Fear me not

Pass on

Ricky ceased his weeping and stared at the ceiling of his dungeon, chained to the board. 'I've been in this position before. Abducted from where I thought was my home. Broken. Restrained. Powerless. Fearful... I'm so lost as to what to do that I don't even feel like fighting. It's clear now that I will never be happy and always live in fear.' He was so deep in thought and so far away from the ground floor to feel Chris searching for him. After circling, what appeared to him, the entire castle, he had yet to find him. Him and josh reached the hall where he first saw Ricky's face and chuckled to himself.
"What's so funny?" Josh asked him.
"This is where I first met Ricky." Chris said, gazing far into the distance as if he wasn't entirely there.
"I remember bumping into him right here, then looking at that clock there to see that I caught him right on time." He looked at the grandfather clock then walked towards  it to touch it. A tear seeped from his face as he also recalled the fear on Ricky's face.
"It's like I'm reliving the past." Chris looked directly at the whole piece then noticed something strange about it. He reached his hand out to grab the side.
"Chris! Someone's coming this way." Chris immediately backed away from the hall and ran the opposite direction. Then a woman walked towards the clock with great speed and opened it to allow herself to go down the steps. Ricky heard foot steps and looked in that direction to see who was trudging that fast down the steps. The woman came out of the dark, flickered the lights on and then walked towards him.
"Mother?"
"Quick. We don't have that much time." She said to him as she was loosening the restraints.
"What're you doing?"
"Richard. I know I never gave you a proper life but I want you to know that everything, every decision I've ever made since your birth was for your own protection. Your father was never a kind man to me or to you but I've kept you safe. But being safe isn't enough. I want you to go away from here and to never return. Do you understand? Runaway and be happy. Far away so that your father doesn't find you."
"But mother, who will take care of this kingdom?"
"There is a new heir to the throne. Your brother. Dear God! When I saw him I thought it was you for a second, but it wasn't you. I just knew it. A mother knows. Your father is trying to pass him as you but it won't work. He doesn't have your tenderness and strength. Richard I must tell you something." She ripped the final restraint off him and made him sit for this one. "I never told you this but.. your grandmother was a witch. A very powerful one at that. I didn't grow up as royalty. I grew up the same way you lived for the past couple of days. Look at this." She swayed her fingers in mid air and a few spurs of colorful light appeared and fell. It was magical. Ricky stared at her in awe.
"You're a witch too?"
"Not exactly. I was just able to do a few tricks here and there." She smiled. "You love it there. Just like I did. You discovered yourself and you were happy. I felt it." She smiled and brushed his hair out of his way. "I always loved your long hair. You remind me a lot of your grandmother. You have her strength. You might even be stronger than her. She was admired by all. Until your father came and ruined her land. He took me as a hostage and burned the rest of the witches, including my mother. Made me watch too, just to prove to me that he can hurt me if he wants to. Then he made me his wife as some self righteous purpose but didn't tell anyone about my past. Wouldn't dare have anyone know of my origins. And when you mysteriously appeared next to your brother that morning, I knew you were special and that you were going to be legendary. He made me choose between the both of you and that was the hardest decision I ever had to make, but I knew I had to keep you next to me. I knew I had to protect you." She had tears in her eyes. "I blame your brothers behavior on me. I should've stood my ground and have told him to keep both or to at least try to give him a better life. But I was scared. And because of that, I filled you with fear. Richard." She held his hands in hers and looked into his eyes. "I am truly sorry you never got to live a proper happy life. But now you can! Go, escape!"
"Come with me!"
"Haha. Oh Richard if only that was possible. It was always a dream of mine to see you smiling and using your powers. But he'll come back after me."
"Mother I know what he does to you. I heard and saw."
"A small price to pay to keep his anger away from you." They stared at each other and then embraced.
"I have always loved you Richard. And always will. Remember that."
"I love you too, mom." They stayed in that position for a few seconds.
"Alright. We must hurry." She grabbed his hand and pulled him up.
"Can you run."
"Yes."
"Good. Let's go." They both ran up the steps and reached the hall and made it out of there too. They began walking to make it look like everything was normal.
"My lady. Prince." A guard bowed. They put their heads down to accept his respectful gesture.
"They don't seem to see me as a prisoner."
"As I said, your father is trying to pass on Mathew as you."
"Right." They reached the garden where a stallion was waiting for them.
"Take her and run away. Do you know the path?"
"Kind off."
"It will do." She said.
"Wait!" He embraced her one last time.
"Thank you for everything mom." He said with a tear.
"Oh rich-" then, with lightning speed, she turned them around. A grunt escaped from his mothers lips and they both went tumbling down.
"Mom?" Ricky whispered and looked at her face. She looked horrified. He turned her to see that someone had thrown a knife that struck her back. She was sputtering blood out.
"Mom!" He screamed. He looked up to see that someone had tried to swiftly escape the scene, but he saw the long black hair. He knew it was his brother. He looked back down.
"Mom! Wait! Wait! I can heal you. Just hold on!" He tried to heal her but it didn't work.
"Wait! I can try to take the pain away long enough for someone to come and aid you!" He searched around the garden.
"Help!" He screamed.
"HELP!" He screeched louder with tears streaming down his face. He felt a limb fall and a horrible sensation spread threw him like wildfire. He felt his mothers death sweep right past him.
"Mom?" No reply.
"No no no no no no no..." he repeated to himself as he held onto her and rocked her back and forth.
"No no come back. Come back." Blood was now getting on him but he couldn't care less.
"Ricky!" He heard from a distance. He looked up.
"Ricky." Chris came running with a sword in his hand. He stopped for a second to take in what was happening. Ricky scrunched his face to let more tears fall.
"Ricky. I'm sorry. I should've found you sooner."
"H-H-How did you f-f-f-find me?" He stuttered.
"I heard you scream."
"Look you guys I'm happy we're all reunited but we have to get out of here NOW. We can mourn later." Josh said as he looked behind him.
"We have to go Ricky. Come on." Chris pulled him up and held his hand as they ran. Ricky looked back at his dead mother for one last time, to know that it was real..  that she was gone...