The Evil Queen

Lord Cornell

Theo's mind was void of any visions, she slept hard, for days. A light feminine humming woke her. She was so groggy she couldn't open her eyes, she gasped. Her voice caught in her throat, she had no idea how long she was out. "Oh miss, calm yourself! Don't try to speak! Just drink this." She felt a warm salty liquid fill her mouth. She fought to open her eyes, the figure was blurry at first. "Here miss, some more." She was now aware that the voice was female and she had Theo by the back of the neck, holding her in a semi-propped position. The cup again was pressed against her lips, she let a small amount of the broth trickle down her throat. "There you go miss, you've been out for three days, weak and famished."

Theo's eyes opened and she could focus slightly. The woman was a half-man, or half-woman Theo thought to herself. She was pretty, blonde with blue eyes and delicate feminine features that made her almost look childish. Theo cleared her throat. "Ah miss, no need to talk now. You need to get your strength up. Lord Cornell will be calling on you soon, and you need to be plenty rested for that conversation." She pushed the cup to Theo's lips again, she drank until she couldn't. Sputtering she lunged forward, sitting up the rest of the way gasping. The woman stood, now eye level with Theo thumping her on the back. "Deep breaths miss, bring it up." Theo caught her arm and pulled her face towards her own, "Where am I?" Taking a deep breath she heaved the words at Theoda, "Wishmont miss, Castle Wishmont." Theo began to look around, she was on a cushioned floor. And she wasn't alone, she began to notice several other women and girls scattered about the room. "No where am I?" "Godrick's Harem miss, it's better than the dungeons." She blinked her big blue eyes at Theo.

"Who the hell is Godrick?" "Godrick Cornell, Lord Cornell's eldest son? Heir to the throne, any of this sounding familiar miss?" Theo shook her head, "No, I'm not from here, I'm from Covehaven." The girl nodded, "I see miss, my apologies. My name is Inez. I take care of the girls here." As Theo took the room in she realized none of the girls were over thirty, and none of them looked in dire condition. "So you're not" Theo didn't get to finish her question before Inez threw her hands up in the air and proclaimed, "Certainty not! What would Godrick want with a creature such as me?" Theo looked at her startled, "Creature?" Smiling Inez sat down next to Theo, "Half-men are not considered natural, they're for creatures. But you're not human either miss. Lord Cornell has a menagerie of inhuman subjects."

Before Theo could respond to what Inez had said the doors opened, two stocky armed men came into the room. Theo stumbled to her feet as the men each grabbed an arm. They weren't forceful or rough, but guided her down the corridors of the great castle. They twisted and turned through the fortress with ease, Theo was in astonishment over the size of the castle. They stopped at the throne room, three times the size of the one in Covehaven, it was immense. The men gently pushed her forward into the room before bowing and backing out as they closed the doors.

"Come close child." His voice wasn't unpleasant but it was gravely and stern. Hesitantly she obliged and made her way slowly toward the figure on the throne. As she got closer to him she could make out his features. He was a short, fat balding man of at least sixty. His beard was entirely white, along with the few tuffs of remaining hair on his head. His eyes were cloudy from age, and she wondered if he could really see much. As she approached he smiled, a gummy toothless smile. He stood to take a couple steps toward her, hands outstretched to her he took her hands. He smelled of cloves and she noticed it was stronger as he talked, "Lady Theoda. How I have impatiently awaited your arrival. I heard there was some trouble." She nodded quietly at him, "Yes your grace." She must have been staring at him with some unreadable expression on her face, because his smile faded and he asked, "Not what you expected?"

She most certainly wasn't going to answer that she was thinking, "This man couldn't possibly be the terrible Lord Cornell.' She couldn't imagine him doing much more than ordering about the cook. "Not a bad way, your grace." He smiled at her. "Are you comfortable?" She flushed slightly thinking of the harem and the women inside it. "Better than a dungeon your grace." He chuckled, his eyes glittered, "Dungeon? Did Bergamot keep you prisoner in a dungeon?" Her expression washed, "OH, prisoner, yes. In the dungeon, no. I had chambers of my own." He nodded as he listened, "Do you wish to return to Bergamot?" She blinked rapidly, "No your grace, I don't." Again he nodded, he bit at his whiskers, "Tell me of the Hunter Brothers, where were they whisking you off to? I wish to find them, for swift punishment." Theo's heart dropped, "Your grace?" He studied her for a moment, "They never brought you to us."