Without The Grace

"I'm done."

I was anxious as I was lead down a dark hallway to a small black door.

My mother was on the other side of it, I couldn't help thinking.
I wondered if she would look the same. If she would recognize me or if we would have to make introductions.

The guard who escorted me unlocked the door using a large, old key. I hoped it never broke because it was probably the only one.

He opened the door and shoved me down the stairs roughly. They were squeaky and rugged. Once we reached the floor he took out a small dagger.

My breath hitched but instead of putting it to my throat, he cut my hands loose.

"This way." He said gruffly.

For some odd reason I was excited. I would most likely die in a few years from living down here, but I was happy.

"Are we almost there?" I asked for the second time.

"Anxious are we?" the guard said.

I shrugged. "Maybe."

He gave me a strange look and muttered under his breath about me being weird.

Finally, he pulled out a huge ring of keys and began to search for the correct one.

We stopped at a big rusted door.

"You guys have the biggest room. Hans will do anything for the princess and her queen." He sneered.

"Thank you for escorting me." I said kindly. There was no point in being rude. This was the end of the road.

He looked at me confused before muttering a response and opening the door. He gently nudged me into the room closing it behind us.

He pulled a string above our heads and a small lightbulb barely illuminated the room.

"Hey!" he shouted.

My mother was huddled on top of her bed in a ball.

She slowly lifted up her head and regarded us.

"Queen Solveige...Princess Aaliyah, Princess Aaliyah...Queen Solveige." He introduced.

Her eyes widened, not in recognition, or excitement, but fear.

"I'll see you two in an hour for lunch." He said before leaving.

Me and my...mother...stood looking at each other for a while. I didn't dare break the silence.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. She was angry. My mother was not happy to see her own daughter.

"I told Raul to protect you but..." she stood and approached me. We were about the same height and though she had been imprisoned for months. She looked in great condition.

Her hair was super long, but it was well kept and her eyes had a wild look about them but she didn't look like a prisoner.

"I'm sorry." Was all I could think of to say.

Her eyes softened a bit and she embraced me tightly.

"I've wanted to see you for ages. I thought of going to the states to see you so many times but I was afraid to leave just in case..." she trailed off. "I guess I should have taken the chance anyways."

I rubbed her back. "It's okay mom. I understand."

She pulled back and looked at me in shock. I guessed she was surprised I actually called her mom. "You're so beautiful." She praised.

She took my hand and pulled me to her bed. "I didn't want you here because, there's just no hope. I'm going to die here. I may be married to Hans now but it's purely political. All he wants is the throne."