WOOT! New chapter!
ZuliaGirl: I'm glad your random perusing led you to something you liked!
Neonpanda: I can't remember if I responded to you last time or not, but yes, yes she totally is a bitch.
Alright, now on to the chapter!
Hours of research had left Queen Megara tired, frustrated, and rubbing her brow, which she was sure would only lead to wrinkles. Sighing she switched from her brows to massaging her temples; what could she do wasn't the question, it was more of what had not thought of yet. She had been over the prophecy multiple times, had considered various interpretations, looked for possible instances where something like this may have happened before, and so far she had come up empty handed.
She had left her study hours ago and had began eating the meal that had been left as instructed by one of the other mousey little servant girls that attended her. Placing another grape in her mouth, muddling over the last few hours fruitlessness, Megara felt a surge of frustration and anger rise through her prompting her to sweep everything from the table to the floor. It didn't make any sense and the more time she sat here trying to ponder things out the close everything was coming together. What if she were already too late? What if everything had aligned, taken place, and there were but mere days, or moments before her downfall would come.
"No! Stop it! Stop it now, get a hold of yourself." She caught her crazed reflection in the mirror of her vanity and tried to calm herself. "Now stop and think. One must keep their wits about them, there's still time, yes I still have time. If only you could simply give me the answer I seek." As Megara ran her hand over the intricate detailing of her vanity mirror a thought occurred to her.
"Mirrors… Of course! Why did I not think of that before? LEOLA!" a brief moment later the serving girl appeared.
"Yes your majesty?"
"I will be going out. If anyone asks for me tell them that I am busy and that I do not wish to be disturbed. Am I clear?" she watched as the girl nodded. "And make sure this mess is cleaned up and in order by the time I get back. I want to have a fresh meal ready for me upon my return, I want it hot, and I don't want to be kept waiting."
"Yes your majesty, understood."
"Good, now go find something to clean this up with."
"Y-yes your majesty." The girl scurried out of the room before Megara could shout at her again. Striding over to her wardrobe, the queen removed a dark velvet cloak from it, encircling her shoulders with it. Pulling the hood over her hair she caught herself in her vanity mirror again, and realized this would never do; as proud as she was of her looks she knew better than to head out on this errand with her own face. Taking a moment to think, Megara conjured a glamour around herself turning her appearance from that of a stately queen to that of a young maid, possibly the daughter of a well to do landowner, no one would think twice about her being out walking about.
Running her hand across the surface of the wall Megara's fingers found the stone they were looking for; pressing the small stone, she took a step back as the stones rolled away and repositioned themselves revealing a hidden stairway that descended into shadows. Plucking a torch from the inside of the wall she gathered the rest her skirts to make sure that they weren't caught as the door closed behind her. Every stone back in place she began her decent down the winding staircase. The tunnel turned and twisted within the very body of the castle and it wasn't the only one like it, there was a nest of them, like a hive, within the castle and spread out like tentacles into some of the surrounding area. She used them for many reasons, but this one she'd almost forgotten about she hadn't used it in so long. The stairs ceased as the tunnel bottomed out and weaved it way along underground, pretty soon she came to another set of stairs, this time leading up and depositing her in some small ruins just beyond site of the castle. She dropped the torch into a small water fountain and quickly set off into the woods. It didn't take her long to find the small lodgings she was searching for. Coming up to the door she knocked, quietly hoping the one who resided within was still there. The door swung open and an old wrinkled face came a mere breaths away from her own, squinting and scrutinizing every feature.
"Hmph, you think that glamour is really going to fool anyone?" the old crone snapped, standing in the doorway of the small stone building.
"It works just fine." Queen Megara snipped back. "Are you going to invite me in?"
"I suppose I should." The elder woman shuffled out of the door making room for Megara to enter and shut the door soundly behind her. Once inside of the small building she removed the glamour she was shrouded in, loving the idea that she was back in her own skin.
"Speaking of glamour, at least mine is a little more flattering. Any particular reason for the little old granny look?"
