"Meredith, we would like to speak with you about a certain matter." Ivy told her nervously as the man at her side beamed down at the older woman.
"Of course." Meredith said opening the door and letting them in. Adam glanced around the room with false interest as Ivy sat on the basin beside her stepmother. Meredith had been there for her since her father's death when she was nine. Sixteen years seemed like a long time in comparison with her father. Ivy sighed as Meredith patted her hand.
"Why are you so sad dear? I thought you would be happy about your engagement." Meredith told her softly as Ivy blushed.
"Oh, I am thrilled. I was just thinking about my father. It's strange how this room always reminds me of him. It's not even druid." Ivy pouted making Meredith let out a surprise chuckle.
"Is that a mermaid?" Adam asked, making the girls turn to frown at him. He stood analyzing the fountain as if it could somehow be fixed. Not that is was broken or anything was wrong with it in Meredith's mind. But Adam was a dwarf and probably considered the sculpture dull, as it wasn't a flashy thing like dwarves preferred.
"If it is?" Meredith asked, getting to her feet. Adam simply shrugged.
"It's just odd to see such a thing here. I was told that druids could live for hundreds if not thousands of years. I wouldn't be surprised if the first druid king was married to one. Before they died out of course. Being the weak and fragile creatures that they were. They vanished after the last great war." Adam muttered as Meredith huffed.
"Great is not the word I would use to describe such a tragedy. And it would be best if you remembered that sometimes things that have been lost, are only waiting to be found. Congratulations on your engagement, shall we rejoin the festivities? I think I have rested plenty." Meredith told him dryly.
"Wait Meredith! That wasn't the only thing we wanted to discuss." Ivy told her quickly, blushing at her feet. Meredith sighed as she reached out and pet her cheek. Ivy paused glancing up into Meredith's sad expression. Like she knew something Ivy didn't.
"Yes, we were hoping to announce our engagement tonight, near the end of the party. Then proceed with the wedding tomorrow. Everyone has already planned on being here, so it will save time and resources. I mean, I have been courting this girl for four years now. I think it's time we seal our love." Adam purred down at his blushing Ivy. He had taken one of her hands in his, kissing the back of it gently.
"Seems a little rushed." Meredith muttered as they glanced at her. Her face never hid her disapproval even as her words were coated in acceptance.
"Are you sure you will have everything ready by then? I mean this is a wedding not a ball. It requires a slightly different atmosphere." Meredith told them wandering towards the door. She needed to leave so Raven could sneak out.
"Yes! Yes, I am sure we will be ready." Ivy told her, dragging her back over to the fountain. "I was thinking once we return from the honeymoon. I could take my place as queen. You could finally pay a visit to your home." Ivy was telling her nervously as Meredith paused.
"I will never return to that place. This is my home now." Meredith told her as Ivy pouted. Why was Meredith being so stubborn? Though thinking about it now... was she reluctant to go back because of painful memories? Because of her son?
"Excuse me. I'm sorry, I am confused. Why can't Ivy be Queen?" Adam asked annoyed as Meredith sighed.
"She needs to accept her noble birthright as a druid." Meredith grumbled. It was an excuse since she knew Ivy would be queen one day. With or without the bond. She just simply wanted to test Adam and hopefully open Ivy's eyes.
"But you are not a druid, and you are queen." Adam countered as Meredith nodded jerkily. Adam could see why Ivy's father had been smitten with her so many years ago. She had aged gracefully and was clearly a beauty in her day. But other than her looks, he didn't see the appeal in a head strong woman.
"I became queen when I married the king. His passing left me as a ruler until Ivy was old enough to accept her place on the throne." Meredith explained to him as Adam frowned.
If Ivy awakened like Meredith suggested, that would leave him in a tough spot. He needed her to remain weak and gullible. He glanced up at them smiling with his teeth. Well, at least weak.
"So basically, if Ivy never bonds with a plant, she will never take your spot." Adam concluded as Ivy pouted worriedly, and Meredith sighed rubbing her forehead. It seemed this was a common topic for the queen and one she was tired of discussing. Well Adam could help with that.
"Unless you die. Leaving her as the only acceptable replacement." Adam purred darkly as both Ivy and Meredith shot him a look.
"Adam..." Ivy started quietly. That wasn't how she wanted to take the throne. Honestly, she would feel lost and helpless without Meredith's guidance.
"It's for our future." Adam told her as Ivy's eyes grew wide. He couldn't be serious. Not the man she was in love with. Her Adam would never consider such a thing! Adam closed the distance between him and the queen as she stood there in shock. He slid the hidden blade between the woman's ribs smiling as she grabbed him in shock.
"Adam!" Ivy screamed as she grabbed his arm. He pulled away from the dying queen, leaving the blade in her chest. He had stolen the blade from one of the hounds. Nobody would question the infamous assassins. Born and bred to kill. The small group of five had killed more than hundreds of victims between the three kingdoms. They were well known, well feared and they worked for Adam alone. Ivy fell to the floor beside Meredith sobbing as her red blood stained the stone she laid on.
"I did this for us. Now you are free." Adam told her as Ivy shoved him away from her.
"No, how could you?!" Ivy sobbed as she held Meredith's hand.
"You said you never wanted to bond with a tree." Adam told her. He growled, pulling her to her feet and holding her tightly in place.
"Do you think I wanted to do this?! I did this, so you can be free! I did this for you, because I love you. I know you will make a great queen, without the aid of your father's power. Isn't that what you wanted? To be queen without having to cave to that traitor's demands. He left you. For years he abandoned you and cast you aside when he brought home this little..." Adam trailed off as Ivy sobbed in his arms. He had glanced down at Meredith's corpse only to see she had changed.
