DISCLAIMER: I do not own the fairy tale, just the majority of the plot and
characters.
Author's Note: Thank you to all of you who reviewed! I'm thrilled! Just one comment to Brink1, you asked a very good question, perhaps my writing did not make it clear but I do not wish to reveal the names of the siblings just yet. You will know in good time. But thanks! PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING!!!
~~Chapter Three~~
Nothing could be done to dissuade the Queen. Marigold was a stubborn woman, and once she set her mind to do something.nothing could hold her back. But what she lacked in patience she made up for in courage.
A crew of five soldiers was assembled to guard the Queen on her trek. They journeyed for no more than three days by carriage to the Lake of Mist, where a rowboat was unloaded and launched softly into the lake. They boarded and began to row.
No one spoke. The only sound to be heard was the gentle lapping of the oars into the murky depths. Every so often some unknown creature swimming below the water would bump its spine up against the bottom of the boat and slither away. Nothing could be seen. The soldiers fidgeted nervously in the fog, clutching their oars as if they were life it's self. Queen Marigold however, stared out into the haze with the dignified poise of one who fears life more than death.
Upon reaching the Island of Darkness Marigold stepped out of the boat onto the cold, dank sand. Her eyes looked forward to a wild, thick, grove of trees. It was a like a jungle. Vines draped the massive trees and strange plants emitted peculiar odors. Her gaze followed the trees up toe the crest and she beheld a high tower looming over them, far into the forest.
When the rowboat was secured, the Queen's crew began to hack their way through the dense vegetation. It was tiring work as the greenery was dense, but after a few minutes of work, they fell onto a path. It looked not to have been used in many years but somehow it called to them as if it were a link to civilization on this desolate hell of savage foliage.
Marigold, raced ahead briskly, crazed to reach that tower. She and her men continued along the trail for another twenty minutes. Every so often a bird of prey would shriek somewhere off in the distance, and sometimes, not so far away, a beast would growl as if warning them to leave while they still had breath in their bodies. The mist and fauna seemed to grow more and more dense until they though it might swallow them entirely, when they toppled out of the forest and into a clearing. There in front of them was a pair of twisted iron gates surrounding a dark, towering castle. The tops curved into two heinous eyes that scrutinized them as they approached.
The windows were barred with iron rods, and gave the impression that the chateau was watching you with hundreds of sinister eyes. It was beset with carvings that seemed to be engraved in a wicked tongue, and gargoyles that, when they turned their backs, they could almost hear whispered, treacherous, conversations. But when the men faced them again, they were only cold, silent, stone.
The castle grounds were wide open, except for a long passage to the doors that was lined with twelve-foot high maze hedges. Cautiously, Marigold and her men approached the gates, intending to enter, but as Marigold reached out her hand to open the gate.it swung open of it's own accord with an ominous creaking. They gasped and shrank back. Marigold took a deep breath and entered them. She took a few steps and turned to make sure her men were following her.they weren't.
"Come on, we're almost there!"
One man shook his head, "No ma'am! Thees place ees cursed. Ah can feel it. We've got to go back. Notin's worth thees."
"Well of all the cowardly, oh! Nevermind! I'll go by myself if need be!" At that moment, as though listening to their conversation, the gates slammed shut with a crash! Then men screamed and ducked behind some bushes and Marigold jumped back, her eyes widened with terror. She clutched the folds of material in her skirt and breathing hard turned and slowly continued towards the castle.
As she walked her eyes shifted nervously about her as sounds of animals rustling nearby arose. She approached the palace doors, and they obligingly opened for her, beckoning for her to enter. She could not see anything in their depths as it was pitch black, but she was desperate to see Sylvanna so without thinking she passed through the entrance and into the blackness.
The moment she was inside the doors slammed shut behind her and she cried out in alarm and flung herself upon the handles to wrench them open. But the doors wouldn't budge. Marigold began to hyperventilate and rotated slowly back around to face the expansive room s she leaned her back against the sturdy wood. After a minute her breathing slowed and she took in her surroundings.
The hall was immensely dark, but in random places moonlight streamed in from the few windows and left a scattered pattern on the room. It illuminated a half a table here, a doorframe there, and sometimes it just fell along the floor. After a moment, on a table to her right, a candle flickered to life. Marigold hesitantly lifted it up and another candelabrum lit it's self across the room. Guided by the light in her hand the Queen walked hesitantly towards it. When she reached the light a third lit, then a fourth, then a fifth. She followed the candles like a trail of bread crumbs until at last she reached a large door, two floors above. The last candle was sitting alone on a table. Marigold went to it and waited, but no other flames lit. Instead, a few feet away from her a door opened, and a voice from inside said, "Come in."
