Muahaha…He's DEAD!
I just HAD to say something there that was shocking.
By the way, I'm sick on a snow day…in TEXAS. How often do those things happen?
I think the Gods who control sickness and health are ticked because I've been developing a story about…well, if you want to know, say it in the review, because it's too long to type up here.
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My eyes slowly opened, and blinked as my fuzzy vision started to clear. A balding older man in a bleached white coat noticed my movement and came over, but once he was closer I could see where his coat suffered spots where muted tones of dried blood showed.
"Ah, Madame…welcome back to the castle, although it is unfortunate to see you under such circumstances. May I inquire as to how you are feeling?" He asked politely, with a slight accent that I couldn't quite pin down.
I cleared my throat and started to sit up. "Fine, thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I really must speak to some people…"
"In a moment, your highness…If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions." He said, clearly meaning that either I sit, or he'd make me sit, but saying it in a way a grandfather would.
I glanced briefly to the door, then back to him. "Alright." I sighed. "But pray make it brief."
He nodded and grabbed his writing board and quill, and then faced me, his hand poised for writing.
"Madame, would you care tell me when you first learned of your condition?"
"Yesterday." I said. "At least when I was diagnosed."
The physician looked up from writing, his eyebrows raised high.
"You were diagnosed?" He questioned, sounding suspicious.
"Yes, sir." I confirmed, and he set his quill and board down on his lap.
"And who was the doctor that diagnosed you?"
I thought for a moment…what was the priest's name…?
"It was Father…Father…Mayhew! That's who it was!" I said, remembering.
The physician's right eyebrow rose. "Father Mayhew?"
"Yes, he works in the church near the Gumdrop orchards south of here." I said, trying not to think of home. It seemed hardly fair that I had to return to this God awful place after remembering things only the day before.
"Hmmm…alright, Madame…now, tell me a little about what you have been feeling." He said, picking up the board and quill again.
For what felt like an eternity he questioned me on how I felt, and how often I coughed, and how long I had done so.
After a moment of scribbling, he stood up suddenly and grabbed a book from a shelf. He flipped through it, and then stopped at a page near the end. His finger scanned the page, looking for something, and then tapped it when he found it.
"Madame, I have good news." He said, a smile producing more wrinkles on his face.
"Pray tell…" I said apprehensively.
"I can cure you. Praise God, we've caught it just in time. Now, I would like you to wait here for a moment…" He said, and rushed out of the room, while I sat with my head spinning.
Just yesterday I had been told that I was going to die, and today I'm told that I'll live. Although, I trust that the physician's diagnosis is more thorough than the priest's, seeing as the Physician has more training.
He burst back into the room, followed by the King and Queen, who both looked excited.
The Physician was holding a small purple glass bottle of something, and he handed it to me. A small peeling label read Rifampicin in an elegant script.
"Madame, this is guaranteed to help you. We caught your consumption at the right time, and after swallowing this, you'll be returned to health in less than a week." He said, his eyes shining with excitement. I wondered if he got this way when healing every patient, or just someone high up like myself.
"I thank you very much…" I said, and he indicated that I drink it now.
I pulled the little cork stopper out, and a horrible stench greeted my nose. I tried to hide a grimace, and breathed out of my mouth.
In one quick motion I tipped the drink down my throat, where it oozed and tasted so foul I thought I might retch. I fought a grimace, and swallowed it.
"Perfect." The Physician said, clapping his hands together.
"Candy Land's Crown Princess will live to rule the kingdom." The Queen sighed, and reached to embrace me.
Her stiff bodice and perfume overwhelmed me, and I wished for fresh air while focused on not choking.
The Physician cleared his throat, embarrassed by the show of affection, and the Queen stood up, her cheeks pink.
"On behalf of the people of Candy Land, I thank you." The King said, and I did not miss the small bag that showed the outline of coins that was passed between the two.
The King and Queen escorted me from the Physicians room, and back to my own chamber. My mind working quickly, I said innocently "Not to my wedding Chamber? For sure my husband shall be missing me."
The King and Queen stopped suddenly, and exchanged a private look.
"Darling, come, we should sit first…" The Queen said gently, and led me into the sitting room of my chambers. She set me down on the little armchair, and sat across from me at the sofa with the King.
"Please, Mother, is something the matter?" I asked, trying to play my part.
She and the King passed another look between them.
