Run, Death. Those two words were pounding through my body, forcing me to move. Cold wet tears ran down my sobbing face. Behind me, I could hear the sound of pounding horse hooves chasing me. The king had chosen me. In all other kingdoms, I would have been flattered, but I knew it meant death. In the closest village, I was able to find a spare change of clothes in a dumpster and a knife. I was sad that I had to cut all 14 inches of my walnut brown hair off, but I knew it could mean life and death.
Once I was ready, I ran. I owned a small house and it held a secret room. It had food and water, but the people of the village knew about it, and with enough bribery, they would rat me out. So I went into the forest. I knew it was risky.
After only a few hours in the forest, I knew I wouldn’t make it a day let alone weeks. So I started walking to the edge of the forest. There was when the King of Red’s men got a jump on me. As I stepped into a hidden clearing, I felt a sharp pain in my arm. When I looked down a massive sleep dart was lodged in my arm. I started to scream but stopped when I fell onto the wet muddy ground.
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When I woke up, I was chained to a velvet chair. It had been designed to look like a throne but looked like a joke compared to the one across from me. The King sat on top of the magnificent golden chair. It was encrusted with tons of colorful gems. But none of that was what I focused on. I tried my best not to look scared as the King stood abruptly from his throne, pulled out from his long blood-red robe a crooked knife, and walked towards me.
In a deep, empowering voice, he said “Hello, my queen. That was a nice fight you put up earlier, but you will be staying with me now.” I just stared at him. “Speak” he demanded, but I just kept staring.
So suddenly, that I didn’t know what he was doing for a second, he jumped to me and held the knife just under my head, so the knife was pressed to the top of my throat. “You do as I say.” He spat in my ear.
“Yes your lord,” I said, trying to sound imposing.
He looked me up and down, flicked his fingers to one of the men at the door, and left. The man came to me and forced a pill and a cup of water down my throat. Then, my head lolled and I passed out.
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When I woke up, I was in a large silky bed. Surrounding the bed was a massive and overly dramatic room filled with vibrant colors and oil portraits covering the walls. When I tried to sit up, intending to get out of the bed my head started throbbing so violently that I had to lay down again.
Bursting through the golden doors, a maid with a large cart came through. She avoided eye contact and wheeled the cart next to me. Then dashed towards the exit.
“Wait!” I cried desperately.
She stopped before she could close the door and looked up at me. “Yes?” She asked timidly.
For a second I just looked at her. I felt bad, she was going to have to look after me and if something happened, she would be punished just as much as me, if not more for the sake of the King's cruelty. “What’s your name?” I decided to ask.
“Alice,” she said.
“Alice” I repeated.
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When my head stopped throbbing and I had finished my breakfast, a tailor came to my room and fitted me with some extravagant dresses, which I proceeded to wear to dinner.
The dining room was even more exciting than the other two rooms I had been in. There was a long, oak wood table covered with tons of large portion plates.
“I see you didn’t die,” said the king, sounding a little disappointed. He had already sat but was waiting to eat. I sat down across the table from him. Neither of us ate for we were just looking at each other. But it was the farthest from romance. I was eyeing a bread roll, wondering what sick poison was in it, when the king started speaking.
“I have an…'' he hesitated “Exotic day planned for tomorrow so get some sleep.” It was well known that the king had a different idea of fun than others. I eyed him. I wanted to get him to trust me. I learned that trust leads to one’s heart.
“What” he grumbled in disgust. He was looking me up and down, probably wondering what my next move was.
“I want a cat.” I decided. Maybe the cat would help me in my worst times. The king couldn’t hide his surprise. I was positive that none of his other wives had asked for anything.
“You heard her,” he said while flicking his hand towards one of the butlers at the door.
“Any requests to your majesty?” He said the sentence like he had eaten something bitter.
“A purple cat, oh and I want it here tomorrow afternoon,” I said with pride. That would get some of the maids off my back. The butler only nodded and rushed through the door.
And so dinner was over and I went to my room. I stayed up late in the night wondering what the next day would bring. The next day was exotic.
I woke up and like the day before, got breakfast and got a new white, almost wedding dress. Shortly after I was ushered through the castle to a central circular room. It looked like a massive forest with viewing stations all around. I hardly had a second to look around before the king came in.
“My queen! You made it. Great. I have a new experiment I have been working on. You see, there are other lands beyond my reach. They have very lovely people. All the best are from London… Anyway, I have been working on their sanity, and I finally made a breakthrough.” The king said, in a large rush.
“London?” I questioned.
“Oh don’t worry about it” the king responded. Then he grabbed a little transmuter device and started pressing buttons. “You see” he started, “most people tell themselves they're not crazy, that there fine. But just the right amount can do it. Push them over the edge. But I needed to know how well this works on my subjects. So my first test is on Alice.” Now this time I couldn’t hide my shock.
“Alice? But she… don’t please!” I tried reasoning.
“It’s too late for that now. We have already started.” He said, smirking. “Now sit, enjoy the show. It doesn’t last.” I didn’t sit. I could now see the whole place was a large path. Along the way were animals and houses. Alice finally came out of the cave entrance that was at the beginning of the path. She was wearing a baby blue jumpsuit.
“Can we get a cheese board?” I questioned, a plan forming in my head.
“Listen to her!” The king said sending a man off. “Now, we can have it after. We’re always at the end of the path. Sentencing them to death for being crazy.”
He said while dragging me to the other room. There was a large throne and a little one. The king plopped down and started waiting. “This part takes a long time.” He said.
“Why don’t we get married? Quickly before she comes so we can sentence her for interrupting our wedding.” I exclaimed, knowing that it would work.
“Excellent idea. Well get your dress sent down here and say ‘I do’ while she comes!” He said almost too eagerly. Because the path could take up to 48 hours, we got set up, got my makeup and hair done, and for the throne deck to be decked out in white. Alice had gotten to the very last corner. And watched us say I do.
“You,” the king said, looking down at his pointed finger. “You dare interrupt my wedding.”
Our wedding, I thought. I looked around and saw the cheese board on a nearby table. But next to it was the place setting. And meat knives. So I lunged.
I turned around expecting there to be guards but the king was right behind me. And suddenly, his blood-red robe was stained with his blood57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ1MfxyEtD
