by Lucas Flores
“Anything for you, Your Grace,” he said as he wiped the drool off his face.
“Excellent,” Blackheart said. “I’m going to need that enthusiasm tonight. The time for change has come. But before I can take my place as queen, we must take care of the girl.”
“Now?” Zane asked.
“Make it so,” Blackheart replied.
* * *
As midday approached in the Tower, Red and Auntie sat in their respective cells. Sunlight beamed through the window and amplified just how depressing and filthy the Tower was. A decaying rat lay near one of the far walls and spider webs crisscrossed the upper corners of the cells. Red almost wished it were night so that these details would remain hidden in darkness, invisible and nonexistent.
The deathlike stillness was almost as bad as their surroundings. Sleep was the only way to escape. However, just as Red was about to drift off, Zane and his men entered her room. “Wake up, poppy!” Zane shouted as he banged on the prison bars. “You can sleep later.”
“You leave that girl alone,” Auntie screamed. “Do you hear? Leave her alone!”
Zane pulled out a key from his pocket and opened the door to Red’s cell.
“Grab her,” a guard shouted.
“Stomp on her face,” another said.
The men walked in and circled around Red.
“Leave her alone,” Auntie pleaded from the other cell. “Leave her alone. Take me instead.”
Frightened, Red curled up on the floor and tried to make herself as small as possible.
The guards taunted and barked at her like wolves toying with their next meal.
Zane stepped into the circle. He bit down on his lower lip while cracking his knuckles. “Pathetic little imp,” he said in a tone that dripped with disgust. He reached down to grab Red.
“Stop what you’re doing,” a voice shouted.
The men turned to find the queen standing in the doorway. She moved to the center of the room, just outside the cell entrance. The executioner stood beside her.
“Your Majesty,” Zane said as he stumbled backward. He and the rest of the guards bowed.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the queen asked.
Zane smiled and fidgeted anxiously when the queen’s gaze focused onto him.
“Answer me,” the queen ordered. Despite her frail appearance, her deep voice echoed against the stone walls and commanded a response.
“We weren’t doing anything, Your Majesty,” Zane replied.
“Yeah,” a larger, low-ranking guard added. “We were just paying a little visit to the palace ghost.”
Zane turned to the guard. “Shut up, you buffoon.”
“Just a visit, really?” the queen asked. “Doesn’t Elzana have you and your men patrolling the second floor after sunset?”
“Yes, I do,” Blackheart answered as she walked in behind the queen.
“These men?” the queen asked. She pointed at the group and broke out into laughter. “It appears that they’re lost. It’s no wonder this small girl was able to elude and evade them. Either your men are individually and collectively incompetent or they’re simply victims of poor leadership.”
Zane glared at the queen and breathed heavily as his face flushed.
The queen continued. “You might as well have them do their patrolling here. In fact, since they are already here, they can start patrolling this cell. You won’t need them any longer, Elzana.”
The executioner entered the cell, pushed his way past Zane and his men, and scooped Red into his arms. He exited the cell and set Red down in front of the queen.
“Are you all right?” The queen placed her hands on Red’s shoulders. Red nodded while dusting herself off.
The executioner locked the men in the cell.
“Hey, wait. What about us?” Zane shouted. He rushed to the cell door and grabbed the bars. “Let us out!”
The queen moved Red aside and stepped closer. She reached into the cell, grabbed Zane, and jerked him toward her. His body slammed against the bars. “You will receive the same treatment and accommodations that my daughter received.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said in a sullen tone.
The queen pushed him back. “Elzana, I need to see you and the girl in private later today,” she said while leaving.
Red and the executioner followed her out.
* * *
Blackheart lingered in the Tower. When the queen and the executioner were gone, she released Zane and his men from the cell.
“This isn’t over yet, boys,” she said as she swung open the cell door.
The men quickly rushed out and gathered around her.
“What about the other one? What do we do with the servant?” Zane said as he gestured at the other cell.
“She’s not going anywhere anytime soon,” Blackheart replied. “We have to finish what we started. Just make sure the executioner doesn’t see you. Stay out of sight until I call for you.”
“Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work!” Auntie shouted from her cell. “That girl has something you’ll never have.”
“And what would that be?” Blackheart asked. She stepped closer to the cell. No response.
Blackheart ground her teeth as she tried to keep her cool. “That little red devil is completely undeserving of life. The fact that she’s the queen’s daughter changes nothing. She threatens our way of life. And I would rather die than see her take the throne. But you and I have nothing to worry about. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be queen and you’ll be the first to go after the girl is gone. I’m going to dance to the sounds of your cries and screams. It will be music to my ears.”
Blackheart paused, out of breath and full of rage. “What do you have to say about that?”
“I feel sorry for you.” Auntie said.
Blackheart charged toward her cell. “How about I tear you limb from limb now?”
Zane restrained Blackheart. “Not now,” he said. “You’re right; we have to take care of the girl. This wench is a waste of time.”
“Let’s see who’s feeling sorry for who,” Blackheart said.
When Zane released Blackheart, she started to laugh. “You’re right, you’re right. She is a waste of our time. She’s just a servant.”
