Fanning the Flames of Rebellion [A Lunar Chronicles Fanfic]

Chapter 24

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Winter paced around her room, trying to think of a way to contact Lihn Cinder. It couldn't be that hard, right? Of course it was going to be hard, Winter. You don't even know where they are! She thought.

Winter heard a soft knock at her door. "Your highness, may I enter?" The voice asked.

"Yes." She peered over at the maid who opened the door and gingerly stepped in. "What brings you here?" Winter asked politely.

The maid shut the door quietly and stood in front of it facing the princess. She was holding a rather large bin. "I've just come to collect your clothes for cleaning." she smiled.

"Oh right!" Winter ran into her closet and grabbed the dresses she'd worn previous. She walked over to the maid calmly, not wanting to look like a complete spaz, and handed her the bundle of clothes.

"Thank you, your highness." She replied, placing the dresses in the bin carefully.

She was about to exit the room before Winter spoke. "Excuse me? Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yes, is there anything wrong, your highness?"

"No, no, I'm quite alright. Except I'm not. I have a question."

"Of course."

Winter's palms began to sweat. She rubbed them on her sapphire dress. "Do you know if Queen Levana has returned to the palace?"

The maid gave her a questioning look and adjusted her grip on the basket of clothing. "Yes, she has. Only a couple hours ago."

"Do you know where she may be?"

"I'm afraid not, your highness."

"Okay, that will be all." Winter gave the maid a half smile as she left the room. She needed to talk to Levana. She needed to know what she was up to. Winter knew she was mad, very mad, at Lihn Cinder and her friends for making her look like a fool. So what would she do next?

Winter decided to look for her step-mother instead of thinking about where she was. When she stepped out of her room, her guard was standing next to it. He turned his head and bowed.

"Your highness," he said, "Where are you going?"

Winter pondered for a moment. Should she tell him she was going to see Levana? Would he be suspicious and not let her go? She decided to tell the truth. "Queen Levana commed me to come talk with her." Okay maybe not the whole truth. At least she told them she was going to talk with her. "Privately" she added after seeing the guard's doubting expression.

"Of course, your highness." he replied.

Winter turned and started down the hallway. She felt his eyes on her, still making sure she was safe. She turned the corner and quickened her pace. Winter thought of all the places Levana could be. It would he highly illogical that she would be anywhere but the Court and her private quarters.

Winter changed her route for the Lunar Court. When she got there, the doors were heavily guarded. She walked up to a window and peered through it. There was a trial going on, but Levana wasn't there. Winter sighed and headed to her private quarters.

Along the way, Winter saw the blood starting to reappear on the walls out of the corner of her eye. This always happened. Every time she got near Levana's room, the blood pired down the walls furiously.

"This can't be happening." Winter heard a muffled voice coming from the queen's room. Levana? "How could you have let this happen?"

Winter took a step closer to the door until her cheek was pressed against it. The cool wood made a chill run down her spine. Everything's always so cold around here, she thought.

"You had so many chances to get her. So many chances to kill her. But you didn't take them." The voice was much clearer now, it was Levana.

Winter slid down the door and peaked through the key hole. She couldn't see much, by she could make up a woman with dark unruly hair and pale skin standing before an ancient full length mirror. Winter gasped silently when she looked at the woman's reflection. She had scars scattered around her face. Burn marks were evident from her hair line to her dress's neckline.

The sight was borderline horrifying. Like a creature that stepped out from a fire. Winter recognized the voice but not the sight. It was Levana.

"Now Sybil's dead because of her." She must be talking about Cinder. She killed Sybil the night the emperor was kidnapped.

Winter tried to get back up from her crouch position but fell on the floor. She heard a slight shuffle coming from behind the door. Winter stood up as fast as she could and straightened her posture. The door flew open, revealing a--once again-- perfectly beautiful Levana.

"Winter? What are you doing out here?" She asked in a sweet, gentle tone.

"I came to talk to you, it's about Lihn Cinder." She replied.

Levana have her a questioning look and ushered her inside the room. It's exactly how Winter saw it before through the key hole, only the large mirror was gone. "What about Lihn Cinder?" She asked.

"I want to know how you plan on finding her." Winter replied.

"Well I have most of my men and thaumaturges out searching homes and buildings. I have high hopes that we will find her and her friends. Why?"

"I want her to pay for what she done to you." Winter lied.

"Yes, yes, we all do." she smiled. "Tea?"

"No thank you, I'm quite alright."

Levana poured a cup of tea and sat next to Winter at the glass coffee table. "How are you, darling? Is everything alright?"

No. Winter wanted to say. Not ever since I witnessed your cruel nature. "I'm fine, just a little stressed over this situation I guess."

"Don't worry, child, it'll be over before you know it." This is one of the only times Levana has ever showed any charismatic nature towards Winter privately. She wasn't afraid to admit that she liked it. "Now I have some important business to attend to, so please." She gestured to the door for Winter to leave.

"Goodbye." Winter left the room and let out a breath she didn't know she held.

Levana's face--her true one-- haunted Winter. It send chills down her spine. What happened to her? Questions sparked in her head. None of them she knew the answers to.

Meanwhile, the blood dripped down the walls and the ceiling. Once again, Winter was pooled in warm, thick blood. But this time, she didn't run. She didn't scream. She didn't cry.

She just felt a rush of excitement. Because the blood would soon stop. It would no longer drip, pour, or rain down on her.

Once the Queen was dead, her visions would end.

"Long live the Queen." Winter muttered.