The Evil Queen

Theoda of Clovehaven

The small Elvan girl of two ran giggling wildly through the tall grass, she was being playfully chased. Her short brown hair was spikey and filled with bits of leaves and grass. Chartreuse eyes shown brilliantly from under the dirt on her face. Smiling she turned to see behind her, falling with grace into the grass. She couldn't make out the face of her mother, perhaps she was too young to remember. She knelt in the grass to tickle the child. From somewhere in the trees there was a scream, her mother picked her up and held her to her chest. She ran to a house, built into the base of a grand old tree. She shoved the child under a wooden table and kissed her. "Don't move, no matter what you hear!" She nodded. Wide eyed she watched as her mother walked out the door with sword drawn. She impatiently sat, occasionally itching the fresh red and gold mark on her small chest. From outside a loud clatter made the child jump. The door swung open and impulsively the child ran to it, only to see a large wall of a man standing staring down at her with dark green eyes full of malice. And that was his name, Malice Bergamot. He reached down and grabbed the young elf roughly. He studied her as she dangled calmly from his firm grip. He narrowed his eyes and touched her face, "Interesting."

He carried the child to his horse, as she looked around the bodies of Elvan she knew lay scattered around, slain. Her mother lay, only five feet away in a pool of her own blood. Malice pulled a short piece of wrought iron from his saddle bag and wrapped it around the child's waist.

As he cleaned her by the stream that ran beside the castle he talked to her. "We will call you Theoda, it means God's gift. You will be a gift to my son, it's his twelfth birthday. His name is Ashcroft." She looked at him wearily, "Ash." She repeated in her little voice. Malice almost smiled, she was a pet, not a child he told himself as he carried her into the castle.

Ashcroft was a small boy for twelve, he had dark green eyes like his father and shaggy black hair that fell into them often. He looked like a miniature version of his father, down to the large sword on his hip. He was playing chess with a beautiful woman perhaps half of Malice's age. She was blonde and small and presented as a queen should be. "Ashcroft!" The boy turned and saw his father and smiled, until his gaze fell on Theoda. He looked up at his father inquisitively. "She is a gift, her name is Theoda. She is Elvan, a trophy from my latest conquest." Ashcroft rose and walked toward her, she didn't look scared or intimidated. He looked up at his father, "She's mine?" Malice nodded. Ashcroft held out his hand and the little girl took it.

Ashcroft was a gentle child, and he took Theoda everywhere with him. He spent all his time with her. She matured quiet fast being Elvan she was on the same level mentally as Ashcroft by the time she was seven. Malice always insisted on having her shackled, once outside of the castle walls he always took her restraints off. Against his father's wishes he taught her to fight, sword play and strategy. By the time Theoda was fifteen she and Ashcroft were undoubtedly in love with one another.

One particular afternoon Theoda was laying lazily in the grass, her long brown hair scattered around her. She had one knee raised swinging it back and forth causing her skirt to expose her thighs. "That's not very lady like, Theo." She smiled at Ashcroft, "You're not exactly prim and proper yourself Prince." While wrestling moments before the heat had gotten to him, Ashcroft had pulled his coats off and untied the neck of his undershirt. "How come you never wear the petticoats?" He wasn't even trying to keep from letting his eyes linger on her skin. "I don't like them, they rip when we practice." He smiled coyly, "Well what about stockings? My father would have an absolute fit if he ever saw that." She rolled her sharp green eyes, "Your father would have an absolute fit if he knew I was out of chains, or anything other than a pet. I'm on the same level as the Queen's cat to him. My stockings are the last thing on his mind." Ashcroft laughed. She was right. Still he look on her and thought how amazing Elvan were. She was only fifteen but she looked like a twenty year old human. Her body had become soft and curvy over the last two years, her face had narrowed into a woman's. Her bodice wasn't laced all the way up and he could see the gold scar on her chest and the round of her cleavage. "I'm sure he doesn't place you with the cat." She sat up on her elbows, nodding, "Your right, he likes the cat." She laughed. He came at her, straddling her and pushing her shoulders to the ground, "Now I'm sure there's a little piece of him that likes you." His smile was more mocking than convincing. She laid back and settled into the soft grass. Compulsion rushed through Ashcroft before he could stop himself he leaned down and kissed Theo softly on the lips.

