Flora

by Kendal M Lyon

  Oswald had dragged her back to her cell with dread in his eyes as he went in search of Lord Reynald, looking for a place to move her to. For the first time forcefully dragging her along with a strong grip into her cell to toss her against its wall and shut the door.

  As Flora leaned against the wall, smirking and playing with the new sharp hairpin from the ladies room on the tip of her finger and she could hear the shouting through her thick door. "What?" yelled a voice that could only be Lord Reynald at the same time a hard slam pounded through the brick. Followed by mumbling of, "—the damn Prince is going to go looking for her, of all the—"

  Flora smiled and lifted her skirts to slip the pin into her boot. She could only hear the mumbling that followed, but she did notice the sound of harsh steps coming towards her door. She quickly pulled herself along the room to lean up against a different wall, aimed so she could see into the hallway as the door flew opened.

  The door that had crashed was still moving in rebound as it showed Lord Reynald's sneer, behind whom was her pink-faced Oswald. His hair dripping with sweat. "Time to move. If Willa is going to drag you up to her quarters in the middle of the night and now the King knows about you, you are going to play little Lady in waiting for that woman. Follow me," said Lord Reynald storming away. "Trust me though peasant. If I had my way you would be staying in this filth."

  Flora glanced back at her window, tilting her head side to side as panic welled. She knew she wouldn't be seeing this cell or her escape again. She hoped the cell would remain empty. Otherwise whoever moved her jacket will have known what she was up to. She had to leave it there. The hole was very obvious now that she had almost gotten through. To buy her some time if nothing else to find another way to leave.

  She shook her head and squared her shoulders, moving out of the room. Dawdling would only alert Lord Reynald of something she would rather keep hidden. She hurried to catch up, finding herself going the way she had come. "Oh, so the King doesn't know about me," Flora dragged out, trying to barb the Lord so he would not find her odd. "You are going to be in such trouble."

  Lord Reynald turned and slapped her before she even finished. She blinked and brought a hand up to it. Her cheek was quickly feeling raw with the events of the past hours and Lord Reynald grabbed her wrist and took her further into the castle.

  Lady Willa threw a pot at the door that shattered as Lord Reynald stormed into her rooms. Flora let out a bark of laughter as dodged the flying shards. As happy to see Lady Willa as she had been to see her.

  "Find somewhere else," she screamed at Lord Reynald, holding a wet handkerchief that was soaked in the tears coming from her red eyes.

  "She will stay here. Deal with it woman and shut up," Lord Reynald said through clenched teeth, barely looking at her. "You agreed to play this part. Actions have consequences."

  Lady Willa turned away, going to sit on the bed, not looking at Flora. She did not even say a word to Flora as Oswald came from a room with his arms full of clothing and Flora was shoved in behind him. The lock snapping shut to behind her. There was a key hole on this side, but of course, she did not have a key.

  She quickly noticed another door along a far wall. She tried its handle but it was locked as well. She then moved to a cracked glass window overlooking the city with nearly the same view she had had at the ball. She looked around the edges of the window frame wondering if she could cut through this wall as well. Breaking the glass would have been easier, but it would make too much noise. Her fingers shook as she wondered if it was possible. She stopped moving though as she heard Lord Reynald's voice drift into the room, and she stared out the window, watching a large bird fly across the city.

  "You will find, my dear darling Flora, that my patience has become stretched," he said through the wood. The words dripping in menace and barely noticeable. As if he did not want her to hear them at all.

  Flora waited for him to say more, but she heard the creak of the wood as he left his place at the door. She was safe enough in her room for now, at least since he was on the other side of that door.

  There were a few more mumbles from beyond that door, but then the room beside her's quieted as Lord Reynald and possible Oswald left. The weeping from Lady Willa had even faded.

  Finally alone Flora turned to survey the rest of her large room. It was filled with only old furniture but at least it included a chair and a bed.

