------Chapter 8 The queens new motive------
After her frightening escapade of the night previously, she knew that the queen possessed and gleaming green orb controlling the kingdom. However, she also learned that if she was to save her kingdom, she would have to do to without being caught. Already the queen had issued warning statements and reward posters around the court and around the kingdom. Thisposter said:
HELP FIND THIS YOUNG BANDIT.
* then there was a rather inaccurate drawing of Laverna, drawn rather badly and quite insultingly.
The inscription on the poster said:
SHE HAS A BLACK HOOD AND VIOLET EYES, READY TO CATCH YOUR SOUL. THERE IS AN 15,000,00 COIN REWARD FOR HER CAPTURE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CRIMINAL REPORT IT TO YOUR NEAREST VILLAGE GUARD AND GET A SMALLER SUBSEQUENT REWARD. IF YOU DO HAVE INFORMATION WHICH YOU DO NOT PASS ON, YOU SHALL BE FINED AND IMPRISONED. SHE IS VERY DANGEROUS INDEED. BRING FORTH TO THE QUEEN, DEAD, CONFUSED OR ALIVE. ANY FAKE STATEMENTS OR PEOPLE IMPERSONATING TO HAVE FOUND HER SHALL BE EXECUTED AND THEIR FAMILIES FINED HEAVILY. YOUR QUEEN AND SUPERIOR RULER, VERIANA THE FIRST.
Then rather typically of the queen, there was a small statement on the bottom of the poster in small print saying:
* there shall be a small interest fee after requiring reward. this shall cost around fifty nine coins.
Sighing, Laverna walked away from these posters with gritted teeth. Everyday she carried on her routine, sewing and stitching, threading, and being locked in the same room until sunset. All until the queen had an change of motive. Instead of reaching out to her deprived people, she reached out to her court. She made her court guard every room of her giant palace. Except for Laverna. She was told to stay in the room. Because the queen told her that her dresses were crucial for her appearance. " she has an appetite for finery. Even more so when she knows it is stolen from the people's pockets." She then saw her great grandmother floating by the window." No one knows about the secret royal tunnel system. Not even that old crone knows about it. When each ruler is on their deathbed, they tell their successor about the secret royal tunnel system. Since your father was the successor, he learned about it, not the imposter queen. The entrance is in the chamber next to the cooks chamber. It's always locked and the key was long lost, but with that rather magical key of yours you can gain entrance to the chamber. I suggest you go now. " before Laverna could talk, her great grandmother disappeared with a wisp of smoke..
------chapter 9 the royal tunnel system--------
When all the guards were patrolling the royal wing, Laverna noticed that the guards on the workers wing were switching posts, this gave Laverna but little possible time to unlock the mysterious chamber door. While she was unlocking the door, a few shadows were gliding along the corner of the wing. Quickly, she opened the door and quietly shut it. The key gleamed red and the door then locked itself. She then saw an jet black marbled pillar with an gold plated indentation on the top of the pillar. It was inscribed with a quick message upon it. " DROP THY SCARLET ROYAL BLOOD UPON THY INDENTATION." Laverna sighed and brought an dagger to her index finger. She poked the silver blade on the pad of her finger. When blood sourced to the surface of the small wound, she hovered it above the pillar and dropped an generous amount of her blood upon the gold surface. She wiped her wounded finger with her embroidered handkerchief and saw an emerald green gleam blast from the pillar and shot through the small skylight on the stone ceiling. The pillar was then surrounded by this beam and then after clicks of gears, the pillar sunk down past the green marbled floor. This revealed an hole. Looking down this circular opening, she climbed down, giving out an doubtful sigh. Much to her surprise, the tunnel system was an narrow walkway lit up by flickering torches. This was not the surprising factor,though. The surprising factor was that this long system was not all connected together. They were connected by very deep,green and rancid-smelling underwater rivers. And how she got there was even more surprising for a royals tunnel system. She had to go through these watery links by rowing a small mahogany canoe and an single oak oar. She found her way through this place because of small chipped signs stating each of the chambers names and uses. Laverna made an sharp and sudden stop. She was here. She looked upon the sign and saw the clearly unedited sign saying: THE CHAMBER OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF ENGALOO. she opened an small door and saw small bronze steps leading to an secret box, with an shady glass screen showing the queens chamber through it. She was glad that the queen could not see her, and was equally as glad that she could still see the queen, the flap was situated underneath the queens large immovable, luxury, mahogany and gold plated bed. She saw the feet of the queen pacing up and down the marble floor. " why you pathetic excuse of an spy." Said the royal crone. " no mind. I cannot let you go now, for you know too much of my intentions. I guess I must deal with yet another coward." The queen then grabbed the ever-so mysterious emerald orb which was moved next to her satin lounging chair. She tapped the sphere with her ring finger and pointed it at a hand mirror. It gleamed blue and vibrated violently. She pointed this enchanted object at her nervous victim. Without warning, with an pained yelp, the poor worker was frozen and turned into blue transparent glass. The queen then cackled, and was brought forth an golden sledgehammer which was unusually placed in an glass cabinet ( it was clearly obvious that she did this sort of escapade quite regularly) . She swung the tool and smashed the now glass victim into thousands of shards of glass. She was then left in her chamber on her own and then stumbled to her bed post.with an yelping gasp, the evil crone turned to an shadow. She started to drip to the floor. After gasping loudly, she grabbed an elaborate bottle and dropped an drop of liquid into her mouth. She then faded back into her own self. Laverna then noticed she had to get both the bottle and orb to get an closer insight into her reign of unlawful terror. Stumbling upon the steps of the small dark box, Laverna knocked the dimmed glass in front of her and made and slight sound. " who was that? I demand to know!" Laverna noticed that was enough for one night and started to row back through the mist of the dingy and dark tunnel system. As she heard the demanding shouts of the puzzled queen. " I know it's you, niece! I shall find you!" Shouted the echoed voice of the queen in an panicky manner, as Laverna rowed back to the start of the tunnel. She had her key in her hand, and then thought that she should visit another room next to the royal family chamber. It was the locked and long-discarded royal children's chamber. She looked upon the sign in sudden tears. THE ROYAL NURSERY OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS LAVERNA OF ENGALOO. she opened up the creaky door and opened the tinted glass flap. It had an large cot with beautiful embroidered sheets. She had an portrait of an pretty little baby with her parents carrying her . She had seen her tiny little ivory dressing table with an silver brush, with tiny raven hair strands stuck in the brush, which was visibly and clearly hers. She saw an beautifully decorated tapestry, with an little scene of an princess and seven little dwarves, eating porridge at an dinner table. Laverna sighed, and pulled the curtains open in this little room to give it light. She saw other tiny locks on the grand oak door of her long forgotten chamber and locked them with great care, to make sure that no one else could enter her little space. " in soon time" sighed Laverna."I shall raise my own child in this room. I promise father. I shall get our kingdom back" she vowed, stroking her fathers painted face on the portrait. " and you, dearest mother, shall have your life full of luxury, without any disturbance, hiding or labour. I am sure of it. And my dear people, you shall be happy and secure once more, without debt or worry. I am sure of it." Laverna gently kissed the painted lips of her parents portrait and climbed out of the dimmed glass flap, and rowed away, back to her chamber.