Startled by his own actions Ashcroft slid to the side and sat next to Theo. She sat up with a shocked expression of her own. "My stockings are defiantly the least of his worries." He turned to her still riddled with shock and confusion, "I apologize, Theo." She shook her head, "You do not need to." He relaxed his face and shoulders, it was as if all his worry left when she said it. He reached up and held her chin in his hand and brought her to him for the next kiss. He laid her back down on the grass kissing her slowly. Several minutes had passed when Theo cried out in pain. Ashcroft sat up looking surprised and worried. Theo was holding her forehead. "It feels like my head is splitting!" He put his hand to her head, she blinked several times before the pain surpassed. Ashcroft looked at her uncomfortably. Her eyes fell, "Kissing your pet not what you hoped for apparently." Grabbing her hand he smiled and shook his head, "No. Have you ever thought what is going to happen to you?" Narrowing her eyes she silently urged him to continue. "I mean, you're going to outlive us all. You will be stronger and faster than us. And once I become King....I mean where do you want to be?" Sadness filled her eyes, "I never thought of being anywhere without you." He grabbed her hand, "Marry me." Her hand quickly slid out of his and into her lap. "Are you mad? Other than your father never letting that happen, is it even allowed?" Ashcroft grabbed her face kissing her again, "He's pushing me to find a bride, I'm sure he can be persuaded." She kissed him back, "When?" He looked hard into her eyes, "I'll ask in five days, on my twenty-fifth birthday."

The day before the Prince's birthday Theoda was pacing the length of her room. Her chain was secured to the floor beside her bed. She had been woken many times through the night by vivid nightmares. Nothing she could really hold onto, but never the less she was disturbed. There came a light knock on her door. She stopped; she was still clad in her thin white night gown. Before she could answer Ashcroft entered her room he looked like he was getting ready to say something, but once he saw Theo he stopped. Without looking away from her he shut and latched the door. "Prince?" Theo pushed passed her embarrassment to try and snap him back. Three quick steps he was to her, his arms wrapped around her kissing her. His hand trailed up taking a handful of her long hair. He stopped and pulled her hair over her shoulder, kissed her softly before reaching behind the nape of her neck to the laces of her night gown. Looking into her eyes he slowly untied it. Within seconds it was on the floor and he was guiding her back to the bed as he peeled his clothes off impatiently. The first time for an elf is not like the first time for a human. There is no pain, only pleasure. Afterward, Theo lay on Ashcroft's chest as he toyed with her hair absently.

Without warning she sat up clutching her head in pain, but this time it wasn't the only thing unwelcome. Ashcroft stared into her black eyes unable to comfort her. Things she knew to be true but not yet occurred were flooding her mind. She was aware they were not happening now but that they would. As the first vision ended she gasped and her pupils shrank back to cat like slits. "Theo!?" She whipped her head to his, "Don't ask your father." He frowned at her, "What? I can't not ask, Theo. Not now!" He was referring to what they had just done. She shook her head, "He will attack you, and you'll kill him. You can't ask him." She was so serious, and so persistent.

The morning of his birthday the shaken Ashcroft marched into the fencing room where he found his father. "Father, I must speak to you." Malice turned, interest in his eyes. "Yes son, what do you require." Ashcroft smile, "Your blessings." Joy filled the old man's eyes raising his hands, "Wonderful you have chosen a bride?" His eyebrows danced above his aging eyes. "Yes, and we wish to be wed as soon as possible." "Of course, we will ready the scribes to announce to the people. Who is her family?" Ashcroft softened his smile, "She doesn't have any." Malice furrowed his brow, "No family, no dowry. Never the less, my son's getting married. Tell me boy, who is she?" He hesitated for a moment, Theo's warning ringing in his head. "Theoda." All joy was sucked from Malice. "The Elven charge?" it sounded more like a growl than actual words. Ashcroft was speechless, he stood with his mouth open. "Never, forget it boy. I'll have her taken away tonight." Anger filled the Prince, "NO! You can't! I want to marry her." Malice shook his head, "NEVER! No more discussion on it." Ashcroft balled his fists with anger, "I have already visited her bed chambers. I will marry her." Malice's jaw dropped open, "You lay with the creature?" He took several steps to his son and pulled a sword off the rack.

When Ashcroft appeared in the great hall where the celebration for his birthday was being prepared he was sweaty, bloody and out of breath. Theo and the Queen had been chatting incisively when he walked into view. His mother jumped to her feet rushing to him, gushing with worry and questions. Theo didn't move, her eyes locked on Ashcroft's she knew what had happened, and he knew his bride to be had the gift of foresight.