𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 | Choni

Seven

Panic; in the most literal sense.

No air was reaching her lungs. Something was covering her mouth. Her eyes flew open in search of what was restricting her airflow. The room was dark, as usual, but she could make out the vague shape of someone standing over her. They leant in closer to her face and she saw the Princess holding a finger to her own lips. She nodded in understanding and the hand covering her mouth was removed.

Toni slipped out of bed and followed the redhead out to the courtyard between the castle and the Serpent rooms.

“What’s up? Are you okay?” The bad feelings from earlier seemed to have vanished.

“There’s something I want to show you.” Cheryl rocked back and forth on her feet.

“How did you know where I slept?” The sleep fog was clearing from her brain.

Cheryl felt some heat rise to her cheeks but hoped the lack of light would conceal it. “It took a lot of sneaking around trying to find you in the dark.”

It was then that Cheryl noted Toni in her loose nightshirt. “Do you want to change into something else, or are you happy…?”

Toni looked down at herself, “Oh, I’ll be two seconds.” She spun around and disappeared into her hut.

Cheryl waited patiently before the brunette reappeared in a brown tunic dress with what appeared to be trousers underneath.

“Where to Princess?”

“First stop is the pantry.” Cheryl declared as she pointed the way she intended to go.

Toni nodded not really understanding what was happening, “Let’s go.”

Toni followed Cheryl around the kitchen as she collected some items and passed some to the Serpent girl to hold. She then followed the Princess quietly to the north wing.

This wing was usually saved for when the family hosted guests and considering Toni hadn’t been told to prepare a room for any, she was becoming increasingly confused as to why the Princess was leading her this way.

Cheryl knew that during the night her father didn’t require any staff or guards to be present in the castle, only at the main gates, so she knew the two girls could move freely to the room she was seeking.

They stopped at an innocent-looking door, though in the darkened hallway, Toni could see a dim light under the door. Cheryl smiled before knocking on the door and opening it gently, “Is it okay if we come in?”

Toni didn’t hear an answer, but Cheryl must have as she followed her in. A scraggly-looking man in clean Riverdale-coloured clothing was standing next to a disturbed bed with a shy smile.

“Hello again, we’re sorry to disturb you this late, but I wanted to introduce you to my friend.” They were friends. “This is Toni, she works in the castle. Toni, this is Samson, he’s going to be staying here for a little while.”

Toni stepped further around the redhead when the realisation struck her, “You took the bread? Sorry! It’s nice to meet you, Samson.” The brunette turned to look at the red-haired woman with disbelief. She looked back at the man as he spoke.

“And you, Toni. Though, weren't you given the name Antoinette? I knew your parents; they were good people.” He gave her a sombre smile.

A lump formed in her throat, “Yes, uh.. I go by Toni for short. Thank you.”

Cheryl didn’t feel it was an appropriate time to ask what he meant by that about her parents but had watched Toni’s reaction.

“You look so much like your mother.” Samson continued as he looked at the young woman in front of him.

Toni couldn’t help the sad smile that grew on her face or the tears that pooled in her eyes. No one downstairs ever really spoke about her parents.

She didn’t know what else to say and so gestured to the items Cheryl had piled into her arms, “We brought you some things.”

Cheryl was drawn away from watching the brunette, “Yes, just some bread and some fruits. We also got you some chocolate.” Cheryl joined Toni in placing the items on the small table in the middle of the room.

“I can never say thank you enough for this or anything your family is doing for me.” Samson addressed Cheryl as he took in the sight of the spread in front of him.

Cheryl shook her head and thought of her father’s words, “It’s like my father said, It is us who should be apologising to you. You have nothing to thank us for. We try to look out for our people.”

Samson nodded at Cheryl with a small smile before he offered the girls a seat at the small table.

Seated around the table the three of them fell into conversation. Samson shared stories of the Southside with the girls as they listened enraptured by every word. It was these stories that brought the girls coming back every night Samson stayed in the castle.

It was the same routine every time. They met in the courtyard after lights out and grabbed some supplies. On a few occasions, they even made hot chocolate and visited Samson to listen to his stories. Toni couldn’t believe that the King she’d thought so poorly of was capable of such kindness and generosity. She’d thought of him just like his father before him; the King that had murdered her parents in cold blood. Maybe things could be better. She couldn’t lie and say she hadn’t noticed some changes in the last three years since Clifford took the throne.

The Serpent now had a purpose-built living quarter that housed two to a small room, proper cots and even bathing facilities. They even had access to proper food as well. But they were still in Riverdale and not in Sunnyside; not that she knew what that would look like. Samson’s stories gave her some ideas of what life back in the Southside could look like. She dreamed of it every night for the last month.