“There you go, Your Grace,” Zane said.
“Tomorrow will be a new day, a new day indeed,” Blackheart said while laughing.
CHAPTER 13
Alone in her bedroom, the queen sat in a tall chair near an open window that overlooked the city. She replayed the scene over and over again in her mind and shuddered every time.
“Would they have really killed the girl, my daughter?” the queen whispered. “What have I done to this kingdom? It will take years to undo and erase the hatred people have for lepers and for things they don’t understand or that are different.”
The queen sat alone with her thoughts until a knock at the door stirred her. “There you are,” she said when Red and Blackheart entered. Her tone was tired and subdued. “What took you so long?”
“It was this one,” Blackheart said. “She was reluctant to . . .”
“Enough, I’m far too tired to listen to your squabbling. After what happened today, I barely have enough energy to breathe.” The queen panted as she loosened her collar and dramatically fanned herself.
“Oh, spare me the charade,” Blackheart said as she walked over to help the queen. She untied the back of the queen’s dress, exposing her dry grey skin. “So are you going to tell me what you want or did you just want me to loosen your dress?” Blackheart said while helping the queen back into her seat.
“Well, if you must drag it out of me, yes, I do need your help,” the queen answered. “After today, I just don’t know what to do.”
“Do about what?” Blackheart asked.
“Your guards, the same guards you had patrolling the second floor, what were they doing in the Tower? And why was my daughter in the Tower in the first place?”
Blackheart gulped. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t got a clue.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “I’m just glad we caught them before they did anything to harm the girl.”
“I feared the worst when I saw those men circling around her. I didn’t bring her here to be persecuted, or worse. Look at her, Elzana. She’s innocent. She’s done nothing wrong.” The queen pointed in Red’s direction. “If anything, I’m the one who should be punished.”
“My dear cousin, do you remember why we had the lepers removed?” Blackheart asked. “It was because nothing good has ever come from a leper.” She kneeled in front of the queen, grabbed her hands, and lifted them up. “Look at your hands. These hands were once youthful, bright, and alive. Didn’t I warn you? That leper you courted took your life and fathered your daughter, who now suffers because of her parents’ mistakes. We shouldn’t stop protecting ourselves. How many more young women will fall victim to a leper’s spell, and how many more innocent children will suffer? You, as our queen, should continue to set the example.”
“Leper? He was no leper.” The queen rolled her eyes. Blackheart’s manipulative tactics no longer phased or confused her. “Elzana, please stop believing your own twisted lies. Right now, today, I am concerned for no one else but this child. She isn’t safe here. I want her out of the palace,” the queen said softly.
“Then send her away. Let her be with the rest of the outcasts,” Blackheart said.
“No, there is a palace just outside the Caterpillar’s Forest. She can live there. We can employ people to take care of her. They will treat her well.”
Blackheart’s tone became more upbeat. “I know I’ve had my differences with the girl, but that’s behind me now.”
“Really? You’ve had it in for her ever since she got here. Why the sudden change?” the queen asked, suspicious of Blackheart’s enthusiasm.
“I think sending the girl on her way is the best choice for all of us.” Blackheart patted the queen’s hands. “I will ensure that she makes it there safely.”
“It’s settled then. Take the girl in the morning, the sooner the better,” the queen answered. “Once there, she can move on with her life and have a normal childhood. I realize now that it was a mistake to bring her here.”
She looked at Red and slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry, little one, for everything.” Then she turned back to her cousin. “And what about those men?” the queen asked. “What are you going to do with them? I don’t want them anywhere near my daughter ever again.”
“Oh, they’ll be taken care of.” Blackheart stood and fixed her dress. “You won’t see them anymore.”
“I better not. After today, I feel like I can’t trust anyone.” The queen sighed.
“After today, you won’t have to worry about that.” Blackheart turned to Red. “Make sure you have your cloak and whatever personal belongings you might have secreted away ready to leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
“No! You can’t trust her!” Red shouted. She stepped toward the queen. “She tried to kill me!”
Blackheart planted herself between Red and the queen. She pointed one of her long calloused fingers at the girl and gritted her teeth. “Don’t you interrupt when I’m speaking to you, child!”
“This is what I mean, Elzana,” the queen said. “I fear for the girl. I feel like my time here is coming to an end and that no one will watch after her. You aren’t exactly the motherly type.”
Blackheart cringed. “The girl is just crying for attention. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” Blackheart put her hand on top of Red’s head and tousled her hair. “Besides, after today, you’ll have nothing to worry about. She’ll be much better off on her own.”
“I hope so, for your sake.” The queen readjusted herself into a more upright and stiff position in the chair. “I’m holding you responsible for her well-being. If for any reason the girl does not make it to the palace outside the Caterpillar’s Forest safely, I’ll have your head.”
Two soldiers entered and stood on either side of the foyer with the doors open. Their tall rigid bodies and blank expressions remained still. “You may go now, Elzana,” the queen said.
Blackheart gawked at the soldiers and then back to the queen. “And what about her?”
