Eliza and the Queen

Chapter Fifteen

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Eliza rode quietly through thekingdom of Vanderville noticing how terrible it was. More peoplebegged for food wearing clothes much too big for them. Childrenwalked barefoot crying and begging for one more drink. Eliza couldsee the pain in their eyes. Agatha warned her that the kingdom wasterrible and now she was experiencing it. She felt sorry for thepeople begging. She then remembered the loaf of bread in her satchel.She climbed off her horse and reached in her bag for the loaf ofbread. The child watched her with curiosity. Eliza held the bread outto her and smiled.

"Here you go."

The little girl slowly took it.Her mother watched with no expression on her face. When the littlegirl took the bread, Eliza looked at her mother and curtsied.

"Things will be better soon."

The mother slowly walked to herand took her hands. A huge smile formed on her face and she looked atEliza with thankfulness. Her hands felt cold and frail over Eliza'sand she could feel the bones sticking out of her hands.

"God has sent us an angel. Iknow things will get better because you are here to face the queenand rid us of her darkness. I have faith."

Eliza smiled and grabbed thereins of her horse. She walked to the castle slowly feeling betterthat people believed in her even when she felt deep down in her heartthat she would fail. Now she had something to hold onto.

The West gate was guarded bytwo soldiers with staffs. One was a very tall and husky man. He worehis armor with pride and when people walked by, he puffed out hischest and held the staff away from his body. The shorter man did notseem to like his job. He looked around at the people passing by as ifhe wished he was them. Maybe his job was not what he liked and thequeen was punishing his family. She did not know, but she could notallow herself to think of him as her friend. Dahlia had told her thatthe soldiers would be no friend to her working on the queens.

Eliza stood by her horsewatching the soldiers for several minutes. Her heart was telling herto go, but her feet would not move. She was this close to the queenand yet she was afraid. It was her magic that the queen wanted whichmeant that Eliza could probably defeat the queen easily or maybe shewas stealing magic from other witches until she got to Eliza's. Shedid not know the queen or her weaknesses. Her mother had once toldher that when you want to defeat someone, you find out what theirweaknesses and strengths are. Eliza had been too foolish and hadrushed into this without finding out. Did Dahlia know them? Sheclosed her eyes thinking of all the people she had lost because ofthe queen and it made it easier to hate the queen. To want to savethe kingdom of her evil ways. Her parents were taken for her being awitch and her sister had turned evil blaming Eliza. If the queen wasdestroyed, it might all change and Lilly would forgive Eliza for allthe bad things that happened. Her sister was spared only to bringEliza to her. Lilly had planned to do just that. She loved her littlesister and did not want to lose her.

"Are you she?"

Eliza turned to see a middleaged woman standing there holding a basket full of fruit staring ather. The woman had blond curly hair with strands falling around herface and hazel eyes. She wore a torn ragged looking dress with anapron on and dirty hands. Eliza stood there a few minutes not surewhat to say. The woman looked cleaner then the others and had morebeauty to her then the other women around the kingdom.

"You can trust me. I know whoyou are. Well, I knew you had to be. People here fear to be close tothe soldiers. Anyone who comes near and looks suspicious dies." Sheswitched the basket to her other hand. "Come with me. You must havea good meal before going. It is better. You are skinnier then Iimagined."

Eliza followed the womanthrough the streets passing carts of food, flowers, and hay. Peoplewere not as happy as she imagined. They stood around their carts noteven paying attention to the people around them. The woman led herthrough an alleyway to a small hut. She sat the basket of food on thetable and shut her door. Eliza looked around. The hut was smallerthen it looked and very cozy. A sheet separated the bedroom from thekitchen.

"Sit. I will make you somestew."

Eliza obeyed and sat in thecreaky chair. The woman began cutting the fruit and the vegetables.She worked quickly with shaky hands. Her hair was falling from itsbun in her face, but she paid no mind.

"Who are you?" Eliza askednot trying to sound rude. The woman did not answer immediately andEliza did not think that she would answer.

"My name is Felicity. I usedto own the bakery with my husband. He was the best in town. That isuntil the queen took over. My husband was murdered at her hands forrefusing to sell his shop." She grabbed a cup and poured some waterinto it. Then she handed it to Eliza.

"Thank you." Eliza saidsipping it. She sat it down and folded her hands in her lap. "Howdid you know I would come?"

Felicity layed down a bowl andpoured some soup into it. She had the soup ready, but threw in thevegetables to make it taste better. Eliza remembered her mothers soupand felt homesick.

"Everyone here wished youwould come. Our homes are being destroyed. We have no hope herewithout you. We go to church on Sundays and pray that God will sendus help. Each day, another loved one is taken. I lost my deardaughter Abby." Tears filled her eyes. Eliza ate her soup slowlywanting to comfort Felicity. She knew how it felt to lose loved ones.

Felicity sat across from herand folded her hands in her lap watching Eliza eat as if she wasgrateful that she had company. Eliza noticed that Felicity was justas frail as the others, but looked better. She looked like a womanwho stood her ground. She reminded her of her mother.

"I must admit that I amafraid. I have lost so many. I fear to lose more. My sister Lilly isall I have left and she hates me for what happened to our parents.She blames me for all the mistakes that has been made. For all thepeople who have been murdered at the hands of the queen."

Felicity leaned forwards. "Fearis what weakens us. I know the cost of what will happen when you goto destroy her. My family was taken from me, but I must overcome thatfear for them. If she is not destroyed, the loss will only grow. I donot know your hurt, but I know that you are the only person todestroy her. I stand behind you with the rest of the kingdom. You cansave us all."

Eliza nodded and thanked herfor the soup. As she got ready to leave, Felicity hugged her tightlythen slipped a cape on her. The cape was warm and smelt like home.Eliza held it closely loving the warmth and the smell.

"It was my daughters, but youmust have it. You deserve it. Thank you." Eliza thanked her againand left. She had more encouragement then she was aware. Now, shereally had no choice. She had to be tough and face her fears.Everyone depended on her.