What if Queen Channary recovered from regolith poisoning? What if the fire happened but they arrested Levana and found Selene still alive? She was kept in a tank for several years until she was strong enough to have the surgery. Channary teaches her how to use her powers and starts hiding her cyborg parts. She learns of all Channary wants her to learn for when she is queen.
I know you might get sick of seeing the summary every chapter but I don't care. I think it is nice to have a refresher about what the story is about. If it annoys you then just skip it but don't skip the entire message, please.
Sorry this is a day late. I thought I would be able to edit it over the weekend but that wasn't the case and it's been hectic with the end of the school crap.
Anyways, here is chapter two. . .
-Kath
Chapter Two: Fire! Fire!
My heels click with the sound of authority and it satisfies me greatly. I walk with a candle in front of me and my guards walking the appropriate distance behind me. I turn a corner and go down the marble hall lined with large glass windows on one side and doors on the other. I smile at the windows, remembering how I fantasized about throwing Selene out of one of them almost a year ago.
Turning another corner, doors line the walls on either side and I clear my mind of the gleeful thought. This plan of action is better than the window scenario and I must remain focused. I open the last door on the left and inside, Winter and Selene play happily with the same incompetent nurse from a year ago. She deserves what's coming.
I watch from the doorway as Selene dashes into her playhouse, barely avoiding the stuffed animal Winter threw at her. It bounces off of Selene's calf and lands harmlessly on the floor. Selene laughs and Winter whines from her place on the other side of the door. What sort of game involves young ladies throwing their belongings around?
The nurse laughs as she watches Winter huff, pick up the fallen toy and enter the playhouse after Selene. I clear my throat and when the nurse sees it's me, her smile disappears.
Her bow is clumsy and her face grows redder but the second. "Your Highness,"
I clench my jaw. It should be Your Majesty. "I have come to collect Winter for her appointment."
She looks confused. "Oh, I am sorry, Your Highness. When the Princess's father came in this morning to drop her off he said for me to take her to her appointment because both of you would be busy when the time came."
"Of course, but now my schedule is now free so I am here to take Winter to her appointment." I say pointedly. The nurse retreats a little with terror in her eyes.
"O-of c-course. Y-yes, Your Highness." She enters the playhouse and seconds later, Winter comes out. Winter reaches me, closing her tiny, soft hands around my cold, rough ones. Selene pokes her head out of the curtain door with wide innocent eyes before she comes running out with Winter's stuffed animal in hand. She gives the toy to Winter before running off into the shelter of the playhouse.
Oh young, sweet Selene. How sweet you are for thinking of Winter. I rip the stuffed animal from Winter's hands and I throw it against the wall to our right. Her bottom lip starts to tremble but I could care less. Evret isn't around so I don't have to pretend how much I dislike the little brat.
"You don't need that thing anymore, Winter. You are too old to play with such baby toys. Nurse!" I yell and Winter flinches beside me, her grip only tightening around my hand.
The nurse comes scrambling out of the playhouse and stands in front of me. She trembles but tries -and fails- to hide her fear. Good, everyone should fear me.
"Nurse, what is your name?"
She looks shocked by the question and it irritates me. Does she really think I'm that shallow of a person to not care about her? Well, of course I don't care about her. She's the lowly servant while I'm of royalty.
"Violet, Your Highness."
"Violet, do you have any family? Husband? Children? Parents? Friends?"
She stumbles over her words. "No, Your Highness. My parents both died of regolith poisoning several years ago. I haven't seen my childhood friends in years."
I hold on to a frustrated sigh. Does it look like I really care? Winter's grip on my hand tightens and I look down to see her staring at the candle in my other hand. The flame flickers in her eyes and it heightens her beauty even more. Why must she be so beautiful?
"Nurse, take this candle in the playhouse with you. It is getting late. I think you should tell Selene some fairytales."
