White as Snow, Red as Blood

Chapter Two: Freya

Chapter Two                                  Freya

“…Do you find beauty a blessing…” she paused, “…Or a curse?”

I looked at her confused, “I-I don’t understand…” I said, she laughed, “Of course, you wouldn’t understand…” she said, she turned and looked at me with an evil gleam in her silver eyes, “But I thought you might have an understanding of some sort.” I bit my lip, “Why do you ask this question?” I ask, she turns away and doesn’t respond for a moment, “You will understand in time, my dear…” she says. As soon as she says that, it felt as if the room had become 30 degrees colder, it gave me chills up my spine, “You must be tired of being locked up in that horrible cell; cold, unloved, forgotten…” she looked as if she were reminiscing in an old memory, “Just like I was once.”

I looked at her, and I felt a pang of some sort when I looked into her silver eyes. They weren’t their usual evil, shimmer. They were sad… very sad…

  “Terence!” she called for her son, the young man came in immediately, “Take her back to her cell.” She said with her icy voice, waving her hand dismissively, he bowed, “Yes, mother.” He turned to me, his eyes showing something that looked like concern, and then he grabbed my arm again, but less firmly, and dragged me back to my cold lonely cell.

He locked the door again with a loud clang. He stood there for a moment, giving me another concerned glance, “I’ll come back later.” And with that he, left without another word.

I could tell from the look in his eyes that something was wrong. That mischievous look in his eye was replaced with…concern. An emotion he had never showed towards me since my father married Lianas. He used to have that same smug, contempt, look on his face when he saw me; I could tell that he disliked me very much.

So why now does he show concern for me…genuine concern.

I sighed and sat on the ground staring out the window. The sun had disappeared and was now shrouded in gray. I smiled to myself about the small pleasure I was given, I prayed for the sun to return, but deep down knowing it was pointless.

“Princess, what happened? What did she do to you?” Alleyne asked eagerly. I sat there for a moment not responding to her questions. Then I looked at her, “She asked me …a very strange question. And she sent me back.” Alleyne tilted her head to the side, “And that was it?” she asked. I nodded again. “Terence said he was coming back later.”

“That doesn’t sit well with me…” the girl in the other cell said. I sighed and leaned my head back on the stone wall. “I know…it wouldn’t be surprising if she were to kill me…” I said. I trembled slightly, “But then again…what would be the point?” Alleyne shook her head, “The point would be that she finds you a threat. And she wants you out of the way so there is no one to over throw her.” “But if that was what she originally intended, then why didn’t she kill me with everyone else?” “Because she needed you for something bigger…”

Something bigger…?

Like what…?

“But tell me.” Alleyne asked, interrupting my thoughts, “What did she ask that was so strange?”

I sat down on my bed, crossing my arms.

“She asked me if beauty is a blessing or a curse. Of course…I didn’t understand what she meant really…”  Alleyneknit her eyebrows in thought, “That…is rather peculiar…” she said. I sighed once again. “I wish she would have killed me the moment she caught me…” I murmured, Alleyne jumped, “Why do you say that?” I looked at her, “Isn’t it obvious? So many have died because of me!” “And many more shall die to assure your safety.” Alleyne affirmed.