The Cost Of The Crown

Lucifer Has Fallen

I remember my dream vividly. A short dark-haired girl, with a deep cherry gown, embroidered with golden thread, gaping up to the thick branches of an apple tree in a morning meadow.

The perfume of sweet honey lingering through the soft breeze as the golden tinted memory resurfaced through my mind.

A tall, well-built man beside the lass wore a purple, green and black tartan kilt, he had her picked up and balancing on his hip as she reached towards the sangria-coloured apple that sat mid tree. The girl shuffled through the leaves that guarded the apple, plucking it carefully and bringing it to her chest.

The hem of her gown had turned dark from the mildew collected on the long grass and daisies.

The golden sky turned their hair into burnt sienna as the morning birds chirped a blissful tune whilst day took over dawn.

Morning had always felt safer than the night.

"It is to my determination that one day you'll be a witty woman Edith, just like your mother! You are from a long line of warriors, so I have no doubt of your strength." He squeezed her cheek with a light-hearted chuckle, "Ah, men will struggle to manipulate you my lass, but however hard they try, you will not prevail, even if it is a- "

"A man's world out there!" the child chirped in, she'd heard this speech many times over before, and was getting more and more bored from it, but she knew all the same why he was reminding her.

Her eyes softened at the safety he secured her with. Her father had the same bewitching green in his eyes and long coal hair. But unlike him, she had the softer features of her mother. If Edith failed to smile her gaze appeared harsh and threatening, but the dark clouds disappeared as a smile summoned the sunniest of days.

"Exactly, mo chalin, but don't forget that it was lucifer in the form of a snake who manipulated both Adam and Eve, and yet, it was Adam who blamed Eve for both of their want. The devil plays with men like puppets, and each time we foolishly comply. But tis not us who are blamed. Tis your kind, women. Be careful who yer trust, yer ken lass?" his voice low and husky, his harsh accent created rhythm for his riddle.

"Da I, I don't get it." Her eyebrows furrowed.

"That matters not. You will one day. But I need you to wake up now."

Wake up.

What did he mean wake up?

"It's time to wake up!"

"Edith wake up! Edith! "

The voice was no longer harsh or deep, but rather softer and more feminine. The voice now pleaded, it did not demand.

"Edith!"

**

"Wake up!"

Da? Opening my eyes abruptly I found myself shaken, not only by the memory I had almost forgotten, but the sight of my younger sister Mary blotchy eyed and shaking profusely in front of me.

"What Mary?" I groaned pushing away the candle that she held dangerously close to my face. The night outside was completely still, no sign of life, and in my room, complete darkness.

"I was asleep and then I heard a noise, a, a really loud noise! "

Her face was the spitting image of my mother, I couldn't see any resemblance of my father in her. Fair haired with Nordic eyes and the softest of features.

She pulled the heavy fur blanket from me.

"Mary, either describe the noise to me or go back to yer bed! " I whinged sourly, my eyes still slowly adjusting to the firelight from the candle stick. I pulled the covers back over me childishly, trying to contain the tiredness so I could go back to sleep.

"Edith, I'm scared." she whimpered, a tear glistened in her eye.

I sat up pulling the blanket back down and adjusting my linen night gown to see that Mary had gotten to my chamber by the passageway that connected our bedchambers, not the typical way of taking the stairs in the hallway. Why?

"Like I said describe the sound to me..." My back stiffened.

"Like a scream-"

"What type of scream Mary? " I could feel myself getting quickly impatient. I was tired from Aunt Cristina's lecturing last night about letting me outside every now and then to stretch my legs, and so was humourless to the cruel joke.

Mary continued, "Twas like the scream that mum said meant we were in trouble, you know, that kind of scream Edith! " Mary insisted.

"Like a danger scream?" My stomach churned.

"Aye, a danger scream!"

I swiftly got out of bed and grabbed Mary's shoulders, "Where did it come from?" I inquired, suddenly alerted to every noise, my eyes piercing into hers,

"It came from outside my room, as soon as I heard it I ran to you."

I suspect my eyes must have bulged outside of their sockets, as Mary trembled deeply.

"Good, good, well done Mary." I muttered, trying as hard as possible to reassure her.

Rushing to the wardrobe next to the passageway, I pulled out my shoes and put them on and fished out my green cloak. It had always been my favourite from the vast array of pockets and dark forest velvet. I pulled it over me and ensured Mary had her shoes on.

My stomach churned again, as deep voices rumbled up the stairway next door to my bedchamber, the sound of metal clashing up the stone stairs enclosing in on the space between Mary and I and the door.

Clouds fogged my mind as I tried adjusting to the lingering darkness outside.

The adrenaline inside of me rocketed as I jerked Mary into the passageway, my body moving though my mind remained paralysed. I carefully shut the door ensuring it was hidden from the mysterious intruder.

My breathing shook at each breath, I pressed my lips together tightly in attempt to quiet my breathing, but the sound was so loud. Too loud.

What's taking them so long?

The door creaked ever so slightly.