Darkness of Days
Chapter 11: Peeva remembered
Many years earlier
"Please, Please! You all can't speak at once. What are you saying?" shouts King Emory. Emory was the king of the common lands and he was married to Queen Georgianna. They had two children George, who would be next to the throne and a daughter Anna. Anna and George were fraternal twins. The children seemed very close. Their father was a well-reserved man, as is their mother, Georgianna. King Emory had settled himself in his chair, while he listened to a few town people make allegations about missing people. They all seemed as if they were frighten for their lives. "Cora, speak. I will listen to the others once you are done" saying King Emory. "Sir, I believe there is supernatural among us. You see, there have been disputes with a local woman. Whomever she disputes with, disappears" saying, Cora, admitting shamelessly. She felt no one would believe what she was insinuating. "Cora make sense to us. What are you suggesting?" saying, Georgianna, as she walks to stand by her husband's side. Cora was the local bakery owner. She was well respected by the King and Queen. Cora slowly swallows and begins to rationalize her thoughts before giving a clear answer. "I am merely suggesting, there have been occasions, well several occasions, Peeva was the last to see the missing." Cora was very afraid the King, and Queen would cast her aside as insane. "We will question her. Explain more, Marcus if you will" says King Emory. "Sir I have no more to add. There have been odd or should I say peculiar instances that ended with Peeva being the last to see the missing" saying Marcus a local blacksmith. Marcus's wife had gone missing two months ago. He never could be certain that Peeva was responsible for his wife's disappearance. He had already come to the King and Queen before and complained. Nothing was done, soon after much more were missing with Peeva always being the center. "Peeva is a darling to this family. Are you absolutely sure Peeva, our dear sweet darling Peeva could be responsible for the disappearance of…How many are missing?" saying Georgianna. King Emory grew tired of his wife questioning in on his affairs. He allowed her there but did not want to appear weak. "Guards, go and escort Peeva back here. We must speak with her on this matter. You all, please remain here until she arrives." saying King Emory to the guards as they all position themselves to leave. Georgianna was not happy with the King's decision to bring in Peeva. She slowly walks off into the halls. She did not want her dear friend to believe she had sided with her husband. Even though she knew, Peeva could be responsible. The common land people did not respond to the King's invitation to stay. The common lands was made up of 300 people, and of that 40 of them were missing. The remaining family members of the missing had come to the palace to plead with the King and Queen. Something few had done before. They all seemed to be terrified that Peeva would identify them each as a witness. Cora began to panic as she wrestled with the idea in her mind. She knew in her heart that Peeva was practicing some witch craft. She knew nothing else would explain the sudden vanishing of the many mothers, children, and men. Her intent was to speak on the matter, but she did not want Peeva to see her. Marcus, on the other hand, wanted Peeva to see him. He was not afraid of her. He wanted to see her face.
As the guards approached the lands of Peeva's house. She quietly put on her cover and walked outside. It was as if she knew or expected someone was coming. She quietly closed the door behind her to keep her husband and daughter from hearing the racket. They were both sleeping in at this time. "May I help you?" saying Peeva. One of the guards' steps off his horse and walks up to Peeva and says "The King and Queen would like you to come in for questioning." Peeva twists her nose and says "I am afraid I can't do that." She looks at all the guards with a smile. "I believe it will be in your best interest to come with us" saying one other guard who was still on his horse. Peeva did not like his strong absurd commit. She smiled at the guard. She looks at the beautiful horse he was sitting on. It was a white horse with spotted brown on his nose and stomach. She hated to upset animal, but she had to teach this guard a lesson. No one commands her. She stared into the horse's eyes, whatever it was about Peeva. The horse's senses could not take it. The horse lifted his two front legs off the ground knocking the guard to the ground. The horse was rattled. The back legs of the horse kicked the guard in his head several times. The king had only sent four guards, and now there were only three guards left. The remaining jumped off their horses immediately to help move the injured guard. They guards discovered after examining what seemed to be an injured guard was presumably dead. "That looked like it hurt. You must get him to a doctor" says Peeva. The men were so off guard because it seemed as if the guard was dead. Many of the guards already knew Peeva's history, and they all believed she was the cause of this guard's untimely death. They all gathered around each other in panic, looking at the body on the ground and then one by one at Peeva. Peeva lifts up her hands, politely waves, and smiles. She appears to be so polite. She understood, appearing to be so polite was the only way the king and queen would side with her as they have for the past few months. They would pass on as hear say. She knew that was her power as well as many other things. She was a lady. She believed she should behave as such concealing all the evil within. "We can't leave her or him here. The king said to bring her in. How do we explain Kenneth's death?" One of the guards says as his voice shakes.
