by A. J. Medina
I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell, kick, shout, stab someone.
Neala slid her perfect body into the bath and sat down waiting for her turn to be washed.
When Clara was finished with my body, I sat down so that she could clean my feet. Knowing that Clara was almost done with me, Neala stood up. Clara lay my foot gently back into the water and turned her attention towards Neala.
I sat enjoying the bliss of the warm water and shut my eyes when I remembered my tea. I searched the room, but couldn’t find it.
“Clara, where’s my tea?”
She pointed. “It’s behind you, to the left and on the step.”
I picked it up and sipped some more of its deliciousness.
As I sipped, I watched the two of them. Two perfect girls who could take Silas from me if they wanted to.
I tried to take my mind off of such silliness, but each time I tried, my thoughts went right back to the girls in front of me.
I hated them both for being so pretty.
Clara more so because at least Neala’s face had been damaged by the queen. But Neala’s body hadn’t been touched one bit. Her skin was still smooth and she had curves in all the right places.
From the neck down she was perfect.
I looked down at my own body. I remembered being happy with it, but now for some reason I wasn’t. Clara and Neala were prettier than me. I shouldn’t care, but I did.
Neala’s already been with a king and she wasn’t a slave any more. Why wouldn’t she want Silas?
Why wouldn’t she?
I sat there and watched them as I drank my tea.
It really was delicious.
Chapter 9
The next evening I sat waiting and drinking more of Davina’s tea. Each time I took a sip I felt the warmth engulf my body. It felt as if my whole body flushed with blood the way my cheeks would when I was embarrassed. Clara entered, ready to help me dress. She wore a violet gown. Violet like Silas’ eyes.
Hatred filled my thoughts. Then anger and then jealousy. Sitting on the edge of my bed with my legs crossed, I continued sipping my tea.
Clara opened the closet.
I should’ve never agreed to let Clara be our chamber maiden. I never really liked Neala washing me and now I had this one doing the same thing. Even Silas said I should let her do everything for me since she wanted to.
I sipped some more.
“How about the yellow one?” she asked while holding it out by its shoulders.
I shook my head and held the tea close to my chin with both hands so that I could inhale its tastiness.
Clara moved one gown after another sliding them along their hangers. She immediately bypassed the violet one. I wondered if she didn’t want me dressed in the same color as she was.
She pulled out the crimson one. I sipped the tea and then answered. “Nay.”
She shrugged and kept going. When she reached the black one I stopped her. “Let me see that one.”
“This one?”
“Aye.”
She lifted it off the rod and then held it in front of her body, modeling it for me. Its sleeves were long, the neck formed into a V, and it cinched at the waist and then flowed out to the feet. The trim around the neck, wrists and ankles were white lace.
I wanted to wear it. “That’s the one. Bring it here.”
“Wouldn’t you like to wear something more festive? Black is so—”
My voice turned stern. “I said bring it here.”
I uncrossed my legs and stood. Clara scrunched up the bottom of the gown so that she could slip it on over my head.
I lifted my arms straight up into the air.
“Place your tea down, Alora.”
I forgot I was holding it.
I placed it on the end table and then stretched my arms up again.
After sliding it on, she tied a bow behind my neckline and then tied the rope belt around my waist.
Clara hurried back over to the closet. “Which shoes would you like to wear?”
Checking my feet, I couldn’t see them anyway, so I asked for my most comfortable brown shoes. I retrieved my tea and sat down. Clara came over and knelt down in front of me. On her knees, she waited for my foot. Sipping my tea, I wondered what she would look like if she had all of Neala’s stitches and cuts on her face. I wondered what it would feel like to cut her face myself. I wondered if it would feel good.
She stood.
So did I.
“May I join the party?” Clara asked.
I thought for a moment. “Nay. See to my room first.”
She looked around the room. It was clean. “But, it’s—”
“See to my room!” I shouted, and then dropped my empty mug to the floor. It shattered into a hundred pieces and I stepped on them, shattering them even more as I left the room.
Something yelled inside of me to stop and apologize to her. To go back and help her clean up my mess. And yet another part of me said to keep walking—she was my servant. I left the room and went to join the party being thrown in honor of our new guests: Aednat, Thomas, Davina and Ryanne.
When I entered the ballroom, there was food laid out everywhere. We ate and then danced. We drank and laughed. We reminisced over our training and of those lost in battle. Aednat almost laughed once, but I think her face might have broken or fell off if she smiled, so she held back.
Silas had yet to join our small team of knightlys. He said he would be talking with General Ugo, no doubt planning for his attack on King Remi once again.
I found myself studying all of the prettiest girls at the celebration ball. A celebration welcoming two more pretty girls. Ryanne with her curves in all the right places and Davina—tall, fit, capable Davina. I searched the room for Clara. She hadn’t arrived yet. I searched for Neala and found her talking to Thomas. She giggled. He laughed.
I think it was the first time I’d seen him without something shoved into his mouth. Neala tossed her hair back over her shoulder.
Was she flirting with him? How could he find her attractive with those black stitches scattered along her face? And look at her twirling her hair at him. Look at the way she’s laughing at his stupidity.
