Evil I Become...

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I continued to stand in the same position as I had no orders to do otherwise, and let my eyes roam around the room making sure to avoid Lucias’ gaze. I focussed on the smaller details about the room I hadn’t noticed when first entering. Details such as the papers littered across the expensive armoire that anyone else would have treated with the utmost care. Or the fruit bowl and flowers that Joanne was neatly rearranging placed in precisely the middle of the grand carved oak table, big enough to seat up to twelve people but was only ever used for two.

It was then I saw Joanne look cautiously across the room as if she were looking for something, so I scanned the room to find Lucias’ back turned searching through one of the many dressers in the elegantly decorated room.

When I refocused on Joanne she started waving me to come to her, so checking Lucias’ was still turned, I stepped towards her with a confused expression plastered all over my nervous face. “There are some flowers outside on the balcony that need watering, be sure not to overwater them or there’ll be trouble” she said in a voice that simply oozed the fact that it was an order not to be disobeyed. Joanne’s position was higher than any other servants in the entire castle, everybody like me obeyed. To anyone else’s ears it was clearly an order for me to follow but to me the expression on her face said it all. Outside on the balcony the flowers my mother loved so dearly would have already been watered by Joanne at an earlier time, instead she was signalling to me that my mother was waiting for me in private.

 I was practically blooming inside but I ensured that the expression on my face stayed neutral. Walking outside I saw the one thing that would calm me down or reassure me that everything was going to be okay. The shining star in my life that in my eyes would never fade. My mother.

Despite how many times I saw her, her sheer beauty astounded me every time and even  with her back towards me she looked as graceful as ever. Her long blonde hair trailed to her waist in delicate curls. The royal crown sat on top her head as if it was molded to fit her and her alone not being passed down through the generations from one daughter to the next. She was dressed in her favourite deep red gown that I knew when she turned around there would be shining crystals running down the neckline and across her shoulders. From the way she stood the long draping sleeves of the dress were not visible but hidden as she held on the balcony rail with the most delicate of touches.

“Mother…?” I timidly asked even though it was clear by her presence alone who she was.

 Mother quickly turned around with a gentle smile on her face as she knew it was me. I ran towards her despite my complaining feet and wrapped my arms around her as best I could with her ever growing stomach.

“Careful my love, or else you may crush the baby” she giggled, I immediately loosened my hold her but my arms remained in place. i never wanted to let go. I simply wanted to share this moment in peace as I knew that during the ball I would not be able to talk to my mother unless she asked for a drink serving, which was my position in the ballroom.

 I also knew that after the baby was born I would no longer be the only child she had to care for and i knew that a newborn requires more attention than my sixteen year old self did. Yet despite this knowledge she continued to reassure me. “I want you to know that after the child is born I will still love you. That will never change no matter what thieving tricks you get up to when I am busy with other things.” I could feel myself blush uncontrollably as I knew Joanne had told her of my apple thieving antics from earlier in the day.

 “Mother she never punished me for it!” I said guiltily although I knew she would not harm me.

The moment was ruined when I heard footsteps heading in our direction. I knew they didn’t belong to Joanne as the steps were too heavy, demanding attention.

 My arms flew down to my sides and I stepped an appropriate distance away from mother. I masked my delight of seeing her, just as i always did when others were around.

Lucias stepped on to the stone balcony looking as powerful as always despite the fact that he was only meant to act professionally as an advisor to my mothers rule. Our kingdom was the only in the country who let women rule and her husband would be in second command. Which was far more than Duchessa’s received in other kingdoms where men rule.

Mother turned to face him and looked as if she was about to speak when Lucias kneeled down placed his forehead against mothers stomach, seemingly oblivious to my presence. The look on my mother face shifted from that of shock to pure peace and it was clear that she truly loved the man I saw as an abomination to mankind. When he rose again the look of peace shifted into business once more, “Arianna, my dear, we must rest before the arrival of Lady Isabella in the morn” he said with the power he did not deserve, dripping from every word. Disappointment flashed across mother’s features for a second before replying “Of course Lucias, it would be rude of me to appear tired in front of Isabella and her guard.”

Lucias quickly dismissed me to my own scruffy bed before retiring to his own luscious one, along with my mother. I was sad but mainly annoyed at the fact that he always seemed to interrupt me and mother in those special moments.

As I laid down in my straw bed it made me wonder if Lucias knew more than I originally thought. However as the the sun gracefully set behind the evergreen horizon, i lost no sleep over the matter as it wasn’t the first time this had crossed my mind. My thoughts drifted to the open arms in the world of dreams and i accepted it’s warm, comforting embrace.