Interlude One: Introduction To The Queens
The Glass Palace of the Capital was a point of bragging for the citizens of Verriere. It was made for Cinderella by the late king to commemorate their meeting (the one where he found her glass slipper on the stairs). The building was a piece of modern architectural genius, composed of glass and silver that, when the sun's rays hit it just right, glittered like the surface of the sea. The top of the palace was a dome with silver frames laced across the glass like an intricate cobweb, and the exterior walls were made of a special granite that contained scattered pieces of silver dust. The palace was, to speak plainly, a fantastical sight. The people of Verriere, a population that prided itself in extravagance, looked upon the Glass Palace and called it their masterpiece.
It was also a point of pride to the people of Verriere that the Tea Party of Queens, a spectacle that happened once every century, was taking place in the Glass Palace this year. The Tea Party of Queens is a gathering of the female rulers of the five Fairy's Islands. The extravaganza lasted a week with the queens getting to know one another, visiting local sites, attending red-carpet events, and having tea (of course). The event was supposed to strengthen foreign relations, but in truth, Queen Cinderella planned to use the event to increase the size of the Verriere treasury (which suffered from the expensive lifestyle of the island's people).
On the first day of the year 5040, the streets of Verriere were packed. The residents of the Capital were dressed in bright, flamboyant colors. They screamed and shouted, waving banners over their heads. But they were not alone. People from the countryside of Verriere had come into the city and people from other countries had sailed over the ocean to see the parade of queens arrive at the Glass Palace. Old men, young men, old women, young women, children, mother, fathers, friends, families, neighbors, strangers—all packed together on the smooth concrete sidewalks of downtown Verriere. Noise buzzed through the city and businesses were booming. As the limousines passed through the barricaded streets, a screeching cheer rose up amongst the well-dressed crowds. Confetti filled the air and banners waved—the people of Verriere never did anything half-heartedly. The queens arrived in style, cheered on by a roaring, over-the-top crowd, and then greeted by the elegant Queen Cinderella and her second husband King Stephen.
The morning had gone over smoothly, all according to Cinderella's plan. However, the next step in the weeklong Tea Party of Queens extravaganza was dinner—and that was something for which she was entirely unprepared.
Five queens sat around a grand table, daintily consuming their desserts and sipping their teas. The dining room was bigger than necessary for five people, since the late king had built it to hosts dinners of fifty people. The room possessed an entire wall made out of glass that looked out over a lantern-lit courtyard of trees bearing pink flowers and carefully combed rock gardens. The grand table was decorated with silver centerpieces and serviette holders; the plates were made of fine, white porcelain, and the silverware had been polished multiple times in anticipation of the guests.
Her Highness Queen Cinderella, as the hostess, sat at the head of the table, her legs crossed neatly at the ankles and her thin fingers curled around her teacup. She wore a glistening silver gown with glass slippers on her feet (the shoes were only a remake of the original pair). The descriptions of Cinderella's beauty had been vastly overdone by Fairy Times Magazine (the only magazine to be published in all five islands). Cinderella was perhaps not so much beautiful as she was striking. Golden—that was the only way to describe her. Her skin, her hair, her eyes were all different shades of gold and her features were sharp and eye-catching. Tall and lean with the prowl of a lioness, Cinderella was the image of a commanding queen.
On her right sat Snow White, whose long hair fell loosely over her shoulders. Her Majesty Queen Snow White of Terre De Miroir was known to be the most beautiful woman in the Fairy's Islands. To quote Fairy Times, she had "skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony". She was tall and fair, and moved with the elegance of a woman who knew that she was all those things. At the moment, her wild, black eyes glowered across the table at Queen Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty of Nuireve.
