Once Upon a Time

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

I sat on the cold floor of the dungeon in defeat as the guard lifted up my hands, locking them into the chains on the wall above my head. I didn't try to fight it, because I knew that it would be no use and that the guards would overpower me, giving me certain death. When they were sure that I couldn't escape, Fern was brought into the same cell, kicking and screaming.

"Put me down!" She cried, trying to kick her guard, but failing. He barked an order that I couldn't understand and three more guards strolled in, walking towards her and holding her to the wall so she couldn't move. She continued screaming but stopped when one of the guards snapped at her. I heard the clicking of the lock as they trapped her hands in it like they had done to me. They then walked out of the tiny cell, slamming the door behind them, making my ears ring.

I sighed in sadness. Of course the best night of my life had to be my last, all because of Fern and my stupidity. I looked at Fern who was on the wall across from me. She was collapsed on the floor, her hands hanging above her head and white dress covered with the red from the wine. She hung her head, her face covered by her blond hair. I heard her sniffle and sob quietly.

"Fern?" I asked. Even though she was mean and snotty, she shouldn't be here. Nobody should.

"Shut up," She told me, her voice hard.

I exhaled loudly. "Fern, I'm -" I started, but she interrupted me.

"I told you to shut up, Aileen!" She yelled at me, pushing her hair out of her face. "Don't you understand? I don't deserve to be here! Unlike you, I'm beautiful and pretty and smart! I don't deserve to die . . ." Her voice cracked at the last sentence.

I winced at her harsh words. Even in our last few hours before we would be killed, she still couldn't be nice.

It was silent for a few minutes, the only noise coming from Fern's sobbing, my ragged breathing, and the coughing from other prisoners.

"Aileen?" She called her voice raspy from crying. I don't know why I wasn't crying. Maybe it was because I didn't really have anything to lose and I had accepted it as my fate. Many servants were hung throughout the years, whether due to being clumsy or the King just in a bad mood.

After a moment, I replied. "Yes?"

Fern took a shaky breath. "I - I'm sorry. For everything, I had no reason to be as mean to you as I had all our years we spent in the palace together." She gave me a look asking me for forgiveness.

"I..." I started, speechless. Fern? Apologizing? I couldn't believe it. "I'm sorry too." I told her.

Her blue eyes got wide. "You shouldn't apologize to me, Aileen. I mean, no matter what I did to you, you never did anything back. I just continue to be mean because I was jealous of you. You are pretty and have a true friend that would never betray you. Beatrice wouldn't hesitate to spill my secrets if it would get her what she wants."

"You really shouldn't be jealous of me." I told her, surprised that she thought that I was pretty. I would never expect that word to come from her mouth unless she was talking about herself. "Maybe you should make new friends? Ones that won't betray you and will stick by your side no matter what," I suggested.

She shook her head in reply. "I would, but considering that I only have a few more hours to live, it will be kind of hard." She bit her bottom lip. "Um, Aileen?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to be my friend? At least for our last few hours?" She looked worried.

I smiled. "Of course,"