Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the book belongs to Gail Carson
Levine, not me!
::Chapter 8: Mother's Gift::
I walked towards Mother's room for a visit, as I have been doing ever since she was sick, after my lesson with Brayden.
I knocked the door, waiting for the usual reply of "Come in!" followed by the occasional cough.
But today, someone else spoke. "Her royal highness does not wish to be seen at the moment," a voice called from behind the closed door.
I paused, startled. "It is her daughter, Princess Amena," I replied, hoping they would change their mind.
There was the sound of a scurrying pair of feet, and the door slowly creaked open a crack.
"Your highness," said a chambermaid as she curtseyed swiftly. She looked at me with worried eyes. "I'm sorry, but the queen is not in the condition to see any visitors at the moment. I will have someone call for you later."
I stared at her. Mother's condition couldn't be THAT bad. . . I mean, she was well enough to see me just the day before.
Suddenly there was the sound of another pair of feet.
"Sweets, is that you?" called a familiar voice.
"Mandy?"
Mandy's head poked out through the crack in the door before she fully stepped out, closing the door behind her. She sighed deeply, and paused for a moment, as if she were deep in thought. "Here, why don't you come with me to the kitchen. I'll fix you a treat," she said, forcing a smile.
I tried to smile back. Was something wrong?
I followed Mandy to down the stairs, and into the kitchen, neither one of us saying a word along the way.
The swinging door closed behind us, and I took a seat on a wooden chair. "Mandy? Is something wrong? Is Mother okay?"
Mandy sighed deeply again, and mumbled softly to herself. "I just don't get it. . ."
"Get what?"
Mandy looked at me with worried eyes. "You're Mother. . . she is a wonderful woman, and I love her very much. . . but sometimes I just don't understand her. . ."
"Why? What did she do?"
Mandy shook her head slowly. "It's not something she did. . . it's something she's NOT doing. . . she refuses to eat the unicorn hairs!" Mandy slapped her palm on the counter.
I flinched. This was the first time I ever saw Mandy physically show her fustration.
"She KNOWS what will happen. . . I just don't get it. . . she's seen the consequences before. . . I just don't get it. . . just a few bowls of soup with hair would do it and she'd be fine. . ." She sighed. "They're times like these that I truly wish that she hadn't broken her curse."
"Mandy?" I piped up in a soft voice. "Is. . . I mean. . . she IS going to be okay, right?"
Mandy eyed me, her eyes slightly glistening. After a long while she spoke up. "Of course, dear."
Although I was a bit skeptical of her answer, I was slightly reassured. Mandy never lied. Not to me, anyway.
"Promise?"
Mandy didn't answer, her eyes still on me. Then she quickly changed the subject. "Why don't I fix up that treat I promised you?"
I didn't reply.
"What would you like? Do you want to help me bake some of my famous muffins?" She grinned. "I'll let you in on the secret ingredient. . . a touch of fairy's magic and-"
"Mandy. She's going to die, isn't she."
Startled by my comment, she looked up, this time with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Amena, dear, she will be fine. I just have to get her to eat the unicorn hairs, that's all. Everything will be fine. I promi-" She never finished her sentence.
I stood up on my feet. "I-I should go. . ." I murmured softly, heading for the door. I could feel the tears threatening to come out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(Day before Christmas Eve. . .)
Brayden slapped the book shut.
I looked up from looking out the window. "What are you doing?"
"The lesson is over for the day, Princess."
Oh. I stood up from my seat. "Thank you," I said, stumbling into a curtsey. I had never really mastered doing one correctly. Mother said it was because of our feet- 'fairy feet', she had called them.
"I'll see you in a few days, Princess," he said, getting up and bowing.
I left the room and headed for Mother's bedchamber. A tailor was called earlier to make a dress(the tailor ignored my request for no frill) to fit me for the Christmas ball tomorrow so my lesson with Brayden was postponed to a few hours later. It was almost nightfall, and I could see the moon beginning to rise from out the window. I shivered as I walked through the dark corridor.
I knocked on the door slightly with more force than I had intended.
"The queen does not-"
I opened the door anyway, ignoring the chambermaid's comment as I usually did. "Mother, it's me."
"But, your highness-"
There were a few coughs. "Let me see her," Mother said in a soft voice. She coughed again.