My smile is sweet. Only another part of the illusion. Being the incompetent girl she is, she buys the smile and nods her head enthusiastically.
"I think the princess would like that very much, Your Highness."
My smile grows wider. "Prefect. Winter, darling, start walking down the hall alright? We can't be late for your appointment."
She turns her gaze away from the candle and onto me. "What about you, stepmother?"
I flinch at the word stepmother. I guess I will never be her real mother. I will always be second in the eyes of the Hayle family. "I need a private word with your nurse about her job. Nothing to worry about, darling."
Winter looks skeptical but doesn't say anything. She lets go of my hand, the warmth from it leaving with her, and exits the room. I can hear her soft, delicate footsteps retreating down the hall.
I turn towards the nurse who is looking at me with worry. "I don't worry, Violet. Everything is perfectly fine with your job." She smiles but her worry remains.
All emotion leaves her face as I enter her mind with little effort. I place feelings of happiness and obedience to replace those of worry. "Here is what I need you to do for me. Go into the playhouse with this candle and place it against the drapes. Then once Selene falls asleep, you are going to close your eyes and take a nap because you are starting to feel sleepy."
She nods her head in a slow, zombie-like manner and takes the candle from my hand. She walks towards the playhouse in an unnatural, ungraceful way. I watch her enter the playhouse and for the first time since I arrived here, I smile. A true genuine smile. I turn around and head in the direction Winter went.
Now all I have to do is wait. Wait until word spreads about a fire. Wait until precious Selene and the incompetent nurse are both dead.
Selene smiles when the nurse comes back into the playhouse but frowns, confused, when she carries the same candle her aunt was holding moments ago. The candle is placed on the window sill, the hole covered with a drape and watches as the flame dances in a gleeful manner. Can a candle even dance in a gleeful manner? That's what it seems like. It makes sense to little Selene who doesn't know much yet at her young age.
The nurse sits down next to her, a faraway look in her eyes. Is the nurse okay? Little Selene doesn't understand what was wrong with the nurse. She seemed so alive when she last left the playhouse.
Only little Selene doesn't realize that both of them won't be alive much longer.
She watches as the flame latches its gleeful jaw to the drape. She watches as it ignites and spreads. The fire is gleeful, she concludes. Happy that it's closing in on her and the nurse. She panics, shaking the nurse but she doesn't wake up. Is the nurse okay?
Little Selene doesn't know what to do. She doesn't think about leaving the playhouse. All she can seem to do is watch in terror as the fire grows bigger and bigger until all she can see is smoke and glowing flames.
Its jaws claw at her until she can't think over the searing pain. She cries, wanting to be saved but doesn't think to escape. Only, she can't escape anymore. The fire has consumed her. It's jaws so far deep into her soul that she won't ever escape again.
Winter is in the middle of her appointment when we finally hear the commotion. Finally, I have been waiting for an agonizing hour to hear news on the fire. Did I succeed? Oh, I hope so. The shock, anger and sadness of the country mourning for their lost princess will be well worth it. Did I fail? Oh, stars, I hope not. I better not. Failing is not an option.
I fake confusion when two nurses rush in as Winter's doctor enters Winter's updated data into the large portscreen on the wall.
"What is the meaning of this?" I say. Winter and the doctor both look between me and the nurses.
The nurses take a minute to breathe. "Oh stars almighty. We do not have time for this. State the meaning of this! If it is important then we don't have all day." I am getting annoyed. I need to know if I succeeded.
Finally, one of them speaks. She moves her auburn hair from her face and stands a little straighter. The other, much older, is still having trouble breathing. "Fire, Your Highness, in the nursery. Come, come. Her Majesty is already on her way."
I fake shock and worry. "Oh, stars. Come, Winter." She jumps off the table and grabs my hand. We both rush out of the room with the nurses in tow. The guards seem surprised but quickly recover and start following. Winter has a hard time keeping up with my fast pace but I could care less. I need to know that I succeeded. That Selene is dead.
