Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A gentle fall had blown, and all the delights of nature passed away. From the protection of my bedroom I watched many species of humanoids begin there gatherings, many were moving to the warmer, southern region of Clorocks. Mother forbid me to actually go to them and join in their gatherings. I took a particular fancy to watching the centaurs. From where I watched them, they seemed like vague silhouettes, But I could make out their figures just enough. The handsome youthful men, the pretty ladies with their streaming hair. The elders who stepped with dignity, and the little ones, sprinting about. I saw the smoke rising from their huts. It was both for warmth, and I’m sure they were beginning to smoke extra meets and dry more fruits for it was a bountiful season. Why, my people knew no more tricks to survival then them. It often crosses my mind what makes my people think so lowly of them, for where as we go to a store to buy foods they procure it themselves. Yet we wouldn’t have anything unless someone procured it for the stores, correct?

Soon winter had settled, and so brutally. I was anticipating the first day of Springtide when Plutonomis would announce who would be selected as his bride. 

The weather turned warm and cheery. The Humanoids returned. Flocks of dark sphinxes filled the sky, their thunderous roars echoed like thunder. Many satyrs were seen coming through the city with there flocks of sheep. My tribe of centaurs had finally come back and settled on their old grounds. The mothers had become very round again, the men were dotting them with fanciful gifts which seemed to delight them. It was such an atmosphere of affection and love.

As the day of Springtide approached, mother couldn’t stop hanging onto me as if she was clinging to dear life. She hugged and kissed me like mad, almost like it would be the last time she would ever do so. 

When I would depart to my bedroom for sleep, often times I would lie awake, and listen. I heard Mother talking, but to who? I heard her cursing the king under her breath. There was great speculation that Nyx was, for no doubt, going to begin an uprising against Plutonomis. And for my own hypothesis I saw no reason why it wouldn’t begin at the apropos moment of the ceremony.

Too, while lying awake I would think very hard. I thought about what if I married Plutonomis, surely, that would be the end of my mother.. I knew in the bottom of my heart I could never love him. To fall in love with a man who was old enough to be my grandfather perhaps. Yet, I’m young maybe I could protect Plutonomis, I would become a great queen, and restore the kingdom to it’s proper glory. Yeah, but my chances of getting picked are pretty nil. Its one me against the thousands of other eligible girls.

Ha, yeah too as I think about it. I would be the only one who wouldn’t try to assassinate Plutonomis. Until I really meet him, I shall believe in him. 

At last the day had finally come. I awoke with a great start. I looked out my bedroom window and saw the northern half of the sky was daylight, but the southern half was dark! It was night! Nyx, the sovereign of the night, had she returned? Were my eyes playing tricks on me? They couldn’t have been, for too I had seen the two eyes of Nyx. Two bright full moons shinning a brilliant, intimidating, evil red.

Partially in fright, I returned to my covers and listened for any sound of my mother’s.. Nothing, for several minutes not a sound. My heart began to skip beats. I got up and descended down stairs. 

A large number of adults had assembled themselves in my mother’s living room. All of them were dressed in large, full, black robes. The women were crowned beautiful silver, spiraled crowns. The women also had pale makeup, there eyes done smokey with a shimmery blue and silver mascara. I noticed, it seemed eerily cold. The room was dark, darker then anything I had ever seen before. 

They heard me descend, and they all turned facing me. I hadn’t yet wiped the sleep from my eyes, I’m sure the rim of my mouth was crusted with dried saliva. I wiped my eyes with my sweatshirt sleeve, I blinked them several times. I hadn’t seen that mother had stepped forward. She was scowling I had never seen her more serious before.

“ Where are your robes?” She bluntly asked. 

I was taken aback; “ I-..I didn’t know I had robes...”

There was a man who I never had seen before standing next to my mother. He was very tall, and lanky, He had a broad face with an ugly scar jetting across his left eye.

He spoke coldly: “ Of course you do, and I suggest you change quickly.”

His cold voice frightened me uncontrollably. It felt as if at once I had become possessed by a terrible poltergeist. I lifted my head weakly. The other adults were scrutinizing me like I was an ugly animal. “ For Nyx?” I asked weakly. 

He snapped: “ For the Sovereign, you dare call the Sovereign by name?” His eyes inflamed.

“ She isn’t my sovereign.” I thought I was beginning to suffocate. 

The man snorted. I slumped on my knees, my weakness, and pain ended. Quick as lightning he darted at my mother, he turned and struck her. She fell to the ground with a painful scream. I wanted to go to her. But the blacked robed one’s blocked my admittance. 

I was forced to dress. The robe was cold, ice cold. I shivered like a wet dog, but yet it was so hot outside that particular day....

Author's Note

For Ravena and for C ! :)