The False King

Chapter 9 - The False King

Moira had me in and out of the shower in fifteen minutes, a real miracle after I caught how I looked in a large mirror we passed on our way into the little hospital bath room. My left eye was almost swollen shut, and large purple bruises littered my arms and legs. My hair was wild and knotted, curling around my body in giant black nests. The worst, though, was the two thick red and swollen burns that encircled my wrists where the shackles were. Large bubbling blisters formed on the thinned skin in a perfect circle. I looked just like I felt; like absolute hell.

Moira helped me pull off the hospital gown, and pushed me into the hot steaming water.  Taking the time to be careful around the thick burns on my wrists, and the big purple bruises that ran across my body. It had actually felt nice to stand in the steaming water for a minute, and watch the dirt fall in clumps onto the white tiled floor. The vanilla scented soap she was using reminded me of home, and seem to pull out some of the heaviness that was sitting in my heart. While normally I would be appalled to have someone else see my naked body, it was actually nice to just stand and relax for a moment. The thin iron bracelet she had replaced the shackles with still hurt when it shifted up and down my arm, but it was creating more of a sun burn than adding to the sweltering blisters.

When she was done, she pulled me from the shower and wrapped a white scratchy towel around me before pulling me back to the large mirror we had passed. Sitting me down in a small chair that she had pulled over to the little station.

                “I know there is a gorgeous girl under there somewhere.” Moira muttered under her breath, and pulled out a brush to start working the knots out of my hair. I sat quietly without complaint as she ripped large knots out of my hair, and pleated it into a thick braid down my back. “Finally!” She exclaimed after what seemed like hours of pulling and tearing. “I thought I was going to have to cut it all off.” I let out a small giggle before I could get ahold of myself, and watched her eyes go wide. “Oh, she does have a sense of humor then!” she smirked at me, before picking up a small brush to place a dark color on my eyelids. She continued to work, applying a small layer of concealer around my bruised eye, and running a small black eyeliner pencil across my eyes into small wings at the corners.

                “Aspen. My name is Aspen.” I said quietly, and looked down into my lap to play with my fingers. She had been the first to show me true kindness in this place, the least I could do was offer my name to her. Moira looked at me through the mirror, and nodded her head in understanding.

                “Well Aspen, it’s nice to officially meet you. Now, lets get you into that dress.” Moira helped me stand and pulled me back into the main hospital room, pulling the gold dress off the bed where she had laid it. She lifted it up, and pulled it over my head, careful to avoid brushing against my injuries the best she could. When it settled over my shoulders, she walked behind me to tie a small bow around the back of my neck. She pulled out a small pair of gold flats, and had me slip my feet into them, which I was grateful for as I had never worn heels in my life. “Well, I think that’s it, I’m done poking at you.” Moira gently grabbed my hand, and led me back to the mirror, standing smugly behind me as she appreciated her work.

I gaped at the reflection staring back at me, the girl standing in front of me was a stranger. Her long black hair had been pulled back into a large thick braid with golf leaf woven through it, and small curls framing a thin face. Her green eyes sparkled under a smoky eye shadow like emeralds, and didn’t have a bruise in sight. The dress, metallic gold in color, was draped careful across every curve of her hips and dipped low to show the small swell of the sides of her breasts. The entirety of the delicate fabric held up only by a thick bow at the nape of her neck. The girl in front of me looked like a Greek goddess, and not an imprisoned faerie awaiting the death sentence.

I felt tears prick my eyes at my reflection, and choked them back with a small sob. There was nothing I wished for more than my father to be standing next to me right now. His eyes sparkling and crinkling in the corners as he would have laughed to have finally seen me in a real dress, and not my normal tom boy attire. I felt a tear slide down my cheek, and quickly wiped it away, before turning to look at Moira.

                “You did work some magic here didn’t you.” I smiled at her, but it didn’t reach my eyes, and Moira gave me a soft smile.

                “I just enhanced what was already there.” She said quietly, but the soft moment was broken by a sharp rap on the metal hospital door. We both jumped at the sound, and I felt my heart jump into my throat.

                “I-I guess this is it.” I stuttered out quickly, and looked at the door. Half expecting to see eight soldiers run through and grab me again.

Moira walked me over to the door, but surprised me by quickly turning around and throwing her arms around me. I stiffened at the contact, and she quickly let go.

                “For what it’s worth Aspen. I hope I see you again.” She sniffled, and reached to open the door where two large armed guards were waiting for me. I nodded at her, and smiled.

                “It was lovely to meet you, Moira. Thank you.” I stepped out into the hallway, and the two guards flanked both of my sides. Letting the metal door slam behind them, leaving Moira in the hospital room.

                “Straight down the hallway, walk.” The larger of the two growled at me, and pushed my shoulder causing me to stumble in front of them. I glared at him, and squared my shoulders. If I was going to die, I wasn’t going to show the fear that was pounding through my veins.

