The first thing the girls noticed were the flowers on the table.
They left their father's side and ran to examine the flowers more
closely. As they marveled at them, the Queen entered and stood
frozen in the entryway behind the King.
"What is all this?" she exclaimed.
"The gardener outdid himself," commented the King.
"You're responsible for this?" she asked of her husband.
He nodded, turning to his wife. "I saw them earlier today and instantly became smitten. I told him I wanted some for the dinnertable, but this is above and beyond." His grin made her teeth ache, but she was obviously outnumbered in the flowers' adoration.
"They're lovely," said Blue.
"Simply breathtaking," added Georgeanne.
"Aren't they though," he said stepping up to the table. There was a large vase in the center of the table with a dozen decoratively arranged within. Along the table, there were smaller bundles and at each of the four table settings was a single rose wrapped in a white silk ribbon for each member of the family. "Aiyana," said the King. "That's what the gardener called them."
"Gardener," mumbled Blue and shot her sister a look who returned it in kind. Then they both remembered the Queen was in the dining hall and changed their faces. They, however, in focusing on their own appearances, did not notice the Queen's displeasure at not only the flowers but of their name.
"I love them," said Georgeanne.
"Well then, after dinner, why don't you and your sister take the smaller arrangements back to your rooms." The girls hugged their father thanking him for his generosity, and then they sat down for supper. Several servants came in to tend to their needs and Georgeanne noticed Aggie was one of them. She was in disguise again, but it was the eyes... always the eyes. The Queen and King carried on some small talk as they were being served, the girls being ignored by her as usual. Aggie came by and placed a platter before Georgeanne. Blue recognized her as well, but her sister gave her a warning look, and she started to fiddle with the rose by her plate. Aggie then served Blue, and Georgeanne couldn't help but peek up from her plate to look at the woman again.
And then she curtsied and was gone.
The girls stared at each other while their father said Grace... and then they began to cut apart their meat and concentrate on having a pleasant meal.
She wanted out.
She'd wanted out for a while, but her sister's last visit sparked something inside her that fueled a fire in her that had been simmering for a while.
The need to be free was driving her mad, even more than she had become being locked away in some netherworld prison. She needed out. Now more than ever. But what could she do? All that was at her disposal was weak magic and despair which clouded her mind and her abilities. But she couldn't give in. She had to do something. The need for escape was making her skin itch with anxiety.
Her fists pounded the sides of her head for clarity, and in one brief moment, she thought of a single word.
Door.
"What is all this?" she exclaimed.
"The gardener outdid himself," commented the King.
"You're responsible for this?" she asked of her husband.
He nodded, turning to his wife. "I saw them earlier today and instantly became smitten. I told him I wanted some for the dinnertable, but this is above and beyond." His grin made her teeth ache, but she was obviously outnumbered in the flowers' adoration.
"They're lovely," said Blue.
"Simply breathtaking," added Georgeanne.
"Aren't they though," he said stepping up to the table. There was a large vase in the center of the table with a dozen decoratively arranged within. Along the table, there were smaller bundles and at each of the four table settings was a single rose wrapped in a white silk ribbon for each member of the family. "Aiyana," said the King. "That's what the gardener called them."
"Gardener," mumbled Blue and shot her sister a look who returned it in kind. Then they both remembered the Queen was in the dining hall and changed their faces. They, however, in focusing on their own appearances, did not notice the Queen's displeasure at not only the flowers but of their name.
"I love them," said Georgeanne.
"Well then, after dinner, why don't you and your sister take the smaller arrangements back to your rooms." The girls hugged their father thanking him for his generosity, and then they sat down for supper. Several servants came in to tend to their needs and Georgeanne noticed Aggie was one of them. She was in disguise again, but it was the eyes... always the eyes. The Queen and King carried on some small talk as they were being served, the girls being ignored by her as usual. Aggie came by and placed a platter before Georgeanne. Blue recognized her as well, but her sister gave her a warning look, and she started to fiddle with the rose by her plate. Aggie then served Blue, and Georgeanne couldn't help but peek up from her plate to look at the woman again.
And then she curtsied and was gone.
The girls stared at each other while their father said Grace... and then they began to cut apart their meat and concentrate on having a pleasant meal.
*******
The woman paced in the dark. She wanted to scream, rip her
hair out, but that would achieve nothing. She wanted out.
She'd wanted out for a while, but her sister's last visit sparked something inside her that fueled a fire in her that had been simmering for a while.
The need to be free was driving her mad, even more than she had become being locked away in some netherworld prison. She needed out. Now more than ever. But what could she do? All that was at her disposal was weak magic and despair which clouded her mind and her abilities. But she couldn't give in. She had to do something. The need for escape was making her skin itch with anxiety.
Her fists pounded the sides of her head for clarity, and in one brief moment, she thought of a single word.
Door.