Aurora's black hair was pinned up in a bun with ornate jewels, and her healthy, brown skin (characteristic of people from the southernmost island) glowed against the bright yellow dress that she wore. For the previous three courses, Aurora had been the life of the conversation. She had talked constantly about the palace, the journey to Verriere, the difference in atmosphere from the dessert-like Nuireve, about how charming king Stephen was, and how she wished her King Philip could meet them. After a long dinner of one-sided conversation, Aurora sank into silence as she absent-mindedly ate her chocolate éclair.
Beside Aurora sat a petite redhead, who sipped her tea daintily and stared at the lace doily on which her saucer was placed. Queen Ariel, the Once Mermaid of Maricean possessed bottle-green eyes and an award-winning smile (she's the five-time winner of Siren Weekly's Most Appealing Female Smile). She was not smiling currently and, in fact, had not smiled since her arrival in Verriere—except to give the reporters one good photo.
On the opposite side of the table was Her Highness Queen Belle of Eria, who had the title of "the Beauty". She was not beautiful in the same way as Queen Snow White (which many men seemed to think was the only definition of the word). Belle was slightly overweight with olive skin and curly brown hair, but her hips and curves were complimented by the low-cut navy blue dress that she wore. Belle's sweet and charming nature had tamed the beastly King Adam, and earned her the title of "Beauty".
The five queens sat in complete and utter silence, consuming their desserts and unsure what to say to one another.
It was Ariel (instructed by King Eric of Maricean that small talk was a human necessity) who finally broke the silence. "The weather is pleasant here."
"Yes," said Cinderella. "During the summer. Come winter, Verriere will be covered in snow."
"It must be nice," said Belle. "To have a change in weather. Our weather is always mild. Seasons do not exist in Eria."
"Once you have experienced snow, you will not think so highly of it," said Cinderella.
Aurora traced the rim of her teacup with her thumb and smiled. "Nuireve is always hot. Our seasons are dry and wet. There is no in between."
"That sounds like a nightmare," said Snow White. "Remind me never to visit Nuireve."
"A nightmare?" repeated Aurora. "I think it sounds more like a dream. The rain washes all the bad things away."
"A dream," scoffed Snow White. "Do you hear her? She's not even trying to hide it anymore."
"Hide what?" asked Ariel, her lips curling into a frown.
"Your Majesty, please," said Cinderella, trying to keep the conversation somewhat civil.
Snow White smirked. "Stop trying to be the nice hostess. We all know you're in this for the money. I'm amazed you're kingdom hasn't gone broke yet. How do you keep the treasury in check?"
"I do not know what you are talking about," said Cinderella stiffly.
"Sure you do," said Snow White. She leaned back in her chair and took a bite of her chocolate éclair. She swallowed and smiled smugly at her fellow queens. "You're not the only one with spiders listening, Cinderblock."
Cinderella had been warned of Snow White's reputation for being crude and blunt. It took all of Cinderella's self-restraint (which she had acquired only with years of practice) not to gouge out Snow White's pretty black eyes with a teaspoon.
"I don't know what you mean," said Cinderella. "I detest spiders."
"What a shame," said Aurora. "They are such lovely creatures. I know some people are disturbed by the amount of legs they have, but they do keep the number of insects down."
Snow White rolled her eyes. "Cinderblock doesn't mean those spiders. She means spies."
"Oh, but spies are such lovely creatures too," said Aurora. "They tell me stories of far off lands. I do find it entertaining. They told me a story about you, Snow White. You and your late mother's huntsman talking in a bar before he died on the table in front of you. Most curious timing, isn't it?"
"Oh?" Snow White leaned forward and flashed a grin at Aurora. "You're not as stupid as you let on. Do tell me, though—is it true that you're the last one of your kind? Or have you hidden the others away for safe keeping?"
Aurora's mouth twitched on the verge of a frown. She hid her discontent by taking a large bite of dessert.
"Do tell me, Your Majesty," said Belle, turning her brown eyes to Snow White. "Is it true that you had an affair with one of the dwarves?"
Snow White let out a bark of laughter. "Rumors get so out of hand. There was only one dwarf and I can promise you, I did not have an affair with him. He has a husband."