We walked down the long hallway, and turned left into a small corridor. A large oak door stood at the end, towering at least twenty feet up to the ceiling. Large engravings of a wolf and a human in the middle of battle were etched into the front. A horrendous scene showing the wolf with large and bloodied fangs bared to a human holding a long and thick sword ready to strike. I grimaced at the painted blood as one of the guards pulled the door open, and pushed me through into a large ornate room. Windows covered the walls from floor to ceiling with large red velvet drapes hung along the top. The floor was gold flecked and marbled, and the guards’ boots tapped against the stone with every step we took towards the front of the room. Giant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, emitting a soft white glow that enveloped all of the dark corners of the room. At the front of the immense ballroom sat two chairs, huge thrones covered in red velvet and gold accents. If anyone had asked my opinion, I would have said it was rather tacky, and a little overbearing. No one cared about my opinion though, especially the man sitting one of the thrones on the front of the room.

The guards walked me to the front of the room, and one of them pushed me forward by the shoulders. Causing me to stumble over the long dress and land on my knees.

                “Stay down, you bitch. This is your King.” The smaller of the two guards spat at me. The larger one keeping a hand on my shoulder to keep me on the ground. I lowered my eyes to the floor as bile rose to my throat as I attempted to keep my face blank as fear shot through my veins like ice.

                “Now, now Simon.” A rich voice rang out, echoing throughout the large hall. “Is that anyway to treat our guest? Let her up Marcus.” I felt the guard, Marcus, stiffen next to me, before the pressure was released from my shoulder. I continued to stay kneeling though, staying as still as I could, and hoping the floor would open up and swallow me whole.

“Stand up child, let me have a good look at you.” The King’s voice rang out again, and goosebumps littered my arms. I slowly stood, and lifted my head to look at the King. King Ben Avon was not exactly what you would expect an evil king to look like. His short stature, rosy face, and plump belly actually made him look more like someone’s grandfather rather than the wicked beast that was depicted in our stories. He even had a bright smile on his face as he looked down at me. The only give away being a sharp glint just hidden behind his dark brown and blue eyes.

“You’re much prettier than my son made you out to be, stunning really.” He said almost politely, “Now if you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions for me, how old are you my dear?” I looked at searching for any lead in his eyes as to where this conversation was going before answering him.

“I-I’m eighteen.” I stuttered out, confused, as I was sure he knew exactly who I was. Being the only young female left of my kind, it seemed most people knew my name. The King smiled back at me, ignoring my obvious discomfort.

“You know the laws of the Kingdom I presume?” The King tilted his head to the side, like a predator waiting for his prey to look the other way. I nodded at him dumbly.

“Yes, at eighteen all female faerie will be taken to the Kingdom to bear one child to the humans.” I repeated the law he had created back to him. Leaving out the parts of the disgusting creatures that killed most of the women upon their birth.

“Correct!” He exclaimed, and clapped his hands together in delight. “Now tell me, if this is the rule, why did you kill my one of my men who were chosen to escort you here?” Jumping right to the point, and I watched as his eyes darkened and a hint of his miserable soul started to seep out. Anger flushed my body, and my hands shaking as the fury whipped through me. He made it sound so easy, as if they had barged into my childhood home just to take me for a pleasant walk. If I was going to be executed, I wasn’t going down without a fight, and hopefully I might get the chance to take this bastard with me.

“I killed your spineless guard to stop them from beating my father to death, and raping me. You want to talk about rules your Highness,” I spat the word out at him like it physically burned to say it. “Let’s talk about how you forced my women to create an army of soulless creatures to feed your demented fantasies!” I bared my teeth and took a step forward towards him, snarling like the demon they wanted me to be. The guards flanked me again quickly, grabbing my arms and forcing them behind my back.

“You sure are something aren’t you.” The King laughed at me. “Tell me little faerie, what kind of magic do you have?” The king stepped down from his throne to walk up to me, placing his face so close to mine I could feel his hot breath across my face. Blue and brown eyes level with mine.

“Call off these two, and take this band off. I’ll show you exactly what you don’t have. So high up on your throne, yet you need two guards to hold down a little girl. Are you scared, false King?” I giggled at him, taunting him. I saw anger flash across his features, and I thought for sure he would reach out to hit me, but it only lasted for a second before a smile again spread across his face.

“Maybe another time, my pretty little pet. Although, you know as well as I do that your magic doesn’t work on me.” He winked his blue eye at me, and took a step back, “Now let’s discuss what we are going to have to do with you.” He nodded at the guards, and the guard on my left, Simon, pulled a small dagger from his belt and rested it against the warm flesh of my neck. The cool metal resting above the hollow of my throat.

“Kill me. I’ll gladly die than add another monster to your fucked up army.” I was ready for it. The cold slash of the blade across my throat, emptying the life blood from my body. Finally setting me free from this seemingly endless nightmare, and hopefully into a dreamless long sleep. The Kings smile fell though, and he looked at me with pure confusion across his face.

“No, no.” He said calmy. “I’m not going to kill you.” The creepy smile returned across his face, and a cold shiver ran up my spine. “You, beautiful faerie, are going to lead my children in