"Dear, we hate to inform you of this so soon after your return…but…" The King began, and the Queen finished for him.
"Lord Licorice has disappeared, and we believe him to be…" she hesitated "dead."
I didn't say anything for a moment, and tried to control myself from laughing hysterically.
"Really?" I said, sounding only mildly interested.
This time the King and Queen didn't exchange a look before saying "shouldn't you be more concerned?" simultaneously.
I decided that, if even for just this once, I was going to buck up and say what was on my mind…God help me whatever their reaction might be.
"Mother, Father…I would like you to understand that from the very beginning, I have never wanted to associate with Licorice, much less marry him. I hadn't spoken up about it before, because I was afraid of what you would say, but now, I don't really care what you think. Even though, yes, it does seem odd, I have never been happier to hear that someone had died." I said bravely, my heart beating, amazed that I had actually said it.
The King and Queen sat in silence, stunned by my words.
"And another thing…" I said, my adrenaline pumping fiercely. "When I disappeared for the year and a half, I was not kidnapped…I ran away by choice; Just the same as at the wedding after the fire broke out. I preferred living with Gramma. I was not trying to run away from my duties, make no mistake about it, all I wanted was to live life the way that I want to live it-not the way someone else wants me to live it."
I stood up with an air of finality and defiance.
"Personally I would prefer to live the way I choose, but should the country be in need of my abilities to rule, I will gladly answer he call. Good day."
I strode out of my chambers with my head high and my skirts swishing, but when I shut the door, I broke into a run, bursting out into the frozen gardens.
My legs were like rubber, and I slipped on ice and grabbed onto a tree, when I doubled over, my stomach churning from nerves and adrenaline. I thought I would vomit, but the cold air calmed my insides.
For the first time in a long time, I could breathe relatively deep without feeling that painful pull on my chest.
I put my arms around the tree, holding it close, my feelings coming through for the first time.
Licorice was dead and I wasn't going to be! I bowed my head in prayer to God, thanking him for telling me to come back. But now, oh now I was going to be forced back into my former life, only worse because I was widowed….
But a nagging voice in the back of my mind spoke up.
"You never said 'I do.'"
I felt like screaming with joy…I only wished I had realized it sooner! You couldn't be married in any way unless you had said 'I do' which I had so obviously had not! Oh thank God!
My cheeks hurt as I smiled so big, and I felt tears come down my face. I wasn't married, much less widowed! The ring on my finger meant nothing!
I looked down at it and for the first time smiled. It was perfectly fine to take it off!
With a triumphant tug, I pulled it off and slipped it in my pocket. My hand felt lighter, and well as my chest. It was like a heavy burden had been lifted.
I sighed, closed my eyes, and leaned back into the tree, hugging myself.
True, my ribs still were sore, but I wasn't expecting a miracle to cure me instantly.
"Madame, Madame Lolly!" I voice called, and I opened my eyes. It was Cecilia.
"Cecilia, dear!" I cried, smiling wide.
"Madame Lolly, wha' tare you doing out here in this cold? D'you wan' to catch your death of a cold?" She asked, gently but firmly grabbing me away from the tree.
"Of course not! I'm not going to die anytime soon, not with things looking up, so!" I sighed, and she looked at me with a smile on her own lips.
"But you're right, Madame…you've been cured! And I'm certainly most glad to hear it!"
"Oh yes, and not only that, but I'm not a Madame!" I said, and she looked at me confusedly.
"Wha' td'you mean, Madame?" She asked "You'd been married to master Licorice, god rest his soul."
"No I wasn't, Cecilia! I didn't say 'I do'! I'm still a miss!" I proudly declared, wishing I could click my heels together.
She was silent. "I suppose you're right…miss." She said slowly, and I giggled.
I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to be doing tonight…a better thought out escape.
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Man, I'll tell you what. When I wrote the word Candy Land, I started laughing so hard I was crying…let me explain.
My theatre group did 'The Nutcracker' for Christmas (even though we preformed in January) and I was the Sugar Plum Fairy…AKA the ruler of CandyLand.
Which I found kind of ironic, only I just now made the connection.
So yeah, I've been giggling about that…
I hoped you liked the long update!!!
(No proof-reading…just because I'm lazy and have been laughing too hard)
P.S.
After re-reading the story, I'm taking votes to see how many people thought chapter eight was a huge mistake on my part, and if i should take it out...at least the dream part.