  "How spoiled," she said. She refused to let herself think of the hole in the prison below her as she took in the room. Nor did she think about what Lord Reynald had said. She wandered through it briefly until a swamp of exhaustion overtook her and she thought she would fall where she stood.

  She moved to the bed and fell onto it. Melting through its plush down. As Flora squirmed around she found nothing to perch on. She laid entrapped in the blankets for a while before feeling uncomfortable and rolling herself off its edge. She dragged a blanket and pillow over to the window.

  There was a small nook along the glass which was long enough for her to stretch fully across the stone. She pressed her self along it, dropping the thick blanket atop her. Relishing the cold that came from the stone, and the first cool breeze she had felt since coming from the castle that drifted threw a small missing chunk of glass along the window's side. She fell asleep watching the clouds drift along the night sky with the stars peeking out at her. More peaceful than she had felt in a long time, she slept, dreaming of white birds.

  Until a horrible stabbing pain woke her up. It was on her hand beside the window. Wondering if maybe it was another snake looking for a treat she tossed her hand up to shake the pain. Whatever was causing it gripped to her, and she blinked her eyes open to look at her hand, which had a black leathery creature staring at her, its teeth deep in her skin.

  She screamed and thrashed her hand against the wall as she bolted upright. The creatures grip stayed firm. Its teeth holding its grip as its own limbs and wings swung around. She smacked the creature against the wall again, but still the creature held on.

  She felt hands along her side that she fell back into as she tried to get away from the creature. "I am so sorry, I forgot about the broken window, I meant to have that fixed," Lady Willa said. "Get us some milk," she screamed over her shoulder.

  Flora was swinging her hand frantically as she tried to control her panic. Lady Will gripping Flora's shoulder from behind her.

  "Here, bring it here," Lady Willa said calmly, grabbing at Flora's swinging arm. Her grip was firm as she moved up Flora's hand to the creature.

  She grasped it's wings in one hand, pinching them shut. Her other hand pressing on the joint of its jaw, until the teeth opened. Blood gushed from the wound and Flora fell to the floor. Meanwhile, Lady Willa battled with the creature, before cramming it back through the hole in the window.

  Flora focused on her hand that was slowly clotting. She only looked up as Lady Willa settled down in front of her, a bowl of milk in her hand and a wet rag. Her hair was down and streaked with grey, while she was dressed in a cream paisley night gown with buttons down the front.

  "Are you all right," Lady Willa asked, taking the rag and setting it over Flora's hand

  Flora only nodded her head as her shoulders shook, taking the offered rag and pressing it against her hand. "It was surprising. "

  Lady Willa smiled. "I don't like surprises at two in the morning either. Here is milk for the creatures. This shouldn't happen again. I will make sure Marcus brings some in with your food from now on." She set the dish in front of Flora and stood up, going for the door. "Good night Flora," Lady Willa said, before shutting the door.

  Flora stayed alone in that room for hours after that. Lady Willa never again came to visit or train her, and Marcus answered none of the questions that Flora had when he delivered food.Oswald was nowhere that Flora could tell

  She missed him. He had been her only companion for so long, and she hoped he was okay. She could only imagine what Lord Reynald would to him for another error. She lo
oked down out the window. She wondered if he was one of the people walking the paths below her.

  Games We Play

  The next morning, Lord Reynald showed up and dragged her down to a part of the castle that she recognized from the window in her room. The sun rose over the horizon lighting up the grounds and Flora squinted as she tried to adjust, still feeling exhausted from the day before.

  The four walls around the grassy field made the air calm in the morning heat, the sun had barely risen and she was already sweating. The grass tickled her fingers as she laid on the lawn with what could have only been other prisoner. They were filthy and had been dragged out of their cells as well to be lined up along one of the walls. A cannon, with fuse ready, pointed in their direction. Her hopes had risen as she watched more prisoners join her, but her brothers did not appear.

