(14) Unbinding Eyes from Truth

"Are you ready?" Cathrine caught Alex's hand just as she was about to enter the hallway to the throne room. Alex grabbed her hand tightly, she was afraid to look at Cathrine because she knew she would see the fear in her eyes. Cathrine raised Alex's chin and gave her a sad smile, "whatever happens in there, I'll be right next to you Alex,"Alex raised her hand to grasp Cathrine's hand.

"I'm sorry but this is something I have to do alone. She's my mother. It's my future kingdom," she said giving Cathy a stressed look. Cathrine shared a worried look and cupped her face and pulled her close

"I'll be right by your side, as a ghost then," she responded. Alex chuckled so softly it was barely audible.

"Promise?" she asked quietly. Cathrine nodded

"Promise,"

--and thus begins to pain—

"Mother," Alex says quietly entering the throne room. The Guards stared at her unmoving like statues. The queen sat on her throne next to an empty king seat. flashes of the past of them and her father sitting there as a royal family with great authority, great power... and great division came to Alex. She frowned and felt her stomach drop at the thought that her father would no longer sit there.

push it down Alex she continues forward.

"Finally Alexis, you've arrived from your little 'adventure' "Queen Sali said without looking away from her papers. Alex tightened her fists and bowed as she arrived at the feet of the throne.

"Your highness, I have urgent matters I need discuss with you, if you will spare a little time for me, I would be immensely grateful," she says calmly and cold, despite the fact that her insides were on fire and her body shook with every breath. Queen Salli looked up and smirked.

"Finally remembered your manners? I was beginning to think that deprecatory Cathrine was affecting you," she spat, baiting Alex into losing her temper. Alex looked down fighting to abstain from her anger. she was losing, she hated when they spoke of Cathrine as if she were disgusting. The Queen smiled when she felt the ground shake.

"Mother, may we talk somewhere else?" Alex said through grit teeth. The Queen scoffed,

"Whatever you wish to speak about we can talk about it here. Alexis," the Queen responded

"Fine if that's what you prefer Queen Salli'" Alex said stepping forward closer to her throne stopping at a two arms length. "When I went to rescue Cathrine, I heard different versions of what I've been told is the cause for what's happening in this kingdom. I want to ask for your account of why the demons are entering our borders," she said scanning her mother's face for any signs of lies and suspect. The Queen snarled and furrowed her face. She leaned forward.

"You mean to tell me that you doubt your Queen? You dare ask such a question!" Alex fought the urge to return her aggressive tone but instead held her passive ground.

"I do not question you your highness, I would just like to compare versions to find the truth, as a royal taking care of this realm, we don't want any unnecessary blood on our kingdom's hand," she said calmly, hiding her shaking hands behind her back.

"We? I am the one ruling this kingdom. What you have been doing has been nothing but foolish running amok! the audacity you must carry for you to come into MY throne and tell ME how to run a kingdom! even when your father was alive I was the one who ruled this realm!" She stood enraged. Alex snapped.

"I just want the best for this country! And father? He did everything for Kauldrin how dare you say you did everything!" She raised her finger at her mother. Queen Salli scoffed, sat back down and shook her head.

"What are you doing Alexis? What do you benefit from this really? Why would you listen to them and their lies when you could listen to the truth, to your mother," Queen Salli opened her arms. Alex was baffled. Her mother had never had that tone when she spoke to her, it was always stern and cold but this- this was sweet and concerned. Alex froze in her place. "Fight for your kingdom Alexis, protect it, for me, for your father. No more of this reckless endangerment, no more interlacing with our enemy. Protect your country, just like you were born to do,"

Alex stood in her place, had she really been fighting for her kingdom? Why would they kill demons if not for survival? Did they not stand for valor? Justice? The story that demon general gave her was plausible but why would she believe them? Just because they didn't hurt her citizens? Her duty was to protect her providence with her powers. She was born to do just that. Nothing more.

Mother's right what am I doing? Alex thought as she released her fists and looked up to Queen Salli.

"Alex only you can end this war, she'll try to manipulate you, make you feel like your betraying your country but remember I would never lie to you, this is the truth. Even when you can't, you have to keep going,"

"But what if I don't know what to do?"

"You just keep moving forward. Nothing's written in life, make your own path, dig up the dirt, chop down trees, burn or build a bridge, whatever to takes to move in the direction you want, don't let her destroy you and these people. You can do this,"

The ground shook. The Queen, shocked and in disbelief looked at Alex who dipped her head. A tear fell to the floor.

Alex looked up and snarled

"What are you doing? Other than lying your ass off!" She said regaining her strength. Shaking off the webs her mother had spun in hope to keep her submissive. Queen Salli grit her teeth.

"What I've been doing is to protecting our kingdom! What faults do I carry if I have tried to eradicate the thing that has tried to destroy us! That has oppressed us! They are the enemy and you are here speaking for them!?" She stood pointing her long finger at Alex.

"Oppress us? Are you serious?! WE ARE THE OPPRESSORS! we poisoned their lands! killed their elders! Banished them to used and dead lands! We're the ones trying to destroy them!"

"So quick to point finger! And for what? All because you're in love with an impure demon,"

"what the HELL are you talking about 'in love with a demon' I'm not in love with any demon!"

"Don't play stupid Alexis, I KNOW Cathrine is half demon!"

A sinking feeling overtook Alex. Suddenly everything made sense. The pills, the hiding back at the demon camp, Cathrine's sensitivity when it came to how her mother died, her father's overprotective attitude toward his children, how Cathrine always refused to comment about the demons it was because she didn't want to chose a side. Oh deus. Alex took a stumbling step backward.

"Wait what n-"

"Doing all of this just to stay right by her? Huh? What sort of lies has she been feeding you! First, you want to marry that stupid pathetic half-bred,"

"No tha-"

"Second you defy me to rescue her and now you're here sprouting crap about the demons being the victims?"

"Please sto-" Alex's voice had become the ghost of a whisper.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU! GUARDS! Seize her! Charge her and that stupid Belmi with treason! lock her up in the special cell!"

Alex froze. She couldn't move as mounds of soldiers entered the room and seized her.

Alex remained quiet and motionless as they dragged her limp body to the dungeon.

...

Wigget ran to the West Wing, where Cathrine waited for Alex to return.

He barged into Alex's room causing Cathrine to jump up from her bed.

"Wigget wh-"

"Cathrine we have to go NOW, they've arrested Alex on charges of treason and they're looking for you,"

Cathrine stood there, holding Alex's sweater. Just a few moments ago she waited for the love of her life to arrive.

"Alex," Was all she could get out.

And even then, it was nothing short of a heart breaking whisper that traveled through the hollow walls reaching the dungeon.

"Cathrine,"

——-

Holy crap Cathrine's a demon?!