by A. J. Medina
As I climbed out of the carriage, four knights marched towards us. As they drew closer, the driver helped us unload our satchels from inside of the carriage. Since the carriage was so huge, they fit inside with us and there was no need to store them on top of the carriage.
When the four knights reached us, they all saluted me. I tapped my fist to my chest and returned their salute.
“Wizard, the king requests your presence,” one of the knights said.
“Where is he?” I asked.
The knight took my satchel from the driver before he could give it to me. “Is this yours?” the knight asked.
“Aye, it is. What’s going on?”
“I have been ordered to bring you to the king. Come with us, Wizard.”
“Alright,” I said and then turned to Neala. It unfortunately was time to act as if she was my maiden again. “Neala, I will meet you in my chambers.”
Before Neala could respond, one of the other knights took her satchel and said, “The king requests her presence as well.”
I didn’t know what to make of what was happening, but I had no choice but to go with them. I waved to Thomas, Davina and Aednat who were watching, and followed the knights to the palace.
Two knights led the way in front of me and Neala, and the other two walked behind us. We walked a familiar path through the palace that didn’t lead to where I expected the king to be, but when the knight opened the door to my chambers, there was King Remi sitting on the edge of my bed. Me and Neala went in and my closet door stood open.
I saluted King Remi and asked, “Your Majesty, what’s happening? Why are you in my chambers?”
“Ah, Alora. It is a pleasure to have you back where you belong. I was happy to receive your falcon telling me of your quick return. I’m sure you have much to tell me of your journey and of the dragon wizard, but that will have to wait. The Apprentice has escaped.”
I almost cheered when I heard those words, but was glad I didn’t. Silas was free. He had escaped. But most importantly, he was alive.
King Remi continued. “When he escaped, he apparently came back here and retrieved his wizard’s suit. How he escaped is a mystery and no one saw anything. Somehow he killed his guard and locked the servant who brought him his water in what used to be his cell.
“You mean the servant that brought him his meal,” I said.
“Aye. Why? What did I say?”
“You said his water.”
“Of course, his bread and water.”
I maintained my composure even though deep down inside I wanted to yell at him. Did he really think I was that stupid? He stopped feeding Silas. Silas was being starved even worse than before.
The knights placed my and Neala’s satchels on my bed by the king. King Remi eyed them suspiciously. I hoped he wasn’t planning on going through mine. He would find the journals I took with me. Agbavitor’s journals. I could tell King Remi was trying to figure out how to look through it without upsetting me. There was no way he wouldn’t upset me if he decided to search through my things.
King Remi stood and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Rest, Alora. It is good to have you home.” The king focused on Neala. “The queen is waiting for you, Neala.”
Neala was not glad to hear those words.
“I’ll leave two knights to escort you. After you change, of course.”
King Remi and his knights left my room, while the two knights he left behind waited on the other side of my door.
I sat down on my bed wondering why the king had been in my room. Neala quickly stripped down and disappeared into the washroom to freshen herself up. As soon as she disappeared into the washroom, she let out a shriek.
Before I could even stand to check on her, Neala appeared holding two soaking wet shoes.
“Who would throw my shoes into the bath?” Neala asked.
“I don’t know. Place them on the window to dry.”
I rolled onto the bed, peeked under it, and retrieved my shoes. “You can wear mine for now.”
“Aye, but I wonder who threw them in there,” Neala said walking over to the window and laying her wet shoes on its ledge. “I wish I could open the window, they would dry sooner, but it’s much too cold for that.” She turned to me. “Should I drain the water, since my shoes were floating in it?”
“Nay. Just finish getting ready. The queen is waiting for you.” I patted the bed once. “Sleeping on the ground made me miss this thing.”
“Aye, I never thought I would miss my bed,” Neala agreed.
“You could sleep here if you want. Share my bed. It would be nice. I’ve grown used to your company during the journey. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Aye, I’ll return for the night. Hopefully my visit with Queen Rosaleen will be over quickly.”
When Neala finished putting her dress on, trying to look presentable for the queen, she went back into the washroom to relieve herself. I untied my muddy boots and placed them over by the door. I retrieved my second pair of boots and slid the first one on and felt something inside it pushing against my toes.
I pulled the boot off and reached inside to find out what it was. When I pulled out the parchment, I unfolded and read it.
I read the note and then read it again, trying to understand what he was talking about. I was going to toss the note into the fireplace and light it, but wondered if I could remember everything that he’d written. I doubted that I would, so I folded it back along its initial creases and looked around the room for someplace to hide it.
I didn’t trust anyone but Neala and didn’t think it was safe to hide it in my room. I slid my boots on and before tying one, I slid the note inside by my ankle and then tied the boot. The lacing would hold it in place and there would be no safer place for it than on my body.
Chapter 26
When Neala was ready, she opened the door and the knights came to attention. “I’ll return soon, Lady Alora,” Neala said, and then turned to her two escorts.
The two knights looked menacing, not at all how Alora looked to her.
“This way,” one of the knights said, holding out his hand gesturing for Neala to walk in front of them.
