Chapter 1

            3 years later…

           

            The sky was always gray, and the air always heavy. Grimmland had been under Queen Zora’s rule for three years now, and the mood of the whole kingdom was different. Nobody walked through the streets, nobody spoke, and nobody laughed. It seemed as though if someone did anything they would be beheaded.  Guards were always roaming the streets monitoring the citizens’ every move. Queen Zora was the Evil Queen and the Queen of Hearts rolled up in one.

            Adelaide woke up to a dreary morning inside her small bedroom a frown overcoming her face. Although it was nothing like the room she had in the castle she loved it all the same. There was a window two feet from her bed with a chair resting underneath the sill. Another two feet to her left was a drab, brown wardrobe containing a few different dresses.

            Adelaide got up out of her bed and looked out the window. “Another dark day I suppose,” she whispered under her breath. She sighed and let a tear run down her face, “I miss you.” She was usually able to move on from her parents and betrothed, but not today. Today was the day they were killed, and the wicked Queen Zora took her land. After another moment of mourning Adelaide ventured over to the wardrobe and pulled out her favorite dress. It was a commoner’s dress like all the others, but this one meant something. Red had given her this dress three-years ago when they first met. Not only did she get some new clothes, and a place to stay, she also had found a new best friend.

            The brown bodice was already untied so it was easy to slip on. The green skirt ended at her shins, and the puffy, cream sleeves at her wrists. Adelaide reached inside the wardrobe once more to get her shoes, and then closed it. Each one was made of brown leather, and they fit her perfectly. Adelaide completed her daily routine by brushing out the tangles in her honey-blonde curls and making the bed.

            She opened the wooden door to her room and walked a few feet to the top of the stairs. “Addie is that you?” she heard Kristine call. As they got to know each other Kristine started calling her Addie. Without responding Addie bounced down the stairs and into the kitchen.

            “Good morning Kristine,” she said with a fake smile.

            “Good morning,” Kristine replied. “I made you some eggs and toast this morning.”

            “You don’t make breakfast,” Addie said with a questionable look.

            Kristine placed a plate on the round oak table, “Some days call for me to make breakfast.” Addie took a seat in the chair next to her. She picked up the wooden fork and began eating.

            Kristine walked a few feet to the front door and pulled her red cloak off the hook. “I have to go drop some cookies off at Granny’s. Would you mind going into town and picking up a few things?”

            “Not at all, what do you need?”

            “I made a list,” she leaned over and took a piece of parchment off the counter. “Here, that should be everything.”

            Kristine swung her cloak over her shoulders and pulled her dark brown curls out from under it. She picked her basket up off the counter and headed out the door.

Addie took her dishes and placed them in a wooden bin ready to be rinsed later. After cleaning off the table she put on her green cloak and headed out the door taking the list with her. It was a chilly morning and the chance of rain could be smelled in the air. Addie travelled out into the woods in the direction of town. It was only a thirty minute walk but, she had to be sure to hide herself from any guards that passed by. There were signs plastered on almost every tree, each one read:

 

 

WANTED

Alive

Adelaide Grimm

For Infractions Against the Queen

500 Gold

 

 

Addie pulled her hood over her head and made sure to always be looking down especially when there was a palace guard. Finally, she made it to town without being caught. She looked down at the list trying to figure out where to stop first.

2 Loaves of Bread

Cinnamon

Pepper

Oats

Flour

Sugar

New Ax

Beef

          With the list in her hand Addie headed off to the bakery seven shops down. It was incredibly busy today; everyone was shopping for their big meals. Each year the citizens would cook a secret meal in their homes to honor those who died in Queen Zora’s attack three years ago, and each year families were killed for breaking the law. The law stated that there should be no worship except for that of the queen.