Hesitantly, Marigold entered the room and the door again shut behind her. Her candle flame blew out. The room was almost totally dark, but from the far wall, a pair of glowing red eyes opened and watcher her like a spider watches it's prey.
"What brings you here my dear?" the voice asked, although it didn't really seem to be a question. The voice already seemed to know the answer, and when it said "dear" it was more of a wicked hiss than a term of endearment.
"I.I am Queen Marigold of."
"Yes, I know."
"How do you know?"
"I have my ways. Go on."
"I would like .like to ask a favor of you, or make some sort of deal."
"Yes?" A slight tapping sound was heard, like fingernails drumming on a table in impatience.
"I am without children. I want a baby. I will give you anything if you can grant me a child."
For a few moments there was silence. The Queen clutched her robes in fear. She began to wonder if this creature might not simple kill her. It was only the nerve of the desperate that kept her from running screaming from the room.
Then, the hissing voice sliced through the silence again, "Very well. In a few months you shall give birth to a baby girl. She shall be beautiful, intelligent, and I think I shall even bequeath upon her some of the astounding courage you yourself have displayed today. In return, you will name me godmother to this princess and will invite me to bestow a gift upon her at her christening. Do you understand?" the red eyes narrowed.
"Yes, oh yes, perfectly! Thank you!" Queen Marigold replied.
"But remember! Do not forget. Now leave this place with haste. It would be a shame if I had to slay you now that you finally carry your child."
The queen ran out of the room and back into the moonlight splattered palace. How she reached the front doors again she never knew, but they opened for her and she hurried across the lawns and through the obliging gates to her men. Weeping with happiness she told them the good news and they make excellent time back to the castle of Eldron.
When Marigold told Kind Frederick and Lord Maximus the King was overjoyed. He proclaimed a national holiday and gleefully began to prepare for the royal christening. Maximus, however remained silent and tried to calm the nagging sensation that somehow the situation had worsened. Still, the happy couple continued making plans. They were so overjoyed in fact, that as it came time for the invitations to be sent, one name was forgotten, only one, but this one was to prove fatal.
Author's Note: Thank you to all of you who reviewed! I'm thrilled! Just one comment to Brink1, you asked a very good question, perhaps my writing did not make it clear but I do not wish to reveal the names of the siblings just yet. You will know in good time. But thanks! PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING!!!
~~Chapter Three~~
Nothing could be done to dissuade the Queen. Marigold was a stubborn woman, and once she set her mind to do something.nothing could hold her back. But what she lacked in patience she made up for in courage.
A crew of five soldiers was assembled to guard the Queen on her trek. They journeyed for no more than three days by carriage to the Lake of Mist, where a rowboat was unloaded and launched softly into the lake. They boarded and began to row.
No one spoke. The only sound to be heard was the gentle lapping of the oars into the murky depths. Every so often some unknown creature swimming below the water would bump its spine up against the bottom of the boat and slither away. Nothing could be seen. The soldiers fidgeted nervously in the fog, clutching their oars as if they were life it's self. Queen Marigold however, stared out into the haze with the dignified poise of one who fears life more than death.
Upon reaching the Island of Darkness Marigold stepped out of the boat onto the cold, dank sand. Her eyes looked forward to a wild, thick, grove of trees. It was a like a jungle. Vines draped the massive trees and strange plants emitted peculiar odors. Her gaze followed the trees up toe the crest and she beheld a high tower looming over them, far into the forest.
When the rowboat was secured, the Queen's crew began to hack their way through the dense vegetation. It was tiring work as the greenery was dense, but after a few minutes of work, they fell onto a path. It looked not to have been used in many years but somehow it called to them as if it were a link to civilization on this desolate hell of savage foliage.
Marigold, raced ahead briskly, crazed to reach that tower. She and her men continued along the trail for another twenty minutes. Every so often a bird of prey would shriek somewhere off in the distance, and sometimes, not so far away, a beast would growl as if warning them to leave while they still had breath in their bodies. The mist and fauna seemed to grow more and more dense until they though it might swallow them entirely, when they toppled out of the forest and into a clearing. There in front of them was a pair of twisted iron gates surrounding a dark, towering castle. The tops curved into two heinous eyes that scrutinized them as they approached.
