Without Joy

by Calista Brace

  “Princess or not, you need her for this journey, she may be a valuable asset.” Lady Pandie said sounding quite stern.

  “I will not care for another person Pandie” He snarled. “I will not let what happened last time happen to her, she is too much like Joy, do you know how it would hurt me.” His voice was hoarse and almost inaudible.

  “I'm so sorry kind, I promise anything that happened to this girl Joy will not take place with Amary, she's a strong girl and can handle herself.” Lady Pandie said, and I felt her hand stroke my hair.

  “If you promise, then go take her to someplace safe where the Queen is not following her. You call taking down 10 average Lumine strong?” He huffed, “That is nothing, plus she barely made it out alive with that poison, plus one escaped. Now he will alert the Queen.” Nate sounded mad.

  “Take her Nate, I promise you she will be worth the extra luggage” Lady Pandie said, her voice sounded convincing.

  He sighed, “fine, but if anything else happens to her, then it's your fault.” He said. I could hear frustration full his voice. Maybe even a bit of anger.

  I felt the ship rock back and forth in a gentleness that lulled me to slumber.

  IX The Guy With Yellow Teeth

  Queen Petunia

  I paced the hallway waiting for news about a so-called dead princess. A man entered the hall, I unsheathed my knife and threw it next to his head. He squealed in a fearful girly way.

  “What is it?!” I asked my voice full of pure frustration, secretly I felt sorry for this man in my head but staring at him only made me angrier.

  “its news about the Pr-princess my Queen, the leader of the-the assassins would like to sp-speak with y-you,” he said stumbling over his words.

  “Bring in the assassin!” I bellowed. I clenched my hands in anger.

  “Yes, my Queen” he answered with a quick bow before scrambling away in pure fear.

  I went and grabbed my knife out of the wall and hid it back in its rightful place just before the door opened revealing a sly looking man with bright yellow teeth.

  “Ahh, its Queen Petunia!” He said grinning off his perfectly yellow teeth.

  “Tell me the news,” I started with no sign of emotions as I sat back on my throne throwing my feet over the arm of the chair. I didn't have any time for silly business.

  “We need better troops, my Queen, the girl has magic, her blood kills instantly, its tinted green a bit.” The assassin said.

  I sighed, “I suppose you are going to need it….” I said not finishing the sentence.

  “Yes thank you, Queen. Apparently you didn't know about this magic, or else you wouldn't leave us ignorant for a job.” He said looking almost down at me.

  I gave him a slight smile and got up out of the chair. I walked towards him with a smile that no Queen of fighters would wear upon her face.

  He looked nervous for a second, as he should. I leered at him.

  “You look like you're a very smart man, did you read the files we wrote about the princess and about the Lumine boy?” I asked smiling sweetly to the Assassin.

  “Yes, of course, my Queen that would be silly if I didn't, but I don't think the history of the Lumine boy was necessary, I know what type of training they go through. So I had no need to finish reading that one.” He had a look on his face like It was strange that I would put such things in the file.

  I nodded only a foot away from him and his nasty yellow teeth. He didn't notice my leg slither out in time as I swept his feet from underneath him. I put my foot on his chest keeping him down on the ground. His eyes bulged with anger, and his face was red. He started to struggle under my foot. I leaned down next to him.

  “I wouldn't do that if I were you” I snarled pulling out a knife. The guard looked frightened now. I almost wanted to laugh in his face. He was so full of himself he didn't think he could be taken down by a girl. I would show him.

  I sighed and shook my head. “What are you going to do to me?” He asked.

  I looked down at him with a frown. “I will show my kingdom what will happen if you disrespect the Queen, and fail me because of your own stupidity. Why would you do such thing, all I have done is treat you people well.” I raved on.

