The Labyrinth *editing*

Chapter 23

I ran as fast as I could, past Paris and Adrienne, who were poking a stick into an owl’s hole on a tree in the courtyard, with tears of anger streaming down my face, through the dining hall, up the grand spiral staircase, down the hallway, into my midnight room slamming the door shut behind me and flung myself on the velvety bed, and wept, feeling the biggest sense of betrayal, mixed in with jealousy for some reason. I wept and wept bitterly until I heard a soft knock at the door, and I shouted; “Go away!” to whoever it was. But the door creaked open cautiously regardless, and I saw Theseus peering through the crack. I wanted to shout everything angry I knew at him, but all I could utter was one word.

      “Traitor,” I accused in a hoarse whisper. When I saw Ariadne behind him, peering curiously into my room over his shoulders, my emotion boiled over. I reached instinctively for my knife, however in the presence of a Cretan, I knew I had to keep my weapon well concealed. Theseus looked like he was torn over something, but he walked very painfully, very slowly to me. He sat down on the edge of my bed, and Ariadne followed closely. Theseus opened his mouth to comfort me, but Ariadne spewed pure poison at me.

     “How insensitive of you to eavesdrop on-on such a…moment!” she said, mortified at my reckless behavior. I scowled at her indifferently.

     “I was there first. It was you who decided to butt in.” I pointed out gruffly.

     She tossed her hair behind her shoulder with a haughty laugh.

     “Well, I hardly think that’s-“ she began, but Theseus cut her off with a small cough. She turned to him, starry-eyed, and suddenly sweet.

     “Oh, did you want to say something?” she asked innocently in a sickly-sweet voice. I gagged. If Theseus was annoyed at this wicked sweetness, he did not let on so. He turned to me.

     “Xenia, I hope you’re not mad at me…you just can’t-“ he paused. “You just can’t stop love.” He mused sadly.

     “Oh yes, I suppose you might blame it on Aphrodite, right, or some other crap like that?” I asked sarcastically, but Theseus was desensitized to my criticism by now.

     “I suppose so.” He said thoughtfully. Ariadne looked pleased.

     I suddenly looked at the two of them, holding hands, apparently madly in love, and I felt bad. I gazed at them for a few more moments, and whispered quietly,

     “Theseus, you know, we’re going to die in a few days.” I resisted from adding, Because of her father. He nodded sadly. Ariadne’s eyes clouded with tears, but she looked hopeful.

     “We could run away, Theseus. You and me, we could live in hiding forever, and we would be free, absolutely free. Just us,” she said dreamily. I put my best hurt expression on my face, and Theseus glanced from me to Ariadne, back to me again.

     “We wouldn’t either be alone. Xenia would come with us.” He said firmly.

     “And Paris,” I added, as if daring anyone to contradict me. Ariadne sighed, snapped from her moment of fantasy. There was a moment of silence, before I added in disgust,

      “Oh come on you guys. You can’t be serious. How on earth would we ever be able to hide from your armies?” I asked, question directed more at Ariadne than anyone else. She bit her lip and looked down, agreeing unwillingly with me.

     “So…Ariadne, couldn’t you ask your father? I heard you can get anything you want, since you’re princess. Jewels…entire kingdoms…anything your heart desires. Surely he would grant you the life of a poor teenager from the defeated country, wouldn’t he? Or is this a test to see how much he really loves you? Maybe he gives you anything you want because he can, not because he wants to!” I shouted, poison eroding away at my very words, and the moment I said them, I felt bad.