The Deep Prick

~Chapter 13~

 
 
       Black Iris flower petals sprinkled their way up shiny black marble steps where Kenneth stood at the very top of the altar wearing a tailored tuxedo, and Grace stood, wearing a heavily layered tulle and lace black wedding dress; the pureness of white was not needed here. Grace and Kenneth faced each other. They held each other’s hands and looked into each other eyes, deeply, as if they were the only two people in the entire ballroom. However, around one hundred guests in all black were seated. These guests were merely strangers to the two; but seemed to fill up the ballroom space just perfectly so. The male officiant also in an all-black velvet cloak-style gown, stood before Grace and Kenneth on the marble altar. Madeira sat just above the officiant, in her elaborate jade green marble throne,  wearing layers of blacks and deep plums and a touch of gold. Her hair clip was a black Iris flower dipped in gold, a reminder to her commoners, that she held the power. She sat pleasantly ready for the vows to begin. Caroline stood as a bridesmaid in an all-black lace dress, with The Mad Prides' “Monster” on repeat in her hypnotized mind.

     Madeira demanded loudly, “we are missing one more bridesmaid. Bring her here.”

       Melody was escorted by a seven-foot-tall guard out from behind the large jade-green marble ballroom doors. She was also dressed in black, in both attire and mood. Caroline had slightly come out from her hypnosis, and she said, “Melody?” with as much vigor as she could force upon her entranced voice.

      “Caroline?” Melody questioned. She hurried over to Caroline and hugged her. “What’s happening?” Melody asked, trying to focus in on Caroline’s drowsy eyes.

     Madeira loudly demanded, “no speaking... Figfoot,” she said, sternly. Darwin hurried to Melody and tied Melody’s mouth with a ribbon, that also tied together a small Iris flower, right beneath the nose of Melody. The guard did the same to Caroline. Both girls now had eyes that could barely stay open and bodies that would barely stay upright. The officiant carried on with the ceremony. Caroline let her eyes close tight as the officiant spoke; silencing any voice heard and trying to drop herself away from the hypnosis completely, or perhaps she was getting dragged farther into it. She was taken back to the time Caroline and Frances were together… their first time.
 
     Caroline spoke to Frances while they laid on her bed. “They were like a Chinese finger trap. You know what a Chinese finger trap is right?”

     Frances nodded yes.

    “Well, they were stuck together never able to break free. They would get closer and closer and just in one instance, the closer they got, more anger would build up and they would break free. But there was something that would always trap their fingers back together again.”
 
    Caroline snapped out of her daydream, and she watched as Grace and Kenneth held each other’s hands. Grace softly said the words, “I do.” Caroline’s ribbon and Iris flower, fell from her mouth and she yelled with a surprising loud energy, “Grace, no!” Caroline hurried over to Grace, right as Kenneth and Grace both breathed in the scent of the black Iris flower, that the officiant held before them. Caroline was quickly pulled away by a guard, while two other guards swiftly caught Kenneth and Grace, as they fainted from the spell-binding black Iris.

 
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     Caroline, who was still in a dazed state, followed Madeira through her greenhouse, filled with small taxidermy animals and Iris flowers under glass boxy cases and glass circular jars. Madeira's green house was dramatically large and most certainly glass, but so soon it seemed to be turning into a moss house, as moss seemed to shroud every inch.

      Madeira gazed after the beauty of her black Iris beneath a circular glass jar. Her stare was so strong, it looked as though she was having a conversation with her Iris flower. Madeira touched the glass jar gently and said, “I’d always wondered why the Iris flower first emerged from the forgings of my potion. The seed I created was constantly the makings of Iris’s. But I’ve discovered why. It is because the bearded Iris is a flower representing royalty and power. It is among the most elegant. A true statement of the person I am. You must know the feeling well Caroline.” Madeira glanced at Caroline, who's response was nonexistent. Madeira continued through the greenhouse, with Caroline following right behind, like her lap dog.