  Lord Reynald had left her soon after, not acknowledging any of the other prisoners. Minutes later she could see his red jacket hovering over the stones on top of one of the walls, with cannons pointed both outwards and inwards. He was on the far side as he walked, and she could not make out his face except for the glint of smiling white teeth reflected in the sun.

  Flora and the other prisoners waited there in silence for a while, until one of the prisoners spoke up. His voice barely a whisper and his hands held tight to his body. He stood like a pillar, praying that his voice did not carry, and swaying in the wind.

  "Has anyone met a man named Patric?" Asked the man.

  Flora shook her head slowly, as did most of the other men around her in uneven movements. The man looked slowly at each of them, as tears formed and flowed freely down his cheeks. He did not speak another word.

  A guard came by, pulling them away one by one. To chain one of their legs to a large red square, that seemed light enough to be picked up by one person.

  Flora could not hear what the guard said as he motioned to each prisoner. When the guard came for her he was smiling. "You are the lucky one today, you have the smallest spot, but you are worth the most points."

  Flora's brows kinked. "Points?" She asked.

  "Lord Reynald hopes you are in good shape," the guard said back, his cheeks still pinched against a smile that was trying to force itself out.

  "You won't even tell a sweet young girl like me?" Flora said with a forced batt of her eyelashes.

  The guard snorted a laugh. "If you are here, you are anything but harmless."

  With that, he chained her ankle to a small four by four-foot red square and left her along the wall where she was. The other prisoners that had been dragged out with her were scattered around the field. The man who had spoken was placed square in the middle of the arena. He had one of the largest red tarps chained to him that she could see on the field.

  Flora gazed around at the four walls as the time ticked by. There was no movement besides the wind and the guards on the walls. She took her first few steps away from her position, waiting for someone to yell at her for moving, but no one did. She walked farther. She was halfway to the man in the centre, who was still swaying and stone straight.

  "Fire!" She heard a voice scream, which stopped her in her tracks. Her head swiveled around to find Lord Reynald casually sat with his legs dangling off the stone wall so high above where he screamed orders to the men around him.

  The boom of cannons went off, and dust flew up from either side of Lord Reynald. She watched two small cannon balls shoot over the wall opposite him, and then she heard the screams. Flora placed her fingers over her gaping mouth as her stomach dropped. Then the scream faded. That is when she knew they were the targets in a sick game.

  The sound of cannons went off again and she looked up, but no smoke was coming from up beside Lord Reynald. However, from over the centre wall, there were two cannons flying into the field she had been locked in, though they were going to fall farther away from her, towards the centre and on the other side. One was aimed right for the man who had asked about Patric.

  "Run," Flora screamed to the man, as her heart pushed backwards in her chest.

  His eyes were on the black ball coming his way, and he kneeled down. The cannonball collided with the ground around him, and when the dust cleared she could see nothing left of the man who had asked for his friend.

  Lord Reynald's voice sounded the order to fire again. Again two cannons flew over the centre wall. Screams went again and then silence. More cannons shot off. Flora watched as one rose over the wall.

  "Miss Faodail you will need to move faster or you are going to lose me points to our dear Queen. She is quite the worthy adversary in a game of cannons," said Lord Reynald down to her.

  He was right. The cannon balls were moving right towards her. Flora cursed and picked up the small heap of framed red material and ran.

  By the time they hit the ground where she had been, she was long gone, still pelting towards to the back wall. She hit the stone with full impact and spun around, trying to press herself into the wall.

  She shivered there against the stone as cannon balls continued to fly over and back across the centre wall. The screams grew less frequent, and her shivers grew more expressive. To the point where her fingertips could not even grip the stone behind her as they tried to handle the adrenaline.

  "You didn't give me a chance Reynald," Flora screamed up, hoping he could here him. "I can't get information for you if you keep me locked up." She screamed again, she could hear Lord Reynald laugh but he did not respond.

