dethroning the queen

the queen of all things evil.

The golden seat with red cushion was Eden's favourite seat in the castle. There, she felt powerful, in control. She was cunning and deceiving and admired herself for it. She wouldn't tell anyone that, of course, but being one of her most trusted guards, I knew. I knew that although she was young, she was the coldest human I've ever met, and I sometimes wondered if she was really human. After all, she killed my father and decided to make me, his loving son, her personal bodyguard. Meaning that although she killed my father, I would have to risk my life for hers.

'My queen, Dashkov is here.' One of the knights called to her as he entered the queen's 'thinking room' through one of the large doors in the castle. I was over by the large wall covered in old books, reading Hamlet and contemplating about my choices when my head whipped around at the sound of Dashkov's name dripping off of the knights tongue like venom. Eden simply smirked, looking like she's been waiting for this moment for years.

'Very well, send him in.' she waved him off with the flick of her wrist and walked over hastily to the mirror in the corner. Admiring herself, she fixed her crooked crown and made her way over to her throne, wiping down her blood red dress and setting herself in a way so that she seemed at ease. She was always a good actress to the outside world and I wondered if her dress actually had any real blood on it.

As soon as she found her peace by pushing back the cuticles on her nails, the doors were slowly opening and two knights dragged in Dashkov. A dashing, man in his 30s who didn't look at all startled by the way he was being treated by the knights. Throwing him against the stairs, he fell to his knees and let out a small grunt of pain. There he lifted his head and smiled to the queen. His eyes caught mine and slowly averted themselves back to the queen, biting his lip.

'Thank you boys,' the knights left, meaning it was my time to step in. I made my way beside her chair and looked down upon him. Her eyes settled on Dashkov and smiled back at him with her mouth but showed hate through her eyes. Dashkov, noticeably shivered. I stared at her neck, wondering if I choked her, could I blame Dashkov? "Dashkov, why do you think you're here today?" Like a cat, teasing the mouse, she played with her food.

"M'Lord- Queen- Lady-, heaven not knows why you've brought me forth on this beautiful day. Magnificent isn't it?"

Slamming her first against the throne she yelled out,"So, your plans to overthrow me is not a questioning reason to bring you to me?" Taking a deep breath and playing with her hands, she relaxed again, "I thought surely, you were a smart man, Kov. I guess I was wrong." You never think you're wrong, Eden, admit it. This is all an act. Getting up she snapped her fingers, making me pull her red gloves out of my pocket and handed them to her. His body trembled as he tried to speak.

"Eden, I'm sure we can compromise-"

"It's Queen to you," she lifted his chin and pushed him back "bring forth my basin, guards." she called out. I looked over to the two guards waiting against a small black door, unlike every door in the castle that's white, she wanted this one to resemble death. Her only change to the castle after her parents died. Giving them a nod, one guard pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. Both guards went in and soon came out pulling a fountain basin and brought it before the steps. Eden, grabbed Dashkov and brought him down to the last step, just before the basin, showing him the black, dark, hell hole in the fountain.

If anyone told me that fountain is the gate to hell, with every bone in my body, I would believe it. I have believed myself, that the souls of the sad and unlawful are trapped in there. Sometimes, Eden decides to go into this room alone, and I hear her talking to herself, I don't think its a coincidence. But, if it ever happens that she magically disappears in this room, I wouldn't tell anyone.

"Please queen. You must be honest with yourself here. You've been murdering people for no reason. Fuck, think about your brainwashed guard right there. You killed his father." she put her finger to her mouth and shook her head slowly. Putting her hand in the basin she let the substance move through her fingers. Quickly she moved her hand to his temple in one fast motion. I looked away as he screamed, but I could hear him grabbing onto her arm and scratching it. Wasn't the first time someone has clawed at her.

"Try to think of something nice for me, Dashkov. The pain will go away sooner." He seemed to obey her and surely, his eyes rolled back into his head, leaving a small white canvas where colour was.

"Eden, it doesn't have to be like this." Dashkov let out with his last breath before he collapsed, and his body lay limp in her arms. She stared at him and frowned like she does with all her killings, and closed his eye lids. Then, after blinking, her smile came back and she threw him to the ground, acting as if she never had that small little moment where I almost thought she felt guilt. Almost.

"Take him away." One guard quickly ran up to Dashkov while the other walked slowly, not caring. After witnessing many deaths, you get used to seeing a soul being ripped from a body. It's almost numbing. The struggle to be 'fine' from those traumatizing events never goes away. Arthur, one of the knights, strolled into the room just in time to see the body being pulled away. Eyeing it, he tried to look away. Looking at a death of someone but not understanding how they died is always astonishing to the members of the castle who witness and know of it. Claiming someone died from magic is just crazy, but actually watching it? That's a whole different level.

"Arthur, just the beautiful man I wanted to see. Did you get the names of that little clan Dashkov was creating?" She pulled on his jacket and I rolled my eyes. Having to listen to her talk about him AND being forced to watch them flirt was not a part of my job description. Then again, I was ultimately forced into having this job.

I guess Eden considers me her best friend, only because I'm forced to be such. She has nobody else in this place to talk to and if I could, I would follow the rest of the crowd in this castle. But because her and I 'have been through the same experiences' with our parents dying (yet she killed my father), she thought it would be best if I was her extra personal bodyguard. This means, listening to her rants and agreeing when I disagree, listening to her talk about her love life (which by the way is non-existent), and having to go everywhere she goes. The only time I ever get to relax is in my home at night. Which is totally untrue because I have secret plans to recreate this town and better it.

Arthur sighed in defeat and grabbed onto her hands, pulling off her gloves and throwing them to me, "There's no trace of anything in his notes. To be perfectly honest, I am shocked, considering he keeps notes of everything. It took me five hours just to find notes that didn't involve his lazy work."

"Send some knights to his house tomorrow, I am almost positive they will be there then."

"Will do my queen." He kissed her hand and left, leaving me dealing with a squealing Eden. Just my luck.