by A. J. Medina
“I have it,” she told Ursala, “but the plan will take time. I will need to hide you in the castle and I know of just the place.
Queen Rosaleen yelled for her maiden. The girl came at once into the washroom. Send for my daughter’s maiden. I need to discuss something with her.
“Aye, My Queen,” the maiden said, and then left to retrieve the princess’ maiden, Genevee.
Chapter 2
I lay in Silas’ arms unable to fall asleep. I felt relaxed and at home, as if I belonged in his arms all along, but the sandman just wouldn’t come.
The room was lit only by the fireplace in the corner. I looked at the window, it was still dark outside.
Silas’ eyes were closed and I snuggled up closer to him and listened to his breathing. His body still wasn’t back to how it was before he was starved in the dungeon, but he was gaining strength and putting on muscle fast. That’s when my thoughts turned to the events that led me here.
I had visited Silas in the dungeon and was on my way back to my room when I was called to Queen Rosaleen’s chambers.
I walked into Queen Rosaleen’s washroom. She was in the bath being washed by one of her chamber maidens. I was disguised as Neala, since I had wanted to visit Silas in the dungeon and I, Alora, wasn’t allowed in his cell.
When King Remi had entered the washroom, he looked at Neala with such longing. When the queen asked him if he still called her to his chambers, I didn’t know what to think. On top of that, Neala was reporting back to the queen on me.
My thoughts moved on...
I was walking past Princess Evelyn’s chambers and she was shouting, “Take that!” Curious to see what she was up to, I pushed her door open and watched as she battled an imaginary foe with her training sword. But it wasn’t just any training sword.
When she showed me the etching on it, the two stick figures of me and my real father, I snatched it out of her hands. The princess protested of course, but I didn’t care at that moment. It was my sword. Mine.
I asked her where she had gotten it and she said it was a gift from one of her father’s visitors.
After a look out her window across the city, my eyes landed on a horse. Not just any horse. It was Mata. I yelled her name so loud all of the city paused and searched for where my voice was coming from.
Mata did also. It was definitely her and that man had both my horse and my training sword. He had to be the one that killed Mother and my stepfather Biron.
I ran down and chased after him.
Then I thought about my journey. Me, Davina, Aednat, Thomas and Neala were walking through the forest in search of The Dragon Wizard. We made camp and then went to wash in the hot springs, based on Neala’s advice. All the girls went and Thomas was left behind to enjoy his own filth. But Thomas hadn’t stayed behind. He was spying on us. Watching us wash and get dressed. When we found out, Aednat gave chase and we all chased after them.
That’s when we met the woman with the black hair. The woman who led the pack of wolves. The woman I would later find out who’s name was Ursala.
Next, I thought about my flight on Draycko’s neck. I was holding onto his horns and was terrified and excited at the same time.
He only trained me for two days, but I learned some valuable skills in that short time. Unfortunately he betrayed me and tried to steal Mother’s emerald by taking control of Neala.
I didn’t mean to, but I ended up killing him. I remembered as my battle axe flipped end over end and thrust into his back. I didn’t know that was the only weak part of his dragon’s armor.
I took the dragon scale that was left behind after he died and we continued home. Of course our adventure didn’t end quite yet.
Ursala paid us another visit. She wanted revenge for killing Draycko. Apparently Draycko was her husband. I’m still not sure how that was possible. Ursala set her wolves on us and I ended up lighting them all on fire and the others finished them off. With her pack dead, Ursala drank from a small vial that hung around her neck. I simply thought it was a pendant and such, but it wasn’t. Ursala turned into a wolf and ran off into the forest.
Back at the castle city Queen Rosaleen tortured Neala and cut her face many times. I didn’t see it happen, but from what Neala told me, I could almost picture it. And the words Neala said the queen chanted, “Never healing always scarred.” Those words resonated in my mind.
I had hoped the queen would leave Neala alone after she cut up her face. The king would no longer be attracted to Neala, that’s what the queen obviously wanted, but it wasn’t enough.
The queen had asked for Neala’s head.
When I heard the queen and King Remi arguing through the wall in my workshop, I opened the secret passageway and tip toed until I reached the door that led to the king’s chambers. They argued some more and Queen Rosaleen asked for Neala to be put to death and Remi agreed.
How could he agree?
And that was it. I had decided right then and there. After everything Silas had told me, plus everything I read in the wizard Agbavitor’s journals, I could no longer serve my king.
I ran back to my room, woke Neala, and followed the instructions on the note Silas had left me.
That journey was over. It was time for a new one.
I looked up at Silas. The shadows swayed to and fro on his face. His mouth was open and his eyes were still shut.
I wanted him to open them so I could gaze upon those violet eyes of his. Those eyes that could see into my soul.
The butterflies danced in my stomach as I thought about him kissing me.
I thought about waking him up, but decided against it. He needed his sleep. Instead, I gently lifted the covers off me and climbed out of bed. Even though the fireplace was warming the room, it was much colder now that I didn’t have the furs to keep me warm.
I threw on my sleep shirt, then my winter cloak — leaving it unbuttoned in the front — left our room, and made my way to Neala’s.
