There is Evil Here
As evening fell on the palace of Del, Queen Sharn made her way through the halls, smiling graciously at those she passed along the way. She did her best to appear graceful, as was expected, with her head held high, her back straight and her hands neatly by her side. Each day it was becoming more and more difficult to keep up this unrelaxed manner of moving about the palace. Her shoes pinched her aching feet and her heavy dress weighed her down from every angle, as if it were trying to force her to the floor. The bodice of her dress clung tightly to growing stomach. Whoever designed female palace attire clearly never carried a child, she thought to herself in frustration.
As she turned the corner that would lead her in the direction of her and Endon's bedchamber, a tall, looming figure suddenly intercepted her path. Startled, she stepped back, then glanced up to meet the eyes of the person standing before her. It was Prandine, Endon's chief advisor.
"Good evening, your majesty," he greeted her, his voice dripping with a heavy politeness.
"Good evening, Prandine," Sharn replied, and presented a seemingly sweet and innocent smile, the kind the chief advisor would expect from the painted-doll bride of the king.
Prandine glanced down curiously at her swollen stomach. "I suppose it will not be long until we get to meet the little prince or princess," he commented, a thin smile spreading across his face.
Sharn cringed slightly. She always found Prandine to be an uncomfortable presence, mostly because she felt she could not act like her true self around him. Today, however, the feeling of discomfort was different. Rather than silently wishing for him to leave so she could go about her day in peace, she found herself pestered by the nagging urge to flee, as if there were danger.
Pushing the feelings aside for the moment, Sharn continued to smile. "No, not long at all," she replied cheerfully.
Sharn kept her eyes locked firmly on Prandine. She felt the urge to back away slowly, but forced her feet to remain strongly set to the floor. She did not understand why she suddenly felt this way. Though she tried to ignore it, the sensation of uneasiness continued to grow and rise inside of her, resistant to all of her efforts to settle it down.
Without warning, Prandine began to reach his hand forward purposefully towards her. Sharn had grown used to palace staff, particularly those who were mothers themselves, kindly asking permission to feel the baby's movement. The gesture did not personally bother her, and she welcomed it from those she knew well. But Prandine's outstretched arm creeping forward seemed to her like a snake slithering towards its prey, poised and ready to strike. Her heart began to thump hard in her chest. Chills raced up her spine and her mind screamed at her, "Run!" Staring fearfully at the bony figures just inches from her body, Sharn recoiled and threw her arms protectively around her stomach.
"Endon... wished to speak with me," she stammered, praying the words would excuse her from Prandine's company. "I must go to him. It would be impolite of me to keep him waiting."
At first Prandine appeared shocked, and Sharn held her breath, hoping desperately that she had not displeased him too greatly. To her relief, his expression quickly faded.
"Very well," he said calmly. "I hope that both you and your child remain in good health."
"Thank you," Sharn uttered quietly as he strode past her. But do you? Though Prandine was out of sight, her troubled thoughts still lingered. Do you really wish us well? Do you really wish us no harm?
oOo
Upon entering the bedchamber, Sharn breathed a sign of relief. She glanced over at Endon, who sat at the desk in the far corner of the room, filing through a pile of papers. Not wanting to disturb him, she sat quietly on the edge of their bed and began to remove her uncomfortable shoes. Though she knew she would have to put them on to attend dinner, she wanted to salvage every moment of the freedom she could. As she began to undo the buckles, she realised her hands were trembling. This is silly, she scolded herself, but her uneasiness would not settle. Warnings called to her in the back of her mind. She did not know whether to believe them. She did not really want to believe them. But still, the thoughts screamed at her.
There is evil here, in the palace.
Evil that wants to harm you, evil that wants to harm your child, evil that wants to harm you all!
"Are you alright, Sharn? Is something wrong?" Endon asked as he sat down beside her on the bed, his brow creased.
"I am fine," Sharn replied, though not convincing enough for Endon to believe her. He sat beside her in silence, as if he was convinced she would confide in him eventually. "Prandine stopped me in the hall," she told him at last.
Endon frowned in confusion. "Why?" he asked.
Sharn shrugged. "Just to talk," she said casually. Though she trusted Endon wholeheartedly, she was hesitant to share her sudden concerns. She knew Endon trusted Prandine, mostly because he had little choice. Prandine took care of most royal responsibilities. It was the Rule, and the Rule was not to be questioned.
"What did he say?" Endon enquired.
"He merely commented that the baby's arrival must be fast approaching, and wished me and the baby good health," Sharn explained, folding her shaking hands in her lap.
"And yet you are troubled," said Endon, looking at her intently. He reached over and took her hand gently. "Please, Sharn," he pleaded, "tell me what is bothering you."
Sharn bit her lip anxiously. "I wish to stay away from him, Endon, at least until after our child's birth," she declared firmly at last, her voice quavering only slightly. "He makes me feel uneasy. When he spoke to me today, I felt more uneasy than ever before. I almost felt... afraid."
Endon put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders and Sharn relaxed into his embrace. "I am probably just being silly," she said lightly, shaking her head. "Perhaps it is only my protective mothering instincts setting in, making me wary of everything and everyone."
"Perhaps," said Endon. "But perhaps it is best you stay away from him anyway. I do not want you feeling stressed and unhappy." He looked her in the eyes sincerely. "You do not have to accompany me to any meetings with Prandine," he told her, "and I will ask him to respect your space and privacy during this time. I am sure he will understand."
"Thank you," said Sharn, her heart warm with love for her husband. Whether Endon agreed with her feelings or not, she knew he would not say. He never dismissed her concerns. It was not his way.
Endon leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, before standing up from the bed. "I will finish up here," he told her, as he began to move towards his desk. "By then it will be time for dinner."
Sharn nodded. Though she felt much more relaxed, the worrisome thoughts still rippled through her mind, whispering faintly.
You must keep your family safe. You must not let harm come to them.
"Endon," she called softly.
He turned around. "Yes?"
"I think..." She hesitated. It was likely that her thoughts and feelings were completely unrealistic, simply exaggerated worries conjured up by her anxious mind. But what if they were not? What if there was truth behind her intuition? She could not leave her family's safety up to chance. "I think it would be wise if you were cautious in coming times," Sharn continued. "I am not sure why, but I cannot shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen."
Endon nodded assuringly. "I will."