My shoes clicked quietly on the marble floor. The castle itself was rather pretty. The marble that was used for the floor and accents in the walls had white, red, and a little bit of black. I could make out some of the suits of cards if I looked hard enough.
The paintings that hung on the walls were of past rulers, great soldiers, with the occasional landscape tossed in.
I looked in every door that was open, but couldn't find Shire. Eventually, the hall split off in two different directions.
"Aw, man!" I stamped my foot, not knowing where to go. I had no idea how big the castle was. I also had no idea where to start looking for Shire.
"Looking for someone?" A drawling voice came. I blinked and turned around, coming face to chest with a tall person.
"Um, actually, no… I'm trying to find the kitchen." I gave an innocent smile and looked up at the new comer.
He was tall and lanky, but not Shire lanky. There was something about him that set me off ease. His red hair was short, barely long enough to run your hand through. His irises were a calm red, sending shivers down my spine.
"Then allow me to guide you." He said, turning sharply to the left. I gulped and followed him, setting my jaw.
It was a long walk, with lots of turns and twists and stairs. Eventually, we came upon a large stone door that was shaped like a Spade.
"Here is the kitchen, young lady." I nodded my thanks and slipped through the door, making sure it was closed tightly.
The kitchen was bustling. A cook, the head one I assumed, was yelling orders at everyone else. The chefs were moving around a woman that was clutching a pig to her chest. I blinked and barely dodged a pan that had gone flying.
"Excuse me," I said to a passing chef. He was a fish, and looked at me with blank eyes. He continued on his way. I scowled and pushed my way to the lady in the middle.
She was handsome. Her face had knowing eyes and a strong nose. Her lips were set into a straight line.
"Excuse me, but do you know where they keep people for trial?" I asked, trying not to stare at the pig.
"I do, but it is improper to ask a question without introducing yourself." Mentally I sighed, kicking myself in the ass for wanting to come down here.
"I'm sorry. My name is Ashton. Now, could you please tell me where they keep people when they're going to be tried?" I asked again, becoming exasperated pretty quickly. The woman sat there, staring at her pig. I waited a few moments before asking again.
"Do not speak unless spoken to." She said curtly. I let out a moan, running a hand through my hair.
"When am I supposed to speak then? If everyone only spoke when spoken to, nobody would talk!"
"And then everybody would mind their own business and the world would go around much faster." She replied with a curt nod. My shoulders slumped as I sunk to the ground.
"Please. A close friend of mine is going to be tried when he did nothing wrong. It's unjust. All I need is directions to where they keep people who are going to be tried." She looked at me with disgust, but then her hard eyes softened.
"Take a left out of the servants door. Follow the hall until you reach the portrait of the two knights. The door on your right will take you to a hidden hall, and then to the chambers where they keep the tried." I gave an exasperated smile.
"Thank you, so much." I began to leave, when something hit me. I turned around and looked. No one was moving. The bustling kitchen had gone dead silent. Everyone was looking at me.
"What?" I asked.
"Going to try to break your 'friend' out?" A drawling voice said. I flinched, barely muttering a curse.
"No." I replied, not wanting to turn around.
"Then you won't mind coming with me to have an audience with the Queens." The man that had guided me down roughly grabbed my arm, and dragged me out of the kitchen.
"Lemme go!" I shouted, trying to break free of his grasp. I had heard someone call him the Knight of the Red Court. It had made me grimace.
"We do not tolerate snitches in this castle." He continued to haul me down the hall, his fingers digging into my pale skin.
After following a twisted path with lots of stairs, we made it to the Queens' Audience Chambers. He threw me towards the center of the room, ready to be criticized by the Queens.
"What do you bring us, my knight?" The Red Queen asked.
"A snitch, trying to break that cat out of the prison." The Queen of Hearts looked at me, and then tapped her scepter against the floor.
"I told you, she's the one that stole my tarts." I rolled my eyes.
"You are such a broken record, lady." She paled, and the other two queens had to stop from laughing.
"It is true, dear." The White Queen commented. The Queen of Hearts glared at her with all of her might.
"Off-" She began. A footman walked up to her and whispered something in her ear. "Oh, fine. She can keep her head…" Muttering, the fat queen sat back in her chair.
"As I was saying, your majesties." The Knight started again. "I found her asking the Duchess for directions to the pens." The Queens looked at him, and then at me.
"Is it true?" The White Queen asked. I shrugged.
"Sure, why not. I'm already on your bad side, it can't get any worse." I replied, keeping my face impassive. The Queens quickly conversed.
The Knight roughly grabbed my arm as they were talking. His eyes held a nasty glint in them, like he couldn't wait to get me alone. Finally, the Queens looked at us again.
"You were looking to bust a friend out of our cells." The Red Queen stated.
"That's is a very big crime." The White continued. The Queen of Hearts puffed out her large chest.
"And that crime is punishable by death." She finished. I rolled my eyes.
"Seriously?" I asked, only to meet the back of the Knight's hand.
"You shall respect the Queens." He snarled. I looked away, towards one of the large walls.
"For now, we are going to place you in a holding cell. That is, until we figure out what to do with you." The White Queen said. "Knight, please take her to the cell." He nodded, his fingers tightening on my arm. His red eyes glinted with lust as he dragged me from the room.
