Deidre's Faerie Tale

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," Lyrik said coldly.

"Heavy is the damned crown," I said returning her venomous smile with one of my own. I took my seat, now at the head of the table.

The stand-off between Lyrik and me had been tense, teetering on the edge of collapse. She barely spoke to me, except for a few smart-ass comments here and there. Usually, I just ignored her, per her mother's advice, but I wasn't putting up with her shit today. I was most certainly not in the mood.

To my right was Lady Ilyn, looking demure as ever in a peach linen dress and blonde braid hanging over her right shoulder. She frowned at Lyrik, who was seated right beside her. I gazed at the empty chair to my left and sighed. It was getting late, already dinner time. I'd been too nervous to eat all day and my stomach was complaining.

I wrinkled my nose at the orange liquid in the crater-sized bowl in front of me.

"Carrot and Leek soup," Lyrik informed me.

I had never wanted a piece of fried chicken more in my whole, entire life!

"Sounds wonderful," I muttered.

"Doesn't seem that our vegan diet agrees with you," Lady Ilyn said with a small smile. I was saved from having to think up a polite way to put my opinion of not being able to eat meat.

"Sorry, we're late," Tolem's deep voice boomed as he entered the dining hall. My heart seized and I leapt to my feet and rushed toward him.

A wide-eyed Ella crept into the room behind him.

"Baby!" I shrieked picking up my pace.

"Mommy!" she squealed breaking into a run.

I tucked her into my chest and squeezed so hard I began to sob. "I missed you so much," I choked.

I ran my hands over her brown hair, attempting to smooth the tousled mess.

"Did you do okay on the plane?" I still couldn't believe my daughter had taken a trans-Atlantic flight with me. Trilla was absolutely trustworthy, but this was my baby.

"Good," Ella said smiling, "I watched movies and slept. It was kinda fun." Her silver eyes traveled around the room. "Whose house is this?"

"It's ours," I whispered.

Her eyes got even wider.

"Come eat dinner. There are some people you should meet."

Ella slipped her hand into mine and almost skipped beside me to take her seat at the table.

Lyrik sat cool and aloof as my daughter chatted about the flight.

My step-mother was the opposite. She was so involved with Ella's account of her trip, she barely touched her dinner. She just listened, enraptured, as she chattered.

To her credit; Ella seemed un-phased by the orange soup that was her dinner. She finished the bowl and even had seconds. My own appetite had returned, but I didn't even come close to finishing my soup.

***

"Mommy," Ella mumbled, her eyes heavy, "I'm so sleepy."

I was tucking her in after we had called my mother and let her know we were both safe and sound. I'd decorated her bedroom myself. The walls were lavender with cream-colored crown molding. The gauzy off-white lace curtains blew into the room with the cool breeze. There was a small deep purple loveseat tucked into a corner, beside a floor lamp.

Her bed was full-sized, piled with purple, lavender, and white linens and pillows. The armoire and dresser were white with purple tops. There was a white study desk with a matching chair tucked in front of one window and vases full of purple tulips and white lilies on the end tables and desk. The rug was tightly woven, and had images of purple, white, and yellow flowers. The chandelier, floor lamp, and desk lamp were off. The only light in the room was soft light that came from the white sconces, two on each wall.

This was the room I'd always dreamt of for my daughter. All regret I'd felt over the past six years that she'd been sleeping in my childhood bedroom went into decorating that room. It was beautiful.

"I know, Ella Bella," I said passing my hand over her head. I didn't realize how much I'd missed brushing and braiding her hair every night. "I'm so glad I'm able to put you to bed again."

"Me too," Ella said around a big yawn. "Mommy, Tolem said he would take us to town tomorrow."

"Sounds like fun," I said with a smile.

"Does he live in this big house too?"

"Yes." Ella's lips turned up in a lazy smile. "Cool. I like him. He's funny. I think he's the boy."

She was asleep before I could ask for an explanation.

***

Tolem knocked on our adjoining door almost as soon as I'd entered my bedroom.

I allowed him in and watched as he fidgeted.

He'd taken his hair out of the ponytail and it fell forward into his face as he watched the floor.

"Are you going to say something? I asked touching his arm gently.

"She's beautiful," he muttered.

"I know," I said thinking about my sleeping angel down the hall.

"I feel horrible," said Tolem, still gazing at the rug beneath his tanned bare feet.

"Why?"

"I've thought of nothing but having you for months...but I don't deserve you. Your feelings should be for her...for your child. I feel so...selfish."

