Raven

Chapter 24

For three days I am in a prison cell, one designed to hold one even as powerful as Bronwen herself. There is no escaping, I know that. I kneel on the ground, my gown is in ruins, the skirts slashed and the sleeves torn. My hair hangs loosely, dirt covers my face, the feathers of my wings are dusty and dried blood still covers my hands. Three days in a prison cell do that to you, especially after you just tried to murder a queen.

The guards at the door are fed up with me, for I go on endlessly, proving how quickly I'm losing my mind. There is something in the walls, a substance that makes my magic powerless and is taking my sanity. I can feel myself turning into a shell of a person, my mind retreating into a corner of me. I have blackouts, where I don't remember a thing about what I do for hours at a time. I'll come out of one, standing at the bars but not remembering ever getting there. It's in those blackouts where I ramble on, I've heard the guards saying so. I'm half glad I'm never getting out of here. For if I was to and these blackouts continued, I'd be unfit to rule Zaraeli. The people already dislike me, so what would they do if they discovered that their Queen was crazy? But I know that Bronwen is intentionally causing this, for me to lose my mind. It's all part of her plan.

'Permission from Her Majesty to see the prisoner,' a male voice tells my guards. They part to allow the stranger through the cell door. I hear him enter but don't look up. I don't want to see anyone. 'Raven,' the man says. 'Look at me.'

I lift my head up to see Thorn. How had I not recognised his voice? But he is a very different person now, playing the part of Bronwen's son. He looks like a prince now and I suppose that he is one, his mother is a queen after all. His hair has been trimmed to his ear, he wears a purple tunic embroidered with gold fire patters, black pants and shiny black leather boots. At his side hangs a sword, one marked with his mother's snowy owl insignia on the pommel. He's looking down at my with his green eyes that are so unlike hers.

'Are you going to pretend you were always really on my side so I'll tell you everything and then you'll go back at tell your darling mother?' I ask straight out.

'No,' he replies and I raise an eyebrow, questioningly. 'I'm going to ask if you're okay and hope you answer honestly.'

I shift positions, crossing my legs. 'Well, I'm about as okay as I look,' I tell him. 'So you tell me, am I okay?'

'I'm a prince,' he says.

I narrow my eyes. 'And I'm a queen, meaning I outrank you,' I remind him. I had gotten to know a fake version of him but I had never thought he'd really be as stuck up as this. 'You know, you might want to leave this cell before it gets to you too. It's already beginning to make me lose my mind. I think I'm half gone already.'

Thorn sighs and crouches down so that we're eye level. 'I'm sorry Raven,' he tells me. 'I know I was pretending to be Malcolm, but I wasn't pretending to be your friend. Just now, I really don't like seeing you locked up, you should be free.'

I hold a hand up before he can continue. 'I wouldn't say any more if I were you. You're mother's men are right out there,' I point to the cell door. 'They can hear every word and will probably go straight to her.' I watch his face as he comes to realise this. He glances to the door and back at me.

'Then I better go,' he says. 'I just wanted you to know I'm not a monster like her.'

He stands and as he leaves my cell, I call after him. 'You may not be like her but you're still a monster. No matter what you do, that will never change!' I watch as the door closes behind him and I lie on my back, staring up at the ceiling of my cell. That's when I have another blackout.

Its hours later when the door reopens. I'm standing at the back of my cell, facing away from the door. I glance over to see Queen Bronwen herself. She walks over and smiles down at me.

'I hear you're beginning to lose your mind, dear little Raven,' she says, her voice sickly sweet.

I turn away once more. 'Not enough to know you're still an evil witch,' I mutter but she hears me and uses magic to spin me back around. She grabs my chin roughly and forces me to meet her eyes.

'I don't appreciate being spoken to in such a manner,' she tells me, the sweet woman act gone. I smile, she's finally revealing her true colours to me.

'Good thing I wasn't speaking to you,' I say, provoking her further. I know I'm playing with fire, almost literally, for she has fire magic. I swat at her hand and step away from her. 'I suppose I am starting to lose my mind but there's still enough of me here to defy you. I know you're just waiting until I'm a mindless fool so you can control me, keep me like a little pet.'

Bronwen looks almost a little surprised that I've seen through her plan. 'Clever girl,' she replies. 'Too bad there won't be enough left of you soon.'

'You'll have to wait a while longer,' I tell her. 'I'm nowhere near gone yet. I can still do this.' I lunge for her but she steps out of the way with ease. I whirl around and go to lunge again but she uses her magic to bind me once more. I stand there, glaring with all the hate in my body directed at her. And yet, she seems not to notice.

'Raven, dear, I know you're strong and I want you to keep trying,' she says. 'In fact, I'm counting on it. You see, the more you try and fail, the sooner you see that you cannot win. You'll give up and lose yourself sooner than what this cell will make you. Goodbye, dear.' She turns on her heel and strides out of the cell, not once looking back.

My shoulders slump and I lean my back against the wall. I can't allow her a victory but no matter what I do, she'll win. Bronwen's too strong, too cunning and far too powerful. She's always one step ahead of me, always got a backup plan and several more after that. There is no defeating Queen Bronwen, I think as I sink to the floor, burying my face in my hands. She will always win, no matter what anyone ever does.

Hey guys! So I've just put another book up if you want to go check it out. It's called The Coral Crown and is based on The Little Mermaid. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and don't forget to vote and comment :)