The Dark Side Of The Moon II
The mid afternoon sun cast it's golden shadow on the snow colored castle walls and a soft summer breeze blew bits of flowers too and fro. Virginia sat with her infant sun and husband out in the broad expanse of castle lawn and tried to enjoy the lovely day, her first out in some time due to her tireless third pregnancy. But even as her eyes delighted in the bright mix of colors in the nearby garden, she felt strangely anxious. Her mothers haunting voice kept wafting back to her "She's coming for you soon…soon" What could she have meant? She tried to tell herself it was nothing, just a dream, but something inside wouldn't let her dismiss it. She scratched her left elbow absently; a sign of her anxiousness and Wolf frowned. "What's wrong? Still thinking about that dream?" Virginia nodded and held her son Roman just a little bit tighter. "It was so real.. So vivid. I keep hearing her voice, it was so.. Hollow, I wanted to cry."
Wolf patted her head. "I know what you mean. I had dreams of my mother for years after she died…. I still do, and I always cry afterward. It's just something children do; to honor their parents I guess." Virginia's eyebrow shot up in mock astonishment. "Who are you and what have you done with my husband Mr. oh-so-suddenly-philosopher?" Wolf laughed. "Yea, I surprise even myself sometimes." He kissed her softly and tried to smooth Roman's fiery hair into place, unsuccessfully. Virginia sighed and closed her eyes. "Just a dream…" she thought to herself "just a dream."
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
The tall castle footman was silent as he led the way down the hall. Genieve tried not to look at the finery around her, lest her black heart would cause her to do something rash and she needed to be very carefully if she was to exact her plan as flawlessly as possible. She dared not eye the rich tapestries and golden hangings that were so evident testimonies of the King and Queens's love for one another. She kept her gaze strait a head on the footman's back as he led her up the spiraling staircases to the third floor where Christine's suit of rooms were. She thanked the footman and set him on his way back to the gate where he would then stand wondering how he'd left his post and silently opened the bedroom door.
Lola was snoring softly in her overstuffed chair near the bed; her knitting splayed across her lap and Genevieve once again smiled at how perfectly things were running. She quietly stole to the side of the bed and gazed down at the sleeping princess who lay there, oblivious to the danger lurking just above her. Christine's delicate skin was flushed with dream and her long inky hair cascaded down, framing her face in a mass of dark ringlets and Genivieve's heart softened just a bit. Such an innocent beautiful child. She knew in her hear that she couldn't harm a child such as this and was thankful that she wouldn't have to. Genieve never did like death, and she was going to make Virginia suffer without spilling a single drop of blood.
Very softly she bent down and scooped up the sleeping child, trying her best not to wake Lola. Christine stirred, but didn't wake as Genevieve bundled a blanket around her and clutched the child to her chest. She ran quickly from the room and down a back stairway to one of the darker parts of the castle. She used her newfound powers to mask her image from anyone she met and slipped outside without being noticed. Her feet made not a sound as she padded across the walkway to her carriage, which was hidden by shrubbery. She climbed inside and the driver hauled them away as swiftly as she'd come, and without a trace she and Christine Disappeared into the mid afternoon sunshine.
~!~!~!~!~!~
"What time do you think it is?" Virginia asked as her stomach lurched and rumbled. Wolf massaged her bulging tummy and smiled. "Near dinner time I suppose" he said looking out at the slanting shadows that were creeping toward them. They'd sat their the three of them saying nothing for hours, watching the sun make it's way across the sky and now it was setting.
"Good because I'm starving." A small whine drew her attention to Roman and she laughed. "And I'm not the only one" Wolf smiled as was about to suggest they retire inside when they were both startled by a shrill shriek coming from somewhere inside the castle. "What do you suppose that was?"
Wolf asked. Shook her head, her heart growing cold. "I don't know.." They spied Lola running towards them full tilt. The girl nearly fell over while attempting to stop and was so out of breath that she couldn't speak at first. Lola was a normally neatly dressed well-mannered child but at that moment her blond hair spilled over her shoulders in a matted mess, her bonnet down her back. She was heaving and sweaty and tears were pouring down her face. "What is it girl?" Virginia said in a terrible voice and Lola shivered. 'I was… I put her highness down for her nap as usual this afternoon… and settled down to my sowing as I always do.." "And?"
