One True Queen

“We have to make a plan.”

“They can read our minds though.” Tyler protests to Elliot’s suggestion.

“What about winging it?” Angelica suggests.

“We may as well surrender.” Chloe interjects.

“They have secure defence systems.” Lady Isabella points out.

“But my team got through easily.” Isla replies.

“You have magic.” Lizzy exclaims calmly.

“We could use magic.” Hagatha suggests.

“But they’ll see that coming.” Rachel protests.

“What about Queen Leah?” Elliot asks.

“She’s too weak.” Tirus answers.

“Oh my God, stop.” I say and everyone grows silent.

“We need a plan and we need to use whatever we can. It doesn’t matter what they can do back, because we need to get them first.” They nod.

“The defence system is quite weak.” Isla replies.

“With magic, we could manage to penetrate their forces.” And that’s when the idea occurred to me. Ari. Her letters. Maybe she sent something that could help... I just need to get to my room...

“All I need is to get into my room.” I say certainly.

“I could jump you there.” Tyler replies. Tirus squeezes Tyler’s hand tightly.

“And I’ll manage without you. We’ll go for the throne room, ready for you.” Tirus nods to me. I nod back.

“We’ll take the dungeons.” Isla and her group nod. “There might be some allies down there.”

“And I’ll send warnings out. Lookout.” Rachel says. We have a plan. Finally... Tyler takes my hand and squeezes it reassuringly.

“It’s now or never. On your order.” He whispers.

“Let’s go.” I say clearly, before entering the swirling vortex of colours. It takes a little longer to appear in my room. I guess he was using my memory to find it. Sure enough, a letter sits on my desk from this past girl. So I hurriedly pick up the paper, ignoring Tyler’s confused looks and read.

Dear Bekka,

Yeppers! I’m from before the Silver reign :D Oooh, Elliot sounds REALLY cute!! I imagined him having dark brown hair and brown eyes, but I suppose I was way off... Though his description was better than my imagined one :) Oh, really? Not many straight people? That’s quite interesting... Yes, I thought there were plenty! And in my time, I think there are equal people of straight and not straight. Lots of curiosity,

Ari

I smile at the friendly note. Before the Silver reign, huh? But one word sticks out to me. Equal people. Equal. That’s it! Warrick and I aren’t equal. But Reginald... I have to fight him. One on one. But not before I reply to Ari. Wow! Yeah, he’s adorable! More homosexuals came out in my time. If we have to go with average percentage, I think it’s 55% to 45%. It’s not much, but straights are still the minority. With love, Bekka But I’m in such a rush, I forget to write who it is for. But the letter vanishes anyway, so it must know. Somehow...

“I need Lord Reginald.” I say to Tyler and he frowns, but he doesn’t protest.

“Okay.” He replies.

“Reginald. Meet me in the throne room. Just you. Just me.” I tell him. Tyler takes my hand, and we jump... We appear in the throne room, almost immediately Tyler jumps away again, and Lord Reginald storms through the large doors. I remember first walking through those doors, discovering I was a Silver. Now look where I’ve come. It seems like years ago, but it hasn’t even been two weeks. Now I’m fighting for the throne... I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Chloe... What if I didn’t meet Chloe in that van, before the war?

“I wonder that too. Shall we find out, Rebecca?” He grins, with a crooked smile, his fingers sparking horrifically.

“I-” But my protests don’t do anything to stop the powerful spell coming my way...

“I’m sorry...” She whispers. I watch her with a confused look, as she backs away from me.

“What do you mean?” I ask. Guards rush over, guns ready. What’s going on? I look around, watching myself. I’m in the war... But where’s Chloe? This didn’t happen. Chloe comes to my rescue, takes me to the palace. There weren’t any Officers... But the scene continues, and I am forced to watch, unable to protest, unable to communicate.

“What’s going on?” I ask and glance down to my fresh wound. Blood is pouring from it. Silver blood...

A week in this dungeon... Why am I here? I shouldn’t be... This didn’t happen. But I cannot free her… It’s only a week later. I sit in the dungeon of the palace, awaiting my fate. They rushed me straight away. They called me a Witch. A Silver-blooded Witch. The Queen of Tork is still yet to decide what to do with me... A girl makes her way down the dungeon stairs, a girl with platinum blonde hair and incredibly pale skin.

“My name is Lady Barslow. And you are responsible for my mother’s death.” She hisses in anger. Her fingers spark, flames blocking her own exit. Or someone else’s entrance...

“I... What?”

“You killed my mother. She was killed because you were dragged in and some boy killed her. We have figured out that he killed her because of you. Some boy called Elliot Johnstone.” She hisses. I vaguely remember Elliot. We had a delightful conversation in the van, heading to the war. But why would he kill some Silver Lady? But Lady Barslow genuinely believes I’m evil. And she’s ready to kill me.

