The Red Queen's Daughter: Book One

Chapter 13: Rescue

"Question: Why did you ask me and not him?" Charlotte asks me.

"1. He was being mean. 2. You're my best friend. 3. That's all," I tell her.

"Good explanation, kinda. What was he talking about, you heard them last night?"

"Nate said he wanted to protect me. Oh, 4. He's sappy. And, I realized I can have you pose as a friend, which you are, and come to the castle with me. You have great fighting skills."

Charlotte hits me in the arm. "What the heck!" I yell, rubbing the spot where she hit me.

"He wanted to protect you! That's not being sappy, that's being caring. Now I'm you going back and telling Nate to replace my spot and he's going to be Nick," she yells, running in the opposite direction.

"Wait, Charlotte! We're almost-" I yell, realizing I should just take cover under a dying tree for a minute.

She's right, he was being caring. I rest my eyes for a moment.

When I wake up, it's sunset, I realize I must've fallen asleep.

I hear footsteps, it must be Nate.

"So I see you changed your mind," he says, coming into view.

"I didn't change my mind, it was Charlotte's idea. All hers." I correct him.

"Sure."

"I mean it!"

"Whateve, Nicole, let's get going, I have the sword."

"Yeah, and I can get my act on and tell 'daddy' that if he doesn't let us keep our weapons I'll make sure he doesn't hear the end of it."

He nods in approval.

We've reached the Red Castle, I gulp down my fear and start walking across the moat. The guards point their weapons.

"What? You're looking at him? He's a friend. Let us cross, or I can tell daddy," I say, a firm look in my eye.

They instantly lower their weapons. Nate and I cross the moat.

This new guy named Nathan is apparently standing in front of me. "Well, you decided to return," he says, arms folded.

"Yes, and I brought him with me. We couldn't stand the bitter-sweet taste of the White Queen." I say.

"Yes, I can't stand it either. We don't have any extra rooms so you give him a blanket and he sleeps on the new balcony in your room. Keep your weapons handy, their has been some odd behavior around here. Now, leave," he says, pointing his finger up the stairs to my room.

I race up to my room, Nate follows.

I reach the door to my room, I slowly reach for the knob. I open the door. I hate this place. Yet I have to be here to save Charlie. I set my bag in the corner and get out a blanket and a pillow for Nate.

"You are not sleeping out on the balcony, it gets cold at night. You can either sleep on the floor, or in the closet." I tell him, handing him the pillow and blanket.

"I choose floor, I'll sleep in the corner."

"OK, there's the bathroom," I say, pointing to the room a few feet away.

It's night, now, so Nate takes his place in the corner, and I take my place on my bed.

As I fall asleep, tears escape my eyes, dampening the pillow my head is on. I'm back in the Red Castle, all of the horrible memories flood back.

I can't stop thinking of them until I fall asleep.

I wake up to a storm. Perfect, perfect. Rain pounds against the glass doors leading to the new balcony, I close the blinds turning my room dark. I turn on a lamp, which illuminates the room.