The Whispering Flowers

Daffodil Part 2

"I guess I'll call it a day," I say to myself as I leave the palace walls and into the garden. I walk past the gardens and the easel Rosemary draws on. As I am walking past the hedge maze, I hear hushed voices, and I see a faint light coming from somewhere near the center. I walk around the edge of the maze until the entrance stands before me and I creep in, trying to make as little noise as possible. As I get closer to the center, light starts to seep through the leaves of the bushes and the voices become clearer.

"I mean we could murder him," says a small voice. "WHAT! Why would you even suggest such a horrible, immoral, appalling..." shouts an older voice. I spread some of the leaves to look through. There, sitting in a circle, was the king's daughters. "I think that killing him could be a bit over the top..." says Rosemary fidgeting with her fingernails. "You guys don't get it, do you. He killed all of our mums. Not one, not two, but all three. I think that it's only fair if he meets the same fate." says Cornelia shaking her head. I finally understand what they are talking about. They want to kill their father. Just like I do. "So you think beheading is the right way to go," says Magnolia raising her arms. "No, people think he is an okay king, much better than his father anyway, and they will be furious. We have to kill him in a way that people will think he dies naturally, or of an illness," says Cornelia. The girls continue to talk and I look over at Daphne who is fidgeting with the grass and looks appalled at her sister. Even when she is worried she looks beautiful, her brown curls falling down to her shoulders.

The girls bicker a bit about who they think should be queen when Cornelia barges in, "So what we need is poison. That should do it. He looks like he got sick and nobody will come asking questions." Magnolia looks around to see if anyone is listening and then says, "I know a plant... but it's really rare and hard to find. But it is deadly and I don't think he could survive it..."

"Well... what is it Magnolia!" shouts Cornelia. "It's a plant called Deadly Nightshade, but it is extremely hard to find in Britain," says Magnolia. I have heard of that berry being sold by an old farmer not that far from here, I wonder if I could get some for them. Then to my left, I hear a rustling in the bushes nearby. It seems like I am not the only person listening in on their conversation. I watch as the girls look around in fear and Daffodil runs after the person who was running away. "Who do you think it was?" says Magnolia to Rosemary. "It could be anyone, a maid, a guard." says Rosemary.

Daffodil comes back empty-handed and the girls all get up and leave. I wait to make sure that everyone is gone before getting back up and making my way out of the maze. I hurry home where I find Abitha still asleep in my bed. Her small head is hidden under the covers, but she doesn't seem to have undressed, and she is still in her maid's uniform. I grab my night garments and go into the bathroom to change. I look again into the mirror and see my messy black hair. I really need a haircut. I pull it back into a low pony with a bit of black lace left on the counter and walk back into the bedroom where I see that Abitha had kicked the blankets off of herself. I walk over and pull them back over her body. I tuck her in and then head over to the cupboard to grab an extra blanket.

I hurry into the living room and place the blanket down on the small couch. I haven't eaten dinner, so my stomach is aching a bit but I ignore it and grab a book off of my small bookshelf. I curl up under the blanket on the small couch so that I can fit my long legs, and open the book to the first page.

"Peter, sir!" says Abitha, shaking me awake. "Huh? What?" I say sleepily. Abitha grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of me making me very cold. "Sir! Why would you do this?!" she says throwing the blanket on the floor. Her uniform is wrinkled and her hair is messy. I look around and the sun has not even begun to light the sky yet. "What is it Abitha?" I say trying not to sound annoyed.