Roseless (A Heartless Sequel) Hiatus

Chapter 1- The Queen (Updated)

"Off with their head!" Mother was at it again, executing people left and right. I was just slumped in my chair, in the courtroom waiting for this awful event to end. Mother wanted me to know how to run the kingdom just like her when she died. I, however couldn't help but think, whenever I get to the throne, half the kingdom will be dead. If not more. I hated watching the accused tremble in fear, pleading to my mother, to me. Saying they didn't mean it, that they should get one more chance. It never worked. Mother never gave anyone mercy.

Raven, my mother's executioner, flew off her shoulder and transformed into a large muscular man with a black hood covering his face. In his large hand, he was holding an ax. His expression was blank. Raven swung his ax down, chopping off his head. The body fell to the floor; lifeless. Raven transformed back and perched back onto my mother's shoulder. He was from the Kingdom of Chess, where he was an executioner and rook for the White Queen. All I knew about him was that he was loyal to my mother and that since he was a rook, he could transform from human to raven. Though most only ever see him in his Raven form.

I looked down at the body being hauled away; the poor gardener had forgotten to paint one measly white rose red. Mother had found it tucked away and immediately called for Raven. She hated white roses.

As I stood to go, Mother said, "Wait. Come back." The words she spoke were no louder than a whisper, but they had the force behind them as if they had been yelled at you. It was a command to turn around and walk to the foot of her throne.

"Yes, mother?" I mumbled as I reached her throne, trying not to roll my eyes.

"Good girl. You know next execution I expect you to pay attention. You are 15 now, in a year you will be paired, and your husband will not want a wife that can't do her job, we can't have that now can we?"

"No mother. Are we done?" I was desperate for this meeting to end. The blood of the gardener on the floor would haunt my dreams; I did nothing to save him.

"Not quite, I have scheduled a ball Sunday evening. It is for you to get acquainted with the boys of the kingdom. You will marry one of them. Now go straight to the seamstress and get fitted for your dress. I have chosen the patterns, but you can choose the color."

"Tomorrow night?"

"Goodness me, it is tomorrow night. You'd better go then." It wasn't a suggestion or request, it was an order.

"Yes, my Queen." I bowed and turned to leave the room.

"One more thing," Mother said and I turned back around, smothering a groan.

"You are not to leave the castle before the ball; after it however, you will be allowed to visit the boys of the kingdom to marry. Though I will have the final say.

"I am well aware of that mother." I said through clenched teeth, hiding my clenched fist in the folds of my dress. "You've only drilled it into my head since I was five." I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" Mother asked in a sweet sugary, leaning in towards me. The tone to anyone but me was just a sweet sugary tone, to me, it was laced with poison.

"Nothing Mother." I gave a tight smile, hoping she would let me slide.

"Good, I would just rather remind you, than have to rip you apart from a person that is not adequate for you. Love is not always kind, remember that." I stood awestruck. That was the closest thing to motherly advice that I had gotten from my mother, though as small as it was it, was magical. Maybe, just, maybe under this heartless tyrant, under the merciless executioner, there was a mother, wanting the best for her child.

"Raven, be a dear and make sure she gets to the seamstress without any detours will you?" The raven said nothing but swooped from mother's shoulder to mine. A silent response. He was nothing but a loyal subject to my mother.