Her Predicament

Chapter Three: The Palm Reader

     On the day of Hazel's eighteenth birthday, she snuck out of the castle through the window of her chamber.  She desperately wanted to spend her birthday with the people she loved; the people of her kingdom.  In her peasant disguise, she walked the streets of her city and observed the daily life of her people.  She missed walks like these.  She missed seeing the children laugh as they skipped through the streets, but this day was different.  This was the day her world turned upside down. 
     On Hazel's journey through the city streets, she walked past a tiny building made of logs and covered in green leaves.  The building had a sign on the porch titled, "The Ivy Vine."  Filled with curiosity, Hazel ventured inside.  It was a store filled with the most colorful things.  It had herbs, stones, candles, books, cloaks, and much more.
     "Looking for something?" The store owner asked.  She had long, curly black hair, porcelain skin, and emerald green eyes.  Hazel was taken by surprise by her beauty.  She wore a long deep blue dress covered by a floor length black hooded cloak. 
     "Oh, no. I had just never seen this building, and I was curious as to what was inside.  Excuse my lack of manners. I'm... Rose. Yes, I'm Rose," Hazel answered.
     "You don't sound so sure. Come with me."
Guided by this mysterious woman, Hazel walked through a colorful curtain covered with beads to a dark room in the back of the store.  The room contained a table with three chairs, a set of shelves made of a dark wood containing various sized glass containers filled with substances of every color, and a large wardrobe made of the same wood as the shelves.  The store owner motioned for Hazel to sit.
     "I am Rhiannon the witch. Daughter of Eleanor and Merek.  What troubles you?"
     "Nothing troubles me. My journey is not to seek any solutions.  My journey is simply of curiosity."
      As the witch motioned for Hazel's hand, she said "May I?" After a moment of hesitation, Hazel reluctantly placed her hand in Rhiannon's.
     "I read palms. I bring the troubles of the dark sort that are buried in the most guarded of hearts to the surface.  I sense a struggle that you face every day. You have told no one.  Allow me.  Let me relieve your weary heart.  What say you?"
     "Find what you will, but tell no one of our meeting.  I hold secrets that would cause a great deal of pain to others.  Continue with caution," Hazel warned.  She trusted this woman. For what reason? She didn't have a clue.  With Hazel's palm in the hands of Rhiannon, a mysterious woman she had never met, she felt safe. 
     "You wear a false face, a disguise," the witch began. "You have lost feelings for the man you married.  He is not the man you used to know.  Tragedy has changed his heart.  You wander the streets to escape, and now you've found your place of refuge.
     Suddenly, noises arose in the streets.  The sound of horses' hooves pounding the brick road outside the cabin filled Hazel's ears.  A man was yelling loudly for everyone to hear.
     "Witches! Come outside. By orders of the king! Come willingly, or you will be caught by force!" Shouted an armored knight.
     Hazel looked out the small window of the log cabin and saw King Alexander, her husband, sitting high on a horse's back with a stern but empty expression on his face.  Cedric stood on the ground next to him looking disgusted, yet unwillingly respectful.  Whatever he king had in mind, Cedric did not agree.
     When no one came outside, the knights rushed into the log cabins of the woods just off the streets.  The men of the houses came out to attempt negotiation with the armed men, but it was no use.  One by one, women were ripped by force from their families and pushed on to a wagon.  Rhiannon's cabin was next. 
     "Hazel, you must leave.  The king will be filled with rage when he discovers his Queen here.  Make haste."
     "But how did you know?"
     "Your palm told me nothing. But your eyes said everything."
     Frightened, Hazel stepped backward until she felt the knob of the back door. She ran into the woods without turning back. She ran until her feet could no longer carry her, and she fell to the ground amongst the leaves. She wondered what was to come of the beautiful woman she had just encountered. More troubling, she wondered why she couldn't wait to see her again.
Hazel made it back to the castle just in time to see the knights tossing their newly captured witches into the dungeon. She had to do something. She needed advice. She needed her father.
"Father I don't know what to do. I don't understand what's happening. I knew he was taking a step back from his speeches and his push for reform, but I had no idea he would be ripping people from their home. Why is he doing this?" Hazel asked Jacob.
"This must have something to do with Javar, but I can't seem to put it all together. Harold was more than willing to lose his own life for this movement, and I was certain that Alexander would lose his as well. There must be something we are missing."
"What can I do to stop this?"
"You can't stop it. But you can give the people hope. Stand tall. Remember what I said the say Harold was killed? Always fight for what you believe in. Never stop."
The following day Alexander tried to avoid Hazel at all costs. This made it possible for Hazel to do as she pleased without being seen. She went to the dungeon to look for Rhiannon.
"Hazel, Alexander would have my head if he knew I let you in here. Those people are... criminals," Cedric hesitated.
"Cedric, you know as well as I that those people are not criminals. Harold spent his whole life fighting for these changes. He gave up his life for the freedom of not only his people, but for the freedom of he people of other lands. We cannot allow his death to be in vain. Alexander has only held power for less than two years and everything Harold did is already being put to shame. We have to do something. We have to find out why Alex is doing this...."
"Hazel, you talk as if I don't know all of this. I fought alongside Harold. I pushed for the very same freedom that he held in his heart. Please trust me. Alex is doing this for a reason. Maybe it's not a reason that any of us would understand or agree with, but it's obviously something that he feels he must do. I cannot tell you anymore. I've already said too much. I permit your entry. Tell no one."