  I could see the sweat form upon his brow. “If you read the manual then you would have known that the Lumine I had information on, was stolen from Animaux as a baby, and could bonded to the deadly white fox. We wanted this fox on our side because it can kill with one bite of poison. There is a possibility that it could have bit her but she lived, it tints the blood green. If you read, you would have known that the Fox that he connects to has the choice to infect someone with the green substance or kill them!” My voice was full of power and anger.

  I pulled the man with yellow teeth up from the floor. I dragged him to the door as he begged me for his life. A small voice of a little girl from the past cried out to me. She screamed, “Don't do it, please don't do it!” I remember looking into the broken shards of a mirror seeing myself only 14 years old lying on the floor, as a man stood over me ready to plunge a knife in my heart.

  I almost stopped, but then I got my senses back. That man didn't kill me, he saved me, I owe him this, he taught me the true meaning of life, I must forget about the past.

  I opened the door as a guard stood there waiting for my orders. My voice was full of anger and fear from the memories as I yelled, “Get a carriage ready and voice out that there will be a meeting in the town square in a couple hours, Get all the preparations for a sacrifice available.” I wanted to squirm at the strange flashback, but I held still to show that I was Powerful and detached.

  I held the man up with my fist as he clawed at my arm crying out. “Please don't kill me, I swear I will be better, I will learn!” His voice screeched. Guards pulled him off my arm and dragged him down the long winding stairway that led down from the tower that held my throne.

  I walked behind them as the man struggled and begged. I locked my emotions in and shut out my voice from the little girl inside of me. My face showed no emotion as I walked after them in an almost graceful but deadly way.

  It was almost time for the sun to go down, we met at the town square. The man was chained to a wall and servants were ready for my command for every part of the ceremony. Every person in the kingdom was there, and it required complete silence and speakers for the thousands of Lumine to hear me.

  I entered the stage in a beautiful flowing black dress, my long blond hair was let down in long curly locks. The people screamed my name as yellow teeth looked frightened.

  I held my hand up, and my people went silent. Finally, I spoke.

  “People of this grand kingdom, I thank you for stopping your plans, just to meet up with us. Today is a day of grieving, because of this man's stupidity 10 Lumine have died in his service!” The crowd roared in anger and I waited until they fell silent again. I listed off all the names of those who had died, and I saw rage flame upon some people's faces. “This man will die because of these acts of killing; He will be sacrificed to this kingdom by your will. Who thinks this man should live?” I asked, and I heard nothing but a small sneeze from a man in the front. “Who believes that this man deserves the punishme-” I was cut off by the angry cheers before I could finish. “Very well,” I said after they calmed.

  I walked over to the man with the yellow teeth, and he shook his head furiously as I got closer. I heard him whisper words begging me.

  A servant walked up to me with a pillow holding a knife and a white cloth. Another servant held up a bowl of water. I took the knife and cut a small bit of my palm then set the knife back down on the pillow. I took 3 of my fingers and coated them with my blood; I wiped my fingers down his left cheek then did the same to his right. The servant with the water bowl let me dip my fingers in it and wash my blood off them then set the bowl down and wrapped a cloth around my palm to stop the flow of blood.

  It was a simple ceremony, because of a man's crimes he must give up his life by the
vote of the people, and the blood of the current ruler would grant them access to the heavens or whatever they believe happens in the afterlife in spite of their sins.

  I whispered the words of sacrifice and asked the man if he would take it or an eternity of torture.

  He cried out a yes like every man on the stand does. Who wants to be cursed with evil in their death?

  “The sacrifice has been made!” I yelled, and the crowd cheered.

  I grabbed the already bloodied knife from my blood and positioned myself to stab his heart. I closed my eyes, and I heard him cry out before I felt the knife penetrated his flesh. When his screams halted after a few seconds, the crowd started to cheer. I turned around and opened my eyes, the crowd cheered all but one, a little girl being held by a chain, she stared at me with wide haunted eyes, I had seen eyes just like that, staring back at me with deeply. It crushed my heart to look at her. I didn't want to keep looking, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her penetrating gaze.

