Swan Heart

4

The queen screamed in pain. She had just gone into labor and was scared of what her brother would do to the baby after it was born.

He had already told her that he had found a perfectly suitable heir in the Human Realm, but it was too late for him. The queen was already with child and her king was dead.

She screamed once more as her baby was finally out. Her heavy breaths finally subsided as her handmaiden handed her the baby.

It was a healthy, beautiful baby girl.

"What will you name it my queen?" Her handmaiden asked.

"Lillian. Her name is Lillian."

~*~

Erin rushed into the throne room dropping to his knees at the sight of the ashes. No! It wasn't her turn, she didn't make the deal!

Lillian walked in putting a hand on his back. "Erin..."

He quickly enveloped her into a hug. He soon pulled away and gazed upon her face. "Why are you not crying? She was your mother."

"I have never cried. Not since I was five and thrown into to my trashy life." Lillian said staring at Erin with an almost empty look in her eyes. Erin took a step back.

"You were five when you disappeared. You forgot your memories when your were five, 13 years ago." A memory threatened to spill in his mind. The memory that he locked away for his deal. 13 years ago.

"Erin are you all right?" Lillian asked concerned,"you've been standing there with a dazed look in your eyes."

Erin shook his head quickly. "Yeah las, I'm fine."

Lillian watched confused as Erin walked out of the throne room. Lillian looked back onto the ashes. There was a white feather on top of it. She picked the feather up and dropped it immediately after. It had burned her hand.

She rubbed her hand before pulling a kerchief out from her sleeve and wrapping it around her hand before picking up the feather again. She was entranced by it's beauty. It seemed to sparkle in the moonlight peeking in through the big, round window overhead.

"Who could have done this?" She whispered to the feather. She heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning she quickly put the feather in her hair not minding the burning pain.

"Lillian, I am so sorry! Please accept my condolences." Talula begged dropping to her knees. Lillian was taken back by Talula's actions.

"What do you mean? I don't think I need to be begged, I barely knew the woman." Lillian remarked grabbing Talula's hands and helping her to her feet. Talula smiled and moved her hand away.

"Well... Since the queen is dead..." She said slowly wringing out her hands

"... I'm queen. Aren't I?" Lillian slumped as realization dawned on her. She did not want to be queen yet- she barely knew what this place was!

Lillian closed her eyes and ran out of the room. She ran through the castle grounds, through the gardens, and through the gate away from the castle itself. She ran until her bare feet started to bleed and she collapsed in front of an old shack. She heard a loud screech as she was picked up and carried into the shack.

"What do we have here?" A regal voice announced. Lillian opened her eyes to see a beautiful woman, most likely in her 30s, sitting on a wooden step in front of her.

"A lost mutt!" The old hag from the throne room screeched out in triumph.

Lillian shook herself away from the witches holding her and shook out her hair, making sure the feather was still there. Luckily it was. "I'm Lillian, who are you?"