“Stop! Stop!” I scream, but they don’t hear. It’s not supposed to be this way. I never would want to hurt you Chloe!

“They told me to wait for your fate, but why should my mother’s killer run free? He may have committed the crime, but you were why. You’re just as guilty as he is.”

“I don’t even know you.” I protest and she throws her head back and laughs.

“I know you, Bekka Aria Carpenter. They want you on the throne. My throne. There’s only one true queen. And that’s me.” She hisses, moving towards me in pure hatred. The look in her eyes is nasty. Evil.

“And I will do anything to wear my crown. Not you, or anyone else will stand in my way.”

“You’re evil.” I whisper.

“I used to think I’d be a lovely queen, unite all kingdoms. Until Reds murdered my mother. And now, I don’t care who I murder. If they get in my way, I’ll get rid of them. And first is the Queen...”

“You can’t just kill the quee-”

“I can do as I please, and no Red-Bred will stop me.” She snaps, throwing a small ball of fire, which hits me in the face and a terrifying sensation takes hold of me, my face burns. I flinch at her words, watching myself in the cell. This isn’t Chloe... But yet, it is... My scream is so loud that people could probably hear it miles away. But she just smiles.

“You’re next, Red-Bred. Just wait and see...”

It was only a few hours later, when I saw Elliot again. Elliot... What have they done to you...? His face was bloody, his eyes were purple around the sockets. His nose was positioned at an odd angle. But he manages a small, crooked smile and winces because of it.

“Bekka.” He says with a wobbled tone.

“You remember my name?” I ask and he grins.

“Of course. How could I forget a name like yours?” But I hear a scream in the distance and both Elliot and I turn to the direction of the sharp sound. We know.

“She’s done it. She’s the heir. She’s the Queen.” Elliot whispers, the sound is unnatural. The croaking. But Lady Barslow’s scream pierces the air. It’s not real, I can tell.

“Down here!” She shrieks. Guards run down the stairs to Elliot and I, with Lady Barslow trailing behind.

“Queen Chloe, is it these who have murdered our Queen?” A Guard asks her and she watches my expression with a look in her eyes. A look that tells me that she was right. I am next.

“Yes. I’m certain.”

“No!” I scream but no one listens... And the guards raise their guns. A sharp pain fills my brain as the bullet hits me and all goes black. Black forever...

I am on the floor, as if it was all a dream, and Lord Reginald leans over me.

“Was it a happy ending?” He asks with a knowing grin. I scowl.

“You can’t win.” I growl.

“Did I win in that?” He asks.

“Chloe did.”

“And was she good?” He asks. The horrific image of Elliot, beaten and broken, and Queen Leah’s scream ringing in my ears forces me to stay silent. He knows anyway.

“I always win, child. Always.” He cackles. But I’m not so sure. The sounds of battle can be heard behind the large doors, but I think I know what I need to do. So I take up a nearby sword, from a Guard who seems to be dead. I didn’t notice him before, but he’s there now. Reginald laughs.

“You think you can beat me with a sword?” He roars. But I know what I need to do. So I raise the sword and plunge it into my own chest. My Silver blood pours from the wound, and Reginald stumbles back in surprise.

“What are you doing?” He asks me, as I collapse.

“Defeating you.”

“You’re killing yourself.” He stutters. But he’s on the floor too. He stands there, behind the wounded Lord and grins.

“I’m going down in the history books for injuring the most Kings.” Elliot chuckles before seeing me. He runs over, and I laugh weakly.

“Goodbye Elliot. Look after Tork for me...” I whisper, before everything goes black forever...

Ha! Did you think I died?! Well, I did. But Witches have three lives, remember? Elliot certainly didn’t. He was in tears when I woke up. I certainly gave him a fright. I don’t think he was happy when I chuckled and yelled,

“February’s fools!” Not that it exists, but he is February’s fool. Nor was he happy to see Reginald was still alive. But I finished it off quickly. Queen of Hearts style. I think she’d be proud. Warrick was finished off by Lady Leah and Chloe.

Lady Leah went on a lovely retirement retreat. Her old age and injuries were too much for court. And as for me. You’re looking at the new Queen of Tork. Everything changed. They continued to change. But it was easy. An easy rule. The Camaranians backed off when their King died. Philip and my evil mother went to rule Camaran. They left Harnesk, but no one ever goes there. I’m not surprised. I continued talking to Ari. King Elliot and I married at the age of twenty-two. Rachel and Isla married a year later. And when Tyler reached the age of twenty-three, he married Tirus. He waited so that Tirus could reach twenty. I thought we were all settled.

But something happened. It was on the day I discovered the genders of my babies. The little Princesses of Tork. We were on our way back to the palace, discussing names. I’m still determined for Evelyn and Hannah. But I accidentally caught my arm on a thorn bush. Normally, that would be the least of my worries. But it wasn’t. Because my blood wasn’t Silver.

It was white…