A tray of food was brought to Katherine and Lily's gilded prison, the woman that brought the food was not Josie but and older woman. Her hair was thick, long and grey and her skin sagged.
"Where's Josie?" Lily asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.
"Seeing to other duties today." The woman moved about the room hunched over and looking only at the floor. "The Queen has not been seen today, she's been hiding in her chambers so Josie is trying to take her food. I am Emelda." Emelda placed the silver tray down at the boudoirs dining table, she poured fresh, cold water into the goblets and put fresh wildflowers flowers in the marble vase. Emelda then left, bowing as she went and locking the door behind her. They had no chance to ask who had prepared the food, or if it had been tampered with. They also hadn't known whether it was safe to ask or if they would get an honest response.
The meal looked delicious, and they could eat it in the privacy of their room instead of under the gaze of that strange Queen. They were suspicious however, Josie had told them that Isolde spikes guests meals with the drug after all. But they were famished and desperate for some water.
"She's been shut in her room all day, she can't have made an order to spike us?" Katherine stared at the elaborate feast with a watering mouth, she so desperately wanted to dine.
"Maybe that's just what she wants us to think."
"We have to eat something. We'll need our strength."
"But if it is spiked that's it, no going back." They stood and stared at the rich meats and roasted vegetables, there were cream desserts and expensive fruits. It was torture.
"Let me taste some, then we'll know if it's safe for you." Lily offered dutifully.
"No, I need you. I can't escape without you. If we're trying it we commit and try together." They looked back to the meal, they wanted it so badly. Time plodded along and they got hungrier, thirstier, more willing to take the risk. And in turn more anxious about the dangers of eating. They had finished all of their provisions stolen from Queen Isolde's dining table the night before. Katherine swilled and smelt the water, there was no trace of anything. She brought the goblet to her mouth, wetting her lips but not drinking. Lily watched her walk the line between freedom and servitude with hesitant anxiety. Lily sat opposite Katherine and admired the pure water herself,
"Damn it, we'll have to eat eventually." Lily moved to swallow the water but fear stopped her, like hesitating at the top of a cliff, when you want to jump but your body refuses. Katherine brought the water up to her lips and poured it down her throat, it was cold and fresh, it was delightful. With the damage already done she launched into a feeding frenzy, cramming sourdough, sharp cheddar and honeyed gammon into her mouth. Lily watched her, not touching the food herself, she was waiting to see what effects the meal would have upon Katherine first. "How do you feel?"
"Normal... eat, you need it." Lily was still hesitant but drank her water and ate her share anyway. They had not been spiked, the Queen was too preoccupied by her grief to think of her prisoners. If they had known this it would have been a perfect time to escape, they would have been able to travel through the mines unchallenged. They stuffed themselves, not knowing when the next meal would come. Then they spent the afternoon staring out into the wasteland, with nothing to do the hours passed so strangely, the suns movement was the only proof that time still passed. They stayed in that room for days, though it felt like weeks, they were brought a large tray of food twice a day. Each time it came they tormented themselves over whether they could eat it or not and each time they eventually caved. Josie had not come to them in all that time, there was a new woman each time, no rapport could be made, no ally ship.
Katherine spent some of the time on the balcony, watching the dark silhouette of the Queen pacing and sitting and pacing again. She moved like a prisoner. Lily brushed and braided Katherine's hair, like she used to, searching for any normalcy; but also for a way to pass the time. They did not discuss it, but they both believed in their hearts that they had been abandoned, that Josie's ploy had been discovered. There could be no chance of escape without her, the palace was a labyrinth, filled with guards and spies. They began to wonder if they could do something, create some diversion, start a fire or push furniture from the balcony, some final action before becoming drug zombies or meeting death. Perhaps they could throw themselves from the tower, take fate into their own hands, but there was still too much hope in them for that.
