The Frog

Washing It All Away

  "How dare you!" Queen Aridelle crashed her hands against her vanity. Everyone from the party had either gone home or were going home in the morning, soundly asleep. Ambrose's mother had asked for his audience once she was sure they wouldn't be interrupted or heard, Ambrose's father in a separate room. Color remained decorated on Ambrose's features as he stared out the window, waiting for his mother to finish her fit.

     "You embarrassed me tonight Ambrose." Aridelle shook her finger in Ambrose's face, right between his eyes. "That was absolutely humiliating. Seeing my son, the future king of this kingdom, walk down those steps in women's things!" Ambrose kept his eyes on the window, staring at the glass rather than what stood outside.

     "Look at me when I speak to you!"

      Ambrose peeled his attention away from the glass, glancing at his mother.

     "You are a disappointment to me tonight." She hissed.

     A knock came to the door, a group of maids following, holding a tub of water.

     "Mother-" Ambrose eyed the tub.

     "Wash that muck off your face."

     "Mother please-"

     "Now."

    Ambrose remained in his seat, hoping his mother would get too tired to continue fighting and tell him to go to bed.  

     "I said now Ambrose!" Aridelle ripped the train from his shoulders, the vest sliding up with it, nearly choking Ambrose. He wiggled and squirmed until the vest slipped over his head, the rest of his accessories toppling over with the vest.

      "Wash it off before I do it for you."

      Ambrose looked at his mother with wide eyes, never having felt such fear of her before. He never thought she could be so cold towards him.

     Tired of Ambrose's resistance, Queen Aridelle took hold of Ambrose's shoulder and the back of his neck, bending him over the side of the tub, dunking his head inside. Ambrose's arms flailed, legs kicking, trying his hardest to refuse his mother's hand however the rage behind her actions made her stronger than he could fight. Ambrose held his breath until his lungs screamed, burning as bubbles erupted from the water, unable to hold the air any longer.

     The sudden jolt and scream from her son pulled Aridelle back to reality, realizing she was nearly drowning Ambrose over colors on his face. Quickly letting go, she raised her hands to her mouth, shocked at herself. Ambrose pulled himself from the water, falling back, sputtering out hot water from his lungs.

     "Ambrose I'm sorry-" Aridelle reached for his hand, not surprised when Ambrose shied away from her. Ambrose hurried out of the room, unable to take himself to his room.

     Ambrose pushed wet hair from his face, not bothering himself to gather a coat before taking himself outside. It was no longer cold enough for snow but the chill in the air partnered with Ambrose being soaked to the bone, shook the boy to his core. Shuddering huffs made him dizzy, not stopping until he found the lake. Finally, he propped himself against the nearest tree, catching his breath as the emotion of the day overcame him.

     He ran a hand through his hair, breath becoming heavy. Every event of the day bounced around his head, knocking against his skull like a drum until they turned into fits of rage, guttural screams burst from his lungs, raspy from the water that once filled them. Ambrose ripped grass from the ground, tearing rocks from the earth and shot them into the lake's water. Every toss resulted in Ambrose stepping closer to the water, until finally, he lost his balance, falling in. His bones rattled as they crashed with the rocks at the lake's floor.