don’t ask.”

  We were all silent for a few moments, processing everything. I’d never realized that I made so much of my life revolve around my stepsister. Ever since we’d met, she and Portia had been my closest and only friends. My sisters were always there for me and I was always there for them. The difference was how they approached problems. Cindy would scheme and ask for help to deal with the issue efficiently whereas Portia just bulled her way through things or avoided them completely. As a result, most of my adolescence had been about keeping Cinderella safe from all the people who tried to monopolize, control, or outright steal her and keeping Portia from ripping things apart or running away. Life may have gotten better in the last year, but even my latest trip was all about keeping my grandmother’s eyes away from the newest princess. It was a bit depressing, really.

  “I’m sorry that I can’t go through everything with you,” Kioni said, her eyes soft as she regarded me. “We don’t have the time, unfortunately. You are in danger if you stay much longer. If Charlotte discovers that you are here, she will tell your grandmother.” My eyes widened.

  “H-how?”

  “They have ways. You know that they’ve been in business together for years. With all of the magicians under Charlotte’s control, she can send one out to get your grandmother any time she wishes and still have enough firepower to fend off a dragon attack.”

  “Yes, I do, don’t I?” asked a quiet voice from the doorway, one that I would never forget. I spun around and froze on the spot. “Welcome to my home!”

  Chapter 12: Bodies of Her Enemies

  When I was about six or seven-years-old, my grandmother took me to visit her friend in Crysallia. She had actually condescended to ask my mother for permission to take me on the trip, claiming it was for visiting old friends and showing me one of the wonders of the world. Mother had no idea that the ‘old friend’ was a crime boss and the ‘wonder’ was Rancune’s home, not the crystal caverns. Honestly, I think the only reason she agreed was because it was the first bit of politeness Grandmother had ever bestowed on my mother. That really should have been her first clue that something was off. Ah, well, hindsight and all that.

  Suffice to say, it was a… less than pleasant trip overall. I was verbally abused the entire ride to the city, forced to wear my nicest and scratchiness dress (which Grandmother had made sure was extra starched so that it wouldn’t wrinkle on the way there), and made to walk with my grandmother’s fingers digging painfully into my shoulder. I had some pretty dark bruises from that walk.

  When we finally arrived at her friend’s home, we were escorted in by a man with more scars than smooth skin and left in an elegant drawing room. ‘Elegant’ can also read ‘fussy and overly formal room designed to make guests uncomfortable’.

  The woman finally arrived two hours after we had. At that point, she and my grandmother proceeded to have the most graphically violent conversation I’d ever heard. No child should know how fast certain poisons make someone bleed out. I, of course, turned my mind to other matters, imagining my next trip out with my aunt. I should have paid more attention.

  “So, Sunny, is this the little brat you were telling me about? The one with the prophecy?” Rancune asked, examining me with her cold eyes. It was particularly disturbing considering she had just described someone that she’d dissected for spell materials that morning. The poor man was still alive at the time.

  My grandmother sighed. “Unfortunately. I’m not sure what use she’ll be, but if she causes problems, I could always get rid of her. Still, I’m sure I’ll figure something out sooner or later.”

  “Hmm. Well, feel free to give her to me if you get tired of her. I have someone who would love a new toy.”

  I felt my blood freeze but kept my face blank, just like mother had taught me to. She always said it was the safest way to deal with Grandmother and I figured it was the same with this new woman.

  “I’m sure it won’t come to that,” Grandmother responded. She ran her hand over my hair gently, silently declaring me to be her property. “I have some tentative plans in place, but it will all depend on what happens in the next few years.”

  We didn’t stay much longer, but I never forgot the fear that was burned into my mind while in Rancune’s presence.

  The problem was she was so similar to my grandmother but so very different. Grandmother seemed to be playing dress-up by comparison. Even during their discussions on torture, Grandmother was clearly trying to hide her excitement about it. On the other hand, Rancune was cold. She wasn’t happy or sad or angry or anything, really. She just was. The bloody descriptions were just a matter of course to her. They were normal. She clearly enjoyed the process, but not enough to get excited.

  It was enough to make you wonder what it took to make her actually happy. Quite the terrifying thought…

  ~

  It had been over ten years sin
ce I last saw her, but she hadn’t aged a day. Then again, Grandmother probably hadn’t either.

  Charlotte Rancune looked to be in her mid-thirties, if that. Her sable colored hair was piled on her head in intricate braids and curls that fell to the middle of her back. Her eyebrows were boxy and made her icy blue eyes look impossibly large. She was only about 5’1” and slender, but her imposing presence made her seem larger. Her crooked nose and short neck gave one the impression that she was a fighter, something her cold gaze only served to reinforce.

  “So this is the brat that has been running Sunny around ragged. I haven’t seen you since you were a child.” Charlotte peered at me with a perplexed expression on her face. “You aren’t much to look at are you? Certainly nothing compared to your stepsister. Of course, beauty has run in her mother’s family for centuries. So has stupidity.”

  I gaped at her, but not for the reason she suspected. Despite what was meant to be a very cutting remark about my looks, it wasn’t her insult that shocked me. It was the fact that my family had actually convinced the most well informed criminal in the world that Cindy was an idiot! I can’t believe it really worked!

  She smirked at me, clearly thinking I was upset, before turning to address Kioni. The only problem was, the seer was no longer there. Charlotte’s eyes tightened and her smug expression changed to a pinched one. “Guards, find my seer and have her brought to me at once. Also, bring these two into my sitting room. Now.”

  Her orders were quiet, but the guards leapt to attention like she had screamed. In short order, Reese and I were being escorted across the hall by a couple of burly men in uniforms. They held my arms in a grip that was sure to leave bruises as they frog marched us to the other room. I kept quiet, not wanting to provoke them to further violence from the jumpy guards, at least not while they were terrified that their boss was going to skin them alive.