Lola lowered her head. 'Your Greatness I must confess, I… fell asleep. And when I had woken Princess Christine was GONE!" Wolf smiled. "It's alright Lola, she's probably off playing or-" "No your majesty" Lola said through a sob. "This I did find resting on her pillow" She held out the black rose. "I…" and she started to cry.
Virginia's face went white as a sheet as she struggled to her feet, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. She looked at the dead rose. "My baby" She whispered. She heard her mother's voice again "She's coming for you soon…" Wolf reached out to her. "No honey" But she swatted his hand away and she stumbled the few feet to where Lola stood sobbing. She grabbed the poor girl by both shoulders and began to shake her violently. "How could you sleep! I trusted her to you! Why!"
"My…Lady…Please!" Lola tried to speak but she chattered so from the shaking that words escaped her.
"Virginia!" Wolf's eyes went wide as he watched his wife shake the girl as if she were a rag doll. He hesitated only a second before hauling himself between them and ripping her away from Lola, who landed on the ground with a thud." "What are you doing?" He asked Virginia who was sobbing herself at the point. "She lost our baby! She lost our baby!"
Virginia wrangled out of Wolf's grasp and ran inside. She hauled herself up the stairs and made her way to Christine's room. Through blurred eyes she sought out the bed and flung herself upon it face down. She quickly rolled over and put her hand to her stomach as pain sliced through her. It wasn't the shock of Christine's disappearance, it was real physical pain and by the time wolf found her Virginia was rocking back in forth in agony. "Darling.." "Help me.. Something's wrong." Wolf sat beside her. "Don't worry, we'll find her we'll…" NO! Virginia practically screamed. Something is wrong with this baby! She pointed to her stomach and groaned as another pain ripped through her. "I don't' feel right..soemthings..Not right..I..Can't..See…"
The room was darkening rapidly and Virginia clung to Wolf. "You'll find our babies..Won't you?" She whispered as the darkness engulfed her and she lost cautiousness.
The mid afternoon sun cast it's golden shadow on the snow colored castle walls and a soft summer breeze blew bits of flowers too and fro. Virginia sat with her infant sun and husband out in the broad expanse of castle lawn and tried to enjoy the lovely day, her first out in some time due to her tireless third pregnancy. But even as her eyes delighted in the bright mix of colors in the nearby garden, she felt strangely anxious. Her mothers haunting voice kept wafting back to her "She's coming for you soon…soon" What could she have meant? She tried to tell herself it was nothing, just a dream, but something inside wouldn't let her dismiss it. She scratched her left elbow absently; a sign of her anxiousness and Wolf frowned. "What's wrong? Still thinking about that dream?" Virginia nodded and held her son Roman just a little bit tighter. "It was so real.. So vivid. I keep hearing her voice, it was so.. Hollow, I wanted to cry."
Wolf patted her head. "I know what you mean. I had dreams of my mother for years after she died…. I still do, and I always cry afterward. It's just something children do; to honor their parents I guess." Virginia's eyebrow shot up in mock astonishment. "Who are you and what have you done with my husband Mr. oh-so-suddenly-philosopher?" Wolf laughed. "Yea, I surprise even myself sometimes." He kissed her softly and tried to smooth Roman's fiery hair into place, unsuccessfully. Virginia sighed and closed her eyes. "Just a dream…" she thought to herself "just a dream."
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
The tall castle footman was silent as he led the way down the hall. Genieve tried not to look at the finery around her, lest her black heart would cause her to do something rash and she needed to be very carefully if she was to exact her plan as flawlessly as possible. She dared not eye the rich tapestries and golden hangings that were so evident testimonies of the King and Queens's love for one another. She kept her gaze strait a head on the footman's back as he led her up the spiraling staircases to the third floor where Christine's suit of rooms were. She thanked the footman and set him on his way back to the gate where he would then stand wondering how he'd left his post and silently opened the bedroom door.