I frown deepened, noticing that she was getting worse every day.
Mother dismissed the maid and patted the spot next to her on the bed. I sat down.
Although she smiled at me, it was as though her eyes were full of sadness.
"Mena, dear, I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. . ." her voice trailed off.
"But. . . it's not even Christmas Eve- yet. . ."
Mother nodded, still smiling. She coughed before she spoke. "I know it was unexpected, but I may not be able to attend the ball tomarrow. . ."
My eyes widened. "What? But, Mother, you-"
Mother shook her head. "I can't." She stared into my eyes sadly. Suddenly she lit up. "I have something to give you. . ." she said with a grin. "I meant for you to receive it on Christmas, but I think it will be of much better use if I give it to you now."
I forced a smiled. "What is it?"
Mother coughed, and pointed to her dresser. "In there."
I nodded, following her command. I opened the drawer. "Yes?"
"Look in the way bottom. . ."
I carefully dug into the drawer.
"The way bottom. . ." I repeated to myself.
I felt something. Cool silk between my fingers. I pulled it out, and stared at it in awe. What I pulled out was a dress- but not just any ordinary dress. This one had to qualify as the most beautiful one I had ever seen. I held the dress up against my body, twirling around. It was made of a silky green material, with deep green, sparkling emeralds embroidered into the bodice. The skirt was long and flowed with every slight movement. It was shoulderless, although it had beautiful long sleeves that trailed all the way down to the floor. I was speechless.
Mother grinned. "Do you like it?"
My mouth was wide open, my eyes glued to the dress. "I-I love it!" I exclaimed. I quickly walked over towards Mother and gave her an embrace. "It's beautiful. . . where'd you get it?"
"It was the same dress I wore when I went to the first ball with your father. It was a masquerade ball, I rememeber. . ." she smiled dreamily. "And also your grandmother's dress from before that. It may be slightly big on you, I was a few years older when I wore it."
A smile stretched across my face. "Thank you."
She returned my smile, her yawn turning into a fit of coughs.
"You should rest."
Mother smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. "Come visit-" cough. "-me tomorrow before the ball. . . I-" cough. "-want to see you in it.."
I forced a smile. I stared at her silently. I never really noticed how bad her condition was. As I saw her in bed, she reminded me of a young child, with her bloodshot and teary eyes and coughs. Her cheeks flushed a bright red, and she had terrible bags under her eyes as if she had never had a day of rest in her life. "M-Mother?"
She nodded with a cough. "Y-Yes?"
Tears welled up in my eyes. I was silent for a few more moments when I whispered, "Why are you doing this?"
Startled by my question, Mother eyed me with wide eyes. "D-Doing what, dear?" She coughed.
A tear rolled down my cheek. "Don't you see? Have you stopped to realize what you're doing? Your killing yourself!" I burst into tears.
Mother swallowed, trembling to keep her tears in. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm fine. I'll get better soon enough. It's just a common cough-"
I shook my head furiously. "No, that's where you're wrong!" Tears streamed down my cheek. "Can't you see how you're hurting yourself?! Don't you see the condition you're in? Don't you realize that there is a problem when you don't even have enough strength to come down to the dining hall for dinner? You could've been well if you just ate the soup Mandy made you! It's too late now. . . look at yourself!" I stopped, heaving for breath. "Mother, look at yourself. . . Aren't you afraid of what's going to happen to you?! What's wrong?!" I dropped the gown she had given to the floor.
Mother sat silent for a while. After a few minutes, she spoke up. The tears she had been holding in poured out. "More than you could ever know. . ."
"Tell me. Tell me what's been bothering you!"
She didn't reply.
"Tell me how bad something could be to make it want you to kill yourself!"
"Mena, don't be ridicu-"
"If anyone here is being ridiculous, it's you!"
"Don't use-" cough. "-that tone with me."
"How-"
She cut me off. "Do you really want to know?" She asked, tears pouring down her face.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
As she was about to speak she went into a fit of coughs. The chamber maid that had been waiting outside the door rushed in.
"Princess," she said quickly, running over to Mother's side. "Please, she needs rest." She bit her lower lip, bending down over Mother. She mumbled something under her breath.
I felt more warm tears rush down my cheeks. I turned around and fled the room.