They all are at a loss for words. They stand around looking at Kenneth's dead body and the horse who was now calm and eating grass. They knew they might also suffer the same fate. Peeva was growing tired of the guards standing there looking at her. She decided to enlighten them and go along with them back to the palace. She could tell they were terrified and had no idea what to do. She knew if they stayed any longer. Her husband and child would awake and find them there. Peeva claps her hands and the dead guard Kenneth wakes with bruised face holding his head. Kenneth staggered around until he found the very horse who had kicked him to death. The guards were beyond terrified. They were almost out of breath. Peeva sensed this and said "I will go with you all, but only under one condition. If you do not allow me to leave when I am ready. You will all experience the same as Kenneth, and I will not revive either of you". The men rushed to their horses and did not speak a word. One of the men gave Peeva his horse to ride, while he rode with another. They were all scared out of their minds at the possibility Peeva was a witch.
All the common landers were still waiting, they grew widely tired, and it had been what seemed like hours since the guards left to retrieve Peeva. Cora looked around and knew this was her chance to make up an excuse to leave. As she began to open her mouth, Peeva came into the room. Cora almost pissed herself. She was shamed in her spirit. "Cora and Marcus, how delightful to see you both. I suspect this is all your doing Marcus" saying Peeva turning to smile at them.
Cora turns her head away and does not look at Peeva. Marcus stares Peeva in the eyes and says "One day all you are doing will no longer be in the shade. You will be exposed". Peeva smiles and turns and walks up to approach the King. She looked around to see where the Queen was hiding but realized she was on her own. "Peeva so nice to see you again. It has been brought to my attention that several people are missing again. Cora and Marcus have made statements saying you were the last to see the missing each time. Do you believe that true?" saying King Emory. Peeva turns and looks at Cora and Marcus winks and turns back around. "King Emory, they are telling the truth. I was probably the last to see many of the missing. Is that a crime?" says Peeva. She knew she had the King wrapped around her finger. She could not resist questioning him. "Peeva it is not a crime. People are missing. We are trying to determine what happened to them" says King Emory. "I have no idea why I am here, but I wish to leave. My husband and daughter are probably worried. I left without giving any notice of where I was going" says Peeva. King Emory did not like being pushed aside. He had begun to dislike Peeva. Each time a witness would come in and complain, they became one of the missing. He knew whatever going on what had gone too far, and he felt now was the time to clean
it up. He had this conversation with Peeva many times before, and he was tired of seeing Marcus and Cora. The King was a dark haired, long beard, male with glasses. He had a humpback with board shoulders. He had gold and jewelry all over. If you looked closely at him, you would assume he was a dwarf with the exception of his height. "Peeva are not leaving until you tell me if you know of anything that may have happened to those people" saying the King. "You mean, the people behind me, I can tell you what is going to happen to them. I am growing tired of running here over countless accusations, hearsay. I will not stand here and be mocked. If you will not allow me to leave." Says Peeva before she was rudely cut off by the King. "You will not stand here and speak to me in that manner. You will answer the questions I have asked" saying the King shaking in his voice. He was not afraid of Peeva and did not fear her. "I understand sir; I am deeply sorry. May I ask, where is your wife? The Queen is so understanding in moments like this. I believe her gentleness is in needed "saying Peeva. "You will not disregard the questions I have asked about this matter. Either you answer the questions or be held" saying King Emory. "Oh please! You can't keep me anywhere King! I am leaving. Guards, please be reminded of what happened before. Stand aside I am leaving" saying Peeva. King Emory was swelled with anger. He was so angry he began to turn red in the face. His hands pointed at Peeva as she walks out of the room. He holds his chest and stands to try to keep from falling to the ground.
The guards rush to the King because they fear he is in need. "Please! grab a doctor and bring in the Queen" says the lead guard. Two guards rush in the grab queen Georgianna and bring in help. Peeva smiled wickedly as she left the room. Peeva knew that there would be a punishment for what she did to the king. She did not believe that Queen Georgianna would want anything to happen to her. She also knew that the Queen loved her husband more than anything in the world. Peeva has just given him a heart attack. Peeva was unsure if the Queen would believe she was responsible but knew that the remaining people from the common lands would have no problem convincing.
Chapter 12: Peeva and the Unsightly being.
