As the minutes ticked by, as I neared home, my thoughts circled back to the Queen’s cryptic demeanor, to her parting words. Consequences.
What plans did she have in motion? How would she retaliate against our interference? The uncertainty gnawed at me, yet I clung to the conviction that our actions had been necessary, a pivotal moment in our struggle for autonomy and justice within the community that was ruled by the Queen.
With a deep breath, I gathered my composure and turned aside to gaze at Peter. He too, seemed lost in thoughts. There was a slight frown on his face, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had brought about the frown. The promise of the consequences?
I sighed softly, and turned away, resolving to face whatever consequences awaited us with courage and determination, which was fortified by the unwavering bond of family and the conviction that we had taken a stand for what was right.
"I won’t let her hurt my family," I whispered to myself a second later, my voice a quiet affirmation of defiance. I squared my shoulders, steeling myself against the uncertainty that loomed ahead. The weight of responsibility pressed upon me, a burden I willingly bore for the sake of protecting those I held dear.
"What’s on your mind, Maya?"
We were almost at the fence surrounding the house now. I put a halt to my thoughts that swerved in the direction of the beast.
I shrugged my shoulders thereafter. "Nothing much. Just affirming and reaffirming to myself that we had done the right thing, no matter the future consequences."
When I and Peter walked into the living room, Diana and Laura were already there. They were sitting on the same sofa, and Diana was almost in her mother’s arms. If I didn’t know better, I would think Diana had been crying, that Laura had been consoling her. But I knew they had been waiting for us, with their hearts in their mouths.
"Good afternoon, Laura." I greeted with a mild bow, before walking to the sofa across from them. Peter took the sofa closest to the door, welcoming Diana when the latter plunged into his arms.
He nodded to his wife’s greeting, then hugged Diana to himself as if she was a lifeline. The nervousness which had stayed out of sight whilst we had been in the Queen’s office returned in the appropriate amount. Laura noticed.
Peter sighed wearily, then gestured with a flick of his finger that Diana return to her mother on the sofa. When she obliged, he stood up from the sofa, and began to pace.
"I think it went as well as it should."
"I need details, Peter... What happened? What did she say?" Laura questioned, her impatience winning over her apprehension.
"She agreed to move the classes to the general school. She also agreed to allow Maya choose her own guide." Peter answered, stopping by the window.
"She had wanted to coach Maya personally?"
Laura gritted her teeth. "She is really something. So, my practice was enough to keep her away?"
Peter nodded again. "But she talked about consequences. That we should be prepared for that. She doesn’t take threats lightly."
A thick tension and a palpable silence hung over us then, as Laura, as us all, processed the words of our Queen.
Laura sat still with a furrowed brow, her gaze fixed on the family picture hung over the fireplace. Her hands, normally steady, trembled slightly as she clasped them together in her lap. The weight of the queen’s words and the implications they carried seemed to press heavily upon her.
Diana wasn’t faring better. She adopted the same rigid posture as her mother. However, her eyes darted to me at intervals.
Peter stood by the window, his posture stringent and his jaw clenched in a display of restrained frustration. He had been the one to voice our demands to the Queen, to challenge her authority and demand justice for our family. I was sure that the repercussions of our boldness loomed ominously over him the more.
I shifted on my seat, quite uncomfortable. What was the worst thing the Queen could do? For more chapters visıt novᴇlfire.net
Eventually, Peter broke the silence with a sigh.
"We did what we had to do," He murmured, his voice tinged with resignation. "Now, we wait and see what comes next."
Laura nodded solemnly, her eyes flickering with a mix of worry and determination. "We’ll face whatever comes our way together,"
Her voice, surprisingly, was steady. "And I believe we will win."
After the short meeting, after we had built up our confidence which had cracked under the Queen’s strong words, we had each gone to our respective rooms after a simple lunch. Understandable, as Laura wasn’t in a fine place mentally to create her wholesome dishes.
Right now, I was sitting on my bed with the book on magical creatures on my lap.
The book purportedly contained knowledge about mythical creatures and ancient spells, but its contents were written in a script that I struggled to decipher. It hadn’t gotten better. It even seemed harder to comprehend as the day went by. Each symbol and glyph seemed to dance mockingly before my eyes, teasing me with their elusiveness.
Frustrated yet determined, I traced my fingers over the intricate illustrations of fantastical creatures that adorned the margins of the pages. Griffins, unicorns, and dragons stared back at me, their eyes seeming to shimmer with hidden knowledge.
I sighed in aggravation, almost shutting the book close, but for want of something. Knowledge. I needed something.
Should I meet Laura for help?
I shook my head. She wouldn’t be happy that I have taken interest in magical creatures, not with us being at odds with the Queen.
I shook my head again. I couldn’t involve my little sister into my troubles. I needed to find a way to interpret the book.
As I turned another page, hoping to continue my mindless survey, a delicate pressed flower fell from between the leaves of the book and landed softly on my lap.
Intrigued, I picked it up and brought it to my nose, inhaling its faint, sweet fragrance.
Instantly, a wave of dizziness swept over me, and the room began to spin.
Gasping, I clutched my bedsheets as darkness closed in around me.