Scarlet Spells

TWENTY-EIGHT

Even though he may not be entirely at wrong here, I must, nonetheless, extinguish this rage of his. Fredric has just returned back to the castle. He can hate his father all he wants, but questioning the King in court is nothing less that disrespecting the crown. The ministers have got their eyes in him since they want Fredric, as the first born on the throne. If they come to a conclusion that the father and son are at odds with each other...things will get unruly.

He is hardly in a position to speak against the king. But that rule...leaves me out. After all, the original heir to the throne is considered superior to the acting King, as per the Law of Kings. Right, I must find a way to stop Fredric and start my own ordeal.

"If I remember right...the dam was a gift. It was given to us for the sake of peace. Even when the then King left the authority of maintaining the dam to Logra, and I, I accept that they have indeed did a bad job because of their economical crisis, but still, it should be considered of value given that it was gifted to us. We value such offerings, and destroying does not ring a good bell."

Can we not talk about bells?

Fredric leaves a pause, but the silence that I hoped would be disturbed, still stays stagnant, to my surprise.

"I was always wondering why Vanevia is taking a very long time to develop, and it turns out, all you were able to do—"

"That's enough, Fredric," I say, steady and calm. Fredric turns alarmingly in my direction, his face, visibly showing...fear? Or confusion? But why? He was clearly about to explode.

"I am certainly not imagining Princess Cynthia to restrict his freedom of speech, especially when it has been a very long time since I last saw you in the court," says Queen Merida, who sits erect in her throne.

Freedom of speech? "Freedom of speech? Did I hear that right, Your Majesty? You are not offended when your son spoke against His Majesty...then why did you...—

"A Princess like you cannot talk against the Queen like that," she says, as I struggle to escape from Shardeel's tight grasp.

Talk like what? I did not raise my voice, I did not scream, I just...I just didn't want to hear bad things being said about father while I'm still here, at the very least. But now, my hands are tied behind, held by Shardeel's left hand, while his other one is upon my mouth. His hand is too big for my face, that almost a great part of my nose is also being tightly held. I want to cry, something says that crying might help, but the tears...I can't find them at all. Why is everyone silent? Weren't they at once, under my father's rule? Didn't they get to enjoy exclusive rights? But why am I being treated with such silence?

'...ve..ge'

Huh? What was that? What was that strange feeling? Is it...a voice?

"Take the Princess back to her chambers. This is one good reason why we don't let children attend court sessions," she says.

Laughter echos in the room. Why...why are they like this? Why...am I not able to do anything? Why...can't I just...accept this and drop my head? No...I'm not at fault...its her...its all her...I'll...that's right, I'll...make her pay.

—...why do you only prevent me?" I ask, slowly as I make a fist and look down, my chest, dancing for the raising beat of my heart.

"What are we implying here? Or is it...that day, seven years ago? I said nothing wrong that day."

As if a nerve had snapped at that remark of hers, my neck twitches once, as I allow my fists to forcebly loosen up and give in to rage as if a long, forgotten trigger has just been pulled.

I pull down the impending anger that rises at a quicker pace within me, and swallow it up as I convert it into words that I mean the least. "Henceforth, I shall take the liberty to declare that Her Majesty evidently adapts to deafness when her son is deemed to be the speaker." I exhale a heavy air.

Queen Merida quickly gets on her feet, losing her composure, a bit, before restraining herself with controlled anger. Everybody else in the room has suddenly awakened from their slumber and are wide eyedly looking at me and the Queen, with a face so pale, I can swear that they had a nightmare. They do not intend or hardly try or even think about interrupting us, for they knew it will be, but futile.

"Princess Cynthia, I believe that you did not skip your basic lessons? If so, why contort to acts of disrespect...unless you need a revision?"

"By the mention of it, Queen Merida, how about we take the lessons together?"

She swallows and I see that her tries to control her emotions are thinning out, as her anger becomes more and more evident by the moment. After a brief pause, she says, "Princess Cynthia, I command you to return to your chambers, this instant!"

She lost the moment she said that. There was nothing left for her to make me apologise or at the very least, come out with a way to punish me. The very least she was able to do was to muster her little bit of sanity that she still had left to command me to go to my chamber. "Neither do I want to waste my precious time pointing out your flaws. Well, I shall take my leave."

Without any other word, said or given, I leave the chamber leaving her flushed in anger.

In my study, I flop down on my chair behind my desk, idly closing ny eyes, listening to a monotonous silence. I no longer want to involve myself in the matter related to the dam anymore. What was even the real purpose of letting me do it, anyways? To mock me, her! She dared to go to such lengths, when she knows all to well that I take my job seriously. I would so much like to get back at her for it.

Right. I must, at once send word to Amber to not to proceed with the business of the dam anymore.

Upon my table, right at the topmost, I find the unopened letter that I received at the earliest of today. The official seal of Pesarex holds the paper together.

I use my letter opener and take the letter to light. It is from Varuna.

Princess Cynthia,

I would, at first love to thank you from the deepest depths of my heart for your kind assistance you extended to me at the herbal shop the other day. You might have known, but I shall establish that I recognised you the moment we met. How? You ask? It will be a story so long, and I must subject you to its fullest, I'm afraid. But not on paper. How much I wish to visit sweet Heranhi!

But, I am looking forward to the festival.

Yours,
Varuna . .

The letter is short. I had hoped to read more from her own hand, but I understand that it is short, for a reason. The final two lines, imply something. She only wishes to come to the castle, but looks forward to the festival. Given that it is written in a separate line, and the fact that she looks forward to seeing me, makes one thing clear. For some reason, she doesn't want to reach out to me in the castle. Instead, she wants to see me during the festival. But no...I never planned on moving back for the festival. It is around the time I must meet King Celestine...

"Tch...ah...one after the other...," I mumble to myself. I cross my arms on my desk amd rest my head on my hands, in order to take a quick nap. It is when I move my head to find comfort within my hands that I find a peculiar movement against my cheek. I focus on my finger, precisely upon my ring.

I touch the stone and confirm the fact that its hold against the metal has indeed weakened.

"Argh...one after the other!" I mumble once again before going back to sleep.