The queen waved her arm and shooed her cousin away.
Blackheart let out a puff of air and groaned. She turned and stormed toward the door. Her pace slowed and her body stiffened when she approached the soldiers and walked out of the room.
The queen stared at her daughter. There was nothing she could say or do to undo the past or recreate a world where her daughter would be accepted. “I hope that one day you will understand that I tried to help. It may be too little, too late, but I . . .” She yearned to say more, but the weight of an ocean pressed against her chest. The queen’s words were stifled by her regretful past. This was how she lamented, quietly and to herself. No one, not even her daughter, could hear her cries from the prison of guilt and emotion that paralyzed her from saying goodbye.
Red slowly reached out to her estranged mother. Her fingers were barely long enough to wrap around the queen’s hand.
As soon as they touched, tears as bright and clear as red stars trickled down the queen’s cheeks. The pressure in her chest subsided, color returned to her blackened eyes, and warm air filled her lungs. Emotions and senses that had long been dormant were awakened and overwhelmed the queen.
The door to the bedroom opened and the two soldiers entered the room. One soldier marched over and gently nudged Red. This time it was her turn to leave.
The queen followed behind them but stopped at the threshold of the doorway, knowing that any attempt to follow would be in vain. She listened to Red’s shuffling footsteps until she could no longer hear them.
The feeling of euphoria that came from her connection with her daughter was replaced by overwhelming exhaustion. The queen diverted her attention toward resting and regaining her strength, but as soon as she took a few steps toward her bed, she stopped abruptly. “Well, this doesn’t make sense.” Her feet had only moved a few inches. She took another step, but again, barely moved forward an inch. Her legs quivered as aches and pain shot through her joints.
The realization was overwhelming. She stretched out her arms. Her thin, boney hands lay before her, pale skin wrapped around skeletal fingers. She hesitantly reached up and touched her own face. Hard cheekbones and a strong jaw line all protruded, underneath a thin layer of skin.
She gasped as soreness and aches shot up and down her arms. She collapsed, unable to bear the pain that had awakened throughout her body.
“I don’t understand!” she cried out. “What’s happening?”
Confused, and a little frightened, she gave in to the pain and allowed it to consume her. She stopped trying to move, closed her eyes, and remained motionless on the ground.
After some time, something beneath her moved. She opened her eyes and saw that one of the soldiers had lifted her up. She tucked her arms up against her bosom and let her legs dangle beneath her. The soldier carried her to the bed and laid her atop the covers.
“Oh, thank God,” she said. “Thank you.” Pain still coursed through her, but was less noticeable now that she was getting used to it. Her eyelids grew heavier and the allure of sleep tickled at her consciousness, as if she were closing her eyes for the first time in many years.
* * *
Outside, in the old basement, Blackheart’s tension grew while looking for Zane and his men. After narrowly escaping her foiled attempt to kill Red, she nervously looked over her shoulder to make sure no one followed her. At any moment, one of the queen’s soldiers might jump out of nowhere and arrest her. Determined, however, she continued with her plan. It only needed a little adjusting now that the queen had butted in.
“There you are,” Blackheart said as she entered a room in the back of the basement. Inside, the group of men bowed.
Zane crawled over to Blackheart’s feet. �
�Right where you told us to wait for you, Your Grace.”
“Oh please, Zane. Not now,” she said as she stepped around him. “We’re not out of the woods just yet.”
“Woods, Your Grace?” Zane asked.
“Not literally.” Blackheart rolled her eyes. “Never mind that. I have a plan for how we’re going to get rid of our little red friend.”
“I know how,” one guard said, “with a boulder.”
“Or a wooden club,” another said.
“What? That’s not what I mean. Ugh, buffoons. They’ll say whatever pops into their tiny little heads.”
To Zane, she continued. “The queen is practically handing us that little red monster on a silver platter. She wants the girl escorted to the palace just outside the Caterpillar’s Forest and has asked me to arrange the details. However, she doesn’t want you or your men anywhere near the girl, so be sure to wear your riding helmets. We don’t want anyone to recognize you tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow morning, Your Grace?” Zane’s brow lifted.
“Yes, everything is happening very quickly now, but it’s perfect.” Blackheart smiled and stifled a giddy laugh. “I think my time has finally come. The queen seems to be losing her strength, as if death is finally at her doorstep. Now more so than ever, since the curse set in, it’s my time to act.”
Zane tilted his head. “Curse?” he asked.
“Oh, you poor brainless man,” Blackheart said. “Just make sure the girl doesn’t recognize you before you leave or she’ll make a scene. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be queen.”
Zane growled and pounced onto Blackheart. “Anything for you, My Queen.”
Her playful cries for help and giggles faded into the evening air.
* * *
Red was never comfortable being out in the vast open spaces of the palace, but it was much better than being in the Tower. And tonight, she had two of the queen’s soldiers by her side. She likened them to foldable and stackable paper dolls. A simple puff of air would be enough to send them off like a deck of cascading playing cards. She smiled and looked up at them with wide curious eyes while they walked. She felt comfortable with them around.