I had grown used to her company and missed having her next to me. It was weird, here I was with the man I loved and yet I wanted to be next to Neala.
As I walked through the passageways, the marble, smooth floors seemed to absorb the cold so much more than stone. My bare feet made splat sounds as I walked, making it difficult to sneak up on anyone if I needed to.
I wondered why I would need to sneak up on anyone in the first place. My silly imagination was running wild again.
When I arrived at her door, I pushed it open. Neala appeared asleep in her bed. I shut the door and whispered. “Neala, are you asleep?”
“Aye,” she whispered back.
“Can I stay here?” I asked.
Neala pulled the furs back inviting me to slip into bed.
I rushed to remove my cloak, hung it up, and then slid under her furs.
I placed my hands behind my head and stared at the dancing shadows on the ceiling. One shadow quickly jumped and another followed. A crackle came from the fireplace and a dragon formed on the ceiling. I followed the shadow as it seemed to fly across the room and then I drifted off to sleep.
The next morning I awoke in a panic. I hadn’t even realized I left it behind. “Oh no,” I shrieked.
Neala sat up and scanned the room. The sunlight barely peeked in through the cracks of the window coverings. “What is it?”
“I left my training sword at the palace.”
I covered my eyes with my hands and felt like I was going to die. How could I have forgotten it? It was all I had left of my real father.
Neala placed her hand on my back and gently tried to comfort me. I dropped my hands, threw my arms around her, and squeezed tightly. She squeezed back.
“It’ll be fine,” she said. “You’ll see. You never thought you’d see it again after.... Never mind.”
I released my hold on her, wiped my eyes and smiled. “The day will come when we return to Ly’vera. I just hope Remi hasn’t thrown it into a fire.”
“I doubt it. If anything, P
rincess Evelyn would stop him. It was given to her, wasn’t it?”
My sword was a gift to her from that man. I couldn’t remember what his name was, and his face was beginning to fade in my memories, but I could never forget my horse, Mata.
The king had stopped me from chasing after him. I hated him for that.
“Will you join me in the dining hall for the morning meal?” Neala asked.
Puzzled by her request, I said, “Since when do you eat this early?”
“Things are going to be different from now on.” She ran her hand down her cheek and then over her forehead. The black stitches contrasted greatly against her light skin.
Neala tossed the furs off us and climbed out of bed and shed her sleep shirt and replaced it with her brown tunic and pants.
“Change isn’t all bad,” Neala said. “I want to try... changing a little. Trying new things. Trying to not be... afraid.”
“There’s no need to be afraid anymore. The king can’t hurt you anymore and neither can the queen.”
She moved over to the window and slid the curtains aside. After unlatching the wooden storm coverings, she pulled them aside to let the sunlight in. She pushed the window open and a gust of cold morning air and snow burst into the room.
Still wearing only my sleep shirt, I lifted the furs up to my neck and held them there. Neala turned around, the sun at her back. I squinted trying to still see her, but all I could see was her silhouette.
“You’re wrong if you truly believe they can’t hurt us anymore. The king and queen want to control the three kingdoms. They won’t stop until they do. Only you and Silas stand in their way. They will come for you. For the both of you. And when they do, I will surely be killed.”
“Nay!” I yelled. The window behind Neala slammed shut causing her to jump.
The fire in the wood burner rose and roared and crackled.
I jumped out of bed and ran to her. “I won’t let them hurt you.” I pulled her into my arms. “I won’t lose anyone else I care about. Ever.”
“How will you stop them?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will.”
I released our embrace so I could look upon her. Neala didn’t smile. Nor did she frown. Her face was difficult to read. I couldn’t tell if she believed my words. I didn’t know if I believed them myself.
Neala was free from the castle city. Free from King Remi’s clutches. Ugh... How could he do that to her?
“I want you to remember, Neala. You aren’t a slave anymore. You’re my friend. And now that we’re out of that palace you don’t have to pretend you’re my servant either.”
“I know.” Neala turned around and looked out at the falling snow.
“So what will you do now that you’re free?”
Neala stood perfectly upright, proud and composed. “I don’t know, but I want to stay at your side. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is. You’re my friend.”
“You said that already.”
“Then don’t forget it.”
“Are you going to join me?” she asked again.
“Nay, but will I see you later?”
“Aye. You won’t be able to miss me. I’ll be the one with the black stitches on my face.”
Neala smiled and then left the room. When the door shut, I removed my cloak from its hook and threw it on. She made a joke about herself. Something I don’t think I’d ever heard her do before. Maybe Neala was going to change. I prepared myself. Hopefully she wouldn’t change too much so that she became unrecognizable from the girl I once knew.
I left the comfort of her room and ran back to Silas’.
Later that day, after the snow had stopped, me and Neala walked outside Silas’ castle. It wasn’t at all like King Remi’s castle city. There was a square where the citizens tried to sell their wares, but there were no stables or any other structures besides the castle inside the walls.
Everyone, it seemed, lived in the castle and the stables were outside of the walls. It was very different indeed.
