The Queens Crossing

The Timid Queen

Reigna felt frozen. Her mind racing with questions and concerns as she stared back at the seemingly glowing eyes that peaked out of the shadows from behind her four post bed.

“W-sss” Reigna tried to speak but nothing came out but a small stuttering mumble.

The eyes slowly moved out from the shadows as a man who couldn’t be less than 6 feet stepped out beside her bed. Even through the dark well worn cloak streaked with mud and what looked like possible dried blood she could tell he was a large burly man, wide through the shoulder with arms as thick around as tree trunks. His eyes never left her. They burned into her.

“Your majesty” the man’s voice growled low leaving a hum in the air between them.

He bowed his head down slightly never breaking eye contact, as he pulled his arm up to his chest she could see something glitter at his side. It was a knife. Two knives if she had to guess. He was wearing leather straps across his large chest that held a knife in each side next to his ribs. With more examination she could see he had a thick belt across his hips holding a sword as well as some other smaller knives.

Reigna went pale. Her only thought was that this man had come to kill her. Was he here at the kings behest? Was her cruel husband that angry at her he decided to just do away with her?

The stranger slowly moved closer to her still staring into her eyes.

She wanted to run. She wanted to scream for the guards but couldn’t find her voice.

The man was directly behind her now and all she could do was stare at him through the vanity mirror. The man lifted his hand up to her face and gently traced the side of her jaw and just like that a fire was lit inside of her and she smacked his hand away and jumped up and away from the strange man standing in her room.

“Who are you and what do you think you are doing in here?!” She roared out with more force then she even knew her voice had.

The man stared at her with.. Curiosity? Bewilderment? Amusement?.. she couldn’t tell. But she didn’t like it. She stood less than 3 feet from the man shaking. The burning in her growing with more force.

“Forgive me your majesty, I didn’t mean to startle you” the man said with a playful smirk. “I only wished to make sure you weren’t harmed after today”

“Today?” She asked. “Who are you? Have you been spying on me!?” And as soon as the question left her lips she realized. “You were the man on the large black horse in the woods.”

“Yes. I apologize for Jupiter. She’s actually very gentle believe it or not. But very theatrical” he said with a chuckle

“Get out of my room” Reigna spat the words at him like poison. “I don’t care what your beastly horse is like. Leave.”

“Your majesty, I have heard rumors of you. The beautiful new Queen of Soulick with sad eyes.” He began to approach her again. “The Queen who is afraid of even her own reflection who never leaves her room” he was in front of her. Her face less than a couple inches from his chest. “They call you the timid Queen in other cities” he said with a smile.

The burning in her grew and she lifted her open hand and aimed for his face wanting to smack him for his harsh words.

But he caught her hand mid air. And held it gently. His hands warm and soft despite being calloused and cracked from what she assumed was rigorous use holding the blades he kept on himself.

“But..” he said with a soft breathe bringing her out of her own thoughts about the strange man.

“You don’t seem very timid to me.” He said smiling and she couldn’t help but notice how beautiful his smile was. Quickly shaking her head to throw out that thought she went back to focusing on the burning feelings she had and used it to fuel her anger.

“If you do not leave my chambers this second I will call for the guard and have you locked in the lowest parts of this castle until the rats chew a hole clean through you and use your remains to feed the dogs on the grounds.” She said glaring at the man who still gently held her hand in his just inches from his face. She wanted to punch the man as hard as she could right now but the way he caught her hand she doubted she would make any contact so she hoped her eyes were throwing sharp daggers at him and her threat would scare him out of her room. But much to her disdain it only amused him more.

“I apologize your majesty” he smiled again and dropped her hand. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I only wished to apologize for what aspired in the woods earlier today and make sure you weren’t in any harm”

“I am perfectly fine aside from having a strange man in my room refusing to leave” at this point she felt like a child throwing a fit asking him to leave so many times and him ignoring her requests.

“Of course forgive me. My name is Ashir” He removed the hood of his cloak and bowed gracefully low in front of her despite his large body. His hair the color of chocolate. Not as dark colored as her own but dark none the less and the candle light made parts of it glow the color of honey. Being less than a foot away from him she became aware that she could smell him. Even dirty he smelled like pine and fire. She clasped her hands together and pinched herself hard to hopefully make her stop thinking about the man in this way. He was after all a strange man who came into her room uninvited. How did he even get in there? Why would she get these feelings about him? He said all those things about her she wanted to hate him. She continued to pinch herself making her wince from the pain adding fuel to her anger. The man lifted back up and looked directly into her eyes. His eyes a bright green with candle light dancing around inside of them. He was handsome. Rugged. Dangerous. And she wanted him away from her.

“Leave. Now.” She hissed out not showing any emotion on her face other than the anger she was pushing out of herself.

“Of course your majesty, I will see you again. I’m sure” he said with a smile, turned on his heel and walked out of the room as if he had not a care in the world.

Reigna finally relaxed her grip her fingers had on her wrist and was surprised to see her nails had blood on them from where she had squeezed so hard. She walked over and sat down hard on her bed making the blankets puffed up and settled back down where she laid back on them. The fire in her that was raging so hot cooled almost instantly when Ashir had walked out of the room. She was now exhausted but couldn’t stop her mind from racing.