"What in the heavens happened to him?" says Queen Georgianna. The room was in complete silence even Cora, and Marcus had no idea what to say. Some of the common landers decided to leave. They did not want to be a part of this, considering the Queen has taken up for Peeva many times in the past. Queen Georgianna kneeled down and touched her husband's hand. He was as cold as ice. His body was now on the floor facing his wife. His right arm stretched out as if he were pointing at something. His left arm positioned over his chest. "NO ONE LEAVES UNTIL I GET ANSWERS!" says Queen Georgianna looking up and noticing people rushing to exit the room. Some did not obey her command. They continued to rush out of meeting area. Cora stood in panic; she did not have the slightest idea what to say. She would begin to speak, but she was wordless. "Queen, the King Emory was questioning Peeva on matters concerning the missing. She grew tired of his questions and disobeyed his orders. The King looked as if he were having a heart attack while motioning her to stay put for questioning" one of the lead guard says as he holds the Queen steady. Cora no longer in a state of panic rushes over to the King's side and places pressure on the side of his neck with her index and middle finger. There was no pulse; Cora began to lose her breath. She is in a state of panic she did not hear the Queen ask her what the concern was. Cora was in disbelief that King Emory was dead. Marcus could not handle the pauses; he shouts "Peeva did this to him, she needs to be captured and burned. This is witchcraft. I saw it with my own eyes. She did this!" Queen Georgianna stands up and wipes the tears coming from her eyes. "Please take my husband to his resting place. Guards, once you are finished, please retrieve Peeva immediately" says Peeva. The guards did not want to have any part of Peeva or her witchcraft. They were grieving the King, and Kenneth was not the same. He seemed as if he was being controlled. "Queen before we brought Peeva here, she made threats on our lives. Kenneth, as you can see, was dead, it was like she revived him, and said it from her lips she would kill us" says one of the Guards as he motions his hands to grab hold of the king. Queen Georgianna knew what must be done. She wanted to meet with Peeva on her own. She asked the guards not to fetch Peeva at this time. She told them she would organize a trial. The guards took the king to the resting area for the dead. The Queen follows them closely. She could not leave his side. The Queen was so devastated that she could barely contain her tears; she could not accept this. Queen Georgianna stayed with her husband in his resting place. She was in tears, but she sat by his side. Her children joined her and sat with her and sobbed by her side. "Mother will we ever see father again," says Anna. The Queen wipes the tears from her daughter's eyes. She gently kisses George, who is now King, and Princess Anna on the forehead. She was unsure what to say to her darling daughter. "We will all see your father again one day. Right now we must celebrate his life by going on. This will never happen again to anyone we love" says Queen Georgianna. She looked at her children and asked the guards to escort the children to their rooms. She knew she needed to rush over the Peeva's house soon. She takes off her royal garnishes and puts on her husband's trousers and coat. She takes the beautiful brown and white horse out to Peeva's house. When the Queen arrived. Peeva met her. Peeva was standing as if she waiting on Queen Georgianna to arrive. "So you decide to meet me with warm clothing or with warrior's clothing," says Peeva. Queen Georgianna jumps down from her horse. "You brought this on yourself when you killed my husband. I have watched you run around rampant. Harming others who disagree with you, harm who will not allow your deceit to ruin their minds. You wanted my husband gone. You took him from us, and now you will pay the price. I should have said something sooner; you were my friend. I thought the common landers were making this all up. You are abusing it. How did you get it Peeva?" saying Queen Georgianna. "What do you mean? I am your friend, and we can still be friends." Says Peeva. "Answer me now, or I swear you will meet a hell you have never imagined" saying the Queen as she walks closer to Peeva. "Oh, my darling please do not rattle yourself. Your dear husband was in need of rest. He was old and tired. He ran these woods for many decades" saying Peeva in a snobbish voice. "You got it from the woods, of course. Return it." Peeva did not give into commands. She did not want to harm her dear friend the Queen. Peeva walks over to be closer to her. She was wounded by the way her dear friend looked at her and says "Why must your eyes plague me with such hurt." "You took Emory from my children and me. You used that chest of fairy magic and spelled to do so". Peeva was not as gentle as she wanted to be, but she felt an overwhelming sadness for her dear friend. "For that I am sorry, I never meant to kill him. The magic is my birthright, Georgianna" To re-establish her power, the Queen was now in a position to do so "It is Queen Georgianna. You will return the magic chest back and all the magic you have used. Many consequences arise from using fairy magic as dark magic". Peeva felt the sting. She looks around and around the woods. Peeva stops and stares at the sky as it turns dark blue. "You must get home to your children. We would not want anything to happen to the dear Queen" says Peeva. The Queen knew she was no match for Peeva. She was not of fairy blood but was told her its secrecy as a child. Fairies came to the common lands many years ago to escape a being called Sinister. They swore to keep the magic hidden until it was needed for protection. Sinister was not male or female; some believes it lived as human until summoned, while others believe he rose from the ground to take the soul of who used magic for their evil will. Sinister seems as if he were a god sent but to the fairies, it was not.
Purloined Beauty Page 6
