With these hands

In the beginning....

" If you won't cooperate with her majesty, than you shall continue to rot in the dungeon until further notice"................... Was the last thing I heard before I was thrown into the dark, damp hole in the wall that is now my home.  rubbing my wrists where the cast iron shackles were tightly clasped seconds ago.  I have no idea what day it is or how much time has gone by since I was snatched from my home by the queens henchmen and dragged before her throne.

I stay kneeled as much as the shackles would allow on the red and gold carpet that runs along the middle of the room and up to her massive gilded throne.  She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.  ebony skin like rich dark chocolate, long dredlocs the color of sunset at the tips piled high atop her head surrounded by a delicate crown of platinum carved into the shape of bejeweled leaves.  Dressed in pure silk the colors of autumn, everything about her is elegance and perfection except for those eyes, terrifying and lifeless eyes that I can feel burning a hole into me as I keep my head to the floor.

" Do you know why you're here Joel?"  Says a voice so melodic and soothing.

" No your highness, I do not."  Is all I could muster without my voice giving away just how scared I really am.

" You are Joel Darian of Elenia, are you not?"

" Yes your highness, I am."

She looks around at her faithful court and with a simple swipe of her hand she says

" Leave us." 

and just like that the room quickly empties and I hear the swish of her gown as she walks towards me, the faint smell of vanilla in the air the closer she gets to me.

" Look at me Joel."

I slowly lift my head, legs wobbly as I try to keep my balance.  She shakes her head and gently places a hand on my shackles, little orange embers of fire shoot from them and the shackles fall apart around me.  I stare at my hands in disbelief.

" There is so much to tell you with not enough time to do so, so I will cut to the chase.  I saw the look on your face when I removed those shackles so its safe to assume that you know nothing of the magic that still flows through this kingdom."

" I'm just a farmers daughter, stories of magic are only fairy tales in my home."

" Until now?"

" Yes, until now."

" And how would you feel if I told you that you have that same power running through your veins as we speak?

" Surely you have the wrong person your highness, as I said, I am........"

" Just a farmers daughter."  She finishes. looking at me curiously with an arched eyebrow.

" Have you heard the story of how I became queen Joel?"

" Yes your highness, you were hand picked by the king himself as you were the most beautiful of all the ladies in the kingdom." I repeated the story I've been told a million times.

" And that,my young farmers daughter is complete bullshit!......now, are you going to keep spewing the same nonsense you've been forced to believe your whole life or are you ready to hear the truth about who your queen really is?"