CHAPTER 21: ASSASSINATION
Raven giggled as Prince Alexander produced, with a flourish, a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. She took it and bobbed a curtsy, thanking him.
The Royal Gardens were absolutely beautiful. This time of the year, all the flowers were blooming and the wind carried the sweet scent of flowers everywhere. Raven blushed lightly as they continued down more archways to a stone bench, where as they sat, Prince Alexander gently laid his hand over Raven's.
Suddenly, she heard the distant chiming of a clock from inside the ballroom. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve! Twelve chimes! That meant … midnight! Raven stood up immediately, remembering the old woman's warning, she had to be back at the shop by midnight.
"I … I have to go." Raven said quickly before dashing off, her velvet skirts billowing behind her.
"Wait!" Prince Alexander cried but it was too late, Raven was out of sight.
"Ut dominus hoc peribit!" The Enchantress recited, her irises concentrating hard on the silver comb she held. It was the Queen's and it glowed a ghostly white in her hands no sooner had she uttered the final word.
She looked for the hold she had dug on the grounds earlier. Ah, there it is, right next to the covered hole she made a fortnight ago for Princess Anne. She dropped the still glowing comb inside the new one and smiled sinisterly, the people in the ballroom were as merry as ever, they had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.
Then, she heard the clock chime. It was midnight, the Enchantress wondered if Raven was back yet. She should be, she promised. The Enchantress smiled again, reminding herself not to worry, Raven was certainly one she could trust. With her worries reassured, she turned back to the comb in the hole. She hoped no one was roaming the castle grounds right now, she could be very easily discovered if a guard decided to patrol this way.
Then again, judging by the uncut grass and weeds growing all over, it seemed like anyone had visited the place for five years. The back of the castle was perfect for this spell, and now, she must complete it.
The Enchantress threw in a few rose thorns and the comb stopped glowing, instead, it turned black in colour. She threw over some dirt and thoroughly buried the comb and rose thorns. Then, she waited.
Yes! There was a scream, she heard an ear-piercing scream! It was soon followed by chaos as others started to yell and bellow and scramble out of the doors of the castle. She's done it! Finally! And there's only one more left to go.
Satisfied, the Enchantress hurried off silently back to the shop, her feet, never really touching the ground.
Sad and mortified, Beast boy went out of the ballroom. The atmosphere inside was getting to be quite stifling, and he was too depressed to dance anyway. Also, he didn't think he could face the other Titans right now, he wasn't sure if he'll be able to hide his hurt … Besides, he didn't think anyone would miss him, his ears drooped, everyone was having too much fun without him.
He sat down on the front steps of the castle, head cradled in his hands and breathed deeply in and out. The two guards at the front door looked at him curiously before ignoring him thoroughly, they probably just thought he was feeling physically unwell. Although that couldn't have been farther than the truth, it was more of being emotionally unwell.
Beast boy heard the clock inside chime twelve times. Midnight. He wondered where Raven could be. Beast boy wanted to lift his head and go back in but he decided against, he might see something he'd never ever want to see, like Raven laughing with the Prince, or dancing with the Prince again, or hugging with the Prince. He kept his head down and decided that maybe the Prince wasn't entirely worth protecting after all.
Then, he heard a scream, a sharp, shrill, feminine scream. His head snapped up and for a brief second, he thought a passing shadow from the corner of his eyes. But when he blinked, it was gone, probably just his imagination.
Beast boy stood up, and was almost knocked back down again as a stampede of people rushed out of the door, the guards desperately trying to keep them in order. He elbowed and pushed his way through, back into the ballroom and found it to be almost empty except for the King, the Prince and the Titans (except for Raven). But where was the Queen?
"This doesn't make any sense!" Robin paced back and forth furiously.
"We were watching her for every single minute! I don't understand how this could happen!" Starfire cried hysterically.
"You mean, she just fell? Nobody ever came near her?" Cyborg asked doubtfully.
Robin nodded.
Beast boy gulped as he looked towards the throne, there lay the Queen, lying on the ground in her finery. The King knelt beside and held her hand, crying silent tears. The Prince looked pale and gripped his father's shoulder firmly.
Beast boy felt that though they were investigating on the assassin out of good will, they were also somehow invading into their privacy.
"Come on, back to camp. We've work to do." he called before leading the Titans out.
The old woman was no where to be found. Raven had lit up all the candles she could find in the shop, and searched every single nook and cranny but the old woman was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, she was about to walk out when the old woman walked in!
"Hello, my dear. How was your night?" she greeted Raven pleasantly.
She couldn't help but smile as she replied, "Brilliant."
"Glad to hear it Raven." the old woman smiled back, "Now has the young Prince drunk all the glass vials?"
Raven suddenly flustered, she's given him only two and forgot entirely about the rest of the three! The old woman, seeing this, nodded at Raven understandingly, "Tomorrow night then. You must understand, it is of the utmost importance that he drinks them all."
Raven did not understand but the old woman said it so sternly that she could only nod in agreement. Then she wondered aloud, "Where've you gone?"
"Around, just for a little walk, dear." the old woman said rather vaguely.
Then, Raven was curious, "Is there any reason why I have to be back here at midnight?"
