FIVE

This time, Celeste woke up to an old man sitting in a chair beside her. At first glance, he appeared to be very old and fragile. Wrinkles covered his face and he stared at her, his eyes full of something like pity. Celeste sat up abruptly on the bed. She regretted it almost at once because of the pain that seized her body.

"Where am I?" She demanded as her eyes swept over the small and messy room. The floorboards were cracked, the furniture old and dusty, a single-window allowed light to come in giving her the impression that it was noon.

"You need to rest," The old man said suddenly. Celeste stared at him.

"Where am I?" She said forcefully. The old man smiled at her ruefully.

"Well, you're at my house, though it is not much of a house, on the on skirts of Boston ."

"And how did I get here?" Celeste said in a biting voice.

"Well, it was Thomas who found you, passed out in the woods. And he couldn't just leave you there to die, so he carried you here . That was a few hours ago."

Celeste barely had any time to process this information when the door violently burst open. For the third time that day, she stared at another stranger. Though this one was without doubt the most interesting.

Celeste mentally scolded herself for thinking that. The strange boy looked around her age, he was taller than her with a good build, his black hair was messy as if he had just run a hand over it. His eyelashes were longer than hers which was very unfair. His lips were twisted in distaste. His grey eyes currently stared at her in fascination and ... anger. Behind him, the blond she had seen before hurried into the room. After shooting a quick glare at his companion, he spoke up harshly

"Who the hell are you?"

Celeste raised a brow at the accusation in his tone not finding the power within herself to feel angry. The blond - Thomas slapped the other boy's shoulder and glared daggers at him.

"Will don't y-"

"Well, it's your fault she's even here Tommy!" Will cut off, his tone furious.

"What was I supposed to do? Leave her there?" Thomas demanded angrily.

"Yes!" Will burst out.

Celeste wondered how much longer they were going to talk about her as if she was not there.

"Boys" Interjected the old man. His tone was not harsh but both boys shut up immediately. Though they both kept glaring at each other. The man turned back to Celeste.

"Sorry about that. I think introductions are in order"

Celeste only stared at him through widened eyes. Why was he acting like this was so normal? And why was he being so nice to her? Was he trying to trick her?

"My name is Yogi. You already know Thomas of-course"

Thomas sent her a small smile.

"And this is Will"

Will made no sign of acknowledgment.

"And Karen is out at the moment but you'll meet her soon enough"

An awkward silence hung in the room as Celeste pondered her upon her options. She could lie to them, make up some story, and perhaps find a horse and be on her way. Or she could tell them the truth, maybe they would turn her over to the guards, maybe they wouldn't. But before she could contemplate further Will held out a familiar locket.

"This has the Royal Crest on it," He said tightly. "Where did you get this locket?"

Celeste clenched her jaw.

"Don't you know better than to go snooping in other people's possessions ?" Her voice was hoarse and raw from all the crying. Will didn't seem fazed.

"Where did you steal this from ?"

He pressed. Celeste glared at him.

"I'm not a thief," She said heatedly.

"The words every thief would say" He countered. Celeste fumed. How dare this boy stand here, and claim to have any idea about who she is and what she's gone through.

"Will" Thomas began.

"I am not a thief," Celeste said suddenly. On hindsight, she should have taken a moment to calm down. But then again, Celeste had always been too hotheaded to think things through.

"This is my locket. Given to me on my last birthday. By my father, the King" She snarled. The air was knocked out of the room.

"I am Celeste Valois"

"Don't kid yourself. The Valois are all dead" Will said at once.

Celeste flinched at the words.

"We don't know that for sure Will," Yogi said quietly. Celeste looked up at him.

"There's been no word of the princess. No proof that she's dead".

"Oh come off of it Yogi! She's obviously lying!" Will argued.

"I don't care what you think !" Celeste snapped. " I am who I say I am "

"They said no one survived the attack at the castle" Thomas said gently.

"How did you?"

Memories flashed through her mind and she clenched the sheets in her hands.

She couldn't bear to think about it. Everyone she knew was dead.

She told them. She gave them the vaguest explanation she could and Will didn't interrupt once. When she had finished, silence hung over the room. She averted her gaze from them, trying not to shake. No one said anything for a long time.

"What's going on in the country?" She said in a small voice. "How are the peopl-?"

"Not good I'm afraid," Yogi said sadly. "The barbarians attacked in the middle of the night. Villages were burnt. So many lives lost. They took everything " He broke off.

Will looked at Thomas sourly.

"Congratulations Tommy, you just signed our death warrant "

"I need to leave," Celeste said suddenly trying to get up, she barely managed to contain a groan as the pain in her head flared up.

"You can't!" Thomas argued.

"I have to reach my uncle !" Celeste snapped.

"Your uncle," interjected Yogi. "Is a week's ride away. You are in no shape to make the journey especially not alone "

"I can't just sit here while the people suffer! " Celeste snapped. "While that... monster sits on the throne. "

"Your throne " Yogi cut off. "You are the next in line. You are the rightful queen and the people's best hope! But you'll be no use to anyone dead!"

And then it dawned on her. What did she think would happen when she reached her uncle? Would they simply plan a rebellion and take back the throne? And who would sit on it?

She would.

She was the queen.

And if possible, she felt more miserable.

"You need to rest," Yogi said gently as he got up. He stood still for a moment and then walked towards the door. Thomas followed after him and Will started to do the same when she called out his name.

"What?" He said impatiently. He didn't look flustered as if one would if they insulted the queen.

"If you think I'm going to apologize and get on my knees you're j-"

"How did my family die?" Celeste said in an oddly even voice.

"What?" Will said in disbelief.

" All I know is that they're dead. I want to know how it happened. The others, they pity me. They'll want to soften the blow. I can trust that you'll tell me the truth. The whole truth "

For once Will didn't look at her with dislike, he had an unknown expression in his eyes and his face softened.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Will asked. Celeste nodded and averted her gaze from him.

"They say it was the King first. He was in the throne room when one of his own guards... He stabbed the king in the heart I've heard . Thrice . He was most likely dead before he hit the ground".

His voice was blank, devoid of any emotion. As if he was telling her an old legend or story he had told so many others instead of her about her family's gruesome deaths. He paused for a moment as Celeste squeezed her eyes shut.

"The Queen was in her parlor when they came in. Rumor has it that they slit her throat" He hesitated. "And then they snatched the jewels from her dead body"

Celeste said in between a sob

"And Gabriel"

Will frowned at her.

"This is stupid. Knowing will only-"

"Tell me!" Celeste shrieked.

"They threw him in the prison. But he was publicly executed this morning. Beheaded."

None on them spoke for a moment. Then hesitantly Will said,

" His executioner was taunting him in front of the crowd that had gathered. The people in the front heard him say that he was not scared. He died with his head held high"

Celeste waited until Will was out of the room before she let herself shatter into a million pieces.