Chapter Three
War
I stood in my chambers, waiting for my supper. I asked to dine in the solitude of my room. I walked to the window, as a blue bird landed on a branch near me. A nest was built there. I smiled. I loved animals. So nice and friendly.
"Your dinner, my lady," a servant replied. "As you requested."
I turned to face him. He was a small man, skinny to the bone. His hair was a ratty mess upon his head. I frowned. I walked to him, and fingered his head. "Did this happen when Ravenna was Queen?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, ma'am." He replied.
"Well, no servant of mine looks like that," I said, sitting down. "Tomorrow, all of my servants will get a makeover and eat all the food he or she desires!" "
"Your majesty, we can't…" he began.
I looked up into his dark eyes. "I want to, sir, you do so much for me…I want to repay you all." I said, with a small smile. "Now, go..." I said, with a smile. "I like to eat my meal in peace tonight, yesterday's ball tired me out."
The servant left me alone. Now the thoughts that I couldn't bear the night before, flooded through my mind. Eric. William. My heart only yearned for one, but I didn't know which one to choose. I was so confused, and seeing them both only made me more confused.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" I called.
"It is I, William, your majesty." William answered.
"Come in." I said, taking a bite out of my beef stew.
He walked in. "My lady, there's been threats of war from the next kingdom." William said. I dropped my spoon, shocked. "War?" I asked. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am!" He cried. "Why would I joke of such thing?"
"I'm sorry, William." I answered. "But, I need to be alone right now."
"Alone?" He asked. "I just told you that there's going to be a war soon!" He stared, angrily into my eyes. But, not waiting for me to respond. He pushed the table onto the floor, my food going with it. "William!" I shouted, in protest.
"We need strategies, Snow!" William cried. "Before I take the whole army out to their deaths!"
Then, I eyed him suspiciously. "You're not the war general, Eric is." I said. "Why isn't he telling me this?"
"He went to speak with the other leaders, you're riding to the next kingdom tomorrow, to try to salvage any peace we can…so that this war doesn't have to happen." He said, turning, angrily toward the door.
"But, we still need strategies!"
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I was in the throne room, when he made his appearance. I turned. Eric walked in, silently. "Hello," I said. I waited for him to respond, but he never did. I frowned. I placed a stray strand of my raven black hair behind my ear.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Don't." He said voice hoarse. "The carriage's waiting."
"I don't want to ride in a carriage, I want to ride a horse." I said. He smiled, before it faded into a frown. "No, you'd be vulnerable, you have to ride in a carriage."
I breathed heavily. "I don't like the dresses, the balls, the make-up…I love dirt, mud, and running." I said. "All I can do here is walk."
He sighed. "Sorry, your highness, maybe you should've stayed in the Enchanted Forest." He said, before turning. "The carriage is waiting!"
I sighed, torn. Between what I wanted now and my duty to the kingdom.