The Hardest Hello, The Easiest Goodbye

5)) Four

Moments later I heard Cady scream from the bathroom. I shot up as quickly as I could and rushed to the bathroom. The door was locked. I pounded on it as hard as I could, hearing thumping and screaming from the room. 

"Unlock the door!" I yelled, panic rising up my throat. "Cady, unlock the damn door!" 

There wasn't any response. It grew quieter in the room. 

"Four!" I heard my brother yell before the room fell silent again. 

"Abel!" I screamed, pounding on the door more. "Cady, open the door! I swear to god, if you don't open this door-"

I cut myself off, shaking and punching at the door with all my strength. I turned, looking to the desk for a sharp object to pick the lock with. I settled on a quill, something I hadn't seen in ages, and turned back to the lock. I was able to pick it and the door swung open. I burst in, terror eating at me as I saw what was left in the room. 

Cady was slumped against the wall. I lunged to her, pressing two fingers to her neck. She was breathing. Just knocked unconscious. I looked around the room, searching for Abel. He was nowhere to be seen. A bloody handprint was on the wall. I shook Cady's shoulders, shouting her name, but she was too far unconscious.

I pulled away, dragging her out of the bloody bathroom and onto my bed. My breathing was rapid, and it was becoming harder for me to think straight. Cady's right leg was covered from thigh to ankle in a series of long, red claw marks.

I threw open the door to my room, running out into the hallway. "Queen Maleah? Queen Maleah!"

My shoes tracked red across the clean, shiny floors of the castle as I jogged haphazardly around. "Queen Maleah? Anyone? Hello? Is this goddamn castle empty?"

"Miss Four?" A guard turned the corner, his blade strapped across his back and his hand up in front of him. "Are you alright?"

"Cady, she's - my room - blood - my brother's gone!" I could barely breathe, much less get the words out properly. My eyes burned and my lungs ached and my heart was beating hard against my chest. The guard put a hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off.

"Miss Four, take a deep breath and tell me what happened." The guard said calmly, making eye contact with me and not letting go. I pulled in a deep breath.

"I was looking through the room, a-and I heard screaming so I went into the bathroom and s-saw blood and C-Cady's injured and my little brother's m-missing!" I stuttered, my palms clammy. The guard's face darkened.

"I'll take care of it, Miss." The guard nodded sternly and moved quickly off to my room. When I arrived behind him, several guards were already in the room. Some were investigating the bathroom, and others were wrapping up Cady's torn leg and comforting her. She had woken up, at least. 

"Where's the queen?" The guard who I had spoken to asked.

"On her way, Darren." Another guard looked up from where he was binding Cady's leg. "Do you have the girl with you?"

"The girl has a name." Darren glanced behind him at me. "Miss Four, are you alright?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't even give him a nod or anything. I just hugged my arms to my body tightly. Darren walked over to me and gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders, leading me away from the door and towards a sort of empty side of the room. He pulled his arms away but stood next to me. His presence was almost comforting, but mixed with the scent of blood and the massacre of voices in the room, he was just another person. 

I jumped slightly when the door slammed open, and the queen walked in. Her nose wrinkled at the foul smell in the room, and she immediately locked eyes with me. I watched as she took a deep breath and smoothed down the front of her dress. She walked over to me, elegant as ever, and nodded at Darren. He nodded back, and stepped away from us, going over to help Cady. 

"Are you alright, Miss Four?" Queen Maleah said softly, standing next to me. She folded her hands in front of her. 

"M-my brother..." I muttered. Abel, Abel, Abel, god dammit Abel was gone. Thinking about it in it's full reality almost made me burst into fresh tears. Somehow I kept it together. 

"Ah. Your brother." Queen Maleah looked down, then at me. "I'm very sorry, Miss Four. We're doing everything we can to get him back already." 

"He's so young..." I could barely hear her. My heart was pounding in my ears and my brain felt foggy. I whipped around and glared at the queen. "If he dies, I will never forgive you."

"I understand, Miss Four." The queen seemed unaffected by my threats and looked down at me gently. "Could you please come with me? We need to talk somewhere else. This place isn't good." 

I glared at the ground and nodded. The queen placed her hand at the small of my back and lead me out of the room, a guard following us. I couldn't tell if it was Darren or not, but he seemed kind. I wouldn't be mad if he stayed with me. 

The queen walked with me at my pace, her head up and looking straight ahead. Eventually the blood on my shoes stopped leaving marks on the floor, and we walked into a small chamber. It was the size of my kitchen at home, but it was probably a broom closet to the queen. Two walls were covered in bookshelves, and a table with two chairs sat in front of a large window. 

"Sir Darren, please stay outside the door." The queen ordered, confirming my earlier suspicions. He nodded, and Queen Maleah pulled me inside. We sat across from each other at the table. 

"I understand that this is a bad time to bring this up, my dear, but I must ask." Queen Maleah began. "But, with the situation with Cady and your brother, and the tense ties with our sister kingdom, we are in need of a successor. Please, tell me... have you at least considered saying yes to my offer?"

I looked up and glared harshly at her. She seemed unaffected. "If I say yes... what will happen to Cady and Abel? I need them safe. I don't give a damn about tense ties with our sister kingdom."

"Respect, Miss Four." Queen Maleah reminded me. "If you accept, you will get updates every time something has changed about the state of your maid and your brother. The longer you stay, the more authority you will have. At some point, your brother's fate will be in your hands no matter what happens to him now. If you accept, you will be able to take care of your loved ones with much more power. You would have an army in your hands." 

I stared at her. An... army? "Queen Maleah, you have to understand that I'm not used to this. I've only been in charge of one person, and I'm not even sure I do that right." 

"You're destined for this, Miss Four." Queen Maleah smiled softly. "You can do it." 

I inhaled a shaky breath and quickly breathed it out. I could feel the queen's eyes burning into me. I was quiet for what seemed like hours, even though it surely wasn't.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes?"

"I accept your offer." I chewed on my cheek and locked eyes with the queen. "I'll be your successor."

*casually slides a new love interest into the story*

Word Count: 1314

~this was written by canyoubemyfour~