On the fourth night there were echoing footsteps approaching their chamber doors, it sounded like heels. Katherine and Lily froze, terrified of what awaited them at the other side of that grand door. They clasped at each others hands, for comfort and for a false sense of protection. It was Josie who opened the door in the end, she had a black eye and was dressed in the Queen's clothes. She locked the door behind her, frantic.
"Put these on." Josie threw grey handmaid grabs to the women and they hesitated momentarily. Through shock more than anything. "Hurry up! We don't have much time." Her hands and chest were covered in bruises, she had been beaten. Katherine and Lily fumbled at their clothes, stripping and redressing as quickly as they could. Lily grabbed the last of their supplies, a rucksack and two sleeping bags. She had been wrapping scraps of food up in napkins and stuffing them into the bag, just incase. Lily stuffed their old clothes on top of the food and slung the rucksack onto her back.
Josie ushered them from the room, locking it behind them. "Keep your heads down." She whispered as they rushed down the spiral stairs, as quickly and silently as they could go. The mines were deep under the belly of the castle, there seemed to be miles and miles of dark corridors to pass through. Twisting and heading off in odd directions, Josie recognised the corridors by their decor. Each pathway was carved with a different symbol, to get to the mines they needed to follow the crystal carvings. They moved deeper and deeper, they had been seen by no one, Josie was smart enough to use the pathways that were rarely patrolled. There was only the trouble of entering the mines themselves, there were always guards at the entrance. Josie had taken a gamble, that the guards would never have seen the Queen before. That they would believe her struggling mockery of royalty.
The entrance to the mines was beyond grandeur, the doors were closed, and made of solid black marble. The slabs were engraved with depictions of angels and saints, there were garlands of roses and lilies. The details were enhanced with gold and jewels. It was the most elaborate part of the palace, the centre piece of a sort. They were outnumbered, four guards in full armour stood in front of the door, they had been drinking.
"Behind me, eyes down." Josie whispered urgently to the escapees, Josie walked out into the chamber. The guards stood in formation when they saw her, upright, right hands on the hilt of their swords. "At ease men." Josie had mastered the art of nobility, she was stood straight and proud, her voice was strong. "Open the mines." It was clear from the soldiers expressions that they were at a loss, they had been told to open the mines for nothing except the kitchen maids with their bags of food and the maids had come already that evening. "Open the mines." Josie repeated, harsher this time, to squash their hesitation. They never questioned who she was, never questioned the cowering girls that stood behind her. The knights opened the doors, heavy slow things, they revealed a darkened tunnel. Heading downward, deeper and deeper into the mines. The rhythmic sound of hammering came from below.
"Come with us?" Lily whispered to Josie, her last chance.
"No." Josie whispered back, pushing Katherine and Lily forwards towards the tunnel. They moved into the passage and stopped for a moment to look back to Josie, she smiled to them in farewell. "Close the doors." Josie commanded of the guards and they obeyed. The mountain travellers were left in the dark. Josie turned her back on the mines and marched away, she floated through the castle, she climbed the turret where Katherine and Lily had been held prisoner. Josie knew what would come for her when she was caught, she dreaded being hauled before the spider Queen. Begging and quivering on her knees, facing torture and death. She would of course be the prime suspect.
Josie paced about the prison chambers, fretting and smoking her mind to disarray. She felt perhaps she had made a mistake, that the redemption of her sins was not worth the executioner's axe. There was only one way to regain control over the situation and to save herself from weeks of cruel suffering. She knew that she could not live without the dragon, and so it was time to die with it. Josie's mind was unhinged, she was floating on the pale pink cloud of laudanum.
Josie approached the edge of the balcony and stared out into the night, the moon was full and golden, the stoney valley was illuminated with a silvery glow. It would be a beautiful last sight. Josie felt only peace as she climbed up onto the black marble balcony railings, she stretched her arms out, palms to the sky. She stared up at the moon as she let herself tip forwards, twisting and tumbling through the air. Josie felt the embrace of true ecstasy and freedom. She died on her own terms; she died chasing joy.