“What. The. Fuck.” She asked herself out loud. Who was that man? Why did he come into my room? How did he get into my room? I’ve been in here since co back from the woods. There’s no way he got here before me since he was there when I left right?

She jolted upright startled by the next thought that came into her mind.

Was he in here when the King did what he did to me? Did he see it happen? She fell back into the bed again and clasped her hands over her face and tried to fight the urge to cry. But that battle was lost as soon as it started and she laid there and sobbed silently. Eventually giving way to exhaustion she fell asleep crying.

The week went on and Reigna stayed in her room as compelled to by the King, the only person who she would see in that week was Jonath who had come once a day to pass notes between herself and Julipe and provide her with bread and water.

“I’m sorry your majesty this is all I’m allowed to bring you” Jonath looked sad for her.

“That’s alright atleast I’m able to eat this time” she smiled and laughed a little. Jonath gave her a sad smile and nodded.

“Julipe is doing much better. The doctor said she should be good to move around in the next few days or so”

“I’m so glad. I feel terrible for what happened.”

“She doesn’t blame you your majesty. She only hopes you are alright yourself”

Reigna smiled at that statement and thought about how sweet but silly she is given her own predicament.

“Thank you Jonath. I guess I will see you again tomorrow?”

“Yes your Majesty” he bowed and left with a smile.

By herself again Reigna curled up on the small ledge in front of the large window in her room the ledge was covered in soft pillows and a fluffy blanket and she sat there and resumed reading her book about Aria the kingdom in the Eastern lands. The bastard prince who died trying to save his sister who ultimately disappeared with the northern savages. Reigna wondered how so much hate could be in the world that people would do this. Julipe told her the people of the Aria kingdom loved the royal family and they took care of there people so why would anyone want to harm them in that way?

Evils is all over the world she thought. Someone is always gonna wanna cause harm.

She slammed her book shut and sighed staring out the window. It was getting colder outside and while it still didn’t match the wonderfully chilly weather she had while living in her home closer to the north it made her want to go out and feel it. It made her longe for her mother and father. Her mother making warm soft fresh bread and stew she would always throw together from whatever animal her father had hunted that day. She could almost smell it. It made her mouth water and she looked over across the room at the stale bread and pitcher of water on the tray that was left on the small table by the door. With a grunt she stood up and walked over to the tray ripping a piece of the bread off (which given how hard it had become was nearly impossible) and stuck it in her mouth. It tasted like sand but she kept chewing the hard piece until it turned into a thick pile of clay in her mouth and she went to pour herself a drink to wash it down and hopefully get the taste out of her mouth. Halfway through pouring herself a glass there was a knock at her door which made her jump and spill half of her jug of water all over the already cold marble flooring.

That was suppose to last me all day today. I guess I’ll be rationing the water now. She thought with a frustrated breathe as she sat the jug back down and turned to open the door.

“Yes?” She opened the door and found no one.

But she did find a tray at the threshold covered in cakes, chocolate, cheese, meats and a pitcher of wine.

Her eyes brightened and she reached out but froze.

Who is this from? What if the king is testing me?

Forget it. If I’m gonna die atleast I’ll die happily full of good food.

She bent down and grabbed the tray and took it into her room closing her door with her foot as soon as she was fully inside. She sat the tray on her bed and climbed behind it wondering what she would eat first. It had already been 5 days since she had any real food and she was overly excited to see the options in front of her. She decided on a piece of the chocolate that sat in a small bowl beside all of the sweets. Sticking it in her mouth she moaned at the velvety feeling on her tongue and the sweet taste that took over her whole mouth. She could cry she was so happy to have something other than that disgusting bread. But figured that might be a bit much even for her and she laughed at.

“The timid Queen” she said to herself laughing.

She went to grab a small cake from the tray next and stopped when she seen the corner of some paper sticking out from under the plate holding the meat and cheeses. She pulled it out and began to read the text written onto it in neat handwriting.

“Your Majesty, I hope you enjoy the treats as much as I enjoyed meeting you. I will see you soon, My Queen”

Her mouth hung open as she read the note. There was so signature as to who the note and food had come from but she didn’t need one, she knew exactly who had written the note and in then who had left the food at her door.

She stood up and strolled across the room to the large fireplace which was set into the wall beside the entrance to her bathroom and threw the note into the raging fire.

Turning back towards her bed she grabbed herself a glass from the tray of wonderful food and filled it to the brim with the bright red wine grabbed herself a small cake and strode back to the window to sit and ponder the man who had her frazzled.

This man is playing a dangers game. She thought. To go against the King is as good as signing your own death certificate, and the King isn’t one to give any leeway to anyone for any reason. Her being trapped in this room is a good example of that.

But for some reason this small act of rebellion made her smile. She finished the cake and her large glass of wine faster than she had though and stood to refill her glass but thought better of it when her legs started to wobbly beneath her. She laughed at herself once again and gingerly made her way to the tray of food on her bed. She sat down grabbing a piece of cheese and meat and began eating, deciding that more sweets might not sit well with the wine she was feeling so strongly, still thinking of the man she couldn’t seem to figure out or get her mind off of. The man who scared her but made her feel stronger. The man who angered her and made her burn within. She grinned and looked over at the fire place where she had thrown his note in to burn.

“Ashir” she said aloud.

“I hope we do meet again. I’ll show you timid.”