"As you stated so simply, 'it works just fine' and it would appear that in your time as queen you seem to have lost your respect for your elders." The crone stood in the center of the room, sweeping her arms in front of her and over her face her glamour began to melt away, revealing from the wrinkled doubled over form a much younger, lithe and rather curvy shape. Silver and thinning hair regained its thickness and its deep raven coloring, wrinkled and creased skin smoothed and became alabaster once more. Lips turned from faded and chapped, to a full rosebud red, and shifty eyes once more became malevolent in both in their coloring and their nature, a sinister green that fit perfectly with her other features. "Or am I simply mistaken?"
"Forgive me, Eldress Lamia, I have forgotten myself."
"All is well, Sister Megara, now what is it that brings you to my door? It's been so long since our last visit, I had started to think you'd forgotten me." The tall pale woman tucked a blonde lock behind Megara's ear before gliding across the floor to take a seat in a high backed chair.
"It's about a prophecy-"
"Yes I remember the one, 'From the swells of your enemy will be brought forth Truth, a Tamer, set out to quell the Beast brought forth from your blood. Truth shall be your destruction.' What of it." Lady Lamia watched as Megara fumbled for the right words to use next. "Oh my, you forgot about the prophecy didn't you."
"I did not!" Buy Lady Lamia's cruel, judgmental laughter was already filling the small stone house. "You must help me! One of the enchanted mirrors I had claimed that the time is close at hand! Everything I've done has been to be sure to secure my place, I do not wish to lose it now!"
"Calm yourself sister."
"How can I? I've gone over in my mind multiple times everything I've done! Every conquest, every chess move, everything I've done to raise my way through the ranks. I've taken care of all loose ends, covered my tracks, made sure that everything I've done is either unsolvable or easily blamed on some other factor. I know not where this threat could be coming from! All priors I have taken care of! I am at my wits end Lady Lamia! I don't know what else I could do!"
"First you must relax yourself, here sit." The raven haired woman commanded, motioning for the young woman to take her chair and conjuring a cup of tea on the side table next to it for her to drink; Megara sat, and nervously glanced at the cup. All of the teachings Lady Lamia had bestowed on her had not come without a price, the simple knowledge that she was just as disposable as others who had come before her, if Lady Lamia saw her as a liability she would be rid of her. The green eyed woman watched as the blue eyed woman scrutinized the cup before her and bit back another laugh.
"Drink fool, you have nothing to worry about. It's a simple cup of tea. Now," She continued leaning against a table near the fire place. "I remember the day you first brought me the prophecy, and we dealt with it as a sign to proceed slowly. This was before you became queen, if I can remember correctly. I am assuming that because you now wear the crown you were successful in your endeavors. Now about the details of the prophecy, 'From the swells of your enemy will be brought forth Truth', remind me what did we discern from this?"
Megara sipped her tea, recognizing the test in the question. "We discerned that it meant that a child would be born and that child would become the Tamer from the prophecy."
Lamia nodded. "Correct, but we could not discern from where the child would come, whether it be Above or Underground. What did we discern of the Beast from the prophecy?"
Megara thought for a moment. "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"We both came to the conclusion if the Tamer was taken care of then the Beast did not matter."
"Yes I remember now. Well it would seem that now that time has passed and your prior 'movements' have ceased to keep this under control I suppose the Beast is something that we should begin to focus on, that would seem to be our only lead. Unless…"
"Unless…"
"You say you took care of all 'loose ends' are you sure?"
"Yes I am certain!" Megara thought back to the secret room in her quarters containing the multitude of mirrors with the various souls imprisoned within. "I have proof of such."
"Oh yes, that small trick with the mirrors that you are so fond of." Lady Lamia thought back to when Megara had first learned this act and how fascinated she became with it. Just then a thought occurred to her. "So all of the people you have disposed of, their souls are encased within the mirrors?"
"Yes, of course."
"What of those that knew them, their family or friends?"
"Everything that was ever done to one of them was left to be perceived as an accident or a nature occurrence. Nothing can be traced back to me."
"This I understand but what of others who may have known them. For example that one mortal woman you had issue with, what did you do with her?"
"Same as the others, her death was made to look like an unfortunate accident. All loose ends tied up, leaving no room for me to be connected to anything."
"And she too is imprisoned in a mirror."
"Yes." Megara finished off the last of her tea. "Why are you so curious about her?"
