Dark Secrets

The Alphabet

"I don't know about this," I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "Maybe farming would be easier."

"Chester has already said he won't," Queen Darcey said. "Don't give up. I know it's hard at first but it'll get easier the more you do it. Now, which one is the 'O'."

I was in the library with the queen. We had eaten in the library and she had a piece of parchment that she wrote the alphabet on in large, clear handwriting. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Um...." I looked and found the one that looked like a zero and remembered she said that's how Cian had remembered. "That one?"

"Good job!" she praised. "And now the 'E'."

That was the hardest one for me. I frowned around the parchment. I knew it had one line and other lines branching off of it. There were two like that and they were right next to each other.

Damn it.

I sighed. "That one?" I guessed, pointing at the one with two lines.

"No," she said kindly. "The 'E' has three, not two."

I groaned. "Why must they look so similar!?"

She smiled a little. "I think we'll leave it there for today. Is that okay?"

"Yes. I feel like my head is full of cotton."

She laughed and I helped her clear up.

"So, if you can't read, how did you know what the letter said?" she asked.

"My mother," I answered. "We had perfected this... technique. If someone was over then she would read it out of the corner of her mouth. Or she would pretend to be interested enough to read it out loud. It's what we did when he stayed in the house. I don't like people knowing I can't read and I definitely don't want Lord Cian to know."

"I have one more question before you leave," she said as we got to the castle doors. I turned politely. "Why do you despise us so?"

I sighed. I had been waiting for the question. I looked away. Queen Darcey had been more than I expected. She was kind and gentle. But then I remembered the look on my mother's face when we received news that my father was dead and I glared at her. She took a step back in shock.

"My father's death," I said, my hands curling into fists. "Why could you not defend yourselves!?"

"I was ill and-"

"So King Nelo and Lord Cian could have fought!" I interrupted, stomping my foot. "But no! They cowered here in the castle and my father and several others lost their lives! And you did nothing! None of you did! Their families still ache! They still feel the loss of their husbands and fathers! They should at least be given financial compensation! Their children starve because they cannot afford food! My mother and I give them all we can spare!"

She didn't say anything as I raged. I shut my eyes and sighed.

"Forgive me," I whispered. "I am grateful and I spoke out of turn."

"Yes, you did," Cian snarled and I glared at him.

He and his father had come out of the throne room when they heard my shouts.

"Don't you dare! I am not speaking to you! I am speaking with the queen!"

"I'm aware!" he shouted back. "And you are being disrespectful!"

"Cian, she is not," Queen Darcey said.

He pointed at me. "Never speak to her like that again!"

"Or what?" I challenged. "You'll bruise me again!?"