PART FORTY-THREE:
Of revulsion, recognition and recollection:
Reinah’s sudden retch, caused quite an emotional flurry and biophysical unrest. When the two kids from the coven, heard rustling behind the large tree. Their first instinct was to leave everything and run back the way they came. They had abruptly dropped the remains filled basin already. Splashing stale and darkened blood on themselves, as they did. Then they saw a head bob forward from behind the same trunk. And realized, that it was just another kid like them. A girl who was obviously feeling sick. They ran towards her, howbeit tentatively initially. But their surprise and reservation, quickly turned to curiosity and concern.
The crippled boy, who had been watching from the side of the tree on which Reinah stood. Scrambled and dragged himself, towards his evidently distressed friend. When the three kids were eventually gathered around her. The coven boy ran to the edge of the stream, to get some water for the princess. He had nothing in his hands, to take the water with. So he tried to scoop it into his cupped hands. When the third attempt, proved unsuccessful and hopeless. Leaving him with just wet and dripping palms. He decided to help her get to the water side instead. By being close to the source, she would definitely have more than enough to take care of herself.
The coven girl shifted around uncomfortably. Shuffling about from one point to the other, as if she was lost in a maze. Scratching her head, she stole frequent glances at the crippled boy. It was not his handicapped state or condition, that alarmed or disturbed her. But rather the fact, that he seemed familiar to her. She felt that she had seen him at some place before. Or possibly knew him from somewhere. It did not help matters either, that he was also starring at her. He remembered, that he and his father had been over to her house before. And her mother, along with her siblings had come by their home also. However, since she only looked at him with shock and not recognition. He was almost convinced, that he may have been mistaken.
Reinah rinsed her mouth and splashed the streams cool water on her face. Feeling much better and somewhat refreshed. The princess stood and turned to face the three pairs of worried and expectant eyes. But before she could begin to explain what had happened to her or address them. The crippled boy, blurted out to the wide-eyed girl from the coven.
“I know who you are. Don’t you remember me? My father knows your mother….” He trailed off momentarily. Still not sure if this was the right girl. Even though, the semblance was very striking. And throughout the one-sided rant from him, she still looked confused. Wearing an unflinching and blank stare on her face, the whole time.
Reinah looked from her visibly embarrassed crippled friend, to the clearly confused girl and back again.
“Are you sure she is the same person? It might just be another girl that looks exactly like her.” The princess was trying her best to salvage the awkward moment and revive the deadly silence.
“Maybe she is, or maybe she is not.” This firm interjection came from the coven boy. He had been watching the whole exchange. With an all too familiar, yet sad knowledge of experience.
“We do not remember who we are,” He continued. “We just live and work in the coven now.”
“You mean you don’t remember or know who you are?” Started Reinah, looking as shocked as she sounded. “And you live in the coven now? The witch’s coven?”
The two kids nodded in despondent unison.
“Oh….” Started the crippled boy again, as the other three kids turned towards him. He had still been grappling, with remembering all that he could about the girl from the coven.
“Aren’t you also, the same girl that went missing not too long ago? Kidnapped I should really say.” He did not bother to wait for a response, as he continued with his recollection. “I overheard my father, talking about it. The community had assisted your mother, in searching for you.”
The crippled boy emphasized the last pronoun confidently. Feeling glad that he was either proving his accuracy, or possibly helping to jostle the coven girl’s memory. Much to his disappointment and the breath holding stance of Reinah and the other boy. She only stared at him, as vacantly as she had done before. Looking even more lost, than when the inquiries first began. The crippled boy turned to look at the coven boy. Hoping for some sort of confirmation, that he had been on the right track. When he did not get any, he turned back to Reinah. Making a weary and helpless gesture.
“I already told you, that we don’t remember anything about who we are. Or about where we came from.” Stated the coven boy just as helplessly. With tears pooling in his eyes and threatening to roll down any minute.
“Okay then,” began Reinah. She felt sad for both kids. However, it was apparent that there was no point their standing there. Futilely trying to conjure up memories, that had perhaps been wiped away.
“Let us start from what we have here instead. Can you just tell me, what it is you do know? Like exactly which coven you came from. And why you came into the woods.” As the princess spoke, she inwardly dreaded what the answer to the last question might be. Could the explanation entail, bringing up the earlier and gruesome sight? The bloody items in the basin, that they had dragged along with them.
