Mother of Monsters (Camp NaNoWriMo 2015)

Chapter X

The guards threw me down from the last platform on the wall and onto the ground, where two other guards pulled me up by the arms and dragged me away.

They didn't even bother hiding the fact that I was a criminal. They paraded through the main streets of Strago. Everyone fled the streets like birds. They either moved out of the way or back into their homes. They didn't even look at me, turning their heads away as if they were avoiding some plague.

I didn't even have time to admire the noble grounds of Strago. They were better looking than I was accustomed to. Houses made of god and silver and carved with artworks showing bits and pieces of Stragonian history. I couldn't look at them closely because the closer we were to the palace, the faster they walked. It became more and more of a pain to stretch my legs long enough and move them quick enough so I wouldn't literally be dragged through the stone paved streets. That was bound to hurt more than the dirt ones.

Then we were at the palace. There were thousands of steps we had to climb to get to the entrance, and I was quickly exhausted by them. Climbing these stairs was more difficult than climbing Mount. Dianae. And if I was not careful, I could have slipped. But the guards with their impressive grip on my arm, if I did fall I'll get thrown back up.

We entered the palace. There were so many people in there, mainly servants and guards. It was here that the guards holding me let go and another pair of guards took control. They grabbed me by my elbows and yanked me forward, yelling at me to walk.

After walking in a straight line for at least fifteen minutes, huge double doors appeared. They looked similar to those of the gates, which made me afraid of what was on the other side.

The doors opened from the inside, and I was greeted by the throne room. Thousands of people were standing on the sidelines, looking down the aisle at me.

Queen Ezenta sat in her large throne with her two daughters. Nemera, her oldest and favorite, sat on Ezenta's right side, leaning towards her mother, almost as she's ready to whisper something in her ear. Nuaris, Nemera's half and younger sister, sat on her mother's left side. And of course to complete the family portrait, Maros, the Commander of the Royal Guards, consort to Ezenta and father of Nuaris, stood at the foot of the dais.

When the guards thought we were close enough, they threw me onto the ground. My face was the first thing to hit the smooth marble floor. "Stand up." I heard a booming voice say. Ezenta's no doubt. I slowly stand up, and tucked my hair behind my ears. "Do you want to tell me why we're all here? Because I am sure we both have more important things to do than be here." Ezenta sat confidently on her throne. Her eyes looking down on me like a predator's.

"She was" one of the guards started, but Ezenta cut him off

"Did I ask you?" She yelled at him, her voice echoing throughout the room. She gripped her arm rests tighter. Nemera then whispered something in her mother's ear, smirking at me. Ezenta then whispered something back in Nemera's ear, which wiped that stupid smirk off of her face.

"I left Strago for the human world." I tried to talk with confidence in my voice.

"Is there a reason you would do such a thing?" Ezenta brought a hand to her cheek, but her eyes continued to pierce through me.

"Personal ones." Nemera erupted into laughter.

"I'm sorry." She said when she could breath. "But that has to be the lamest excuse I have heard ever since I started sitting on this throne. You could have said something tear jerking like 'I just felt so alone trapped in these walls I wanted to leave.'"

Her mother looked down to her. "Shut your mouth right now before I shut it for you." She threated her child. Nemera then looked forward straight at me, she crossed her legs and stretched out her arms. Ezenta then turned her attention back to me. "And could you describe these 'personal reasons'."