Again In Neverland

Chapter 27: Who's In Control

" Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat."
-Ralph Ellison

LIL'S POV:

The tiny Queen's finger wobbled as it pointed to me.
Wait. She was pointing at me.

"M-me?" I stuttered, unable to form a more coherent sentence.

Why would the Queen be pointing at me?

Well now that I think of it, it could have something to do with the fact that I'm not really supposed to be here. Alina and Peter did say something about visitors on Neverland having to go through the Queen first. But, why was she pointing at me as if I was some plague that has infected her land? Like some mutant creature she can hardly believe she's looking at?

I feel naked under the intense stares of everyone around me. Any sense of confidence I gained from my brief show down with Coast is long gone. I can feel myself heating up, feel the sweat beading on my upper lip. And the thought of it being there made the whole situation even worse. How embarrassing. How absolutely mortifying.

Just as I'm about to choke out another sentence, I hear a shrill scream from someone behind me.
"MOTHER!" The voice yells.

The Queen's attention tears from mine onto whoever is approaching from behind me. Finally, I feel the relief of eyes leaving me and looking away. They could be staring at a tree for all I care, as long as it isn't me.

I release a breath and wrap my arms around myself. I bite my lip and stare at the floor, struggling to keep myself together.

I'm not a fan of all the spotlight. Especially not when it's the bloody Queen who's glaring at me.

"MOTHER!" The voice shouts again as it gets closer, "What are you doing to her? Leave her alone!"

My head still cast to the ground, I feel small feet land on my shoulder  and tiny arms wrap around a few curls of my hair.

I don't have to look up to know it's Alina. She must have heard the commotion going on from in Jonathan's room and came down to see what it was. My guess was that she was unpleasantly surprised by her Mother.

Alina strokes the side of my face with her gentle hand, "Are you alright? Did she hurt you?"
"Hurt her?" Alina's Mother asks, sounding appalled, "I would neved harm a mortal."
Alina scoffs, "You know that's a lie, Mother. You've done it before and you'd just as easily do it again."
"ALINA INGRID MARIGOLD," The Queen's voice rises and my head snaps up to look at her, "How dare you address your Queen that way."

I feel Alina take a step into the protection of my curly hair, but she stands her ground nonetheless,
"You're not my Queen. You're my mother. And if you're hurting my friend, I don't even want you to be that."

Queen Madelyn's face is twisted into that one of rage she arrived here with. One that could surely smolder any living creature on the other end of it's stare. The rosy-paleness of her cheeks had left and was replaced with an ugly red. I couldn't tell if it was anger, or embarassment. Her lips were curled into a snarl and her arms shaking. But just as quickly as it was there, it was gone, replaced by a stone-hard look that I had seen so many other Queens wear before. I too wore that face sometimes, around school or my parents. It was one that said 'I'm going to pretend this isn't bothering me'.

Queen Madelyn took a short breath and looked back at her daughter, this time annoyance in her voice,
"I have not brought any harm to your friend. Have I, dear?"

It took me a moment to realize she was talking to me.
"Oh, n-no... Your Majesty."

Was that too informal? Too forced? I'd never addressed a Queen before,  so a proper conversation would be nearly impossible but I wasn't about to act like some savage in front of this lady.