Queen Bee

For My Home

    I find myself at his door. It's dark and I feel a coldness seeping from the room. Slowly, I push it open and see the bed where he laid. 

    "Olivier?" I call out in a whisper, hoping he doesn't respond. I want to see him, but I don't want to have to face him again. I push the door the rest of the way, but hes not in the room. The window is slightly ajar with a cold wind blowing the curtains in as they beckon me closer. I follow them as they pull me to the window, pushing it all the way open. 

    "Olivier?" This time, louder, he hears me and turns his head with a fright. I want to apologize for scaring him, but his eyes tell me to not say anything as he pulls me onto the roof with him. 

    "I'm so, so sorry Adela." His voice breaks with despair and I want to hug him so badly. But I don't. I can't. 

    "I know you are. Remember when you first arrived at the castle?" I take in a deep breath, the words finally breaking out of me. He nods, a confused look in his eyes. 

    "I thought you were a know-it-all because of your books. Most princes are, you know?" We manage a small laugh, a small chunk of a barrier breaking between us. 

    "You were right. I am a, how you say, 'know-it-all'. Sometimes." 

    "No, I was wrong. And..." I pause, the words barely managing to come out, "I'm afraid I may be wrong this time, too." I watch for his reaction, but he just stares below us, barely breathing. When he doesn't say anything, I blurt out the first thing I've been thinking about. 

    "How did you do it?" He looks at me, nose red from the cold, or maybe surprise. 

    "What?"

    "How did you...kill them?" 

    "He gave me a choice, while you were in the dungeon. Kill them with a sword or force poison into them. But, the poison works quicker. He knew I knew that, so he made me drink some of the poison too. Not enough to kill me, of course, but...it was over within seconds." His face grows pale, his body almost fading into the bleak, almost winter background. 

    "Why?" I'm not sure which why I'm asking. Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did Jules make you kill them? Why kill them? Why did you kill them? Why would you drink the poison, just to make their deaths quicker. 

    "Because, he said he would kill you too if I did not kill them. I did not want to tell you because I feared you may blame yourself." 

    "I wont blame myself. Jules did that, all of this. It not my, our, fault." I set my gaze hard, finally determined to finish Jules once and for all. I was hesitant in killing him, but now I know there's no other way. I want to do it now too. 

    "Adela, look." I look to see a small, fluffy bee bumbles past, making its way to the garden below. Even though its cold, this little guy decided is somehow still alive. I feel Olivier place his hand on my shoulder, breaking the invisible wall between us. I look into his emerald eyes as he leans closer, gently planting a kiss on my lips. He pulls back, looking at me in question. I answer by grabbing his head and pulling him in for another kiss. He embraces me, the warmth I've missed suddenly enveloping me again. I wrap my arms around his neck, letting him pull me onto his folded leg beneath us so I can reach him better. I close my eyes as the same, amazing feeling floods my body. I never want to let go. After what feels like only a few seconds, we slide apart. He smiles, dimples forming on the sides of his big grin. 

    "I missed you, Adela."

    "I missed you too." We scramble back inside and away from the cold, laughing giddily. He closes the windows and I ask what the time is. He looks up at the sky, then says "A little past eleven." My heart sinks a little in my chest, remembering what I have to do. 

    "I need to go. See you later?"

    "Always." Before I can convince myself to stay longer, I dart out the door with a smile. 

    As I approach the door to the dining hall, I hear Jules talking to a servant. When I enter, he dismisses the man immediately, standing in greeting. I force another, less genuine smile as he pushes my chair up to the table after I sit. 

    "Hello, Darling, how are you?" I watch as he pours himself a generous cup of wine. 

    "I'm fine. How are you?"

    "Just as well!" He pours me a glass too, pushing toward me smoothly. Now I just have to figure out how to slip the poison into the drink and be done with it all. I nonchalnelty pretend to fix the waist band of my skirt, getting the vial into my grip. I wrap my fingers around it to hide the yellow petals from view. 

    "You know, I was thinking of having a ball. Astaria hasn't seen one in ages and so I think it's time we brought them back." Jules begins to talk on and on while I quietly grunt in agreement to whatever he says. 

    "Jules, I think I may have dropped a hair pin the floor, could you help me find it?" I begin 'searching' the ground, ignoring his slight look of annoyance when I interrupted him. He scoots his chair out and begins looking under the table. I cease the moment, standing with such momentum that my chair almost tips backwards. I twist the bottle open, unaware of Jules' grumbles and pour the flakes into his wine. I watch as they slowly begin to dissolve, stashing the vial back into my pocket. I bend down to join him in search of my non-existent hair pin. We give up, slowly returning to the table. 

    "I'll just by you a new one, eh?" I nod, putting some food on my plate. He smiles, proud of himself and I watch as he takes a small drink from the glass. 

    "How about a toast?" I say, a little louder than I intend to. I lift my glass in the air as Jules slowly does the same. 

    "For what?" He asks, eyebrows raised in question. 

    "For...for me returning safely!"

    "Oh, well I suppose a toast is in order then!" He chuckles, tapping his glass against mine. I watch as he takes a big drink, slowly sipping out of mine. It burns going down my throat, but I barely notice. My heart is thumping, wondering how long this will take. I can't help but smile triumphantly. Jules stares at me in confusion. 

    "What is going on with you today?"

    "Nothing." He looks in his drink, then to my surprise, dumps the rest of his in my glass. 

    "I've decided to cut back on the wine. During the day at least." My smile fades as his wine mixes into mine. 

    "What's the matter?" Nothing. it couldn't be enough to kill me, right? Godfrey said he used a little for seasoning. I just wont drink anymore. 

    "I'd like for you to try it. You should practice taking larger sips if you ever want to get used to drinking alcohol." I gulp. 

    "No, thank you. I'm not thirsty." 

    "Adela, I strongly urge you to." 

    "I'm very tired, from the events of this morning. I think I may go take a nap." I try to stand, but Jules wraps his foot around my chair so it wont budge. 

    "What are you doing, Adela?" 

    "Nothing. Nothing at all." He stares at me and I feel my heart pounding in my ears. 

    "Then drink the wine." He says through gritted teeth. I slowly pick up the glass, swirling it around. Then, I put it on the ground and jump out of my chair instead of scooting it back first. He stands, reaching me before I even make it halfway across the room. He pins me against the wall, breathing heavily into my face. 

    "Tell me what you're up to Adela, now." I laugh. He blinks in confusion and I laugh more. 

    "I don't have to tell you anything. You're a dead man." Then its his turn to laugh and I blink in confusion. 

    "You tried to kill me?"

    "Not tried, I already have. I poisoned your drink." 

    "With what?" He smiles, despite my words.

    "Yellow flakes, some sort of poison I was given. You're dead Jules." He laughs, causing me to flinch. Then, lets me down from the wall. I let out a breath, not realizing I was holding on in. 

    "Do you think I've made it this far, conquered this many countries without people making attempts on my life? Young lady you have a lot to learn." My face goes pale, unsure of what he means. He reads my expression, a sinister smile curling his lips. 

    "I've spend the past forty or so odd years making sure I was immune to as many poisons as possible. I've taken them in small doses until I've achieved this and your little poison was one of the first I built an immunity against." My heart drops, any hope in success fleeting from my trembling limbs. I can't lose. The bell tower rings twelve ear-piercing chimes. Jules looks at me like the pathetic girl I am, a hint of sorry in his eyes. 

    "I'm guessing that was the signal? You'll be attacking now?" I don't respond, so he nods his head for me. I mumble a curse at him, spitting out words I've never used before. He slaps my face, leaving a warm, tingly feeling on my cheek. 

    "The world is cruel, Adela. You should have known you would lose to a man like me." He quickly pours another cup of wine, gulping it down and wiping his face. As Jules walks out, he bargains "if you stay in here until I'm finished, I may let you live." He spares no glance at me as he slams the dooro shut behind him. I let out a shudder, forcing the tears to stay inside. I rub my eyes, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. 

    "You can do this. You have to." I whisper to myself, "or else he'll kill them all." I run out of the dining hall, making a list of priorities in my head. I pass my room old room and hesitantly enter. It smells of citrus, but I don't take the time to enjoy it. I flip my bags over until I find the knife my mother gave me hidden inside one. I open it, and ascend back into the hall.