"I always have been, I was confused as to why you put so much focus into a mere mortal woman."
"She was no 'mere mortal woman'. I had met her before a few times, both in the Above and Underground. There was a power locked away inside her that I wanted."
"And did you succeed in getting what you wanted?"
"In retrieving her power, no, but she's out of my hair none the less, so I call that a victory any rate." Megara pondered the questions Lady Lamia was asking her, curious of what she was hoping to gain from this information.
"Was the woman with child?"
"No, she wasn't, she had a child however."
"And, what of the child?"
"Dealt with like the others."
"Dealt with?"
"Dead. The child is dead."
"Did you witness this? The death of the child?"
"No but-"
"No? Who dealt with the child? Why did you not take care of the babe yourself?"
"At the time I only had time to take care of the mortal woman, if I had stayed I would have been missed, raising suspicions. I left the other there to take care of the babe, she was instructed in what to do, and to bring back proof. If she didn't succeed it would mean her death."
"And the proof was the child's soul in the mirror I suppose."
"Yes. It's placed with the others. Why this curiosity in this woman and the fate of her child?"
"Because one thing I have noticed is that though fragile mortals will change almost instantly when it comes to protecting their children."
"The woman would have hardly had any time to protect herself let alone her child."
"Hmm, I still say it was a waste of resources to go after her but it was your choice and since you stand by it I suppose I can find no fault in it. At any rate we must come back to the issue of the Beast now shouldn't we, the 'Beast brought forth from your blood'. It would appear that this is our only lead."
"Yes it would look that way."
"So how is your son?"
"Diomed? He is well, he's grown into a strong handsome man, clever, cunning, an very resourceful. He's been well groomed for king."
"This I can imagine. I suppose he takes after his late father. But that is not the son I'm referring to. How is your other son doing? The one you gave up."
"Alice!"
"Good grief, she's right here you don't have to yell Tucker, what is it?"
Alice watched as Tucker pondered the rebuke from Eleanor for a moment before rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to Alice. "So are you going to be trying out for the musical this year?"
"Uh, no, Tucker."
"Why not! Willis says you have a wonderful voice!"
"I don't want to sing up in front of the school that's why. And you said you wouldn't bring up my singing anymore." An accusing glace was tossed Willis' way.
"I can't help it, you have a nice voice. I think you should go out for it, if not the musical than maybe the talent show."
"Yeah, not nearly as many people go to that, so it wouldn't be the whole school."
"No Tucker, and stop encouraging him Willis."
"Honestly they both have a point." Ilex chimed in.
"Oh not you too."
"Come on we'd rather hear you belt out a few lyrics than Abigail."
"And that, Ilex, is another reason I'm not going to do it."
"Why," Vincent questioned jumping into the conversation now. "Just cause Abby the Awful will be there? That's no real reason."
"I see her enough during class and on the way home. I can barely stand her during those times why would I put myself in a position where I'd be stuck with her for hours of my free time!"
"Because you can sing circles around her." Eleanor stated simply in between bites of her sandwich.
"Look, I'm not singing, in the talent show, or in the musical. It's not going to happen, so can we just drop it please?"
"Don't get so bent out of shape about it," Ilex rubbed her arm. "What's the big deal? I thought you liked singing."
"I-I do, it's just that it's something I do on the side, it's a hobby, I see no reason to go parading around in front of the school something like that. I know it sounds stupid but it just feels to personal to put out there."
"It's not stupid," Tucker muttered. "I like hearing you sing. I just thought maybe you'd find it fun, I didn't mean to upset you."
"You didn't Tucker, I just…" Alice paused, after some thought she ruffled his hair and smiled. "I'll give it some thought okay?"
"Awesome!"
"If you do go through with it, you'll be much more refreshing than Abigail, I hear she's signed up for everything the school is doing this year that involves a spot light." Vincent added plopping down next to Tucker on the bench.
"You know," Ilex locked eyes with Vincent. "A person would never guess that you use to have eyes for Abigail."
"You did?" Tucker spun around.
"It was a long time ago." Vincent defended.
"Not that long ago."
"Shut up Ilex!"
"No need to get snippy with me! Just telling the truth!"
"I think we can all agree it was a bad idea on all points, and it's something I'd like to forget."