  . . . . .

  I remembered I was chained to a wall, I was injured, and they left me there, the only thing there was a large mirror standing up against the wall. I looked sickly ill and my blood pooled by my feet, and it dried to my skin. The man entered the room but I said nothing, I had nothing to say. I wasn't happy. I needed love I needed kindness, but nobody would give it to me.

  He unhooked my chain, which was new. I looked up at him, finally acknowledging his presence. He pulled my chain, and I fought back. He pulled me into a room. It was larger and another boy around the age of 15 only a year older than me sat in there. He stared at me in an almost animal way; He stood on all his limbs and crawled over to me. He eyed me and held a strand of my pale blond hair in his hands.

  A guard came in, and I pulled away from the boy, the boy ran into a corner with an angry glare at the guard. The guard spoke to me, but I didn't speak back. He wanted me to kill the boy; he promised me food if I did. I had only been here for 2 days, but there was nothing to eat or drink other than my own blood. I was starving, and he knew I would do anything to fill my stomach.

  The guard handed me a knife and then gave the boy one. The boy smiled a toothy grin and licked his lips. The boy was going to kill me if I didn't kill him I realized. There was a slight look in his eyes that I knew that inside he had given up already and it was okay to kill him. Deep inside his eyes, he didn't want to live, but deep inside neither did I. I was taken away from everything I loved.

  The boy lunged at me with the knife, there was only a small struggle in me. But something flashed in the kid's eyes, a deep sadness, “Kill me” I heard his soft murmur. He was bony and weak, I knew he had given up more than I had, I still had a chance.

  I took the knife and held his hand while I did so, he pulled my arm holding the knife to his chest I closed my eyes. I didn't want to kill ever again, never on purpose. But I knew this is what the boy wanted, he had told me. He had wanted to lie at rest, in peace.

  I screamed as his hand tightened around mine that was holding the knife and it plunged into his chest. A small smile was on his face. I fell to the ground next to the body of the boy, I weep for him even though he did most of the work. In a way, I had killed him. Though he was the one who moved my shaking arm and burrowed the knife deep in his heart I still blamed myself.

  An innocent boy. The guards pulled me away from the kid, and I struggled at first, but then I stopped. There was no need to fight I had given up.

  I didn't eat the food they gave me. I had looked in the mirror and saw the deep haunting eyes of my own, a little girl, her soul lost. I cried for the boy and promised that I would always remember him.

  . . . . .

  I did forget that time until now, I was on my knees, and the crowd was roaring, and the memory had flooded me. It submerged me in grief.

  The girl still stared up at me. Everything that the King had taught me, he had saved me from more of that fate, how could I have forgotten these moments?

  I got back up and put on my straight face. The crowd roared louder when I stood, I turned around and walked away, never looking at the body of the man hung up against the podium.

  X Down Hemings River

  Amaryllis

  I stood by the edge of the large ship. The journey had just started, and I had only slept a day. Most my wounds had healed, the captain had grown a liking to me and told me it was the sea that healed. I don't know why but I felt safer on the ship than I had in a long time. I hadn't even felt safe in my own home, with my family even.

  I turned around and headed in the massive ship, I followed down its many hallways and stairwells, lost in its twists and turns. Finally, I sat down in one of the hallways, I pulled out the sweet mint leaves I had been given by the captain.

  I stuck one in my mouth and savored its taste. I closed my eyes as it melted on my taste buds. A smile pulled at my lips, and I knew it shone in my eyes.

  I heard laughter in an adjacent room, and it caught my attention, It sounded like small children, I hadn't seen any kids walk through the ship or skip by any of the adults around.

  I opened a door where the sound had come from and looked inside, around 15 little children ran around the room with a game of tag, I could tell we were at the very bottom of the ship by the pipes that lined the ceiling. There were toys everywhere and a very distressed looking woman quickly put them away as fast as they were being taken out. She spotted me, and a look of relief washed over her face.

