Verdict

A thunderous slap landed on Zoey's cheek immediately followed by another two stinging ones that sent her ass on the cold hard floor. The slap came again, this time harder than the last. The next one landed right between her eyes, the pain radiating from it numbing her entire face in an instant. 

A gasp escaped her parted lips as hot tears glistened in her eyeballs. Zoey let out a sob of anguish, unable to hold herself together any longer. 

Her eyes met with the stern gaze of her mother who loomed over her. She had no words to say in her defense but she was sure Zachary would prove them all wrong soon when he came back for her.

He had promised to come for her and that was all that mattered. She could bear the pain so long he came back.

"How could you do something so scandalous? Do you have any idea how disastrous this could be for this kingdom? What were you thinking Zoey?" Her mother shouted, scanning her from head to toe in distraught. 

"Mother-"

"Don't say the word!" Her mother's loud voice caused her to flinch in fear. 

"If you call me mother, then you must listen to me when I give instructions!" Anastasia hissed.

A low grunt emanated from her lips as she whirled around in frustration. She sat back on the chair. Closing her eyes, she threw her head backward to think. Again Zoey's adventurous spirit had reared its ugly head and this time she wasn't sure of what she could do. Could she ever tame her wild spirit?

How would she convince the others to forgive her? Would they listen to her?

"I'm sorry Mother. I had to save..."

"No! You were taken away by the mere words of a man! A stranger! Darn! How stupid could you be Zoey!? He's a man! A man! Haven't you heard bad stories about them? Do you think life's a fairy tale where you have your Prince Charming coming for you!? " Lorna interrupted her in anger.

"You are just a naive little girl who still has so much to learn. I strongly advised the queen not to allow you to read fantasy novels because it was messing up with your brain. Just look at what you did, freeing an enemy because of the lies he fed you."

"You just brought impending doom upon us all. I hope your stupidity doesn't cost us our lives! If only-" 

"That's enough." Anastasia's harsh tone silenced whatever remaining words Lorna had to say.

She directed her gaze towards the throne where Anastasia sat down and just a look was enough for her to see that Anastasia meant what she said.

Anastasia's word was lord over every witch in the vicinity because she was the queen and no one dared go against her or she would be dissolved with dark magic immediately. Lorna huffed and returned to her seat.

"We need to think of what to do to solve the predicament she'd put us all in and not circle the same thing. We all know Zachary would be back and he would not take it easy on us this time." Anastasia muttered

"He was in a rage last time but this time he'll learn from his mistakes and we would be stupid if we don't prepare for battle." Lily said in agreement. 

Anastasia let out a frustrated sigh while rubbing her throbbing forehead. A headache threatened to split her head into two and that was because her sleep had been disrupted due to the issue on the ground.

"What do we do?" Another witch asked in panic.

"Let's call it a night. We'll discuss more on this issue tomorrow. I need to prepare some things before we decide on anything." Anastasia announced the end of the meeting.

"What about her, my queen?" Lorna pointed her index finger toward Zoey while shooting daggers at her with her eyes. 

"We're going to torture her and make her wish she were dead!" A witch replied angrily.

 "Mind the way you speak Helen." Anastasia corrected the erring witch. 

"She deserves to be punished, you can't keep spoiling her because you love her! She did something wrong and she should be punished!" Lorna fired back angrily.

An argument erupted in the Royal Hall. Anastasia drooped in the chair. She was torn between the two things she loved dearly; her daughter and her people.

"She must be punished!" The witches screamed atop their lungs while waiting for Anastasia.

"Quiet." Anastasia ordered in a stern voice after some seconds.

"No matter what she did, she's still my daughter and I would not tolerate any ill-treatment towards her. She'd wronged us all, that's certain and she'll be punished but everyone should stay within their limits, no one should invoke my anger!" She said coldly, staring at everyone present there. 

"This should be the last time any of you would do this in my court. Is that clear!?" She thundered, her voice instilling fear in everyone.

"Yes, my queen." They all answered in unison.

"Good. I will give my verdict now. I've not decided on her punishment yet..." She began after a brief silence.

She turned her attention towards Zoey and they locked gazes for a brief second. Mother and daughter were caught in the crossfire. Anastasia wished she could erase this action of Zoey but she couldn't.

"She'll be locked in the dungeon but if any of you dares lay a finger on her, I'll strip that person of all of her powers. Is that clear Lorna?" She asked, giving her second-in-command a scowling look. 

"Yes, my queen." She replied in a gloomy voice. 

Lorna was definitely not happy with this decision but she could not go against the queen. 

"Do not starve my daughter. Keep her there while she awaits my judgment." The queen announced, standing up.

As Lorna dragged her away, Zoey wondered what punishment or judgment awaited her. Deep down she wondered where Zachary was and why he hadn't come back.