When we turn the corner, several guards, nurses and doctors are surrounding the doorway, blocking the room from view. I see Evret on the outer edge and Winter lets go of my hand and sprints to him.
"Daddy!" She shouts. He turns towards her and picks her up when she reaches him. He hugs her tightly and rubs her curly hair gently. His face shows disgust and worry. He locks eyes with me and I rush towards him.
"What's going on?" I ask, trying to seem worried.
He gives me a weird look before glancing behind him. I am still having trouble seeing into the room. All I can make out is two doctors shuffling through burned rubble and the charred walls of the nursery.
I try to move around him to see better into the room. He stops me. "Don't. It's tragic."
I shake him off and push past him. I push the onlookers out of the way. "Move!" I shout and everyone turns around surprised. When they see that it's me, they move out of the way. Evret is right behind me with Winter but her eyes are covered with his large hand.
I freeze in the door. The sight makes me want to vomit. I didn't think the scene would be this sickening. I lean against the doorway and look at the two doctors -one I recognize and one I don't. They move the rubble of the playhouse out of the way and uncover a body.
It's all charred. There is no way whoever it is -the nurse or hopefully Selene- is still alive. The doctor I recognize looks this way and sees me. He walks over, his face haunted.
"Your Highness."
"What happened here?" I say. I desperately need to know that that is Selene.
"A fire started in the nursery. We have no idea who or how it started but we found one body. Thank the stars that it's not the young princess but unfortunately, it happens to be the nurse. We are still looking for the young princess. At this point, it doesn't seem likely that she is still alive but we cannot give up hope."
I nod, faking worry. "Yes, yes. Let's hope. Is my sister almost here?"
"She should be here soon." The doctor turns around and joins his partner in moving the deceased nurse. The sight of her is revolting. Let's hope Selene looks the same.
Evret shifts uncomfortably behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright, sweetheart? I think we should go. You shouldn't be here when we find Selene."
I shake my head. "I need to wait for my sister. You can go with Winter." Luckily, my voice sounds worried but Evret doesn't buy it. He always seems to see right through me.
He only nods and leaves without another word. I watch as Winter removes his hand and stares wide-eyed at the sight behind me.
They turn the corner and I turn my attention back to the doctors' putting the nurse on a stretcher. Two guards come in and lift her up. They walk past me and the onlookers gasp as they walk out of the room.
I feel nothing as I watch them walk down the hall. That nurse meant nothing. But, Selene, on the other hand, means everything. She is the future of this kingdom, of Luna. I need to know that she is dead.
The future of Luna depends on her death.
I hum to myself as I rifle through my gorgeous and expensive dresses. Each one is very beautiful and handcrafted for my mother. Each one isn't really my style. I pick out all the ones I don't like from Highly Disliked to Disliked to Will Not Miss.
When I am finished, half of my closet is empty and I realize that I need my dressmakers to make me new outfits. I am about to call for my guards to go find my dressmakers when they come bursting into the room with a nurse behind them.
I am furious. No one can just barge into my room like that. "What in the world are you doing? I am queen! You can't just enter like you own the place! I should have you all executed!"
They freeze for a second before remembering why they barged in in the first place.
The nurse takes a few steps forward. "I am so very sorry, Your Majesty. It's the nursery. It's Selene. There has been a fire. You need to come right away."
I freeze, scared. My Selene? A fire? How? "Well, why are we all standing here? If the future queen is in danger then let's get moving!"
I race out of the room and the guards and nurse follow behind. I fast walk, not run because that is unladylike. I can't help but be worried. I may not show it but she is my little one and I love her dearly. She is also my ticket to not having to do my queenly duties.
When we turn the corner, a group of guards and nurses stand around the door blocking the way in.
"Move!" I shout and everyone turns to see that it's me. They all part and at the entrance to the door is Levana, smiling. Her face freezes when she remembers that she is supposed to be sad. Levana, she is behind this isn't she. I'll deal with her later.