  Her eyes only followed the placement of the cannonballs, and two more were flying directly towards her. Flora pushed herself off the wall, with so much force that she tripped over her red square and fell flat on her face, her hands moving to slow to catch her. She rolled onto her back and kicked to pull at her feet tangled in the chain as the cannon ball's whistling grew louder. Until the high pitched scream was all that she could hear. She got one of her legs fully free from the chain and turned to push herself off the ground until the ground rumbled below her.

  The earthquake tossed her onto her belly. Unable to rise, she crawled as far as she could. The crash reached her before the impact did, but the impact tore the ground apart and threw her through the air into the middle of the field.

  She slid with extreme speed through the coating of red slime that slicked the grass. She laid there shaking along with the ground, only managing to roll herself over as she stared at her slimed hand, the smell of burnt smoke and bodies clogging her airways. The cannon balls had stopped firing as she stayed like that.

  That is what made Flora look up at the wall above her. Lord Reynald and his men were all holding desperately to the ridges along the wall. Some steadying themselves much faster than others, and running off to see to whatever other destruction made have happened to the rest of the castle grounds.

  Lord Reynald had risen and his hands were braced along the wall, his shoulders heaving as he stared down at her. His mouth was moving, giving orders to the man behind him, but it was the wind that carried his words to her.

  "Take the creatures back to their homes," Lord Reynald said. "I think they now know that they are not here to play games with us."

  Sit Still, Look Pretty

  It felt like many more weeks till her door opened again, though it could have been only hours for all she knew when it opened to show the Lady's handmaiden there. She was smiling and eyeing Flora as she rubbed the sleep in her eyes, her mind still running through the events the day before, before blinking rapidly at the person in front of her, her body tense. The maid watched her as well before she started to laugh.

  "I'm so glad I amuse you," Flora said bluntly with a yawn. Stretching as the remnants of dried blood cracked along her skin. "I do tricks for food too." Her belly was rumbling and she was sure the maid could hear it.

  "It's not you, it is just that for how mad her Ladyship has been all this last week I honestly expected more. More hair, more teeth, just more everything," she said jokingly, gesturing at all of Flora. "She really built you up. C
ome on, I was told to get you washed up. I'm Ambrosia." The young woman came over grabbing Flora's arm to help her to her feet. "You get to join the real world now from what I heard. Do your tricks right and you get the food," Ambrosia said with a wink. "Promise."

  "But, wait," Flora stuttered looking back at her window as she dragged Flora from the room with jerking legs. "It is the middle of the night."

  "Apparently Lord Reynald is planning something exciting tomorrow. He wanted you up early for it. I don't know why. Don't worry," She laughed again showing her fine white teeth. "There will be tea there to keep your heart awake and beating. Or so I am told."

  "What something?" Flora asked, as she shivered, realizing how close she had come to both having a heart beat at all the day before.

  "Something that made me have to come to wake you up," Ambrosia said with another giggle.

  "You are full of facts," Flora said. Ambrosia's spirit was so light-hearted that Flora almost relaxed in her sleepiness.

  Ambrosia gave her a knowing smile, her eyes glinting within her delicate pastel features, like a fox sneaking up behind a mouse. Then Ambrosia slowly got to work, taking her time. She was kind as she cleaned Flora up, taking off the last smears of makeup she had from Lady Willa's preening, along with the crusted blood of a stranger she would never know, and making her fresh. Flora almost wanted to laugh at Ambrosia's jokes as the day faded by as Ambrosia got her fit for company, but Ambrosia had brought her a cold bowl of real strew and that preoccupied her.

  "You won't fit in your dress if you finish that up," Ambrosia said.

  Flora shrugged her shoulders, put the spoon in her mouth holding it there as she shook her hand out as it cramped from the strain with which she held it.

  Ambrosia laughed at her as she finished tying the back of the violet dress. "Great, just your shoes left," Ambrosia said, moving a final piece of hair. "All set for the reset of the day and dinner which is soon."