I found myself wishing she was uglier. So ugly, so scarred by the queen, that no one would find her attractive. No one, especially Silas.
I couldn’t help but imagine the two of them together. My blood boiled at the thought and I could feel my temperature rising. Sweat beaded on my brow.
Lucah found himself standing beside me. “They would make a good couple don’t you think?”
“Who?” I asked.
He pointed to Neala and Thomas. “Those two.”
“I don’t know. I suppose.”
Neala laughed so hard she spit some of her drink out her nose.
Idiot.
“Must have been funny to make her laugh that hard,” Lucah said.
I was beginning to hate her.
“Where’s Silas?” Lucah asked.
“On his way I’m sure.”
“I would never keep you waiting,” he said, and then nudged me with his elbow.
“You can’t be serious,” I said. My fury for Neala and all the pretty girls plus what Lucah just said had irritated me. “You left me waiting on the balcony that night.”
“But—”
“No word at all. You could’ve sent someone to let me know you weren’t coming. Instead you left me there waiting. I felt like a fool.”
“I’m sor—”
“I don’t care. I would’ve never done that to you. Never!”
If it wasn’t for the music playing everyone would’ve turned to see why I was yelling.
“Leave me alone,” I said.
Lucah walked away.
I hated him too after that conversation. I wanted to go up to my room and get comfortable. The gown felt constricting, not at all like my second skin, and I couldn’t move as freely as I wanted to in it.
“Another drink?” Davina asked.<
br />
Where did she come from? These girls are sneaky.
“Of course,” I said. “Everything you make tastes so delicious.” I took the glass from her and tasted it.
“Do you like it?” she asked.
“Aye. This drink tastes a bit like grapes mixed with cranberries and a hint of... of I’m not sure.”
But it was delicious. So delicious that I drank it in one swoop and then handed her back the empty glass.
“That looked good,” Silas said appearing almost out of no where.
I hated when Agbavitor used to do that.
“Where’s mine?” he asked Davina.
“I’ll make you one. I’ll be right back.”
“Hi there,” Silas said, and then placed one hand on the small of my back and took my hand in his other one.
Before I could even finish putting my arm on his shoulder, he spun me onto the dance floor. Around and around we twirled until I started to feel a bit dizzy.
“Please stop with the spinning. I’m getting dizzy.”
“Too much of Davina’s punch I see.”
I tapped him lightly on the chest. “You’ll see later—”
“Here’s your drink,” Davina interrupted.
She held out the goblet. I felt like taking it and throwing it at her stupid pretty face.
“Thank you,” he said as he took it from her.
But just as he lifted it to his lips, I grabbed it. Davina had been serving us her concoctions and they were fantastic. I lifted the goblet to my lips and drank half of it. “This one’s also very tasty.”
Silas grabbed my wrist, took the goblet, and then handed it back to Davina. He led us to the center of the ballroom floor and we danced and swung around in a circle with our arms locked, but then everything started to go fuzzy.
My vision became blurry. My balance wavered. Silas swung me out and away from him and let me go, or maybe I let him go. I struggled to maintain my balance. My momentum drove me further away from him. I heard someone shout my name, but couldn’t tell who had yelled it.
I held my balance as long as I could until my knees and hands hit the floor. Next was my head. It bounced lightly as I lay down and drifted off into darkness.
— — —
Davina wanted her revenge and she wanted it yesterday. Tired of waiting, her patience deteriorating every minute, she made her move. The queen had warned her not to release both potions at once or at least make sure Silas was alone when he drank, but she could wait no longer. It had to be tonight.
Davina went into the kitchen and searched for the drink tray. More punch was asked for and the servants were busily preparing it according to her instructions. She waited until it was ready and then walked over to the punch bowl. Quickly, as not to be seen, she uncorked the tiny vial and poured the liquid into the punch.
Its color quickly faded and blended in with the liquid. No one would be able to tell it was tainted.
That covered all of them, but how could she be sure Silas would drink the poison meant just for him?
Davina scooped some punch, left the kitchen, and returned to the gathering just in time to catch Lucah walking away from Alora.
“Another drink?” Davina asked Alora.
“Of course. Everything you make tastes so delicious.”
Alora took the glass and tasted it.
“Do you like it?” Davina asked.
“Aye. This drink tastes a bit like grapes mixed with cranberries and a hint of... of I’m not sure.”
Alora enjoyed it so much that she drank it in one swoop.
Silas appeared. “That looked good. Where’s mine?” he asked Davina.
“I’ll make you one. I’ll be right back.”
As she left to prepare Silas’ drink, a servant emerged holding the newly created punch bowl. Davina smiled. When she noticed she was smiling she stopped and recomposed herself. She didn’t know what the queen’s potion would do to them, but she hoped it would kill them all.
Upon seeing the newly delivered punch bowl being laid upon the table, everyone dipped their mugs and drank.
Knowing how quick acting potions could be, Davina excitingly waited for something, anything to happen—but nothing did.