I rush past her and freeze. The sight is utterly sickening. I cry out. My precious Selene. My baby. My savior.
The doctors already in the room come rushing towards me as I start rifling through the rubble. I must find my baby.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" I recognize the short man. He's Selene's doctor and the head of research for diseases.
"Doctor Darnel, please tell me you've found Selene."
He shakes his head. I let out an angry cry and pushed him out of the way. I'll find her myself.
He follows behind me, worried. "Please, Your Majesty. You mustn't. Let us handle it."
I turn to look at him. He shrinks back slightly. "Doctor, unless you want to lose your position let me handle it." He backs off and all he and the other doctor can do is look on helplessly as I shuffle around the room.
I near the remains of the playhouse and crouch down. I look over towards the entrance where Levana is standing patiently. Waiting to see if she succeeded in killing my precious Selene. Doctor Darnel and the other doctor utter a few words to the other onlookers but I can't make it out.
My hand touches something with a different texture than the surrounding rock and plastic and I turn to see what I've touched. I'm able to make out a body and my hand is placed on what must be a head. I cry. It's my Selene.
Doctor Darnel comes rushing over and covering his mouth with his hands when he sees who it is. Tears flow freely down my cheeks. I don't try to cover them up. There goes my chance of living a life at the top while not doing anything to earn it.
My hand moves down her charred body. I move pieces of rubble and am able to make out an arm. I find her chest and freeze, my tears stop for a second. I feel a faint heartbeat. I look at the doctor.
"My stars. She's alive. Doctor, call for assistance! She's alive!" I shout, both hysterical and happy. Guards rush in and tend to Selene. My Selene is alive. The guards lift up her little charred and mangled body. It's impossible to make out any features with her burned and dust covered body. Oh, I hope she is okay. They rush out of the room with Doctor Darnel and the other doctor trailing behind them.
I stay where I am, not moving. I am too shocked to move. I look at the spot where Selene was a few moments ago then up at Levana. Her expression changes when she notices me staring but I caught a glimpse of her true emotions, her true intentions.
She is disappointed. She planned this and now my baby is damaged and barely alive. She tried to kill my baby so now I am going to kill her.
"Guards!" My personal guards come rushing in. I am mad, furious and delusional. "Arrest her for treason against the throne. Hold her until trial. She tried to kill my baby, your crown princess!"
Levana doesn't fight when the guards take hold of her. All she does is stare at me. And as they walk out of the room, she smiles and her eyes are wide with victory. We both know that she may have not killed Selene but she did manage to ruin my future plans. She knows she ruined Selene as well.
And now, she is going to pay for her crimes.
Winter doesn't understand what all the commotion is. All she knows is that her Selene is hurt or worse. Her father placed his hand over her eyes to protect her but she doesn't want to be protected. She wants to know what is going on. She is a curious girl after all.
Finally, she removes his hand as her father is leading her away from the commotion. She catches a glimpse of the room behind her stepmother.
She stares, wide-eyed. Young Winter can't quite comprehend what she is seeing. Room with rubble and burned plastic, walls covered in streaks of black and gray.
The final thing she saw was the remains of her stuffed animal. The one her stepmother took out of her hands after her Selene had given it to her.
She stares at the stuffed animal until her father turns the corner and she is blocked from the reality that her father is trying to keep from her.
Young Winter doesn't realize it now but her Selene is already lost to this world even if Winter will see her soon.
And there you have it, chapter two.
Question of the chapter: Do you think Channary figured it out too quickly or is it easy to tell that it was Levana?
I think because Channary knows her sister pretty well it makes sense that she figured it out pretty easily. Of course, we don't know how it would have gone because Channary was dead before this even happened. All we can do is imagine.
Chapter three will come next Monday and hopefully I will post it on time. :)
Until then, Lunartics, good day,
-Kath