𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 | Choni

Thirty four

“Hey Kai, you ready buddy?” Anton stood in the smaller courtyard near to the stables waiting for his sister and the Princess.

“Oh yeah, it will be good to get some real dirt under these shoes!” Anton answered for the horse who was standing patiently in the dark gravelled path, waiting to help the three on their journey south.

It didn’t take long for the two women to materialise through the door. Anton almost didn’t recognise the Princess who had lost the dressing gown from before and was dressed in a simple, dull coloured shirt and trousers with her hair braided conservatively down her back. She didn’t pass as a Serpent, but she definitely didn’t look like royalty either.

Toni led Cheryl over to the small, simple, open wagon and helped her step in. No more words were shared between the three of them as Toni climbed up to sit next to where Anton had sat at the helm ready to guide them out of the courtyard.

Cheryl couldn’t draw her eyes away from her childhood home all the time it was in view. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t have any happy memories of her time there. In fact it was only the oppression right at the end that soured her life there; hopefully she was moving on to better things with the most important person in her life. When the Riverdale castle and then the kingdom itself was out of sight the Princess bought her gaze to rest on the woman who was her new future.

The siblings had been on high alert as they manoeuvred themselves out of the Kingdom undetected. It wasn’t all that difficult given the late hour, and soon they were moving along dark twisting roads heading south with the sound of wolves howling in the distance. Hopefully if they stayed out of their way then they won’t bother them. They were heading down the rabbit hole and she was surprised to find that instead of filling her with dread, she was filled with a sense of wonder.

Cheryl must have fallen asleep early into their travels; she was woken up as the wagon wobbled as it toppled from side to side as it moved over the bumps in the road. It was pretty quick for her to register that they were crawling along a narrow road with a very deep drop on one side, but what also drew her eye was the lonely Mountain with the sunlight behind it. It stood on its own in a kingdom of isolation and it was beautiful.

Her movement to get a closer look and yet keep away from the precipice drew the attention of the brunette woman in the front seat. “Hey, you okay?”

She gave her a reassuring smile.

“You warm enough?”

Cheryl hadn’t noticed the bite that had formed in the air around them. “I’m fine thank you. Are you both alright?”

Toni looked to her brother and then answered with a nod. “Yeah, we’re fine. I don’t think it will be much longer.”

The Princess looked out to the path in front of them. All she could see was more road and the cliff face next to them. The three remained silent as eventually that road opened up to more woodland and finally a field. They decided to rest for a small while as they got their bearings and Anton and Kai could rest after the concentration needed to manoeuvre that last road.

Toni stood at the side of the wagon pouring over their maps. “According to this, Sunnyside should be just over this hill. Are you still sure about this?” She turned to Cheryl who stood next to her perusing the maps.

Cheryl gave her a smile at the daft question. “Are you?” she countered.

“I am if anyone cared.” Anton declared from where he was offering Kai some water.

Toni and Cheryl laughed at the interruption. “Then if Kai is ready, we’ll continue then.” the brunette woman said as she rolled up the maps.

Her brother nodded and climbed back up onto the wagon. Toni helped Cheryl hop back in before resuming her position next to Anton.

Steadily the four of them made their way up to the brow of the hill where they were met with the sight of Sunnyside, home of the Serpents, at the bottom. Anton sucked in an audible gasp at it. “Will you look at that!”

The Princess could only stare in awe at the magnificent landscape that stretched endless before them. The tall, straight trees seemed as though they were holding the sky in place, while the snow topped mountains provided a mesmerising backdrop. Winding rivers cut through the scenery, running like veins of blue amongst the green. It was like nothing Toni could have ever dreamed of. This was the land of her people, her family, and now she was returning to it, returning home.

Kai led them slowly down the hill before entering into the tree line and finding a path through the forest. His three passengers were again on high alert, this time not for wolves, but for the Serpents who supposedly still lived here. They didn’t know where to begin in finding them; luckily they didn’t have to try very hard.

Horns could be heard, encapsulated by the rustling of leaves all around them. Before their eyes dozens of men and women with spears descended upon them; circling them and trapping them. Well this wasn’t the warm welcome they had hoped for.

“Who are you and what business do you have here?” A grey long haired man stepped forward and demanded answers without any indication that he was going to lower his weapon.

The three of them held their hands up to show they were unarmed and meant no harm.

The man who had spoken nodded to the two men and a woman who stood nearest to the wagon, they then started to close in further and demand they disembark from it. Now stood together in front of the original man, he demanded answers again.

Toni spoke up this time. “We’re Serpents from Riverdale seeking refuge.”

“Who are you?” He demanded again eyeing them up and down.

“My name is Antoinette Topaz, this is my brother Anton…”

Toni was cut off by the man who seemed to now have tears in his eyes. “…Topaz? You’re the children of Anthony?”

Anton nodded. “and Sarah.”

“You are my brother’s children; my name is F.P. Where are your parents?” F.P. asked almost desperately.

“They were killed when we were born.” Toni regretfully shared with their apparent uncle.

Pain and anger crossed the older man’s features.

Before anything else could be said on the matter, a sceptical voice spoke from next to F.P. indicating towards Cheryl. “Who are you; you’re not of our blood?”

Toni stepped in front of the redhead as she saw the man flex his hands around the spear that was still pointed towards them unlike so many of the others. Anton moved to then stand in front of his sister, showing their fellow Serpents that Cheryl was one of them regardless of what anyone tries to say.

“She is as good as!” Anton proclaimed as he provided a shield between the two groups; theirs very much smaller.

A woman roughly the same age as F.P. pushed through to the front of the Serpents around the group. She shared in the same height as F.P., but that is where the similarities stopped. Her long brunette hair was streaked liberally with grey, and it fell down to her waist. This woman's frame was full, giving her a healthier and warmer presence. Toni, Anton, and Cheryl watching her wearily.

“She may not be fully part of our tribe, but she does have some Serpent blood.” The woman spoke to her people before turning to look at the redhaired girl in the eyes with a kind smile. “You’re the spitting image of my sister’s girl.”

“What do you mean?” Cheryl asked the question they were all thinking.

“You look so much like your mother, Penelope. It would make sense; we didn’t know what happened to her after the battle. Some hoped she’d died but it seems she met a terrible fate in Riverdale. Forced upon by some Riverdallian man.” she spat sadly.

The young trio all looked to one another in utter confusion at what they’d just been told. The Queen of Riverdale was from the Southside?

F.P.’s voice pulled them out of their thoughts. “Now that we have that cleared up, come now. You all must be tired and hungry. Please follow us.”

The rest of the Serpents lowered their weapons and cleared a path for F.P. and their visitors.