A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!
I
::Chapter 8: Mother's Gift::
I walked towards Mother's room for a visit, as I have been doing ever since she was sick, after my lesson with Brayden.
I knocked the door, waiting for the usual reply of "Come in!" followed by the occasional cough.
But today, someone else spoke. "Her royal highness does not wish to be seen at the moment," a voice called from behind the closed door.
I paused, startled. "It is her daughter, Princess Amena," I replied, hoping they would change their mind.
There was the sound of a scurrying pair of feet, and the door slowly creaked open a crack.
"Your highness," said a chambermaid as she curtseyed swiftly. She looked at me with worried eyes. "I'm sorry, but the queen is not in the condition to see any visitors at the moment. I will have someone call for you later."
I stared at her. Mother's condition couldn't be THAT bad. . . I mean, she was well enough to see me just the day before.
Suddenly there was the sound of another pair of feet.
"Sweets, is that you?" called a familiar voice.
"Mandy?"
Mandy's head poked out through the crack in the door before she fully stepped out, closing the door behind her. She sighed deeply, and paused for a moment, as if she were deep in thought. "Here, why don't you come with me to the kitchen. I'll fix you a treat," she said, forcing a smile.
I tried to smile back. Was something wrong?
I followed Mandy to down the stairs, and into the kitchen, neither one of us saying a word along the way.
The swinging door closed behind us, and I took a seat on a wooden chair. "Mandy? Is something wrong? Is Mother okay?"
Mandy sighed deeply again, and mumbled softly to herself. "I just don't get it. . ."
"Get what?"
Mandy looked at me with worried eyes. "You're Mother. . . she is a wonderful woman, and I love her very much. . . but sometimes I just don't understand her. . ."
"Why? What did she do?"
Mandy shook her head slowly. "It's not something she did. . . it's something she's NOT doing. . . she refuses to eat the unicorn hairs!" Mandy slapped her palm on the counter.
I flinched. This was the first time I ever saw Mandy physically show her fustration.
"She KNOWS what will happen. . . I just don't get it. . . she's seen the consequences before. . . I just don't get it. . . just a few bowls of soup with hair would do it and she'd be fine. . ." She sighed. "They're times like these that I truly wish that she hadn't broken her curse."
"Mandy?" I piped up in a soft voice. "Is. . . I mean. . . she IS going to be okay, right?"
Mandy eyed me, her eyes slightly glistening. After a long while she spoke up. "Of course, dear."
Although I was a bit skeptical of her answer, I was slightly reassured. Mandy never lied. Not to me, anyway.
"Promise?"
Mandy didn't answer, her eyes still on me. Then she quickly changed the subject. "Why don't I fix up that treat I promised you?"
I didn't reply.
"What would you like? Do you want to help me bake some of my famous muffins?" She grinned. "I'll let you in on the secret ingredient. . . a touch of fairy's magic and-"
"Mandy. She's going to die, isn't she."
Startled by my comment, she looked up, this time with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Amena, dear, she will be fine. I just have to get her to eat the unicorn hairs, that's all. Everything will be fine. I promi-" She never finished her sentence.
I stood up on my feet. "I-I should go. . ." I murmured softly, heading for the door. I could feel the tears threatening to come out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(Day before Christmas Eve. . .)
Brayden slapped the book shut.
I looked up from looking out the window. "What are you doing?"
"The lesson is over for the day, Princess."
Oh. I stood up from my seat. "Thank you," I said, stumbling into a curtsey. I had never really mastered doing one correctly. Mother said it was because of our feet- 'fairy feet', she had called them.
"I'll see you in a few days, Princess," he said, getting up and bowing.
I left the room and headed for Mother's bedchamber. A tailor was called earlier to make a dress(the tailor ignored my request for no frill) to fit me for the Christmas ball tomorrow so my lesson with Brayden was postponed to a few hours later. It was almost nightfall, and I could see the moon beginning to rise from out the window. I shivered as I walked through the dark corridor.
I knocked on the door slightly with more force than I had intended.
"The queen does not-"
I opened the door anyway, ignoring the chambermaid's comment as I usually did. "Mother, it's me."
"But, your highness-"
There were a few coughs. "Let me see her," Mother said in a soft voice. She coughed again.