            Addie kept her hood up and head down as she passed the guards standing outside the shops. Eventually she reached Jacque’s Breads and Pastries and walked inside. A bell rang and immediately the sweet aroma of Jacque’s famous gingerbread filled the air. Two guards were settled in opposite corners and Jacque stood behind the counter. There was flour sprinkled across the floor and shelves of bread around the walls. Careful to keep her head down, Addie walked over to the shelf labeled Wheat Loaves and took two off the shelf. Turning slowly with the bread in her arms she made her way to the counter across the room. “Good morning Jacque,” she whispered.

            Jacque looked up and could see the princess’s honey blonde curls flowing out from under the hood. “Good morning,” he whispered back. He looked around cautiously to be sure the guards were listening in and finished his greeting, “Princess.”

            Addie placed the two loaves of wheat bread on the counter and asked, “How much?”

            “That would be eight pence,” he stated. “Would you like it in a bag?”

            “Yes please.”

Jacque reached under the counter and pulled out a paper bag. Being sure to keep it out of sight of the guards he put the two loaves of wheat bread in, half a loaf of sourdough bread, and four gingerbread cookies. He gave the bag to Addie and smiled, “On the house.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

Addie walked out of the bakery and discovered the town to be quite empty. “Where is everyone?” she wondered. She walked out a bit further and saw a cluster of people down by the Blacksmith’s. Guards were fighting through and Addie jogged over. She stayed in the back and asked the older woman standing next to her, “What’s happening?”

            “A young man was protesting, not a good idea.”

            “Protesting? What was he protesting about?”

            “The same thing everyone does.” The woman raised her eyebrow and looked down at Addie through her half-moon spectacles.

            “The Queen,” Addie confirmed.

            The woman nodded and her eyes crinkled, “The Queen.”

            A painful wail came from the center of the circle. Addie dropped her bag and pushed through the people. As she came closer to the front she could see the young man being whipped by a stronger, taller looking guard. She passed the last row of citizens and jumped in front of the guard yelling, “Stop! Stop it!”

            Addie tried her best to take the whip out his hands but, he shoved her to the side and mocked in a deep grumbling voice, “Petty girl! Go back where you belong!”

            A townsperson pulled her back into the circle far away from the center, “Princess, what were you thinking? They could’ve seen you.” She turned around and pushed the man off her. He was a middle-aged man with long whiskers and a dirty face; it was the face of the blacksmith.

            “I was thinking, Mr. Stonebridge, that this madness had gone on long enough.”

            “You’re lucky your hood didn’t fall off, they would’ve taken you to the Queen. We already lost your mother and father we don’t need to lose you too.”

            Mr. Stonebridge let go of her arm and the guards announced, “There’s nothing else to see here. Get on with your day.” People began to clear away and Addie looked back over to the center of the circle where she could see an unconscious young man being thrown into a carriage ready to be taken to Queen Zora. A tear began to stream down her face but she wiped it off before anyone noticed.

            “What is happening?” She shook her head and headed off in the direction of the spice cart.

***

When Addie returned to the tree cottage she found Kristine harvesting crops. Kristine stood up by the corn and walked over to Addie. “Thank you so much Addie. I’m going to need this stuff for dinner tonight. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing I’m fine,” she replied with a fake smile.

“No you’re not. I can tell, you have a depressed look on your face. Did something happen in town?”

“A young man was protesting,” Addie began. “Queen Zora’s men whipped him and took him to the dungeon.”

Kristine’s face grew sad, “I’m sorry Addie.”

“I guess that’s just how it is now. Also, Jacque put some gingerbread cookies and sourdough bread in there.”

“Addie we can’t afford goodies like that. I can make those things for cheaper.”

“It didn’t cost anything. He said it was ‘on the house.’”

Kristine nodded her head, “I always like Jacque,” she smiled and went back to work. Addie called to her with a melancholy tone, “I’ll go put these inside.”

“Okay,” she replied, trying hard to lighten the mood.

 

Author's Note

Ignore the grammar, I haven't edited for that yet. Give me you're honest opinion. Let me know if you enjoyed reading it and if you want to hear more. Any additional comments are encouraged. :)