Control

Chapter 8

I sat on my knees creating the circle and its markings. I had not created one of these in a long time. I was surprised at how fresh it was in my memory. Jane was sat next to me tracing shapes on the floor with her knees pulled to her chest. I knew she was still upset over the past. I felt guilty for saying anything. I should have not reacted when I saw that woman's image. I should have kept my composure and played off that I did not know her. It is too late now. The damage is done.

"That girl. The princess... Amara. What happened to her?" Jane asked softly.

I sat back and looked the marking over. "Do you not remember her coming home with me when I started to court her?"

Jane scrunched up her nose. "That was her. She wasn't dressed like a princess."

I laughed. "She did not want the village to bombard her. Anytime she would leave the palace the villagers from other villages would hound her and beg at her feet. She didn't want to deal with that. I didn't blame her. Bandits would also try to rob her carriage in travel. Going out dressed in her servant's dress was safer for her."

"Oh. That makes sense... but what happened to her?"

I frowned and looked at my hand stained with the red chalk dust that for a moment reminded me of blood. "She was murdered."

Jane looked at me in surprise. "What? Who...?"

"It was the same night we were killed... kinda killed. Turned." I sighed and pulled a locket out of my pocket and passed it over to her for her to open it. "I was leaving the palace when I heard Anita crying to a holy man. Saying I had put a spell on her and made her sleep with me. She had some of the other women saying the same thing. That is when Amara yelled at them. Told them they were lying. The king heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. I was shocked. Standing there like an idiot. Anita pointed at me and told the king to have me arrested for witchcraft. Amara stood in front of me and refused to move. If I was going to be killed then so should she. She and her father were arguing. She told him she knew that Anita was lying and so were the other women. She told him she knew that he was even involved with what they did to me. The king had enough of her outburst and had a knight try and take her. Instead, she grabbed my hand and we ran. She told me I had to get home. That you were in danger."

Jane opened the locket that had a small painted portrait of Amara in it. Her blonde hair was neatly fixed back with a tiara placed on her head. Her skin was as pale as mine is now and she had eyes that were a deep shade of blue that I could get lost in. 

"We rushed to try and get back into the village... it was us trying to outrun horses that were chasing us down. She let my hand go and pushed me to go on. I didn't want to leave her but she told me that you were about to be killed. So I left her."

"How do you know she was killed if you left her?"

"When what happened with us... passed. I went to look for her. That is when I learned from her chambermaid that she had been murmured. Amara had went mad on the king and the Lords and Ladies. She threatened to kill them all and even tried. That's when she was killed. The chambermaid said she went crazy over losing me. Over you being accused of something that you never did."

Jane frowned down at the photo and closed the locket. "Did you get to visit her grave?"

I shook my head. "No. The chambermaid didn't know where they laid her to rest. She said that because Amara tried to commit treason she did not get to be buried in the family tomb." I paused. "I was angry after that. I was still angry over us being burned alive... I killed the king and all those involved. Anita had already left the palace. I wasn't sure where she went... I spared all the servants. They were innocent."