Chapter 4

I was still sitting on that bench. The guards had changed posts three times.

Strange.

A powerless princess, who posed absolutely no threat whatsoever to the Queen and her plans, was being watched over by about a hundred guards. And that princess had horrible headaches, too, which sometimes even rendered her incapable of movement.

As it was, my thoughts were distracted my something different.

I was hungry.

And thirsty.

I'd been out for a whole day. I was practically fainting now. I could barely move my limbs. It had been worse, after Juniper's death. But hunger had become quite familiar to me.

I was growing hungrier and thirstier by the minute, and even the air was tasting stale. I knew that if I didn't get anything, I'd likely be out for another day.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait long. As if on cue, a guard ran up with a tray in his hands. Without saying anything, he slid the tray on the floor, under the bars, and ran back to his post, wherever that was.

Trying not to look too eager, I walked over to the tray. It was covered by an upside-down plate, right on top of it. I reached out quickly and grabbed the plate.

I shrieked.

It appeared that the plate, too, was made of iron. I breathed deeply, cradling my palms. A thin, red line had appeared on them both. I was a recipient of the soon-to-be King's hospitality, it seemed.

It didn't matter. I had to eat.

I pulled my sleeves over my hands and pushed the plate off. On the tray was a loaf of bread, and, next to that, a jar of water.

I thanked the Forest Spirit Nalvia for the provisions, however small they were. I grabbed the jar and took a long swig, thankful it, at least wasn't made of iron. But not two. I didn't know how long I'd have to subsist on that one jar. Then I grabbed the loaf.

I had no reservations about eating the whole thing. Better it be in my stomach. I'd get more. I'd learned long ago that while they wouldn't hesitate to give me more food, they rarely provided me with another jar of water.

Soon I was satisfied. My hunger wasn't completely gone, but it had settled. Unfortunately, this also turned my attention to other matters. Like what was going to happen next.

I sighed and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes, waiting. Soon, maybe half an hour later, I heard the telltale click of Forreston's boots and Ivy's soft footsteps.

I tensed, and finally they appeared, both grinning proudly.

"So? How is it?"

I stared. Ivy, who had just spoken, waited for me to answer. When I stared blankly back, she sighed dramatically and gestured to Forreston.

I turned my glare to him.

All I could see different about his appearance was that he was wearing a suit. Sky blue with royal silver designs threaded in, quite regal and something fitting for a King, not that scourge of the Forest.

I shrugged, keeping those thoughts away from showing on my face, "What?" Ivy sighed again and handed me a small portrait through the bars. I looked at it curiously.

A very talented painter had painted it, capturing even the minutest details and the exact appearances of the elves in the picture in that small space. It was a painting of the royal family, back when father was alive, and I was only a baby. Ivy and father were standing in the back. Both were holding babies. Forreston and I.

Sitting down, in the middle, was Laurel, who I only knew from portraits like this. She wasn't smiling - she looked slightly sad. A twinge shot through me as I wondered whether she had known she was going to die.

On her right was Sylvan, her green eyes, so like mine, twinkling through the portrait. She wasn't smiling either. On Laurel's other side was Olive, then Ash, then Holly - the third youngest. Beside Sylvan was Willow, a little older than Holly.

Willow was helping an about two-years-old toddler stand. My closest sister, Juniper, her light brown hair like Holly's and Ash's, and her gray-blue eyes shining dully.

Laurel, Sylvan, Olive, Ash, Willow, Holly, Juniper. My sisters. Who now were dead, cruelly murdered by the woman standing in the back.

My eyes fell on my parents. Ivy was wearing a dark black gown, looking like she had been forced to hold that smile on her face.

She had passed her black hair down to none of us - except Forreston - but Sylvan, Ash, Willow and I had inherited her bright green eyes.

She was holding a small baby, with a tuft of vibrant red hair, so like her father's. Which meant . . . that was me.

And father? His red hair was shining. I was the only one who had inherited it. He was grinning at the painter, but something in his eyes was . . . off.

Had he known of Ivy's infidelity?

He was holding a larger child with black hair, exactly like Ivy's.

Forreston.

And he was wearing . . . he was wearing a blue suit exactly like Forreston's. No, not like Forreston's.

It was the one Forreston was wearing.

Shock shot through me and I straightened up, looking directly into Ivy's eyes. She smiled as Forreston smirked at me, both satisfied with my reaction. "Divine, isn't it?" Ivy cooed, "So like his father."

Forreston smirked wider as I glared at them both. Before I could retort, Ivy added, "He's going to wear it for the coronation."

My mind took a moment to process this. "What?" I finally gasped.

"Yes, wearing his father's suit for his coronation, splendid, isn't it?" Ivy said silkily. I shook my head. This couldn't be happening.

"Dad isn't his father!" I burst out involuntarily. Ivy's eyes widened with surprise, but she regained her composure within a split second.

There was a brief moment of silence when even the air seemed to stand still.

She snapped her fingers, and a mound of dirt rose from the floor, elongated and stretched through the bars to wrap around my neck. I gasped, trying to get in air through the hold, but she was relentless. My hands flew up to my neck and clawed helplessly at the dirt.

Ivy hissed, "You're not worthy to even talk to him, let alone speak like that. Understood?"

She wanted me to nod.

I didn't care.

She could kill me, as she would invariably do, but I wasn't some helpless princess. I had the honor and dignity of my ancestors to keep up. I would not relent.

When I was getting light-headed, Ivy's eyes widened, and looking furious, she relaxed her hand, and the dirt encircling my throat dropped away onto the ground, now harmless.

She shot one last venomous glare at me and spun sharply. Both of them walked away. I waited, and when I was absolutely sure they couldn't hear me, I allowed myself to fall on the floor and cough, filling my lungs properly.

I needed a distraction. So, I did what I'd been doing forever, what I'd first had companions for, but I was now alone. I began to sing.

It was a simple lullaby, something that I'd heard as a baby and for my whole life, as my older sisters had kept singing to me. It was something we all did together.

And though my voice was raspy at first, it grew stronger as I kept singing.

'Moonlight shining in the glade tonight,

Moonlight shining in the glade so bright.

Here I know I am safe in your arms,

Here I know we can come to no harm.'

'Water ripples gently in the lake,

Patterns of stars are there for us to make.

Here, come to me and extend your hand,

Here, together we will make our own land.'

'Clouds drift far above us in the sky,

The moon hides behind them, oh so shy.

Here I know that we won't go too far,

For here is the place where you and I are.'

'In this meadow the wind blows past,

We will stay here till the last.

Here I see that we are always free,

Here is a place for just you and me.'

And I sang myself to sleep.

How was the lullaby? And Ivy and Forreston? Don't forget to:

Vote!

Comment!

And share!

Thanks for reading!