Queen of ashes

03

☾Athena☽

"I shall guide you to your quarters." The guard offers. "I wish to be alone," I rush past him. His hand firmly grasps my arm, preventing me from going any further. I meet his gaze, "I am the king's daughter and you will remove your hand from me now." I say while contesting his gaze. When he finds no humour in it, he releases me. 

"My apologies. I only wish to guide you." He says with a slight bow. Not nearly good enough. "I do not require guidance." I rush past him again. This time- he doesn't dare touch me. I now realize that people will not know my strength until I prove it. 

I wander around the castle for a while, people stare and whisper, but I go unbothered. They speak of why I am back as if I should've never returned. I enter a room full of portraits of those who came before me. The men- -kings look powerful. But their wives are captivating.

Their causes of death are what catches my attention. Most of the women beheaded. There lies my mother, her stunning curls. Her daring blue eyes. And her heart-wrenching smile. I run my hand over her face, the paint ruffling against my fingers. "I will do this. For you, mother." Tears begin to swell in my eyes. I close them. I take a moment to remember her, her laugh, her smell, her comfort.  

"Athena?" I turn to the voice calling my name. There I see standing my former best friend, Eve. She wastes no time before wrapping her arms around me, holding me tightly. I wish she'd never let go. She removes her hands, placing them on my face, taking a moment to look at me. "Oh, how dearly I missed you." 

"I missed you as well," I say, but it doesn't feel real. None of this does. I fear I am not living, merely existing as a ghost in my own life. "What are you doing here?" She asks, her long brown flowing down her shoulders. Her stunning green eyes gaped at me. "The king summoned me," I say, only revealing a small part of the truth. 

"Can I still trust you?" I ask as children were inseparable. I entrusted her with everything, including my life. "Always." I nod as my eyes fill with tears once again. "The king is ill," I reveal to her. She only looks slightly shocked. "I hear things. I hoped they were only rumours." Silence falls over us, but it's peaceful. 

"He brought you here as the heir to his throne?" She asks. I nod, turning back to the painting of my mother. She was resilient and courageous. And when faced with death, she was still strong. She never fell weak, not in my eyes. I can only hope to be like her. 

"You are like her in many ways," Eve speaks. I wipe the sole tear that falls from my eyes. "Thank you," I say. After a moment, I tear my eyes from the painting. "I should be going," I say, brushing past her. This is all too much to bear. 

"Where?" Shes questions. I feel suffocated in this castle. The lingering dust smell, I need to get out. "Outside, perhaps you could join me?" I ask, hoping she'll say yes. I long for the relationships I used to have. The sense of normalcy I've clung to for all these years. 

"Of course, after you get changed. Perhaps we could play tag." Tag. My favourite game to play when we were children. I presume she thinks less of me because I don't have the same dresses I used to. They all wore old or too small over the years. I wear the same thing as beggars on the side of the street, yet I am to be queen. 

We arrive at the queen's quarters. It's hardly been touched since my mother died. It still smells of her. With nobody to inherit her belongings, they were left- forgotten about.  Eve and I silently enter her massive closet. It's as big as the house my brother and I live in. 

"I do not know if I could wear these," I admit, a heavy feeling rests in my chest as I imagine her wearing each of them. "It's time for you to embrace who you are. Who you are meant to be." She says approaching a beautiful red gown. "This one?" I silently nod as a sense of guilt falls over me.

I worry this life was not meant for me. My mother played the part all too well at times. I do not know if I am able. 

~~~

Eve tugged the corset tighter, though I warned her I could not breathe. "Nearly there." She says, lacing the string through the final loops. I stare in the mirror- and the girl staring back is unfamiliar. I hardly recognize her. 

"Finished." She proudly announces. I fear she likes playing dress-up more than I do. She grabs the dress before placing it down, allowing me to step into it. It grows tighter as she pulls it further up my body. 

It reaches the top, and I must admit I look beautiful. Much like my mother. Eve strings the dress, tying a loop in the back. "Thank you," I say, looking at her through the mirror. She grabs a necklace, matching the jewels that line the dress, then places it on my neck, securing the clasp. 

 Someone knocks on the door, and we both turn to it. A guard enters. "The king has called for you." I quickly place the matching earring in my ears. "Eve, wait for me here please," I say, exiting the chambers, the guard following closely behind me. 

I shortly arrive at the king's quarters, the doors flying open. The king sits on the end of his bed, his crown wears weary on his head. "Daughter." He says, his voice comes out low and unsteady. "Your majesty," I say with a curtsy. 

He looks at me, his eyes red and low. Beneath them a shade of purple becomes. He carries a paper in his hand, my gaze rests on it. "I have named you my successor. In the case of my death, you will be the queen." My eyes grow watery with tears. Overcome with emotion, I don't know what I'm feeling only that it is overbearing. 

I will be the next queen of Ardistan.