He Abandoned Her, Then Lost His Mind

Chapter 2

I threw myself into my mother's arms and wept aloud, sobbing brokenly. "I do not want Father anymore…"

She held me tight, stroking my back gently, again and again, to soothe me.

The king watched us embrace, his face dark with anger. "This is the daughter you have raised, wild, unruly, and with none of the grace a royal princess ought to possess."

His words cut like a sharp blade, driving deep into both our hearts.

This realm had stood at odds with the border clans for generations. Even when he had turned cold toward us before, he had never spoken such cruel things.

My mother looked at him with pain in her eyes, but he had already taken the new queen's hand and turned away.

I watched them walk side by side, and my chest felt so tight I could barely breathe.

"Ismene," my mother called softly.

In the quiet, empty chambers of the tower, she looked down at me, her eyes swimming with tears.

"Mother wishes to stay with you a little longer. Will you stay here with me?" she said.

I snuggled straight back into her embrace. "Ismene will stay with Mother forever. I will never leave you.”

She nodded slowly, and led me into the inner bedchamber.

Her voice was soft as she told me she would soon be leaving, going to a place so far away she would never be able to return.

I was filled with confusion. 'The king had ordered us locked within these walls, forbidden to step outside. How could she possibly leave?'

"A very, very distant place. Are you leaving the royal city? Can Ismene come too? I do not want to be apart from you," I said, looking up at her, unable to make out the look on her face.

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and fell upon my skin, and my own heart ached sharply.

She held me so tight, whispering, "I am sorry," over and over again.

I began to cry with her. I did not fully understand why we were sad, but seeing her this way made me sob until I could scarcely draw breath.

It felt as though a piece of my heart had been torn clean away.

When we had both quieted a little, she lay down with me upon the soft velvet bed.

She brushed the stray hairs from my forehead, and spoke softly to lull me to sleep. "It is time to rest now, Ismene."

She began to hum a lullaby, her voice growing fainter and fainter, until it faded away entirely.

I was still awake when the song stopped.

I nestled closer, resting my head against her shoulder. "Sleep well, Mother. When you sleep, the hurt will go away. And when you wake up, we will leave this place together."

I do not know how long I lay in a daze, until the biting cold woke me.

*****

Always before, I had been warm and safe in her arms, but now her side of the bed was cold as ice.

I sat up in a panic, terrified that she had already been taken. Then I saw that she was still there, lying perfectly still.

The System had not come for her. She was only sleeping very deeply.

I let out a long breath of relief.

I sat beside her, tucking the thick wool blankets carefully around her shoulders.

I dared not close my eyes again, afraid someone would slip in and take her away while I slept.

From dawn until dusk, she never stirred.

Once, I had always been the one who would not wake, and she would laugh and call me her sleepy little sparrow.

I tried to do as she had done with me, reaching up to pinch her nose gently. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

There was no answer.

She lay perfectly still, silent and unmoving.

My stomach rumbled loudly. The honey cakes I had hidden beneath my pillow were long gone.

I shook her wrist as best I could. "Mother… Ismene is so hungry."

Still, she did not move.

I climbed down from the bed, opened the carved oak chest, and found a few hard butter biscuits to quiet my hunger.

Night fell over the tower, casting the room into shadow. All was silent, not a sound to be heard.

In all this great stone tower, there was only me and my mother.

A heavy dread settled over me. The Queen's Tower had never felt so still, so empty. I climbed back onto the bed and curled up against her, trying to draw warmth from her as I always had.

But her skin was cold as winter ice, and I shivered. 'If she was this cold, might she fall ill?'

I hurried to fetch a tall wooden stool, so I could reach the thick cashmere blanket stored at the back of the wardrobe.

The stool creaked and wobbled beneath my weight.

Thud!

My foot slipped, and I tumbled down, landing right in a heap of soft folded fur that felt just like the warmth of her arms.

I managed a small, wobbly smile, and pulled with all my might to drag the heavy blanket over to the bed.

It was too heavy. My small arms burned and ached, I called out softly to her. "Mother… I cannot lift it."

There was no reply.

Only a moment before, if I had looked even a little troubled, she would have stepped forward to help me.

Tears stung my eyes and spilled over.

I cried for a long time, but she did not reach out to wipe them away as she always did.

I wiped my face with my sleeve, pulled with every ounce of strength I had left, and finally managed to pull the great cashmere blanket over her. Then I climbed in beside her.

The air beneath the covers was close and still. I wrapped both arms tight around her cold form.

Once, she had smiled and told me, "You are five years old now, Ismene. You ought to sleep in your own little bed."

But she was so cold, and I could not bear to leave her alone.

I poked my head out of the covers, looked at her pale, lifeless face, and whispered, "When you are warm again, Mother, then Ismene will go to her own bed."

A great wave of tiredness washed over me. I yawned, and my eyes slipped shut.

Half-asleep, I thought I heard her answer softly, "Very well."

I opened my eyes wide and listened closely.

But there was only the sound of my stomach rumbling once more.

I patted my belly gently, whispering for it to be quiet, so it would not wake her.

She was so very tired. She slept longer and deeper than she ever had before.

When the sun rose the next morning, she still had not woken.

A terrible fear grew in my chest. I shook her, calling her name over and over, but she did not stir.

She was cold as stone.

I was terrified. She had never slept this long.

Then I heard footsteps and voices outside the tower door, someone was coming.

It must be the king!

I brushed the tears from my face and ran barefoot to the entrance. "Father! Please come quick, save Mother!"