Broken Beginnings

Chapter 12

Chapter 12- Puppet Queen 

The 'dungeon' I was taken to was more of a glorified prison. It was a small bedroom, curtains were pulled back to the courtyard below. I knew from the distance, that I was in the highest tower in the West Wing. 

The guards had roughly thrown me on the bed and shackled my ankle to the stone wall. The loud snap of the shackle  had me writhing in pain. Sena was not lying when she said there were ways to contain those with magic. The chain burned my flesh, leaving red marks on my ankle. No matter how much I tugged, it was useless. I could feel the weakness rooting inside of me. I had already overexerted myself and this was the end. 

The end of my limits. After screaming in anger, ripping the dammed frilly curtains from the window and inspecting the small washroom I sat on the bed. It was plush, twin sized, a thin blanket the only warmth supplied. The bathroom had a sink and toilet. 

The room smelled foul, like someone had died in here. It was a plush prison, still painful but also a reminder of what you were missing out on, if the soft mattress and pillows were any indication. 

The sun rose and set three times before anyone came to the door. I had finished the last bits of bread that had been left with me the first night I had come. I was starved. I prayed whoever came through that door brought food. I had drank from the sink and knew that the cough I had developed was not a good indicator of my health. 

It was  Opal who walked through the door. The metal door whined as she shut it and sat on the spare chair, the only other piece of furniture besides the bed. 

Opal set down the basket she brought with her, silently unloading its contents. Bread, cheese, a pitcher of herbal tea, ointment and bandages. 

"I'm supposed to get you ready for the ball tonight." Her voice startled me after not hearing anything other  than my own and the sound of rain. It still thrummed about outside, shaking the castle walls. "Why?" I asked, my voice cracking from a lack of moisture. 

Opal looked at my throat before responding. She reached for a cup in her basket, filled it with the warm tea and gave it to me. It was hardly warm, now but I didn't care as a I guzzled it down. 

She poured me two more glasses before answering. 

"The women will kill anyone's family who helps you." I swallowed. I knew this but it still didn't help the cold feeling in my bones. 

"He couldn't come and see you or both Claire and Gale would die." 

I clenched my eyes shut, nodding. "I know." I said. 

"It was better to leave you somewhere safe, though not ideal." Opal looked at my ankle. "Rather than let you out and face much worse consequences."

I leaned my head on my knees that were propped on the bed. "Eat and let me see your wound."

I paused contemplating whether I wanted to have her look at my ankle or suffer instead. 

Opals dark eyes met mine. "If not for yourself than for anyone else. What you do does not only affect you." She said carefully. 

I lifted my head up, sighing. I stretched out my leg. Opal moved her chair closer passing me the bowl of bread and cheese. I did not hesitate to devour it as she stared at my ankle. The chain dug into my flesh, coated in dry blood and loose flesh. I had tried to pull it off a few times but this was due mostly to my body reacting to the metal. It was meant to block of my magic and it did, devouring my flesh in its wake. There was a nasty cut from where it rubbed and it did not surprise me when Opal began to take out a needle and thread. 

She didn't make any expression as she gestured to my wrist. I shoved a piece of cheese in my mouth extending my wrist. She frowned, and clamped a diamond bracelet onto my skin. Immediately I could feel the heaviness, the burn. I grasped the side of the bed to keep myself upright, dots lining my vision. She undid the ankle chain and a breath of air puffed out of my lungs. The new throb in my wrist blinded me from the pain as she cleaned, stitched and covered my wound. I rubbed at the diamonds on my wrist, glaring at their beauty. Thankfully the ointment around my wrist stopped another wound from forming. It did not stop my bones from crying in protest as the metal crept into my pores.

Opal finally pulled back wiping her brow. She looked at my hand trying to pry off the diamonds. "It won't budge. Its also your only way out of this, Hope. No magic and you can leave or if you fight; still no magic but things worse than death."

Annoyed, I gave it another tug before dropping my hands in my lap. "What is my role today?" I deadpanned. 

"There will be a ball, filled with leaders from all over, some from Goldmoon. You have to play the obedient royal. Not one step out of line." She commanded. I cocked my head to the side as she brushed white hair from her face. "And what is it you're going to do?" I asked tartly. 

Opals eyes hardened. "Try to keep you alive, your majesty." She hissed my title. The title I very much wished I didn't have. 

The woman of many talents left the makeshift prison chambers without another word. I felt guilty for my tone but then all to soon I was swept away to get ready for a ball.

 I did not smile as the servants bathed me. I did not laugh as they powdered my face and braided my hair. I did not look at them as they dressed me in Gold. I prayed that maybe by some possibility I could keep my anger in check. I rubbed at my wrist, twisted my ankle in circles to work out the stiffness and flashed a feline smile at myself in the mirror. I could do this. For one night. I could fake being a puppet queen. One night and then I would find a way to destroy these queens. To destroy Frost and Melvin.

 To end it all and win.