The old woman stared at Raven, as if considering her for a moment, then said quietly, "Look down."
To her astonishment, the dress was fading, losing colour, it was a lot more drab than it had been a few hours ago. Raven realised, this gown must have been made from magic! Of course! The old woman was a witch! No wonder it was so beautifully made.
The old woman nodded, as if reading Raven's thoughts. Raven felt even more grateful to the old woman. She had risked being found out that she was a witch for Raven. She used her powers despite its dangers for her to be the most beautiful at the ball, and Raven felt she ought to be thanked for her courage.
Then, the old woman spoke, "Raven, child, would you do me a favour?"
Raven nodded.
"Do not return to your friends. For the time being, I ask of your company."
"You mean, stay here?"
The old woman nodded, "Leave them a note, if you must."
Raven pondered this, again questioning the woman's actions. Why was she offering Raven to stay over? Suddenly, guilt washed over her, she must feel lonely. Why, any poor old lady would if she lived entirely alone in such dark and gloomy living conditions. Raven was only happy to oblige.
When Raven finally drifted off to sleep. The old woman started to rummage through her things. The second masquerade is tomorrow night, and she had better start stitching her a new dress now. This one, would be even more beautiful than the first.
While casting enchantments over the gown now and then, she wondered if there was any way for them to last longer. It was always midnight when the effects of her enchantments would fade away. Her powers just wasn't as strong as it used to be. But Raven was going to fix all that.
When her plan is complete, she would be invincible, nothing could stop her, not even Raven, herself! Though, she must find a way to control the child properly, she didn't think Raven would be happy when the old woman tells her what to do at the last steps of her plan.
But she will find her way to get the child to listen to her, even if it takes a spell or two. It was worth it all. Soon, she would show all the Royals how powerful their magic can be, she'll show them to never, ever underestimate or discriminate witches. They'll soon be sorry for ever punishing any witch.
Who were they anyway? They were just ordinary people. But the old woman, Raven and many others out there, was different. They had magic and was far more superior than anyone else in this land, it was time to tell them that.
The old woman carefully stitched on a pearl after another, the second masquerade ball was tomorrow, but she was already thinking about the third night.
It was certainly going to be one where no one in this land, would ever forget.
Raven stared and stared. This dress, was truly the most magical she's ever worn yet! It was light blue and was made of silk. Her skirt was covered in a chiffon-like sort of material that when she twirled, it would flower about her prettily. It was certainly lighter and more comfortable to wear than the last one.
The thing she liked most about the dress was that it sparkled even more than the last.
"Stardust." the old woman explained.
Her sleeves also had that chiffon-like material around it, and it only hugged tightly when it reached the elbows where it was held together by strings of shiny white pearls. In the centre of the dress, at the bottom of the high V-shape front, sat an enormous pearl, silky smooth and milky white.
The dress was all about simplicity, and it definitely looked more modern. Raven was sure to stand out. Her mask, had been modified and made bigger, also light-blue but with stardust on her right side, gradually fading as it moved towards the left. Every move Raven made, resulted in the bright shimmering of the dress which caught light even in the dimmest places.
Again, the carriage was waiting outside and it was now light-blue and sparkly to match her dress. Raven slipped on the glass slippers, polished until they shined and stepped into the carriage. The old woman told her to be back by midnight and remember to give the remaining glass vials to the Prince.
Raven promised she would and a footman closed the carriage door. A second later, the horses were galloping down the road and towards the castle.
"Did Raven ever get back here when I was gone?" Asked Beast boy worriedly as he returned from the market, carrying a few loaves of bread.
Robin sighed, "Beast boy, I told you, Raven left us a note saying she'll be staying over at the shop for now. The old woman requires her to help out more in exchange for letting us use the suits and gowns we bought from her for another two nights."
"That's not fair!" Beast boy grumbled, "We bought these clothes! It's rightfully ours."
"Man, are you ever gonna learn? A lot of things in life aren't fair." Cyborg sighed along with Robin as he disappeared into one of the tents and pulled out the boys' suits. He tossed one to Robin and another to Beast boy. Then, holding his own, he began to put it on, hiding his half-metallic body.
"Perhaps we should all follow the given lead by Cyborg. Let us prepare for the ball, maybe, if we arrive earlier, we may be able to … catch up with friend, Raven." Starfire suggested helpfully.
Beast boy grumbled, "I hate masquerade balls. And shouldn't the King have cancelled it? Does he want his only son to get assassinated too?"
"Prince Alexander still needs to find his bride." Robin said reasonably, "It's a risk the King needs to take."
At the mention of "bride" Beast boy's ears perked up and wondered who she was going to be. He realised, with a strange dread in his heart that Raven was a very good option. She was the only girl he's danced with last night. Sadness overwhelmed him and he stumbled into the forest clumsily to change.
It was only Starfire who noticed the tears clouding his vision.
"Poor friend, Beast boy. He must be so worried about the Prince. Oh, what a dear, kind heart he has!" she muttered to herself as she went the other way to put on her pink dress.
A/N: YESSSSS! EXAMS ARE OVER! *Does little victory dance* I'm BAAAAACK! Tomorrow, I'll upload another chapter! :))) Thanks for waiting so patiently! I LOVE YOU ALL!