Let The Games Begin.

Returning Matriarch

I awaken to melodic bird chirping. The memories of the night before rush back all at once, causing me to giggle. Sitting up in the bed, I scoot to the edge facing the window and lift the curtain, peering at the court below. There are hoplites everywhere, barking orders and rushing about. That usually means one thing...

I dash across the room and flip the latch on the door shut, rushing to get dressed. Brushing my hair, I decide to leave it down. Hopping around on one foot, I finally manage to pull my sandals on and have just opened the bedroom door to a hoplite running at me. 

He gasps, bending down to rest his hands on his knees. A moment later, he stands and blurts, "We found the Empress!"

I follow him down the hall and take the throne, making sure everything is in place before commanding that they bring her in. Slapping the hands of the hoplites away, she saunters in, stopping before the throne. Crossing her arms, she looks at me maliciously. 

     "You've made a horrible mistake forcing me back here." She spits, turning her nose up at me. 

Pushing aside the overwhelming urge to run to my mother, I glance around the room and spot Achilles standing in the rear corner, arms crossed. Sighing in relief, I collect my thoughts and stand. 

     "Forget me. You made a horrible decision trying to murder me before you abandoned your only child-" I pause, willing the tears welling in my eyes to vanish, "and your kingdom." I choke out, biting the inside of my lip to keep my chin from quivering. "Where are the girls that disappeared the same time you did? And where is Lucas?"

The doors to the left bang open, drawing our attention to them. Four hoplite guards make their way in, carrying a cot with what can only be a human body covered in linen. They make their way beside my mother, setting the cot at the foot of the dias. The first guard turns to me and bows. Clearing his throat as he stands upright, he says, "Princess, I'm sorry to have to tell you this way, but before we found the queen mother, we came across your guard Lucas, ran through with his sword, hanging from a tree in the borderlands."

I clamp my hand over my mouth, my gaze falling on the covered body at my feet. 

The guard continues, "It seems he was on the right trail and she sent someone to cover her tracks. Lucas was in the right place, at the wrong time. His services will not be forgotten."

I shake my head, tears now falling freely and stumble down the steps of the dias. Landing on my knees beside the cot, I lift shaky hands and peel back the linen. The decomposing remains smell putrid. His neck, a deep purple, ripped to shreds by whatever material he had struggled against while hanging from the tree. Moving the linen down further reveals the gash in his stomach which was enlarged by the frantic flailing.

Falling back onto my bottom, I scurry back, covering my mouth to try and prevent vomiting everywhere. Glaring up at my mother, who is showing no signs of remorse or guilt, only makes things worse. 

     "You have no evidence I did any of the things you accuse me of." She says, crossing her arms. "When you can find some, is when I might confess...although there's not be anything to confess to."

Aside from my violent sobbing, all is quiet. No one speaks or moves for several long minutes. That is, until Taolo comes crashing through the entrance from the garden, where the hoplites had brought Lucas in. Waving papers wildly in his hands, he pauses, arm raised, when he sees the remains of Lucas on the cot. Taking a deep breath and holding it, I scoot towards the cot and cover the body. Standing, I wipe my hands over my face.

     "Taolo," I sniff, "You could not have come at a better time." I wave some guards over, pointing to my mother. "Restrain her. Taolo, speak." Plopping into the throne, I sigh, a new wave of tears threatening to spill out.

     "Yes, of course." He runs a hand through his curly hair, shuffling the papers in his hands. "I tested the vials you brought me and they each matched one of the natural herbs we found in your blood. Considering I was the one your mother directly commissioned to concoct the serum, I'll say there's no doubt she was involved, if not directly to blame."

My mother's eyes widen. She throws out a string of curses, tugging her arms against the hoplite guards holding her in place. She mutters something and then looks down at the floor.

     "What did she say?" I question, rising from the throne once more. 

The guard on her left front side clears his throat and says, "She said, 'I commanded them to dispose of the solution.'"

The wave of realization and acceptance that my mother truly had tried to kill me hits all at once and the next thing I know is that I'm on my knees, holding my head in my hands. A familiar voice speaks up, ordering the guards to lock my mother away and keep eyes on her at all times. 

     "Do not let her out or accommodate her requests. Any one who obeys a word she says will fall on his sword and sundown." A pause. "Take Lucas to the apothecary and have him fully examined. We will hold a service for him sometime soon. Everyone else, please, clear the room."

I draw in a ragged breath, covering my face with my hands. What else could go wrong right now? Certainly death would be more kind than this horrid life I'm living. 

I hear some shuffling steps and then some more familiar voices to my right, coming up the hall that leads to my chambers. 

     "The princess is not taking company right now," Achilles says, his voice growing quieter as he moves away. 

     "Why not? Is she okay?" The second person asks. This must be Ajax. I would recognize his warm, gentle voice anywhere. 

     "Yeah, someone was running through the plaza, shouting about the return of the queen and we all headed over as soon as we could." 

Petra. Which means Elias is here too. And Ajax. All people I would consider to be my friends. Is Marcellus here? I sit up, letting my body fall  back limply. I'm sure I look like a corpse someone had dropped from a high distance: my back in an arch, my arms straight, hands draped on the floor. If you didn't know any better, you'd think I didn't have spine and my head was simply set back on my shoulders. It wasn't comfortable but at least I was feeling it.

     "Let them in." I mutter. Achilles looks back at me. I force my eyes to meet his and manage a slight nod. At once, they surround me, pulling me into a group hug. When they release me, I allow myself to fall forward, finding myself laying against Ajax, who continues to hold me gently. 

     "I have made such a mess." I croak out. "All of this could have been avoided if I had just complied." Petra moves in, patting my back gently. 

     "Integra, this evil has always been within her. If this didn't unleash it, something else you would do that she didn't like would have."

I turn my head, glancing at her kneeling beside me. "It's all my fault-" I manage before my face contorts, a fresh wave of tears racking my body. "One awful thing after another!" I shout. "Lucas could have still been alive! Everything could have been okay!" I pull away from Ajax, staggering to a standing position. Stepping between Elias and Petra, I make my way towards the door leading into the garden. Just as I'm about to pass the threshold, a strong hand grabs my arm. 

I look back. Achilles, gripping my arm firmly is watching me intently. Peering  at me with a pained expression, full of sympathy, all he says is, "Please don't do anything irreversible." He releases my arm, stepping back into the throne room. 

I stand there for quite some time, my hands clasped against my chest. Looking back and forth between the plaza and the door behind me, I take one step away and then make my break for it. Sprinting across the plaza, I run and run until my legs can't carry me and I collapse into the grass at the far side of the property.