CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 16

 

Heara woke up in a dark room. It was pitch black. She looked around in confusion and saw a white glowing shape. It looked like a door. She curiously approached it and pushed it open. Heara stepped into a large, bright room that seemed to be floating in space. Hundreds of stars were barely visible between the clouds of purple and green. Four paths led to a middle section, each with a corresponding door, two were checkered, one with coloured tiles. Her own path was paved with cards. She spun around to look at the door, to find it had changed into the portraits of many kings and queens, with their respective upside down mirror image underneath, surrounded by a brown doorframe.

She turned back to the paths and walked down hers. As she neared the center, she saw there was a white shimmering basin on a pedestal. It was very foggy. Suddenly it started clearing and she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, but there was no one there. When she looked at the basin once more, there was a cloud of mist floating above it. It had something that resembled a face and two white hands floating among the mist.

It spoke: “Heara of Cards, princess of the Heart Kingdom, you have come to me, then you are troubled, and I will lift the veil of shadows and show you the way of the truth.”

Heara wondered if this speech was rehearsed.

“Who are you?” Heara asked.

The figure was silent.

“Where am I?” Heara asked.

Silence again.

“How can you possibly help? How could you solve my problems?”

“Only you can solve your problems.” the mist answered. “I can only show you the way of the truth.”

Heara stared at the figure.

“Look at the water.” it said simply.

Heara looked obediently.

“Let me tell you a story.” the spirit said, gliding its hands across the water. The water showed whatever she said.

“Long ago in the Kingdom of Cards there lived four brothers, princes, sons of the King of Cards.  Because he could not decide which of the sons should be the heir, he Split the kingdom into four parts, each wearing the crest of one of the brothers. The people of the land adopted these new ways, and soon the kingdoms were ruled wisely by the four brothers. But son it was time for them to find their brides. The Kings of Pick and Trefle married twin sisters, daughters of a duke.

And now we must change our view of the story and travel to a land far away. The youngest princess of this land wanted to claim the charming King of Tiles and shared her dreams with her best of friends, the commoner Cora.”

The basin showed two young ladies, one with gorgeous blonde hair and blue eyes, and the other who looked suspiciously like Heara.

“One day, the King of Tiles set out to meet this princess, accompanied by Heartswell, the King of Hearts, who was lonely and sad for not finding anyone for himself among the lines of nobelty and royalty. The princess and the King of Tiles fell for each other. But once Heartswell had met Cora’s gaze, they knew they had to be together.”

The water showed the brown-haired girl curtseying before Heara’s very young father, looking each other in the eyes and smiling shyly. This sight made Heara smile.

“The princess was overjoyed about her friend’s engagement and son both were married. A year after, they birthed their daughters. Then, a plague hit the land. Many lives were lost, including the ones of the four queens. Before death, Lisa named her daughter ‘Caro’, in honour of her best friend. The princess and the commoner remained friends until the very end, hoping their daughters would also be.”

Silent tears streamed down Heara’s face. The spirit’s hands departed from the basin.

“So Caro and I were supposed to be friends.” Heara said in a shaky voice.

Silence.

“But we weren’t, were we?”

“Perhaps you can be now.” the mist said.

“No, we couldn’t.” Heara answered. “Not ever. Not after what she’s done. She’s hurt so many people. And she’s so smug about it!”

“Often excessive self-confidence is a sign of insecurity.”

“No.”

“Caro has become prey to her own system. She is no longer the one in charge.”

“That’s not true.”

“The truth is often much harder to accept than the lie.”

“She is not innocent! She started everything!”

“The Queen is not without fault. But she doesn’t pull the strings anymore. She is a victim, just like you.”

“She’s not like me.”

The spirit just floated to the basin and beckoned Heara to follow him. The basin showed a scene in a big red bedroom, with Caro looking sadly in the mirror as she brushed her hair. Suddenly someone entered her room. It was a tall, thin man with a thin moustache and sly black hair.

“The Council of Ministers awaits your orders.” he said to her.

Caro gulped and kept looking in the mirror.

“Do we have to take all the man off those poor people? And that bakery didn’t do anything wrong. Even if it didn’t want to supply the castle, it doesn’t mean that it has to close. I’ve gone there since I was little…” Her vpice trailed off.

“Your Majesty.” the Minister said in a sly voice. “You must not let memories of the past soften you. These people have wronged you. And they must be punished.”

Caro was silent.

“And what about those meddling rebels? When will their execution be?”

Caro looked like she was about to cry.

“But I can’t do that to Heara. We’ve never really gotten along, but I can’t kill her true love! I can’t do that to her!”

The minister stared darkly at her. “You seemed much more confident about the decision when you told her about it.”

“Can’t it at least be postponed?”

“My Queen, the rebellion must be obliterated. And what better way to show everyone still out there that it’s over than to kill their leaders?”

Caro still looked unconvinced.

“They are part of the rebellion. If they are not destroyed, they will cause more problems and wreak havoc among the people. Or do you not want to be a proper queen?”

“N-no, I do. I have to be.” Caro stammered.

“It’s settled then.” the man grinned and put his hands on he shoulders. “You approve of everything?”
Caro nodded and looked down at her hands.

“Say it.”

“Yes.” Caro said weakly.

The man walked towards the door and said: “Good day, your Majesty.”

After he left, Caro put her head on the dressing table and started crying.

Heara kept staring at the water long after the vision was gone.

“Who was that man?” she finally asked.

“A serpent who accompanied by others slythered by the side of a weak and inexperienced monarch to take control.” the mist answered.

“So I have to help Caro.” Heara said.

“Save her, and you can save everyone.”

“But how can I possibly save her?”
“Free her from her burden. Think.”

Heara thought hard. If she would have to “free Caro from her burden”, she would probably have to take over the throne. But how could she do that? She tried to concentrate, but this stupid little rhyme kept ringing in her head:

 

“Two heirs between them can’t decide,

 And none of them could really hide,

 Their thirst for power and for pride,

 So join along now for the ride.

 Come join the singers and the bards,

 Come from the houses and the yards,

 Come see how they can solve their hards,

 Throughout a lovely Game of Cards.”

 

Heara exclaimed the last three words. She was buzzing with excitement. That was it! She could overthrow the queen through this game. She was of royal blood, and so she could challenge Caro. Maybe she could even win.

She sped down the path of cards and slammed the door behind her.