The Red Queen's Daughter: Book One

Chapter 21: Mad

"It would be so nice if something would make sense for a change." -Alice.

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I go to bed after that horribly long day. I wake up at 1:00pm in the afternoon like Erin did that day in the Upland.

Yesterday felt so horrid in the beginning, but filled with hope in the end.

I stand up and notice some tea has been set up for me. I taste it. It's my favorite. I take my tea and dare to walk down to the garden. I'm surprised by what I see. The dead body of the Red Dragon isn't there any more. The flowers are actually blooming with different colors than white. Violet, blue, yellow, red, pink, I could name every color on the rainbow. It's strange, but I like it.

I sit down under the Huge Willow and wonder how all the garden got this way. Maybe because hope has returned and we no longer have to worry about being attacked by any relation to the Red King or Queen. Maybe because the reign of terror has ended. Probably.

I sit under the Willow for a while before I here footsteps. I instantly think,'Nate'. I turn around with a prepared smile on my face, hoping it is actually him. Nope. It's not. It's Erin. "Hi, Erin. What are you doing out here? I thought you'd be in the Upland?" I ask.

She just stands there, staring into space. "Erin?" I ask again. Nothing, absolutely nothing.

"Erin, what's wrong?"

I'm seriously getting freaked out now. I stand up and walk over to her. I wave a hand in front of her face. She doesn't even flinch or blink. Seriously? "Erin!" I yell into her face. I put my hands on her shoulders and shake her. "Erin! What the heck is wrong?!"

"She's coming." she says blandly. "Who? Who's she?" I ask.

"Just... Her." she says.

"Who's her?"

"I don't know. Just... Expect her."

"I give up, Erin. What does she look like?"

"I... Don't know."

"Really? Just... What's her name?"

"...Alice."

***

"Alice? Erin, are you feeling okay? Let's take you to your room to rest," I say, putting my hand on her shoulder.

I've never really understood Nate's sister, Erin. She's nothing like him. She's crazy. He's calm. She's the girl you'll see staring into space. He's the guy you'll see painting a picture.

She smacks my hand away. "No! I feel fine, Nicole! Alice is coming! That's your answer!" she yells. I rub my hand and think. Why is she acting this way?

"What's going on out here?" I recognize Nate's voice. I turn around towards the entrance, he's standing right behind me. "Nothing, Nate." I say, walking past him. I walk through the doors and up to my room. As I walk up, I here Nate yelling at Erin. Then I hear footsteps trailing behind me, I know it's Nate. "Nicole wait!" he yells. I walk up to my room, living my door open. I do actually want to talk to him.

"Nicole... What was all that out there?" he asks. "Erin is crazy! I know she's your sister and everything but yeah! She's crazy!" I yell.

"Calm down, Nikki. What is she being so crazy about this time?"

"She's saying a girl named Alice is coming. How would she know?"

"Alice?"

"Alice."

"I need to tell you something, Nicole. The reason she's pretty crazy in the first place."

Nate sits down, I sit next to him.

"Well," Nate starts,"it happened just a few months ago before you got here, we were making healing potions for your mother. Someone in the White Emergency had gone crazy. We both made our version of the potion. He drank my potion, and it worked, he wasn't crazy anymore. But Erin wanted to see if her's worked. she drank it. She went pretty much crazy. We tried all we could. But she actually liked being crazy. She met new 'friends' that understood her, she said. Friends. So, yeah, that's how it happened," he finishes, tears falling from his eyes. I hug him. Then I think of something.

"Nate, I can try my best to get her back for you." I say. He looks up. "Really? You'd do that for me?" he asks.

"Anything for you." I say.

"Thanks, Nikki, you have no idea how much this means to me."

"No problem." I leave for the door.

"Wait," Nate says. I turn around.

"Yes?" I ask.

"How did I get cured? You know, from being stone?" he asks.

I blush and think for a second. How can I tell him I kissed him?

"Well, my tears brought your color back... Then... A kiss brought you back." I say, I bet my face is as red as a rose.

"From... Who?" he asks.

"... Me." I say, leaving the room, walking to my mom's room. I knock on the door.

"Yes?" mother asks, coming to the door.

"Well, I have a question. How old we're you when you had your first kiss?" I ask.

"Oh, around thirteen."

"Thanks", I say, running to the garden, hearing Nate coming down the stairs.

"Erin, we need to talk", I say, nearing the Huge Willow.

"What?" she asks. I see her sitting at one of the marble willow trees.

"Nate told me how you went... Mad." I say.

She looks angry, I wouldn't blame her. I should've chose my words better.

She sighs,"Yeah, I know I'm mad. Crazy mad. But I do not want to change. I met new friends. They understand me."

"Erin, they are not real. They are products of your imagination. You have real life friends. You don't need them. Listen to me closely. They aren't real." I say sternly. She looks at the ground.

"Nicole, catch!" I hear Nate say. I turn around and just in time, I catch a bottle. It's glistening purple. The potion inside it, I mean.

"Erin, drink this." I say.

"Is it a unmadness potion or whatever?" she asks.

"Yes, and-"

"Fine. Give me the bottle." she interrupts.

I hand her the potion. She drinks it and sits down. She rubs her temples. "What the heck just happened? Nate, where am I? Who is she? Did we get the potion right?" she asks frantically.

"She's Nicole. Your under the Big Willow. We got the potion right." Nate says slowly, approaching her.

"What happened, though?" she asks.

"You drank the wrong potion, you went mad. But now you're better." Nate says slowly.

"Oh..." she sounds upset.

"Don't worry, Erin-" I start, but she interrupts me.

"I don't know you." she says.

"I just said, she's Nicole." Nate says.

"Oh." she says.

"Come on, Erin, let's get you back inside," Nate says.

She sighs and stands,"I wish something would make sense for a change."

We walk her in, I can't help wondering,'Who else did she forget?'

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Author's Note:

Hey guys, I left you on a cliffhanger, didn't I? Does Erin remember the rest of her friends, or is she completely oblivious of them. Find out tomorrow.

M.P.