Sickly Sweet

His Last Wish

After a delicious dinner of bruschetta, shrimp pasta, and a three layer lemon cake, Sophie sleepily found her room and sat down on the bed. It had been a long day, and she definitely needed a good night's sleep for whatever tomorrow brought her.

Yawning, she pulled her shimmering dress over her head and slipped on a powder pink nightgown. Her creamy hands seemed to glow in the dim moonlight as she pulled back her covers and rested a tired head on the pillow.

Her mind ceased to continuously spout garbled thoughts and she closed her eyes, a small smile on her face.

Finally. Peace.

Just as she was about to slip into the sweet comfort of unconsciousness, three quick raps on her wooden door woke her with a start. Jumping from the bed, Sophie sighed heavily.

"Who is it?" she asked, her crystalline voice stained with annoyance.

"Hurry on out here, Sophia. And don't waste my time." Sophie could hear persistent thuds as the Queen tapped her foot impatiently. "Come along, now," Coraline insisted.

"Alright, just give me a moment to clean myself up."

She straightened out creases in the flowing gown and quickly ran her fingers through tangled blonde hair. Grabbing ahold of the freezing brass doorknob, she turned it and faced Queen Sweete.

"Good. Now follow me, and hurry. I'd like this to take up as little time as possible."

Icy panic penetrated Sophie's brain and she froze. Her wide eyes stared at the Queen, and her imagination supplied reasons for the urgent awakening.

They found him. They've got Lochlan.

"What are you looking at me that way for?" She asked bitterly, briskly turning to pace down the hallway. Sophie shook her head and tried to keep up.

"Oh, um, I was just thinking."

Suddenly, she remembered something. Well, somethings. They were black and feathery with beady orange eyes, and they were under her bed.

Sophie's mind was in a turmoil. Should she retreat to her room and let the birds free or follow the Queen to see if Lochlan really was captured?

Before her thoughts could butt in, her heart made the decision.

"I'm coming! Please, slow down!"

She bit her lip and followed the slender figure down the hallway. Racing to stay within sight of Coraline, her distracted brain didn't notice when the tall woman stopped right in front of her, causing Sophie to clash into the Queen.

"Oh, my!" Sophie screeched, slamming into the ground.

"Oooh...ahhh.." Coraline moaned, muffled slightly by the carpet. Groaning, she brought herself to to her feet and glared profoundly at Sophie, still splayed out on the ground.

"Insolent child," she muttered, setting her jaw. Blushing, the rosy girl clambered to a standing position.

"Sorry," she said weakly. The hard-to-please woman simply pursed her lips.

"Go in there," she ordered crossly, pointing at a short door painted lilac with a chipped white handle. Sophie looked at her questioningly.

"Why?"

"Just go!" she huffed. The Princess nervously complied, opening the door and entering what looked like an adorably miniature office. The walls were lilac with a dulled white carpet, and plush white chairs lined the sides.

In the middle was a glass desk, and seated at the desk was...

"Lochlan!"

He looked at her, a small smile poking out from a mask of depression. Gesturing for her to sit, he rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath.