Long Live The Queen

Chapter 7: Pretenses and Debates

When they finally reached her room, Iris looked around her new quarters appreciatively. There were vital items already placed in the room, and in the closet, dresses were already hanging. Her bed was huge, and a purple canopy hung over it on a bedframe that was gilded with silver and gold.

"Well, even if I am a prisoner destined to be murdered violently at least I'll be comfortable." She said, grinning. Mia and Evelyn looked at her, discomfort on their faces. "What? Don't tell me the previous Queens were deluded enough to think they would survive until old age?" Iris chuckled lowly. She turned to another door in her room and opened it to a bathroom joined to her bed. A large deep tub sat and she pointed. "That. That's exactly what I need." She said.

"I'll get the water heated," Evelyn said, hurrying into the room that lead to where Iris assumed the fireplaces were to heat the water that would fall into the tub. When they were left alone, Mia sighed softly.

"It's uncomfortable that you are so crass about your future." She said, entering the closet. "What would you like to wear to dinner with the King?"

"I have to eat with him?" Iris asked, looking into a large vanity mirror that hung over a station where she would put on any jewlery or do her hair. Her ebony hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes had dark circles under it. She hadn't slept in almost 48 hours, and the porcelain skin under her eyes was baggy.

"Don't worry, he'll get bored of the pretenses of this marriage soon enough," Mia answered, pulling out a sapphire blue gown. "Hmm?" She asked, holding it and Iris shook her head.

"No. Too pretty. It's bad enough I have to look at him again so soon. Something plain." She said, picking up a brush and attempting to work the knots out of her hair. Mia nodded, frowning.

"I just don't want to delude myself. I want to survive. But I can't sit here and think things will be fine." Iris answered. "Pretenses are exhausting, and I will be tired enough in the near future trying to figure out a strategy to stay alive as long as possible." She was careful with her words. She didn't quite trust Mia and Evelyn just yet. She didn't know exactly where their loyalties would lay if the time came to choose. She wanted to win their favor before actively enlisting them and risking their lives in her mission to end Jonathan's life.

"So what you're telling me is, I won't have to sit here and coddle you and tell you lies to help you sleep at night?" Mia asked, pulling out a simple green dress and laying it down on the bed.

"Gods and Goddesses no. Absolutely not." Iris huffed as she ran the brush through her hair, her golden eyes watching Mia's face carefully in the mirror.

"I see..." Mia said softly, before nodding. "You are by the far the strongest woman he has ever brought to this castle. Most of them were simpering crybabies. Just so you know, for the rest of your belongings, a servant has been sent to your home to collect them." Iris was comforted by this. The clothing she wore at home was simple and not at all elegant or extravagant. Her family did not waste their resources on keeping up with the illusion of being well off. Instead, the spare money they may have gotten from taxes went right back into their region's economy flowing enough to keep people fed as much as they could. She grew accustomed to it, and she didn't care for the extravagant nature of most other noble girls.

"Thank you." Iris said, putting the brush down now that her hair had been smoothed and all sign of the physical assault on her was gone from it.

"While she's not here, I want to speak frankly to you. If I may?" Mia sat down on the edge of the bed, and Iris noted her face looked tired.

"About?"

"Everything. Evelyn has never been a Queen's maiden. I, however, have been here a while. I've seen a couple of Queens....reigns. Frankly, Evelyn has no idea about the horrors she's going to most likely see with you. And I thought I would forewarn you since you'll be the one surviving them."

"You mean until I stop surviving them?" Iris turned and looked at Mia with a hard stare, and Mia closed her eyes and nodded forlornly.

"I suppose." She said, though her eyes were on the floor and her gaze suggested she was more delved into her mind to pay attention to Iris's forwardness.

"So talk to me," Iris said, sitting on the bed next to the woman. Iris took the time to notice that Mia was a few years older than she was, her hands were dry as if she was worked to the bone, and her frame was thin, though the castle was probably the one place in the kingdom where food was abundant, thanks to Flora.

Mia looked up at Iris, and once again Iris noticed that her eyes were haunted.

"I...the best way I can explain it is to tell you what I've seen." She said nervously. "I was there, hidden in the room when he killed the last Queen." She said softly, tears filling her eyes. Iris gasped softly, turning to face the woman.

"Oh...Mia."

"The ghoul came in to warn us. I ran and hid because I didn't have much time. In the closet, but I kept the door cracked. When he came in, the air went cold. When he talked, it was like several voices came out of him. He demanded her clothes off and she did. He was violent. He punched her, beat her, and she cried out. Begged for him to stop. I heard her leg break when he yanked her open to... And then he just began to stab her. He kept going though. He didn't stop until he came. He literally f****d her corpse until he was done. And then he lay next to her... just smiling, admiring the sight." Mia shuddered, her arms had wrapped around her thin frame and she clutched herself. Iris listened, her body rigid, her heart pounding.

"Mia... that had to be..."

"Obviously it wasn't as bad for me as it was for her." Mia's voice was shaking and Iris shook her head.

"No...I mean yes. But, you saw that. That had to be terrifying."

"The worst part was the smell. Like rotten eggs. Like pure evil." Mia whispered, her face contorting as if the smell still lingered in her nose. Iris took in this information, new fear coiling down in her stomach. "He's evil," Mia said, nodding as if convincing someone else. "He stayed there for hours, and I crept to the back of the closet. He never found me there, but when he left, I was too scared to move. Late that night, the ghoul came back and sniffed me out. He took me to the maid's champers. He doesn't talk, but he seemed to be trying to be sweet... if ghouls can be. The next day the room had been cleaned out, the mattress was gone. Like she never existed." Mia took in a deep breath. Tears had formed in her eyes and she wiped them away. She turned her green eyes to look into Iris golden ones.

"I don't know if telling you this will help. But I want you to know what... kind of person he is. I can't do anything more than that to help you." She said, and Iris reached over and took Mia's hand.

"Thank you, Mia." Evelyn then came back into the room, smiling at them cheerfully. She seemed to be oblivious to the mood of the room and she nodded towards the bathroom.

"Water is warm!" She declared cheerfully.

The girls left Iris to bathe, promising to fetch her for the meal with Jonathan. Iris dipped herself into the big tub and submerged herself in the scalding hot water up into her nose, and stayed there with closed eyes, forcing her mind not to think too hard until it went cold.

Dressing herself in her green dress, she again brushed her hair and put it into a sideways braid. It wasn't long after she was ready that Evelyn popped her head in.

"It's time, Your Majesty." She said.

"Call me Iris." Was the answer that felt most appropriate as she followed her out of the room and toward the dining hall.

She sat down at the long table, to the right of the King who was already sitting there, enjoying a plateful of grapes.

"Why, hello there," Jonathan said, sounding almost charming as he smiled, pushing a plate of fruit at her. Iris's stomach turned, but she knew if she didn't eat it may be cause for offense. She picked up a berry and popped it in her mouth, and Jonathan watched her with intense hazel eyes.

"You know... fruit is so rare outside of the castle." Iris didn't bother with greetings or formalities. Looking at him made her sick to her stomach and she had to shove down memories of this afternoon, his presence immediately wanting to go straight back into a hot scalding bath.. The dark energy that radiated off of him was thick, and it made matters worse.

"That's too bad. Must be miserable." Jonathan's voice was dull, and Iris fought the waves of anger that threatened to rise within her.

"It is. People are starving." She stated in a careful voice. She picked up another piece of fruit and ate it, mostly to keep her mouth busy to keep from saying what she really wanted to.

"Mmm. But you aren't." Jonathan answered, raising his eyebrow at her as if he didn't understand why this was even a topic of discussion.

"No. But if your people are dead, then there isn't much of a kingdom is there?"

"True. No matter how true it is though, the fact is I can't make it rain. It hasn't rained for years. Not much to do about that, now is there?"

"Perhaps you can't make it rain... that is true. But you have resources. Obviously, you're not going without. Why can't we pool these resources for the rest of the kingdom?" Iris asked. She made her voice inquisitive, curious as if she were genuinely confused, and Jonathan laughed.

"Concerning myself with the people's problems is not my problem. Quite honestly it bores me. There are plenty of magic users across the nation. If the people wanted they could pay for their services."

"Are there plenty of magic users left? I remember all of them that resided in our region being arrested and brought here years ago. Never to be seen again." Iris pointed out and Jonathan grinned.

"Only those that made it clear they wouldn't be obedient." He answered. Iris grit her teeth. A large plate was brought out to her, and delicacies of meat and vegetables were piled high on it. Looking at it made Iris feel guilty, but her stomach clenched in hunger, reminding her she hadn't eaten properly in almost two days. She picked at a pile of smashed potatoes, and she began to eat. Jonathan ate as well, his eyes shamelessly boring into her, staring her down.

Finally after a few moments, Iris looked up at him back, her lips turning down into a pout.

"I just hate to see the people suffer. I mention it only because I hate to think of my family, and my region all suffering."

"I see. I'm sorry I don't have a more satisfying response." His voice drawled in an uninterested tone, and Iris sighed.

"Your people are all suffering." She said again. "Your people. Your kingdom is weak." She said, and Jonathan turned to her, his fork setting down on the table. His eyes flashed in anger, and Iris bit her lip.