The windows were barred with iron rods, and gave the impression that the chateau was watching you with hundreds of sinister eyes. It was beset with carvings that seemed to be engraved in a wicked tongue, and gargoyles that, when they turned their backs, they could almost hear whispered, treacherous, conversations. But when the men faced them again, they were only cold, silent, stone.
The castle grounds were wide open, except for a long passage to the doors that was lined with twelve-foot high maze hedges. Cautiously, Marigold and her men approached the gates, intending to enter, but as Marigold reached out her hand to open the gate.it swung open of it's own accord with an ominous creaking. They gasped and shrank back. Marigold took a deep breath and entered them. She took a few steps and turned to make sure her men were following her.they weren't.
"Come on, we're almost there!"
One man shook his head, "No ma'am! Thees place ees cursed. Ah can feel it. We've got to go back. Notin's worth thees."
"Well of all the cowardly, oh! Nevermind! I'll go by myself if need be!" At that moment, as though listening to their conversation, the gates slammed shut with a crash! Then men screamed and ducked behind some bushes and Marigold jumped back, her eyes widened with terror. She clutched the folds of material in her skirt and breathing hard turned and slowly continued towards the castle.
As she walked her eyes shifted nervously about her as sounds of animals rustling nearby arose. She approached the palace doors, and they obligingly opened for her, beckoning for her to enter. She could not see anything in their depths as it was pitch black, but she was desperate to see Sylvanna so without thinking she passed through the entrance and into the blackness.
The moment she was inside the doors slammed shut behind her and she cried out in alarm and flung herself upon the handles to wrench them open. But the doors wouldn't budge. Marigold began to hyperventilate and rotated slowly back around to face the expansive room s she leaned her back against the sturdy wood. After a minute her breathing slowed and she took in her surroundings.
The hall was immensely dark, but in random places moonlight streamed in from the few windows and left a scattered pattern on the room. It illuminated a half a table here, a doorframe there, and sometimes it just fell along the floor. After a moment, on a table to her right, a candle flickered to life. Marigold hesitantly lifted it up and another candelabrum lit it's self across the room. Guided by the light in her hand the Queen walked hesitantly towards it. When she reached the light a third lit, then a fourth, then a fifth. She followed the candles like a trail of bread crumbs until at last she reached a large door, two floors above. The last candle was sitting alone on a table. Marigold went to it and waited, but no other flames lit. Instead, a few feet away from her a door opened, and a voice from inside said, "Come in."
Hesitantly, Marigold entered the room and the door again shut behind her. Her candle flame blew out. The room was almost totally dark, but from the far wall, a pair of glowing red eyes opened and watcher her like a spider watches it's prey.
"What brings you here my dear?" the voice asked, although it didn't really seem to be a question. The voice already seemed to know the answer, and when it said "dear" it was more of a wicked hiss than a term of endearment.
"I.I am Queen Marigold of."
"Yes, I know."
"How do you know?"
"I have my ways. Go on."
"I would like .like to ask a favor of you, or make some sort of deal."
"Yes?" A slight tapping sound was heard, like fingernails drumming on a table in impatience.
"I am without children. I want a baby. I will give you anything if you can grant me a child."
For a few moments there was silence. The Queen clutched her robes in fear. She began to wonder if this creature might not simple kill her. It was only the nerve of the desperate that kept her from running screaming from the room.
Then, the hissing voice sliced through the silence again, "Very well. In a few months you shall give birth to a baby girl. She shall be beautiful, intelligent, and I think I shall even bequeath upon her some of the astounding courage you yourself have displayed today. In return, you will name me godmother to this princess and will invite me to bestow a gift upon her at her christening. Do you understand?" the red eyes narrowed.
"Yes, oh yes, perfectly! Thank you!" Queen Marigold replied.
"But remember! Do not forget. Now leave this place with haste. It would be a shame if I had to slay you now that you finally carry your child."
The queen ran out of the room and back into the moonlight splattered palace. How she reached the front doors again she never knew, but they opened for her and she hurried across the lawns and through the obliging gates to her men. Weeping with happiness she told them the good news and they make excellent time back to the castle of Eldron.
When Marigold told Kind Frederick and Lord Maximus the King was overjoyed. He proclaimed a national holiday and gleefully began to prepare for the royal christening. Maximus, however remained silent and tried to calm the nagging sensation that somehow the situation had worsened. Still, the happy couple continued making plans. They were so overjoyed in fact, that as it came time for the invitations to be sent, one name was forgotten, only one, but this one was to prove fatal.