I rolled my eyes. "So now that you've met my daughter, you can only think of me as a mother?"

"No," he said quickly. "When I saw her, holding onto Trilla's hand in the airport, all I could think was how she has your nose and lips and wonder if our children with also have them."

I gasped at his words.

He shook his head and the blonde curtain of his hair swayed back and forth. "I'm selfish, I know. I've no right."

"Oh, Tolem," I said wrapping my arms around his waist. "I would love to have your kids, but I'd like to be married the next time I get knocked up. I sorta promised my mama."

"Of course," he whispered, pulling me roughly to his chest.

"Three boys and two more girls," he whispered against my cheek.

"Did the Seer tell you that?"

"I don't have to go to her to know that I will be with you for the rest of my natural life."

"Oh, Tolem, I wish we didn't have to wait."

His jaw flexed as his head dropped, and his hands traveled downward, resting in the small of my back. "It's for the best, your highness." His full pink lips were dangerously close to mine. "I told you not to call me that," I whispered before going up on my toes to press my lips to his.

I could feel the change in him as soon as our lips touched. His entire body went rigid, hands pulled me even closer. I slipped my arms from his waist to his neck, forcing him to bend even closer. He groaned and slanted his mouth against mine. Then I felt his erection against my stomach and my knees went wobbly.

Good Lord, I wanted that thing pressing against my stomach, to press against me somewhere else.

Then I was alone, Tolem had pulled away from me so fast, I felt the wind when he turned and headed back to the door that led to his bedroom. The door didn't actually connect to his room, there was actually a three foot walkway between my bedroom door and his. By the time I got myself together I could hear the door on the other side of the hallway slam shut.

"Damn him," I swore heading for my king-sized bed.

***

I woke up with a start the next day. My t-shirt and shorts felt hot and constricting. I blinked against the harsh sunlight slanting through a gap in the drapes.

I jumped at the sharp rapping coming from the door. That must have been what woke me. Lyrik entered my room, and was past the sitting room before I could form a complete thought, much less a sentence...so not a morning person. Lyrik looked rested and refreshed in a white and pink satin morning dress that pooled around her feet, but didn't trip her the way it would me...considering my grace and the fact that I am capable of tripping up stairs.

Lyrik walked across the room carrying a silver serving tray.

"I brought you some tea," she said with a smile. The statement sounded genuine enough, but her smile was still reptilian.

"Wow, Lyrik. That's so nice of you." The hazy confusion of just waking up was still clouding my mind. This odd change in her usually bitchy demeanor didn't alarm me, just confounded me.

"I know Americans like coffee, but we Brits love tea and I think this is a blend you'll really enjoy.

I accepted the fragile-looking white cup she held out and thanked her. It was warm in my hands. I brought it to my lips to have a sip but just before I tipped the cup, I caught sight of the liquid.

The thick red sludge was stark against the white cup. My nose caught the coppery smell and I screamed, immediately, slinging the cup across the room. The porcelain exploded against the off-white wall leaving a smear of brown liquid.

I sat transfixed for a moment watching the tea begin to run down the wall.

"Bloody hell!" Lyrik screamed snapping me back to reality.

***

"Trilla!" I shrieked once I'd shoved past Lyrik and stumbled out into the hall. I barely heard Lyrik's exclamation as she hit the wall and dropped the tray with a metallic clang.

I glanced around but there was no one in the hall. "Trilla!" I screamed again.

I grabbed the banister and took the steps three at a time. When I hit the bottom, I finally saw someone but I wasn't looking for the first floor maid. She stared at me open mouthed as I maneuvered around her and ran across the first floor toward the offices. My bare feet slapped against the tile floor, stinging my soles.

Trilla was standing behind her desk when I burst into her office.

"Your highness?" she asked, her face only slightly registering a hint of surprise.

"Trilla," I gasped, "Didn't you hear me callin' you?!"

"No, I didn't."

I fell into a wooden chair and gulped air. Trilla poured a glass of water and presented it to me. I refused.

"Tell me how he died," I said when my lungs were handling oxygen again.

Trilla frowned. "Sorry, what?"

"Tell me how my father died."

"His heart failed," said Trilla, setting the glass on her desk.

"You said he'd been sick."

"Yes, King Dominic's heart was weak. He was bedridden for weeks. When his heart seized the last time, not even the Healer could help him."

"Did anyone see him before?" I leaned forward and clasped my hands together on my lap.