Neala went with them, and knowing the way to Queen Rosaleen’s chambers, she led the way.
When they arrived, the knight knocked and the queen’s maiden answered the door.
“Neala, the queen is expecting you.” The maiden addressed the guards. “Thank you, sers.”
“We were ordered to take her directly to the queen,” one of the knights said.
The maiden nodded and gestured for them to go in. “Please enter.”
Neala was the first to enter the queen’s chambers, but the queen wasn’t there. The servant shut the door and then said, “She is waiting for you in her washroom.”
It seemed odd to be washing so early and when Neala entered the queen’s washroom, she knew she was in trouble.
Along the side of the bath was a long post that wasn’t there before.
“Tie her to it,” the queen said to the knights.
“Nay. Please stop,” Neala pleaded as they took hold of her arms and dragged her towards the post.
She tried to wrestle out of their grip, but they were much too strong.
They held her arms behind her and tied her wrists together around the post. She tried to break free, but couldn’t.
The queen shooed the knights with her hand. “Leave us.”
“Aye, My Queen,” the knights said, and then bowed their heads, left the washroom, and shut the door behind them.
Queen Rosaleen held a dagger and stood over a small table chanting and whispering something about old spirits and magic. She sprinkled some sort of dust onto the edge of the dagger’s blade. The blade twinkled as she spun it around, the light bouncing off its shiny metal. Finished covering the entire blade with her dust, the queen’s eyes turned to Neala.
“I am going to punish you now. I will make it so no man will ever love you again. Your bea
uty, and the spell it has on my husband, will be gone forever.”
“Please don’t. I... I only did as commanded. What would you have me do? Refuse the king?”
“I would have you die, but the more I think about it, this seems a worse punishment. You will walk through the palace and the castle city forever mutilated. Your face will repel any chance of love. My husband... the king, will find you grotesque and flee from you. Instead of desiring you, he will be disgusted by you.”
“Please forgive me. Please have mercy.”
“The time for mercy has passed.”
The queen touched the cold metal of the dagger’s blade to Neala’s cheek and slid it down in one swift motion.
Neala felt her skin burn as the dagger finished it journey. Blood slid down her face and dripped to the floor.
The queen didn’t like how fast it was over. Apparently Neala hadn’t suffered from that cut enough. The queen reached for a white substance.
Neala pleaded again. “Please, mercy!”
The queen ignored her and poured salt onto the blade’s edge where it stuck to the small drops of blood.
This time the queen pressed the blade to Neala’s forehead and her voice turned raspy and low. “Never healing, always scarred,” she said, and then slow as a snail, she dragged the blade across the full length of Neala’s forehead.
Each second that passed was filled with a strong burning sensation. Neala could stomach it no longer. Her mouth opened wide and she let out a scream that she was sure could be heard throughout the palace.
Over and over again, Queen Rosaleen cut into Neala’s skin. With each agonizing cut, Neala’s strength began to dwindle. When the queen finished her final cut she said, “There. You look hideous. I would continue, but there isn’t any more room. Perhaps I should peel your skin off where the wounds meet?”
Neala could barely hold her head up. The queen gripped a fistful of her hair and jolted Neala’s head upwards so they were eye to eye.
“Mercy,” Neala whispered.
“This will not do. I am not done.”
The queen stepped back and studied Neala’s body. Neala could do nothing but watch as Queen Rosaleen sliced the dagger through the air making imaginary cuts that could only be targeted at her.
“Aye. This will do,” the queen said.
The queen took hold of Neala’s belt and untied it.
“Mercy,” Neala whispered again, no longer strong enough to scream.
“You don’t deserve my mercy.”
Stepping around Neala to gain access to the back of her dress, the queen pulled on the laces and they gave way. She slid the dress off Neala’s shoulders just enough for the front of the dress to fall to her waist and then she walked back to face her.
Just as the blade touched Neala’s collar bone, the door swung open and startled the queen.
“Mother! What are you doing?” the princess yelled as she rushed over to Neala’s side.
“What I should’ve done ages ago.”
Upon seeing what her mother had done to Neala, the princess gasped and shook her head in disbelief. Princess Evelyn ran to the table to retrieve a washcloth and pressed it firmly to Neala’s cheek. When she pulled it away, it was stained red with her blood.
“She didn’t deserve this!” the princess yelled.
“She deserves worse.”
“It’s not her fault. She’s only a servant.”
“Aye. And she’s my servant. I will do with her as I wish.”
“Just like father?”
The queen turned and struck Princess Evelyn across the face with the back of her hand.
Neala was secretly happy that the queen’s wrath had turned onto someone else. She wished it wasn’t the princess though. For a moment, she imagined she was someplace else. Back in the arms of the boy she loved. Back before the king had taken an interest in her.
“Mother! Neala’s not only Alora’s maiden, she is her friend. Please don’t do this. You will make an enemy of Alora.”
“An enemy? Alora is simply a knight.”
“She’s a wizard.”
“She’s a peasant who needs to learn her place.”