"I allow them to live. I don't care about having a kingdom. I don't care about their problems. They are allowed to live. I could have soldiers go and drag women from their beds, brought here for my pleasure. Instead, I pleasure myself with a wife. A new one every few years. I could feed their children to my pets out in my menagerie. I could gut men while their wives watch. But I contain myself. Having a kingdom is nothing to me. They suffer, and I entertain myself. That is how it is." He snarled. Iris watched as his hazel eyes turned black, and an alarm ran through her.

What was that? Was he under some kind of spell? Or maybe he did dark magic of his own? She leaned back in her chair and nodded.

"Understood. You don't care. But I do." She answered softly, her golden eyes watching him carefully as he bristled.

"Am I to care about your weeping woes?" He asked cruelly, and Iris smiled.

"I don't care if you care. I simply ask one thing." Iris suddenly had an idea, and the opportunity was now.

"You don't get to make demands of me!"

"This is not a demand. It's a plea, husband. I am asking for your permission. You are the King and you are the master of this place. I can't do anything without it being at your pleasure or permission." Iris hated herself for reaching forward and placing a hand gently on one of his, and the Mad King relaxed, raising his eyebrows at her statement of submission. He turned his hand over and grabbed hers, yanking her up and out of her chair and pulling her into his lap.

"That's right. You are my pet, my trophy, my wife. And I don't need to tell you what happens to the pets that disobey me, do I?" He whispered in her hair as his other hand snaked through her dark braid, yanking her head back to expose her neck. Iris wanted to gag and run away. She wanted to yank herself out of his grasp, but she stayed still, keeping her breathing calm as fear and revulsion swam through her.

"No, Your Majesty." She whispered, and Jonathan chuckled before letting her hair go.

"What is it you want permission to do?" He asked, and Iris turned her golden eyes up at him.

"Allow me to take leftover food after the servants have all eaten and distribute it to the citizens of the city outside these walls."

Jonathan narrowed his eyes in clear irritation and Iris smiled up at him.

"I will tell them they are tokens from you. They are so starved they will be grateful. They will praise you, think of how useful that could be later." She urged, quickly spinning something favorable for him. He paused, leaning back in his chair, though his arm wrapped around her waist firmly. He picked up a grape and held it to her lips. Iris opened her mouth, fighting the urge to run to the other side of the room.

"Every so often you need to throw a starving dog a bone, to keep it from turning on you." She told him after swallowing the grape he placed in her mouth, and Jonathan looked thoughtful.

"It would be good to get a better idea of what the scum of my kingdom are doing and saying." He said. "Should you hear anything of interest while on your charity runs, you will report back to me?"

"Of course." She said, her golden eyes watching him as his once again hazel eyes glazed over as he thought about her words.

"Very well. You may do as you please with the food here in the kitchen. And you will tell me should you hear anything that might be of interest to me." He said, his hand roaming her thigh carelessly. Iris wanted to pick up the knife meant for meat that lay near his place and shove the blade through his wandering hand, but she kept her body still and as relaxed as she possibly could.

"You may prove to be useful and more interesting than I bargained for, little flower." Jonathan mused, suddenly a large smile spreading across his predatory face. "Go eat, before I decide to eat you." He ordered, letting her up to go back to her chair. The relief that flooded Iris from being let go was overwhelming ad she sat down in her own chair hurriedly.

She couldn't help but feel a small tug of victory in her chest though. Today had been a success, more or less. Aside from her innocence being violently taken from her, she now had allies, and permission to go out and make more - though that's not what this disgusting man would think.

She finished eating, and Jonathan fell into silence. When they were done, he wished her good night and left. Mia and Evelyn came to Iris's side. They had stayed to the side of the dining hall silently, listening intently to what Iris had to say.

"What are you playing at Iris?" Mia hissed in her ear as they lead her back to her room.

"Mia. If I am going to die here, I am going to be known for something other than being the Mad King's bitch." Iris answered in a strong voice, though her bones still shook from the intensity of the conversation she'd had with the king. "The least I can do while I am alive is try to feed a few hungry mouths."

"You're so brave..." Evelyn whispered, and she smiled at Iris in an admiring kind of way. Iris smiled back and shook her head.

"I'm just at peace with this," she answered. When they reached her room, Iris turned to Evelyn and Mia.

"Please go and tell the kitchen staff about this new development. Ask them to preserve any extra food for tomorrow afternoon. We have work to do, and I only have a limited time to do it."

Evelyn and Mia helped Iris ready herself for bed, and as they left the room Iris smiled. Day one, and so far so good. Though tomorrow is when the real work began, and she was excited to start. As she faded off into sleep however she dreamed of Jonathan, his face contorting in her nightmares into something grotesque and monstrous, and as the morning light leaked into her bedroom, Iris could feel the exhaustion setting into her bones already.