She didn’t understand it, but she had done as she’d agreed. Whether Rosaleen’s potion worked or not was not her concern. Only that the potion she had created for Silas did.
Davina watched as Silas led Alora onto the ballroom floor. She studied her surroundings and when she was sure no one was watching, she poured the poison into Silas’ goblet and made her way towards them.
“Here’s your drink,” Davina said while holding out the goblet.
Davina held both hands out. Silas took it, but before Davina could stop her, Alora snatched it out of his hands.
Davina’s eyes went wide.
“This one’s also very tasty,” Alora said.
Silas snatched it back before she could drink it all and handed it back to Davina.
Silas took them back onto the ballroom floor and they danced for only a second before Alora’s head bounced off the floor.
Lucah rushed over to them when he saw her fall. and tried to wake her. He patted her cheeks. “Alora! Alora wake up.”
After the next pat he let his hand rest on her cheek. “She’s burning up,” he said.
Silas placed the back of his hand on her forehead. “She’s hot as fire.” Silas gazed at the goblet in Davina’s hand. “Poison!” He turned to the others. “No one drink. It’s been poisoned.”
Lucah held his ear to her mouth. “She’s breathing.”
Silas wrestled her off the floor and into his arms. He carried her like he might’ve on their wedding day. “Fetch the healer,” he yelled to Davina, but she couldn’t move. She watched as he walked out of the ballroom and back to what she assumed would be their chambers.
“Well, are you going to fetch the healer?” A girl’s voice asked.
Davina turned to face the voice.
“Well, are you?” Aednat asked again.
Davina just stood there watching her.
“Never mind. I’ll do it. I don’t know what’s been wrong with you lately, but you haven’t acted like yourself for weeks,” Aednat said, and then ran off to fetch the healer.
Chapter 10
Davina had made her way up to the top of the castle and waited for the falcon from Queen Rosaleen. When she saw it coming, she held her arm up and the falcon landed on it. After unwrapping the message she read it.
My dearest Davina, hope all has gone well. By now both tasks should have been completed. I would like to know if all has gone as planned. Please reply to this immediately and wait for my response.
Davina turned it over and wrote on the back.
Not all has gone to plan. I have done what I was asked and done all that I needed to do, but the target did not fall. Instead the wizard has fallen ill. She snatched away the poison meant for The Apprentice, but didn’t drink it entirely. I am afraid she will not survive the week. What shall I do, My Queen?
After she sent the falcon on its way with her message, Davina squatted down and pulled her winter cloak tight. She wanted to go inside and get away from the cold and the falling snow, but she needed to wait for the queen’s response. As she was getting wet, she pulled her hood over her head and sat in the cover of night thinking about her revenge. She wanted... needed her revenge.
She wanted Silas dead, but with Alora falling ill, people would be paying attention much more closely. People would be watching Silas making sure his food and drink weren’t poisoned. Poison was no longer an option.
The plan had been perfect, the one her and the queen concocted, but who would’ve expected Alora to take his drink and drink it.
So now she waited in the wet, cold night for Queen Rosaleen’s response.
Two cold and wet hours had passed when she finally saw the small figure coming closer. She held her arm out for it to land and then inhaled deeply before reading the message.
<
br /> You have failed me. The plan was so simple. Did I not tell you to make sure he was alone when he drank? She is mine, not yours. You will make her well. Here is the antidote to the poison. You will need all of the ingredients, one of which will be difficult to procure.
I do not care any longer what happens to The Apprentice. Do with him as you please, but Alora is mine. Make sure she does not fall. And one more thing. The jealousy potion will also be counteracted and Alora will go back to normal. Do not give her any more tea. If you do not save her, if she is not mine, her fate will become yours.
Davina’s hands began to shake. She never wanted to get on the queen’s bad side and now that’s exactly where she was. She had to make it right.
She read the list of ingredients. There were eight in total. Seven of them weren’t going to be a problem, but the last one, the one she was sure Rosaleen was talking about, that one would be hard to find—dragon tears.
Still holding on to the parchment, Davina dropped her arm to her side. The falcon decided it was time to go and took to the air, flying east towards Ly’vera. It hadn’t even waited for a response.
Dragon tears? Where am I going to find dragon tears? Davina wondered.
The last dragon she had ever seen or even heard of was Draycko. But he was lost, forever. Where could she find another dragon?
Perhaps there’s a sorceress somewhere that has dragon tears? She shook her head. If the queen knew someone that had it she would’ve told her.
She tore the piece of parchment in half so that only the recipe for the antidote to the poison remained. She then tore the message part into tiny remnants of itself, letting the wind take it away before returning to her shared room.
When she arrived, Aednat was still awake.
“Where have you been? What have you been doing?” Aednat asked.
“I sent a falcon to my family. They know about poisons.”
“You look frozen,” Aednat said.
“Aye. I am, but I had to find a way to help Alora, I just had to.”
She handed the recipe to Aednat.
“What is this?”
“My family spoke to a sorcerer that they knew of and he said this potion would cure any poison. The only difficult ingredient to find will be dragon tears. I don’t know how we are going to find those. The last dragon known was Draycko and Alora killed him.”