The Life of Chosen

Chapter 3b: The Questioning

"Why is she here? I told you to bring me a suitable, pure woman. Not some riffraff!"

"Daddy, what's going on?"

"Nothing son. Go back to bed... Uh, fine. Wake her up."

. . .

I feel a rustling noise. My body is shaking and trembling. All I could feel is the cold, hard ground. And noise above me. I hear footsteps coming closer and closer. The sack around my head is starting to show light as my capture pulled it off.

A man dressed in sliver and gold garments hovers above my head. A voice with a deep, dangerous sound says, " What are you?  Who are you?  What land do you come from and do you have anyone?"  I looked up and saw a man with gentle, yet mystic and dark, eyes. I answer the only way I know how, a lie and a truth.  "I am a virgin woman and my name is Hope. The land of which I come from is a place where few may tread, but many see from afar. And I do not have anyone to save me from you!"  I started to struggle, trying to set myself free from the vine-like ropes. Someone came behind me and shoved me to the ground.

The man asked again, " Who are you?," he started to walk around me. "Are you a warrior, a widow, a mourner, or a coward?  Are yo a mother or a daughter?  Are you willing or resentful? I bet I could guess."  I realized that he was asking me to chose. I opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off by his annoying voice. "I bet that you are a warrior and a mourner, a daughter longing to become a mother, and a resentful, young, naïve virgin. Hope. So tell me, am I correct?"

I looked up at him. "I heard someone in my slumber, a boy. I bet I could guess who you are." I stood up. "A widow and coward, a mourner and father. Someone who is willing to except defeat and not fight for the woman whom he loves dearly. So tell me, am I correct?" He took a long, hard stare and he waved his hand. Suddenly, I was thrown over a shoulder and carried up to a room with planes and action figures. I was put down and the ropes were cut. I looked around, in the middle was a bed with a boy, who looked to be at least thirteen. The boy I heard. The man had followed us up the stairs. He turned to me, "Yes. You're correct. No one has ever been that close since my wife's death. I was so devastated with her death that my boy, Philip, fell under. I was so devastated that I almost lost the last thing I had left." He looked at him, then at me, "He's all I have left. If I lose him, I would die."

I looked at the boy, afraid of what will happen to him. I walked up to him and lied my hand on his. In the moment, I regretted what I had said. I looked harder at Philip and leaner in and whispered a small, little joke in his ear. I heard a laugh, it was small though. his regal blue eyes were staring into mine. Then I felt an arm wrap around my neck. I stepped back when I saw the man walk up to his son. I turned around and the small laugh was gone and Philp's bright smile suddenly vanished. I walked up to the man. "So, why am I here?" He turned in reply, "Because, you chose the life of a queen."