Lola was snoring softly in her overstuffed chair near the bed; her knitting splayed across her lap and Genevieve once again smiled at how perfectly things were running. She quietly stole to the side of the bed and gazed down at the sleeping princess who lay there, oblivious to the danger lurking just above her. Christine's delicate skin was flushed with dream and her long inky hair cascaded down, framing her face in a mass of dark ringlets and Genivieve's heart softened just a bit. Such an innocent beautiful child. She knew in her hear that she couldn't harm a child such as this and was thankful that she wouldn't have to. Genieve never did like death, and she was going to make Virginia suffer without spilling a single drop of blood.
Very softly she bent down and scooped up the sleeping child, trying her best not to wake Lola. Christine stirred, but didn't wake as Genevieve bundled a blanket around her and clutched the child to her chest. She ran quickly from the room and down a back stairway to one of the darker parts of the castle. She used her newfound powers to mask her image from anyone she met and slipped outside without being noticed. Her feet made not a sound as she padded across the walkway to her carriage, which was hidden by shrubbery. She climbed inside and the driver hauled them away as swiftly as she'd come, and without a trace she and Christine Disappeared into the mid afternoon sunshine.
~!~!~!~!~!~
"What time do you think it is?" Virginia asked as her stomach lurched and rumbled. Wolf massaged her bulging tummy and smiled. "Near dinner time I suppose" he said looking out at the slanting shadows that were creeping toward them. They'd sat their the three of them saying nothing for hours, watching the sun make it's way across the sky and now it was setting.
"Good because I'm starving." A small whine drew her attention to Roman and she laughed. "And I'm not the only one" Wolf smiled as was about to suggest they retire inside when they were both startled by a shrill shriek coming from somewhere inside the castle. "What do you suppose that was?"
Wolf asked. Shook her head, her heart growing cold. "I don't know.." They spied Lola running towards them full tilt. The girl nearly fell over while attempting to stop and was so out of breath that she couldn't speak at first. Lola was a normally neatly dressed well-mannered child but at that moment her blond hair spilled over her shoulders in a matted mess, her bonnet down her back. She was heaving and sweaty and tears were pouring down her face. "What is it girl?" Virginia said in a terrible voice and Lola shivered. 'I was… I put her highness down for her nap as usual this afternoon… and settled down to my sowing as I always do.." "And?"
Lola lowered her head. 'Your Greatness I must confess, I… fell asleep. And when I had woken Princess Christine was GONE!" Wolf smiled. "It's alright Lola, she's probably off playing or-" "No your majesty" Lola said through a sob. "This I did find resting on her pillow" She held out the black rose. "I…" and she started to cry.
Virginia's face went white as a sheet as she struggled to her feet, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. She looked at the dead rose. "My baby" She whispered. She heard her mother's voice again "She's coming for you soon…" Wolf reached out to her. "No honey" But she swatted his hand away and she stumbled the few feet to where Lola stood sobbing. She grabbed the poor girl by both shoulders and began to shake her violently. "How could you sleep! I trusted her to you! Why!"
"My…Lady…Please!" Lola tried to speak but she chattered so from the shaking that words escaped her.
"Virginia!" Wolf's eyes went wide as he watched his wife shake the girl as if she were a rag doll. He hesitated only a second before hauling himself between them and ripping her away from Lola, who landed on the ground with a thud." "What are you doing?" He asked Virginia who was sobbing herself at the point. "She lost our baby! She lost our baby!"
Virginia wrangled out of Wolf's grasp and ran inside. She hauled herself up the stairs and made her way to Christine's room. Through blurred eyes she sought out the bed and flung herself upon it face down. She quickly rolled over and put her hand to her stomach as pain sliced through her. It wasn't the shock of Christine's disappearance, it was real physical pain and by the time wolf found her Virginia was rocking back in forth in agony. "Darling.." "Help me.. Something's wrong." Wolf sat beside her. "Don't worry, we'll find her we'll…" NO! Virginia practically screamed. Something is wrong with this baby! She pointed to her stomach and groaned as another pain ripped through her. "I don't' feel right..soemthings..Not right..I..Can't..See…"
The room was darkening rapidly and Virginia clung to Wolf. "You'll find our babies..Won't you?" She whispered as the darkness engulfed her and she lost cautiousness.