Survival of the lewdest:
“A very amusing and interesting daughter, you have here.” The prince commented with a smirk. Unable to hide the glint in his eyes, as he addressed the speechless parents. They sat nonplussed, not sure of what to make of their second daughter’s blatant and unreserved flirtation. They had never seen or heard, anything quite like what they were observing. How much more having to be subjected to it, by their own daughter. A plethora of lewd and suggestive actions and words, that left them stunned. They were always aware that she was the more outgoing of the two girls. But they were now perturbed and uncomfortable, to find out their daughter’s out going nature was not a personality profile. Rather it was a caution-void and careless character.
The younger daughter’s excessive and liberal display. Eventually became more than the family had bargained for. After that memorable visit, she became a frequent ‘stow-away’ visitor to the castle. No one, was exactly sure when she came or left. Yet the rumors, were along the lines of her being a personal escort to the prince. She had joined the ranks of a few others, who felt just as personal and exclusive. She frequently flaunted expensive gifts, as her parents looked on. And her older sister, looked away in hidden pain. The prince’s interest in her affairs, had ended just as quickly as it had begun. And she knew, that she had her sister to thank for that. The ‘looser’ one, had proven to be a more agreeable handful. Or so the reserved one felt.
A few months after the family’s visit. The younger sister announced, that she was moving in to live in the castle.
“Whatever for?” Asked her bewildered and shamefaced mother. “Not if I can put up with any more of this behavior,” scolded her father.
“Whatever for? He asked me to and not the others.” Retorted the young woman with a chuckle. “Have you forgotten he is the prince? This is a good move for me. Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“Oh my,” was all the mother could utter at the moment. The strain on her heart was recently, was becoming too much. Causing it to palpitate frequently.
“And what does the king and whichever queen that happens to be in charge now, have to say about this?” Asked her father.
“I don’t know. I have never met them. Besides, why does it matter anyway?” Asked the second daughter nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.
“You never met them? Then what were you doing there the whole time?” Cried her mother in horror, as she watched her daughter walk away without another word. It seemed that her sorrows were mounting rapidly. Even more so, when her older daughter had declared earlier. That she was moving to the other province. Far away from her sister and anymore talk of the prince.
From the horse's or housekeeper's mouth:
“Whatever was all that ruckus about, the other day?” The queen mother inquired of Dezen the sixth magistrate. They were meeting to make special plans and arrangements for the upcoming Festival/Fair. There would be the usual royal float, on the main festival day as always. But Ethia would not be on that and it was unlikely that she was expected to. Without any doubt, she knew it was impossible for her to conduct her clandestine affairs with all eyes on her. They would not be looking at her, because of famed beauty for sure. The monarchs would be heavily guarded, thus the necessity of security guards and aides watching their every move. The queen mother, knew that would be an annoying hindrance to her. Especially the fact that she was almost perpetually in a bad mood.
“You never got back to me, about your findings with the palace main gate situation.” She continued quizzically, training her eyes on the man as she spoke. “Who and what was the wild subject, causing all that disturbance?” Dezen thought hard, howbeit quickly. Saying that he had sent Rifra to investigate and get back to him, would incur a barrage of insults. As the queen mother would blast him for delegating her desire to know about every occurrence instantly, to the housekeeper. Then an even worse scenario, for him. Was that she would then proceed to send for the servant. Thereby, questioning him herself.
He did not want that to happen. At least, not until he found out. What the housekeeper’s stake was in whatever had transpired. He the magistrate, had observed that the younger man appeared scared and troubled. After he told him, that he had decided to go and investigate the problem at the main gate himself. Therefore, Dezen intended to wait. Until he had queried Rifra himself. Then he would deduce what information and the amount thereof. That he was willing to relay to the foolish woman. It was imperative, that he let her keep thinking she was in absolute control of not just the palace. But their secret alliance as well. He would maintain the status quo, until all his plans and plots were in place.
“Oh, it was just some crazy lost person. A very troubled and confused subject, I believe it was.” He made the statement and then looked away. Suddenly preoccupied with the shape of the room’s door.
“That has got to be the vaguest, non-committing and hardly revealing answer or report that I have ever heard.” Ethia sneered, her eyes narrowing in disappointment.
“I will have to send Rifra, to take care of it then. He will have to find out from the guards. Exactly who or what it was, that really happened that day.” Ethia concluded, sucking her teeth in disgust while glaring at the magistrate.
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