“But mother—”
“You, my daughter, are a true born. Soon, once you become a woman, you will become a sorceress like me, and my mother before me. You will have great power and the ability to rule at the side of your... your king.”
“But I don’t want to do that.”
“Hush child. You will rule like we have for generations. Look at your father. He believes he rules this kingdom, that he is now king of the realm. And yet he does what I ask. Who is the true ruler?”
“But mother—”
“Hush now, daughter. Would you like some elixir?”
“Nay! Mother, release her!”
The queen stared at Princess Evelyn. The corner of her lip curled up into a smirk and then the queen flicked her wrist. “Fine. Take her.”
Neala wasn’t paying much attention to most of the conversation that ended with Princess Evelyn lifting her dress back into place and tying the laces on the back of it. The princess untied her wrists and Neala could stand, but barely. She needed help and said one word, the only word she could muster. “Mercy.”
The princess gently laid two washcloths onto Neala’s face. She then slid her arm around Neala’s waist and placed Neala’s arm over her shoulder and helped her out of the queen’s chambers.
Neala’s knees felt weak, but she could somewhat stand and she knew she would be able to walk, at least with help, wherever the princess was taking her.
The princess led the way and on their short trip, Neala could hear anyone they passed whispering. Neala could only guess how she must’ve looked with the bloody rags on her face. She was a frightening mess and scars would form making sure no man would ever want her again, just as the queen promised.
For the first time, she was happy her love was gone. Glad that he wouldn’t be able to see the monster the queen had made her. Her tears flowed and mixed with her fresh wounds—the saltiness of them stinging as she and the princess trotted through the palace back to, well, she wasn’t sure where they were headed. Maybe they were going to the princess’ chambers or maybe to Alora’s. What would Alora have to say about this? Perhaps she could help like she helped Silas down in the dungeon. She had said she was able to heal his wounds. But what if Alora healed her wounds and the queen became enraged? What if the queen did this to her again? What was Neala to do?
Chapter 27
The door to my room flew open, slamming into the other side of the wall as it swung all the way on its hinges.
The commotion caused me to jump off my bed.
The princess stood in the doorway and then as if in slow motion, she pulled someone into view. I studied the girl. Her face was covered in bloody washcloths. Her dress... her posture... her hair. It was Neala.
“What happened?” I asked running over to them.
The princess shut the door behind her. “Mother did this to her.”
“The queen? But why? Neala why?”
Neala didn’t answer from behind her bloody coverings.
“Mother is... consumed with jealousy,” the princess said.
I knew exactly what had happened. The princess’ statement made it clear. The queen hated Neala. That was obvious from when I was disguised as her. The king obviously had a place in his heart for Neala and the queen didn’t like that and she finally lashed out.
“I thought you could heal her,” the princess said.
The princess had heard of my ability to heal? Were there no secrets in the palace that everyone didn’t know?
“I’ll try.”
I lifted my hands to Neala’s washcloths and pulled them away from her face. Some of the blood had already begun to dry and it stuck. I pulled on them gently but firmly, and they gave. The two rags came off as one and revealed the damage the queen had inflicted.
I let out a gasp as I imagined the pain she must have felt.<
br />
Neala’s face was covered in slashes. I don’t know how she was still standing.
Her eyes were focused on my stomach, never once looking up at me.
Placing my hand on her face, I shut my eyes and pictured the way she looked before. Her beautifully smooth skin and her vibrant, youthful smile that was a rarity to see among servants.
When I opened my eyes, Neala was staring right into them with her hope filled own.
Hope that I also held. I shook my head and shut my eyes once more. I pictured her on the first day I ever saw her. It was back in the dining hall while we waited to be taken to our chambers. It was her, the princess, and Branna.
I remembered her face clear as day and when I opened my eyes, Neala waited for my reaction.
“Why isn’t it working?” the princess asked.
“I don’t know. I’m doing what I did with...”
“With Silas... I know. But why isn’t it working? Could it be because of your love for Silas?” the princess asked.
Neala’s gaze fell to the floor.
“Nay! Neala, I care for you. You are...” I looked at the princess. I had to be careful not to hurt her feelings in the process. “Neala, you’re my friend.”
“Never healing, always scarred,” Neala whispered.
“What?” I asked.
She whispered even more softly. “It’s what the queen said.”
“What is she saying?” the princess asked, unable to hear her.
“That it hurts,” I said. I couldn’t tell the princess what Neala was saying. She might run and tell her mother. And if she did, the queen might do the same thing she did to Neala to me.
“If you can’t heal her, then we should take her to the city healer,” Princess Evelyn said.
“Aye,” I agreed, “let’s go to him.”
I snatched my other cloak off the hook by the door and wrapped it around Neala. I went to tie it around her neck when her hands gripped my wrists. Stopping what I was doing and pulling my hands away, I watched as Neala tied it herself.
Even after what she’d been through, she wanted to do things herself.
After she tied a bow, she lifted the hood and strategically placed it just right so that it cast a shadow over her face and hid who she was.