  “Ey mate can you help me ere with these children, I ain't good at handling em, I only a fair maid on ere ship.” She said. I could tell her English was rough and she spoke like a real sailor.

  I nodded, “Sure I'll help.” I cleaned up most the toys, and a little girl stuck her hand in my pocket, pulling out one of my mint leaves. “Hey,” I said. She gave me a toothy grin and stared at the leaf in wonder.

  I sat on a small wooden chair so I could be closer to her height, and she plopped to the ground.

  I always adored children. They always got along with me pretty well. I told myself if I ever had children I would never treat them the way my mother had treated me. I would be caring and be there for them no matter what. I would encourage them to follow their dreams.

  Another boy around the age of 8 sat next to her and looked at the leaf with curiosity. “Why do you have leaves in your pocket ma'am,” He said with a politeness I didn't expect from a boy so young. I smiled my mouth lifting with pure joy.

  I grabbed it from the girl and twirled it in my hands, “It's a mint leaf, you can eat them.” I said. But I leaned close to the little girl and boy and whispered, “But I like to smell them first for good luck” The girl grinned at me when I pulled back. More children swarmed around to see the wonders of a simple leaf. I laughed as they crowded me.

  The maid watched from the back. Soon all the children sat in a circle around me. A girl around the age of 14 asked. “Can we try one?”

  I smiled sweetly back at her, “Sure” I said. I pulled a bunch of the leaves out of my pocket and handed one to each kid, The original little girl jumped up before some ate it and yelled: “Wait!” Everyone stopped and stared at her, a small blush covered her cheeks, “You gotta smell them first” she said before hurrying sitting back down. Every kid took a deep breath and started chewing the small leaves.

  “I ave never seen em so behaved. Aint acting like dat with me,” The maid said with a shake of her head and her hands on her hips.

  The maid had a small smile, “who are they, and why are they at the bottom of the ship?” I asked.

  “Oh dese ere children are orphans, ain't got no family to claim em, we saved em from de fate of becoming a fighter, no such child should be forced to such work.” She said with a sad smile. “But we gotta keep em away from de top of de ship for de Lumine are bound to take em away if em found, none of em crew mates even know about em other den me da captain and is wife.” She was barely understandable, but I could hear her well enough through her thick accent.

 
I let the maid take a break, by me watching the children as I played with them and showed them all the games we used to play when I was little with my brother and sister. The children had a fun game of tag started when I realized a small little girl was sitting in the corner all by herself, she looked around the age of 8, and I didn't recognize her from the group. A little boy whispered, “That's Hailey, she don't talk, and she gets mad if you come up to her.”

  I nodded “Keep playing,” I told him and then watched the rest of the kids leaving the girl alone. I knew what it was like to lose someone you love and I knew that sometimes you just need to be left alone.

  When the maid came back, she told me that the sun was setting in her strange, unfamiliar accent. The children settled on the floor of the ship with piles of blankets, I saw as the other girl sat away from the others. The gentle sway of the ship put them to sleep in a calming way.

  I tiptoed out of the room promising the maid I would be back to help with the children. She gave a grateful nod and then settled on the floor next to the children.

  I found my way back up to the deck of the ship and watched as the last bits of rays from the sun touched the horizon.

  I didn't know where my sleeping quarters were any more so I wandered the halls until I could barely feel myself move. I ended up falling asleep in one of the main hallways on the floor. I had a smile on my face thinking about the little children.

  . . . . .

  I woke up in a room, in a large bed, where was I? Didn't I fall asleep in the hallway of the ship? I saw Nate sleeping on the floor almost peacefully but with a sword by his side.

  I gently crawled out of bed and opened the door leaving the room, Lady Pandie opened up a door right next to the one I left out of. She looked me up and down, “Why hello Leben, up wide and awake so early aren't you, It's not good for a lady to stay up late then wake so bright in the morning.” She said.