The End Of An Era

Beautiful Birds- Passenger

I curl my hair and put on makeup, hoping that it would hide the redness in my eyes.  By the look on Alex's face when I see him, it did not.

We don't say a word to each other, walking in silence to the parlor for the interview.

When we get in there Alex greets her, and I sit down silently.

"Hello Your Majesties.  How are you both doing?" she asks and looks at me expectantly.

"Oh we're doing great!" I say, grateful that the people who read this won't be able to see my face.

"Are you both excited about the coronation?" She asks.

"Yeah, we're both really excited." Alex says and I can tell this is going to be a long morning.  With both of our short answers, she isn't going to be getting much. 

"Is everything alright with you two today?  You don't seem your normal cheery selves." She asks and we avoid eye contact with each other.

"I apologize, I'm just feeling a little under the weather.  I didn't get much sleep last night." She nods and writes something down excitedly.

"Could possible morning sickness have anything to do with this?" She asks excitedly.  Alex and I both shake our heads firmly.

"No, I'm not pregnant." We both say at the same time and at that moment he reaches and takes my hand.  I still don't look at him.  The reporter frowns.

"Oh, I was hoping I'd get that story." She says and turns back to her book. After two excruciating hours, she finally leaves and I stay seated. 

Alex walks her out and then comes back to me.  He walks towards me and I jump up.

"Would we be able to talk?  The next week is going to be hell if we can't talk."  I shake my head.

"No I have something to do." I say, bolting out of the room before he could see me cry.  Tears are weak.  He already thinks I'm weak, no need to give him more ammunition. 

I run outside, running past the gardeners and the landscapers and the fountains.  I run to the gazebo and pull out the canoe Alex got for us.  I want to break it to pieces.

Instead I put it in the water, stepping in, and start rowing towards the castle.  I make it across the lake in less than half an hour and pull the canoe onto the grass.  I storm up the hill, and see a guard at the entrance.  He sees me and immediately opens the gate.

I run through the castle.  Past all the creepy tapestries and statues and darkness and iron.  I see the stairwell and I run down the stairs.  My feet echo and I can feel my heart beating out of its chest.

I run to the spot where I know he is and just stop.  He sees me, and I stand there, trying to catch my breath.

"I hate you!" I scream and he just stares at me.

"I want you dead!  I want to kill you!  I want you to bleed out slowly and your body tied to four dozen bricks and I want to hurl you over the edge into that river down there." I say pointing to the river.  He continues to stare.

"Every single time I close my eyes, you haunt me.  You know I tried to kill myself because of you?  I tried to drown myself, in a fucking hospital.  And you face next to no repercussions for what you've done to me."  I spit into the cell and he stares at the floor.

"You want me to say I'm sorry?" He snarls, and smiles at me.

"I'm not scared of you!" I scream and he smiles wider.  I look at his chains.  He's not getting out of there.  He couldn't even move a foot.  I run upstairs to a suit of armor before I can think and grab the sword.  It's surprisingly heavy.