"What'd you ever see in her?" Eleanor chirped scooting closer to Ilex so she could see Vincent better.
"I don't know, she didn't seem too bad. She seemed like a genuinely nice person, then, I'm not sure what happened, but long story short it was a bad idea and I learned my lesson so can we please drop it, and talk about something else?"
"Speaking of Abigail," Willis ignored that stink eye he was receiving from Vincent as he turned his attention back to Alice. "What was that book that from earlier? The one that she snatched from me?"
"Oh this thing?" Alice rummaged through her bag, removing the red leather bound book from earlier. "I was in the library the other day and just sort of stumbled across it." She continued as Willis took the book from her and flipped through it.
"'The Labyrinth'." The others interest seemed to have been peaked at the mention of the title for the all gathered closer to get a better look at the small book.
"Weird name huh?"
"Have you read it yet?"
"Yeah, and it was okay I suppose."
"Just okay?" Willis asked. Alice watched his actions, she wasn't sure why he was examining the book as he was, it was almost as if he expected it to jump up and bite him.
"Well I say that because, well, I just couldn't get into it. Or believe it for that matter. I mean the girl in the story," Alice took back the book and flipped through until she found the page she was looking for. "Here, this, Sarah, she's the main character, right? And supposedly this Goblin King he's supposed to be in love with her, right? But I don't see why, or for that matter how, they've never met. But this was what really got me. Here, 'But what no one knew, was that he was secretly in love with the girl… and he had given the girl special powers.' Special powers that she then turns right around and uses to wish her little brother away just because he won't be quiet. I don't know, I suppose it was good enough of a story but, I just, I feel like there should be more."
Willis said nothing for a minute watching Alice try to piece together the right words to describe her feelings toward the story. Just then Aldrich, who'd been reclining against Alice's leg the whole time eating his lunch and uttering nothing, slowly sat up, eyes locked on something off in the distance. Nudging Willis to get his attention without calling attention from the others, gestured silently for Willis to look over his shoulder. Glancing around, at first Willis noticed nothing and was about to turn around when his eyes, scanning higher up in the trees, noticed a lone white bird perched, watching. The bird simply stared back. Willis was unsure of whether it had noticed it had been discovered or if it simply didn't care; one thing however, he didn't really care for it being there.
"Oh wow! An owl!" Noticing he was distracted Alice had stopped listening to the others and followed his line of sight to the bird in the tree. "Wow it's huge!"
"It's just because he's close." Aldrich stated simply. Willis and Aldrich shared a look, a silent conversation passing between them before Aldrich spoke again. "Hey Vincent weren't you going to ask Alice for help with something?"
"Oh yeah!" he grinned sheepishly, smacking a hand to his forehead. "I was wondering if you would like to help me, you see I have this photo project… Actually it'll be easier to explain if I show you." With that he hopped up, gathered his and Alice's garbage and started walking her toward the building all the while trying to explain what he had in mind.
"A photo shoot?" were the last clear words Willis heard from Alice as he lingered behind with the others, another silent conversation passed between them before they ran off to catch up with Vincent and Alice as a bell tolled signaling the end of the lunch period. Willis lingered behind longer, watching the bird who had been watching them. After a moment longer of their staring contest, the bird shifted it position and took flight, circling above for a moment before soaring off into the distance. Once it was gone from sight, Willis turned and made a beeline for the school, casting a weary look over his shoulder as he went, making a mental note of what he'd seen. One thing was certain, this little encounter did not sit well with him, not in the least.
So her name is Alice, hmm? The Goblin King thought as his owl form left the high school behind. Interesting. Interesting indeed.
Peeking out from under benches and behind trash cans, the tiny group of goblins that had been following the girl, their girl around had not expected for the meeting between their king and their girl to go like this. But she had read the book, and he had seen her, so maybe, just maybe there was a chance, they thought as they quickly scurried to return to the Underground before they'd be missed. A chance that something interesting just might happen.
And that is the end of chapter six ladies and gents!
Megara has kids? What's Lady Lamia's role? Why is Abigail such a fart? So many questions I've left unanswered! That's what next chapter will be for!
Thanks again to those who read, those who fave the way you do, and those who are kind enough to leave reviews!