Episode 3

I helped her make sure that her shopping bags were taken to her bedroom; the entire day, I worked along with the other in the house; it didn't matter if Anna and I had the same childhood while growing up; her parents were well-to-do, and they had access to the palace.

In the evening, Anna's guests started arriving; they came with their gifts, at least not everyone brought gifts for the birthday girl.

"Sarah, have a drink"'

Anna shared her drink with me.

I have never tasted alcohol, but it was somehow bullying not to taste it for the first time.

I placed the goblet closer to my mouth, my tongue almost tasting the alcohol when I heard the same voice asking me not to do it.

" Do not drink it..... Stop!!".

" Why! Who're you?".

I asked the voice in my head.

" A friend, wanna find out?".

The voice answered back.

Everything seemed to be going on peacefully until I realised that I was standing at the gate of the palace. How did I end up there?. I had no clue but the same voice kept on asking me to go in, but how? The gates were locked and it was impossible to go inside the palace without being caught.

All of a sudden, a young man came down from a van and handed over a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables. I was shocked, but I stood at the spot and remained quiet...

" What! Go inside and put them with the others," the man said in an authoritative voice.

Immediately, I carried the heavy fruit basket inside the palace; some lady walked outside from a tiny door, putting on the same outfit; that's how I attained the kitchen and then carefully positioned the basket with the other full baskets.

The voice again asked me to go up to the second floor of the palace, and upon getting there, I ought to have entered the room beside me with bars outside.

I thought I was starting to lose my mind, but there was something about the voice that made me obey every one of his instructions.

I carefully got to the second floor, and that too without being spotted by anyone ok the palace. Just like the voice had described, there was a door beside me, and it had bars outside.

" Hmm! I see the door but what's inside it?".

I make sure not to take another step forward before actually knowing what's locked up inside the room.

" Why don't you go inside and see for yourself?" The voice replied, and all of a sudden, there was a pause in the atmosphere, it felt like the world stopped, and it was just me alone in the world.

I took in enough breaths and then entered the room, I realised later on that I had just entered the late queen's throne room, it was as equipped with arms, and stuffed animals as writers had written, those were just the sideshow, what truly intrigued me was the queen's crown sitting alone on the arm of the late queen's armoured chair.

"Is it beautiful, Sarah!".

There the voice was again talking to me.

"Yes! But why am I here?"

I kept a safe distance between me and the crown, though; it called out to me. I felt like I wasn't worthy to come near should beauty.

" Haven't you figured it out?? The crown is yours and you'll be the next Queen of Baltimore". The voice said to me.

I didn't know how to react to his statement, so I laughed; I refused to believe that I would somebody become the next Queen of Baltimore and have everyone look up to me as their god and have the final say in their lives.

Just then, there was a big bang on the door. The palace guards had just arrived, and they were forcefully trying to open the queen's throne room...

" Oops! Voice, what do I do?".

I asked as tension was starting to be beclouded by a sense of judgment. I didn't want to get caught, but as much as that was never going to be an option, I stood there and paused for further instructions from the voice in my head.

" Do you trust me?". Asked, the voice..

" Yeah!! I do, so please save me". I begged because my life was hanging by a thread.

The guards outside were starting to break open; I could see the hooks thrown one after another to do the door and when I suddenly left, an invincible hand pulled me back to the crown.

" No? I can't". I said, but I continued being pushed towards it. I didn't have any sort of control over my body; I leaned my hand forward and picked up the crown, turning back to realise that the guards had already entered, and they were all taken aback by the scene in front of them.

"Whoa! Who're you?"

I was still holding the crown when an old man suddenly came and asked me. He brought the others along with him, and they seemed to have the same countenance on their faces.

" Hi, I'm Sarah Blake". I answered his question discarding the fear slowly brewing Inside of me..

" Sarah..... Why are you holding the crown, and most importantly, how are you doing that? You should've been consumed at the moment and not stood within any sort of bruises".

He said, still finding it hard to believe that I was holding the crown and hadn't yet been consumed.

" Let her put the crown on the head".

One of the men in the crowd came forward and suggested to the man talking to me.

And shortly after, everyone agreed; they wanted to see what would happen after I placed the crown on my head.

" Are you sure? What happens if she dies?".

The man turns back and after him.

He wasn't in total denial about the entire thing happening.

They were standing to have a dispute concerning the matter; some of them wanted me to place the crown on my head, and the others just wanted me to leave, and they were willing to pretend like nothing happened.

And the voice spoke to me saying, " Place the crown on her head and claim your destiny".

Then again, I was moved to obey; I raised my hands, holding the crown above my head and slowly dropped it...

Immediately there was an explosive, bright light that burst through the entire palace, blinding the elders in council for a few moments, and one after another turned, and all were prepped by what had just happened right in front of them.

" Oh my god! The crown has chosen our queen "

The man who had spoken to me the first time fell to his knees, and soon after, the rest followed, and I was being bowed to by the council for elders and the guards of the palace...

"Long live the queen!"

They

all yelled together, bowing their heads as I looked over their heads.