"The dwarf was gay?" asked Cinderella, her gaze sharpening with interest.
"Much like your late husband if my spiders are correct," said Snow White.
Aurora bit her bottom lip. "Secrets come out when you dine with people you dislike."
"I despise secrets," said Ariel.
"But you have a few of your own," said Belle, drumming her fingers on the edge of the table.
"Eric told me that we must keep some things private," said Ariel. "For the sake of our image."
"Always for the sake of our image," said Cinderella, still glowering at Snow White.
"Yes," said Snow White. "Because our precious Cinderblock wouldn't want her flawless image of be tarnished because of the painful truth that she's a golddigging whore."
"And you're a vain little murderer," said Cinderella.
"You're both hypocritical bitches who are incapable of being honest," said Ariel as she inspected her neatly manicured fingernails.
"I think we should listen to the whole story before we start throwing out accusations," said Aurora.
"That's an excellent idea," said Belle. She took a sip of her tea and then set the cup down on the saucer with a little clink of porcelain against porcelain. She waited until all eyes had turned to her before she stated her proposal. "We have a week together, and we all hate each other. I, personally, don't want to spend a week with you five, trying to come up with awkward conversation. I propose that the only way to deal with each other is to tell the truth, the whole truth, of how we came to power."
The four other queens stared at Belle, disbelief on all their faces. They glanced at one another. Aurora was nervous, Ariel was hesitant, Snow White and Cinderella were hateful.
"Eric said the story must be kept secret," said Ariel.
"How do I know that you will not use the story to blackmail me?" asked Cinderella.
"It could put my crown in jeopardy," said Snow White.
"It could put more than a crown in jeopardy," said Aurora. "Lives could be on the line."
"Calm down," said Belle. She took another sip of tea and then offered the group a heartwarming smile. "We can make a pact. Anyone who repeats these stories outside of the Tea Party of Queens will have her head cut off by the other four queens."
"Oh no," said Snow White. "First she shall be submitted to Dansfeu."
"What's that?" asked Ariel.
A crooked grin flashed across Snow White's face and she shifted in her seat so that her red dress shimmered until the light of the chandelier. "The people of Terre De Miroir appreciate a spectacle of death. We fit iron shoes on a criminal and have the bastard dance through hot coals until his feet are cooked in the shoes and he dies from the pain."
A collective shudder ran through the room. The violent entertainment of Terre De Miroir was infamous. Public fights, torture, and executions were popular pastimes. At some point in their lives, the other four queens had thanked the Fairy that they had not been born in Terre De Miroir. And now, before them, sat the beautiful, crude Snow White, the leader of those bloodthirsty people.
"Maricean has a capital punishment as well," said Ariel in her usual sweet voice. "Nou-Ri-Requin is a spectacle where criminals are put in a watery cage with three starved, blood-hungry sharks. The record for fastest death is three-point-four seconds. One shark took the head and another shark took the feet and they tore the man in two."
"Dreadful," said Aurora. "Public punishment is a dreadful thing."
"Oh, don't judge," said Snow White. "We've all heard of Nuireve's infamous hunts. Who did you chase down last week? A homeless man who asked the wrong person for change? A teacher who was too harsh in grading?"
"We don't do that anymore," said Aurora stiffly.
"Keep lying to yourself," said Belle. "You're a fool if you think otherwise." She ran her fingers through her long, brown hair and sighed. "So are we going to share our stories or not?"
"You see awfully eager," said Cinderella.
"I need some entertainment during this week long torture," said Belle.
"Oh." Snow White grinned, showing all of her gleaming teeth. "I like the Beauty. She's snappy."
The murderous look that Cinderella gave Snow White would have put the infamous Maricean sharks to shame. However, Snow White took no notice and she looked around the table.
"I'll go first," she said. "But you have been warned. If you tell anyone about my story, I will take the key to my palace and stick it in your throat until I find out how to unlock your trachea."