I frown deepened, noticing that she was getting worse every day.
Mother dismissed the maid and patted the spot next to her on the bed. I sat down.
Although she smiled at me, it was as though her eyes were full of sadness.
"Mena, dear, I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. . ." her voice trailed off.
"But. . . it's not even Christmas Eve- yet. . ."
Mother nodded, still smiling. She coughed before she spoke. "I know it was unexpected, but I may not be able to attend the ball tomarrow. . ."
My eyes widened. "What? But, Mother, you-"
Mother shook her head. "I can't." She stared into my eyes sadly. Suddenly she lit up. "I have something to give you. . ." she said with a grin. "I meant for you to receive it on Christmas, but I think it will be of much better use if I give it to you now."
I forced a smiled. "What is it?"
Mother coughed, and pointed to her dresser. "In there."
I nodded, following her command. I opened the drawer. "Yes?"
"Look in the way bottom. . ."
I carefully dug into the drawer.
"The way bottom. . ." I repeated to myself.
I felt something. Cool silk between my fingers. I pulled it out, and stared at it in awe. What I pulled out was a dress- but not just any ordinary dress. This one had to qualify as the most beautiful one I had ever seen. I held the dress up against my body, twirling around. It was made of a silky green material, with deep green, sparkling emeralds embroidered into the bodice. The skirt was long and flowed with every slight movement. It was shoulderless, although it had beautiful long sleeves that trailed all the way down to the floor. I was speechless.
Mother grinned. "Do you like it?"
My mouth was wide open, my eyes glued to the dress. "I-I love it!" I exclaimed. I quickly walked over towards Mother and gave her an embrace. "It's beautiful. . . where'd you get it?"
"It was the same dress I wore when I went to the first ball with your father. It was a masquerade ball, I rememeber. . ." she smiled dreamily. "And also your grandmother's dress from before that. It may be slightly big on you, I was a few years older when I wore it."
A smile stretched across my face. "Thank you."
She returned my smile, her yawn turning into a fit of coughs.
"You should rest."
Mother smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. "Come visit-" cough. "-me tomorrow before the ball. . . I-" cough. "-want to see you in it.."
I forced a smile. I stared at her silently. I never really noticed how bad her condition was. As I saw her in bed, she reminded me of a young child, with her bloodshot and teary eyes and coughs. Her cheeks flushed a bright red, and she had terrible bags under her eyes as if she had never had a day of rest in her life. "M-Mother?"
She nodded with a cough. "Y-Yes?"
Tears welled up in my eyes. I was silent for a few more moments when I whispered, "Why are you doing this?"
Startled by my question, Mother eyed me with wide eyes. "D-Doing what, dear?" She coughed.
A tear rolled down my cheek. "Don't you see? Have you stopped to realize what you're doing? Your killing yourself!" I burst into tears.
Mother swallowed, trembling to keep her tears in. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm fine. I'll get better soon enough. It's just a common cough-"
I shook my head furiously. "No, that's where you're wrong!" Tears streamed down my cheek. "Can't you see how you're hurting yourself?! Don't you see the condition you're in? Don't you realize that there is a problem when you don't even have enough strength to come down to the dining hall for dinner? You could've been well if you just ate the soup Mandy made you! It's too late now. . . look at yourself!" I stopped, heaving for breath. "Mother, look at yourself. . . Aren't you afraid of what's going to happen to you?! What's wrong?!" I dropped the gown she had given to the floor.
Mother sat silent for a while. After a few minutes, she spoke up. The tears she had been holding in poured out. "More than you could ever know. . ."
"Tell me. Tell me what's been bothering you!"
She didn't reply.
"Tell me how bad something could be to make it want you to kill yourself!"
"Mena, don't be ridicu-"
"If anyone here is being ridiculous, it's you!"
"Don't use-" cough. "-that tone with me."
"How-"
She cut me off. "Do you really want to know?" She asked, tears pouring down her face.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
As she was about to speak she went into a fit of coughs. The chamber maid that had been waiting outside the door rushed in.
"Princess," she said quickly, running over to Mother's side. "Please, she needs rest." She bit her lower lip, bending down over Mother. She mumbled something under her breath.
I felt more warm tears rush down my cheeks. I turned around and fled the room.
A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!
I
