The Queen And The Flower

Part 3

I curled up in the corner of my cell and sobbed drily. No matter how distraught I felt, I couldn’t summon the tears that had cascaded down my cheeks as the my masked had lain on my floor in two pieces. The air was dry, the dirt I sat on was dry. Everything was dry. I felt hollow.
It was dark, and no matter how often I called out, no one answered. It was rumored that this king hated locking people in his dungeon, instead favouring public punishments such as whipping and hangings, or making them work ungodly hours of labour. At this point, I figured it was safe to assume those true.
I could only wonder what was in store for me. Was I to starve to death and then be left to rot? Or maybe I would feed the rats. Perhaps I would be called to trial and slaughtered. I heard it had been a while since they used the guillotine. Wouldn’t be the first time I had left heads rolling.
The last thing I expected was the glittery blue dress to appear the next night.
The princess was stunning, hair pulled away from her heavily makeuped face. Her neckline was far lower than I would have expected, but I suppose she was there to find a husband.
“Your Highness, what brings you here?” I teased lightly, crawling forward to press against the bars. She began pulling up the many folds of her vast skirt, trying her hardest to find her way through them all. “What on earth are you doing?” I stuttered, completely taken aback.
“Oh stop that.” she snapped, now huffing slightly from the effort of rustling through the layers. She smiled triumphantly and dropped the fabric, holding up what she was looking for.
A slab of clay, with a cheeky smile painted in neat strokes
I pressed against the bars as hard as I could, straining with both hands to have it back in my possession.  As soon as it touched my fingers I snatched it away and pulled it into my lap, cradling it softly.
“You’re welcome.” She teased, her voice soft.
I chuckled and held the mask up to my face, smiling at her.
Gently, she put her fingers  against the top and lowered it. I saw she was kneeling, dirtying her dress. Her thumb caressed my cheek gently. I raise my hand to cover hers.
“Careful princess, at this rate you’ll be the dirtiest of them all.”
“Good. I don’t want anyone to look at me.”
“They’ll certainly still be looking at you, just not with any desire to see you as their queen,” She rolled her eyes. I grinned. “Such attitude.”
“Amaryllis, you’ll make a fool of me yet.”
I grinned, and soon she was gone.
I turned my mask over in my hands, taking comfort in its smooth surface. What I didn’t expect was the key taped to the inner forehead.
There was no way. She couldn’t possibly have just smuggled me the key to my cell. And yet, five minutes later, as I slid the key into the lock, it fit. Turned. And the door swung open.
I crept down the hall, mask in one hand and key in the other, wondering how the hell I was going to find my way out of there.
As I neared the staircase, an open door caught my eye. Inside, I saw a box of old clothes that looked like they hadn’t been touched in decades. It was just my luck to find a jester’s suit tucked away at the bottom. What a handy coincidence.
I changed quickly, leaving my own clothes discarded in the box, and pranced up the stairs with my mask over my face, one eye peeking out. It wasn’t hard to find the ballroom, and easier still to find the circus people.
I wanted to join them, I missed the thrill of it all. It was crazy, I was supposed to be escaping. But I couldn’t wait to see the look on the princess's face.
The ringmaster looked quite surprised to see me. “Little Enchanter, what a pleasure to see your mask again.” I bowed deeply, biting my lip. When I left I hadn’t as much as said goodbye. I assumed he was pretty pissed at me, and his low drawl led me to believe I was right. He always was a jerk.
Something slammed into my side, and the wind was all but squeezed out of me by the tiny arms. I already knew who it was from the squealing in my ear. Tatina. She had one of my favourite and most shocking acts of all of us.
Tiny and elegant, she danced with such breathtaking grace you never could take your eyes away. With flowing skirts of soft pastel colours floating around her and a melody played from a music box, she truly was a sight to see, small and delicate.
And then we dropped a car on her. The audience, snapped out of the calm admiration, screamed. I never could stop myself from cackling.
Tatina, 5”2 and thin as a wire, was stronger than an ox. She could easily lift the car and toss it to the side.
Sometimes she forgot her own strength, and the hug she was crushing me in was one of those times. I tapped her arm to let her know she was about to break my ribs and she dropped me. I chuckled and turned to look at her. She was one of the people I missed most, she always felt lovely curled up against me at night.
Now though, a large man, twice the average person's size with shocking green hair falling over his eyes, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and fixed me with a look that I think was supposed to be intimidating. I resisted the urge to laugh. They were cute.
I turned back to the Ringmaster and bowed again. “I look forward to performing with you tonight.”
He scoffed. “And what makes you think I’ll let you do that?”
“Why wouldn’t you? You know the crowd loves my act, and you can charge extra for a one night only, returning special.”
“You’ve always had a tongue of silver.” he said, chewing on my offer. I wanted to tell him that it was easy to persuade a man who wanted money, but I held my tongue. Finally, he nodded. “Prepare what you need, you’ll be the third act”
“Excellent. Sir, if I may, I would appreciate your help with my act. I ask you use your whip.” I said, nodding to where it was secured by his hip. He grinned down at me.

***

Lupines grinned at me while we stretched and waited for the applause to signal the end of the last act. By now the guards knew I was missing. When the applause came, I happily put my mask to my face. Lupines leapt onto the balcony railing and waved at the crowd, enjoying the spotlight. I leaned against the railing and pretended to be bored. Then, I shoved him off.
I just barely bit back my laughter as a lady screamed. He tumbled and twirled through the air, and caught the bar of the swinging trapeze. About five others swung out to join him, and the audience marvelled at the people swinging through the air on bars supported by huge, brightly coloured butterflies. Lupines came back to grab my hand, my other hand holding my mask to my face. I couldn’t see anything, and I loved the thrill of it.
He swung me one way and let me go. I did a somersault through the air and heard gasps of delight and terror. Someone caught me around the waist and launched me up. I flew straight up, arched, and fell back down, spinning. Someone else caught my ankle and spun me up and around. My free arm stayed straight up, waiting for my own metal bar to hit it. Soon it did and I happily pulled myself into the metal ring.
I twisted and contorted myself into all sorts on funny shapes, making it look like I was falling several times. It was like a dance. The crowds ‘ooh’s and ‘ah’s were like music to my ears, a long forgotten melody. I decided I would perform on the streets more.
I pulled the mask down and leapt from my hoop to the stage below where the king, queen and princess were watching. I bowed deeply, then leaned forward and tumbled to kneel at the princesses feet. I stretched out my hand, asking for hers. She rested it carefully in mine, and I slipped my mask up so I could press a kiss to the back of her hand. I sat up and winked, enjoying her look of pure terror and wonder before the ringmaster jumped out and beat me back, cracking the whip loudly and sending me tumbling back.