I had thought about Neala and her changing, and since she wasn’t a slave anymore, I asked her again what she wanted to do with herself.
“The servants in Silas’ city are free to do as they please,” Neala said. “Most of them choose to stay in their current roles as servants though.”
“Aye. Silas said they feel they don’t know how to do anything else but serve. They’ve been slaves all their lives and it’s all they know. Starting over in new lives scares them. Silas agreed to let them keep doing their roles, but they are free to leave at any time if they want to.”
“Maybe I should stay your servant.”
“Nay. I don’t want a servant.”
“Then what else can I do?”
“That’s for you to decide.”
As we walked around the square, I was approached by a young girl. She looked to be around fourteen seasons.
The girl curtsied and stared at the ground. At the same time, I felt something wet hit my face. Looking up, snowflakes had begun falling again. I held my hand out and caught one. It melted almost instantly.
“I hate winter,” I said.
“Allow me to make winter easier for you, m’lady,” the girl said. “For the both of you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“My name is Clara. I was in training to become a chamber maiden for the queen of Ky’lima, but since she was overthrown I have no one to serve. I would like to be your chamber maiden.” She gestured towards Neala. “A chamber maiden to you both if it pleases you.”
Neala smiled.
“Clara, I don’t want a servant. If you don’t already know, Neala here is... was my chamber maiden. She is free to do as she chooses now, because I don’t want anyone to serve me.”
“But m’lady, you are with Silas. He is king. When you marry, you will be queen. The queen must have—”
“I haven’t decided if I will marry Silas yet.”
“Forgive me, m’lady. I just assumed—”
“Alora,” I interrupted her.
“M’lady?” she asked.
“My name is Alora. Please stop calling me, m’lady.”
“She doesn’t like titles,” Neala told her. “And look at us when you speak.”
She still stared at the ground. “My ladies forgive me, but I have been trained to behave—”
I shouted at her. “Enough! I don’t want a servant. I can do everything on my own.”
Neala leaned in and whispered in my ear. She made some good points. Points that I hadn’t even thought of. I looked at Neala, feeling even more sorry that she had to do those things for me. And yet she did them without complaint, with pride. I now knew what I would offer Neala. I wouldn’t pressure her. If she didn’t want to do it then she didn’t have to. She was free after all. Free to do whatever she wanted. But Neala was my best friend and I hoped she would agree.
I turned my attention back to Clara. “Clara, do you really want to be our chamber maiden?”
“Aye, m’lady.”
“Do you really want to wash us, and make our beds, and empty the pails from our washroom?”
“Aye, m’lady.”
I huffed at her still calling me m’lady. “Then two things must stop immediately.”
“Anything, m’lady.”
“First, you will call us by our names. No more m’lady this or m’lady that.”
“Aye m’lady... I mean, Alora.”
“Good. Next, no more looking at the ground when you speak to us—”
“Or anyone for that matter,” Neala interrupted.
“But Alora... Neala... It is a sign of respect. It is disrespectful to look at a queen in her eyes.”
“I am not a queen!” I shouted.
Clara stepped back.
I used a soothing voice. A calm voice, as if speaking to a baby. “Clara, we’ll be happy to have you as a chamber maiden.” I placed my hand on her shoulder. “But... look at me in my eyes.”
She d
id.
“You are not my slave. You are not anyone’s slave. Serve me if you wish, but you will look us in the eye when you speak to us and you will not fear us. Do you understand?”
Clara nodded.
Neala stepped in close to us. “Well then Clara. See to both of our chambers.”
Clara curtsied and went to carry out her duties as our new chamber maiden.
And even though I still didn’t feel comfortable having a servant, she was doing it of her own free will. I mean, who really wanted to empty out those nasty, filthy pails in the washroom anyway? I sure didn’t.
With Clara on her way to see to our rooms, me and Neala continued walking around Silas’ square trying to enjoy the cool air and the snow falling. I decided now was the perfect time to ask Neala if she wanted to become my apprentice, but before I could ask her, I saw him. I squinted my eyes to get a clearer picture.
Neala noticed my actions and followed my gaze.
“Why are you staring at Silas like that?” she asked.
I hadn’t even noticed that Silas was talking to the man. “I’m not starring at Silas. I’m staring at the man he’s talking to.”
Neala looked back at the two of them. “Who is he?”
I didn’t answer her and instead forced myself to move towards the man. The snow began to fall harder and the wind picked up making it harder to see.
“I’m not sure,” I finally answered.
As we grew closer, Silas and the man moved toward us. I kept studying the man, trying to place him. When he noticed me starring, he turned his face and body position so I couldn’t get a good look.
“Come on,” I told Neala. We hurried towards them and when we met, I paced around Silas trying to get a good look. The man matched my movements. He seemed to be trying to keep Silas in between us.
Finally, I grew tired of the game he was playing. “Why are you avoiding my gaze?” I asked. Silas and the man immediately stopped talking.
“What are you talking about?” Silas asked.
“Your friend here.” I continued circling trying to see his face and he continued matching me trying to avoid it.
“He keeps moving so that I can’t see his face.”