In these Ashes

Chapter 1

"An accident" were the words that raced through the kingdom. A candle, tipped over in the middle of the night. An ash, chanced to have fallen out of the fire place. However, the question remains how everyone but the Queen had manage to escape. Not one casualty except the most important woman in the Kingdom.

I stand, numb, staring out across the sea of black that is the people that claim to be in mourning. The morning mist hangs low and heavy, and I feel the hair sticking to the base of my neck. My hands are clasped at my waist. The priest's voice echoes through the air; a monotonous, hollow sound. My head is facing his direction, that's where everyone expects me to be looking, but my eyes are closed. My teeth grind together, as I force myself to keep my composure, as I listen to the dramatic sobs beside me. Another, even louder wail, and my head snaps to the right. I take in my mother's lady in waitings, standing in their lacy black dresses sobbing into their handkerchiefs. I marvel at how they can be so fake. Even now, I can see that when they lift their silky gloved hands to their face, they smile.

And as the church bells ring a hollow, dull chorus, stare down at my own black silk dress.

It's a lie. It is all some stupid publicity stunt. Not a single person here cares about the foreign queen. I look at my dad, look at his calm composure, and suddenly, something in me breaks. An uncontrollable, broken laugh bubbles from my stomach, sending shocked gasps from the nobles standing on the balcony. Tears streak down my cheeks, but I continue to laugh, even harder now.

I don't notice when the guards came to the Kings insane daughter. How they escort me back through the arched double doors, away from the mourning crowds. I continue laughing until I am choking, coughing and crying, hysterical. My knees give out from under me, and the cool floor came rushing to meet me, and so the guards carry me the rest of the way to my room. They drop me there, slamming the door behind me. I hear the thick bolt slide across the door. It's bad for the public to see the King's secret; that his daughter had been driven to insanity at the tragic lose of her own crazy mother.

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I don't know how long I layed there, crying on the cold marble floor, but I must have eventually fallen asleep, because when I finally open my eyes, it's dark. Someone had lifted me onto my bed, I realize.  And then I feel the warm arm over my stomach, and see my childhood friend, Finn's face. His cheeks are stained with streaks of tears, and I curl onto my side and hug him closer, clinging to him. His eyelashes flutter open.

"I was wondering when you would wake up" He says, his voice thick with exhaustion.

"What time is it?"

"almost eleven"

I groan, stretching backwards so I can see him better in the dark.

"When did you get in here?"

"I came because I realized you weren't at dinner... I brought you food actually." He points to a plate on the table next to me.

I eye it. Just the thought thought of food makes me nauseous, but I don't want to hurt Finn's feelings by saying so.

As if reading my mind, Finn fills in my silence, "It's ok, I didn't think you would want to eat it, but I thought I would bring it just in case."

"Thanks" My voice breaks.

I feel him roll over to face the ceiling. "It doesn't add up, Claire."

"I know." He doesn't need to explain. Its what I cant stop repeating in my head: Not right. Not right. Not right.