"Only the royal family and the Healer were allowed in his majesty's presence."

"She killed him," I choked out as tears filled my eyes.

"What?" Trilla asked her eyes round in shock.

"Your highness!" Tolem bellowed crashing into the office. "What are you doing, running and screaming through the palace?"

"I had to find Trilla!" I explained.

He held something out to me. I shook my head no, but he shook it.

It was a robe. I looked down and realized I was still in my skimpy pajamas. I snatched the robe and pulled it over me. I was tying the sash when Trilla recovered from her shock.

"Who are you saying killed your father, the king?"

"Lyrik," I spat. "She poisoned his tea."

Trilla went pale—well, paler. "Why would you think that?"

"She brought me poisoned tea this morning! Why would she suddenly decide to be nice to me?" Suddenly, I was consumed with fear, but not for myself. "Where's Ella?" I asked, turning to Tolem. "Where's my daughter?"

"She's in the kitchen with Cook, getting lessons." The suffocating fear lifted from my chest and I could breathe again. "If she kills me, she'll kill my daughter, and take the throne." Trilla gasped. "Of course!" she moaned as she sank into her chair. "She always insisted..."

"Insisted what?" Tolem growled.

"She brought the king his tea every morning. She said it was the least she could do; her duty as his daughter."

"She wasn't his daughter," Tolem barked before he turned on his heel and left us in stunned silence.

I was trying to process the fact that my father had been murdered, and I'd come close to the same fate. Trilla had abandoned her chair and was pacing behind her desk, muttering to herself. It was a good ten minutes before we were jolted from our shock by the sound of Lyrik's screaming.

"Ella," I gasped, rocketing out of the chair and rushing toward the kitchen. Trilla was right behind me. When we reached the entryway, we stopped short. Tolem had Lyrik slung over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. She struggled against him, arms and legs flailing. She pounded his back and called him every name in the book. I didn't know many British colloquialisms, but even the words I didn't recognize were obviously not very nice.

"Deidre!" she shrieked when she saw me, "call off your barbarian immediately!"

I felt this white hot rage building inside me.

"Bitch, you killed my father. I should have him drop you on your empty, evil head!"

Lyrik stopped struggling and gazed at me. "How'd do you know?"

The rage pulse behind my eyes, numbed my fingers that were tucked into tight fists, and made my leg muscles ache to run again...right to her so my fists could do their worst. "The same way I know there was something in the tea you brought this morning. Did you really think you could kill me the same way you did my father? Did you think you could get away with murder three times?" Trilla's cool fingers on my hand made the rage subside a bit. I looked at her and she attempted to smile.

"Mommy?" Ella's voice cut through the rage and scattered it all directions away from me. My fists loosened and my tears began to flow.

I looked at her, on the other side of Tolem and Lyrik, her small hand tucked into Lady Ilyn's long, white fingers.

"What's happening?" my step-mother asked, her voice strained as she looked from her daughter draped over Tolem's shoulder to me.

"She killed him," I spat. "Lyrik killed my father. She's just admitted it in front of us all."

Lady Ilyn's free hand flew to her mouth and she shook her head. Silent tears slipped down her cheeks. "Oh, no," she whispered. "No, no."

"They're liars, mother!" Lyrik shrieked, causing Ella to jump. "Don't listen to them!"

"How could you?" her mother said. "Did you want the crown so badly you'd commit murder?"

Lyrik remained silent.

"She poisoned the tea," Trilla said to Lady Ilyn. "The cup she brought him every morning."

Ella gazed from one of us to the other. Lady Ilyn looked on the verge of collapse, but Ella squeezed her fingers and smiled up at her.

Lady Ilyn looked down at my daughter, then back to hers. "Please take her to the basement, Tolem." Lyrik began to struggle again as Tolem followed the order. "Trilla, please convene Parliament. I promised Ella that I would take her into town to find a few outfits. Let me know if you need me to join the meeting, otherwise, Queen Deidre will facilitate with your assistance."

"Right away," said Trilla turning to go back to her office.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Ilyn," I started.

"No," Lady Ilyn said holding up a shaky hand,

"I'm sorry. It is alright that I take Ella shopping, isn't it?"

"Of course," I said with an attempt at a smile. "You two have fun."

Ella grinned. "I'll be good, I promise."

I waved goodbye as they headed out the front door. I started back up the stairs; the first thing I had to do was get dressed. Then, I would deal with my murdering step-sister.