A long fin stuck out the bottom of her skirt as her webbed hands uncovered scales. The fabric in her dress clung to her in odd places as fins tried to make their way out of the folds. Ivy had paused to gasp at the creature Meredith was becoming. The gurgling noise had them both jumping as the fountain suddenly stopped working. The queen was dead.
"A mermaid. She had been a mermaid." Ivy panted, stressed. They were all supposed to be dead. "That's why she couldn't go home. Because there was nothing left." Ivy sniffled as her legs gave out, letting her body sink to the floor. Adam stared in shock as Ivy sat dazed and completely out of it.
Now was the time to gently coax her and twist her into following him. He reached out to pet her face, pausing when the doors on the balcony vibrated. The wind perhaps? He couldn't take any chances. Adam crossed the room as Ivy simply sat docile. Too far gone emotionally to acknowledge her surroundings. Adam rolled his eyes opening the doors to let in some fresh air. Hesitating when he saw the terrified girl from the ballroom.
"Who are you?!" Adam growled at her as she shifted her gaze from him to the two women in the room.
"Meredith!" She breathed hurrying into the room and crouching beside Ivy. The princess blinked at her stupidly as she sat huddled over the corpse of the queen.
"I asked you who you were." Adam growled behind her as the young girl turned on him growling.
"Why should I tell you?" She bit out as Adam growled back. He grabbed her face pulling her up to her feet.
"Because I am very interested in the name of the queen's murderer." Adam hissed. Someone grabbed his arm forcing him to drop the girl.
"Adam enough! This isn't right!" Ivy told him as he frowned at her.
"I did this, so you could be queen. I did this for you. Because I love you." Adam told her cupping Ivy's face in his hands. She whined painfully as Adam kissed her briefly.
"No more. Just no more, she is only a girl." Ivy pleaded as Adam released her.
"I know. That's why I will make it painless." Adam murmured as he turned on the girl trying to flee. He reached the door before she could, hindered by her lavish gown, and slammed it shut on her face. She growled at him as he pulled a second dagger out of his belt, causing her to back up into the room quickly.
She punched him in the face when he approached, causing him to stumble. Using his disorientation, she grabbed his wrist, twisting it painfully so he dropped the knife into the fountain. When did she learn to fight?!
Adam shoved her away from him and took a step back to catch his breath. She turned and hurried to the open balcony instead, looking for an escape. Adam stomped across the room pausing to glare at Ivy's tear-stained face as she shook her head. She stood trying to block him as the girl realized her mistake. There was no escape on the balcony.
He growled pushing Ivy gently out of his way as he stood in the doorway. There was no way out. The pale girl glanced about wildly with her violet eyes as Ivy grabbed his arm.
"Adam, please... Please stop this..." Ivy choked as Adam shoved her. He hadn't meant to hurt her, but Ivy was in his way. He touched his sore cheek where this girl had hit him before stalking across the balcony towards her.
She hissed and growled at him as he tried to attack her. She put up a fight, but it wasn't a good one. He was going to win this. He hissed when Ivy grabbed his arm, still pleading for him to stop.
"Damn it, woman! Can't you see she will ruin everything! I am trying to help us! Make a future for us!" Adam hissed at Ivy as he backhanded her.
"You only care about yourself!" The girl spat, through her bruised cheek. She tried to go to Ivy only to have Adam shove her backwards.
"Stay away from her!" Adam hissed. He hesitated as the girl hit the banister awkwardly, rolling over the side of it. He must have shoved her up, as well as back, watching her tumble backwards, falling to the forest below. Ivy gasped at his feet, and he quickly crouched pulling the struggling girl into his chest as she sobbed on the floor.
"No! You..." Ivy sobbed as she tried to push this stranger away from her. She didn't know this man, so cold to the touch. He hissed grabbing her arms painfully as he shook her.
"I did this for us! The worst is over. It couldn't be helped. This was the only way for us to be together." Adam told her as she sniffled and whined. "I don't see why you are crying. You asked for this to happen." Adam muttered coldly. Ivy froze, staring at him with her big green eyes in shock.
"I never asked for this." Ivy stuttered as Adam frowned down at her.
"Really? Didn't you just say you would do anything to become queen? That you couldn't imagine living without me? You wanted her to die for keeping the throne from you. Don't lie to me or yourself. You are just as guilty as I am. You are a killer just like me. This is all your fault." Adam growled in a soft voice as she sat petrified.
"I wasn't lying, Ivy. I love you and want us to be together. Do you think anyone else would truly understand you now?" Adam asked as he wiped her tears away.
She was just like him? Ivy glanced at Meredith as she lied dead on the floor. She wanted this? Did everyone really think that? Ivy panted as Adam hugged her to his chest. Was he truly the only one who would lover her now? She hugged him back weakly as he sighed, kissing her head.
"It will be okay princess. We will get married, and you will be crowned queen. It's what we both want." Adam cooed softly trying to comfort her. Ivy paused staring at the red shirt under her cheek. Those were things she had wanted, but... Was this the way she wanted to get it?
She wondered as she side glanced at the pale tail. So many things she didn't know about the woman she had called her mother. So many secrets. It was almost like she was a stranger living in the castle. Ivy sat up feeling hollow and numb.
"She deserves a noble funeral. For the time she served as queen in my father's place." She mumbled dully. She blinked when Adam kissed her.
"This is why I love you. Come let's call the guard. I need to take care of my bride to be." Adam said, helping Ivy to her feet. "Everything will be okay. I promise. I love you. We will get through this." Adam told her, setting her down by the basin. She had bruises on her arms and face where he had handled her roughly.
He kissed them gently as he petted her head. She simply sat there like a hollow doll, waiting for his word. He turned his back going to get help, smiling when he was no longer in sight. The night didn't play out exactly as he had planned but it would still serve in his best interest. Everything was going to be just fine... For him at least.
Comments (0)
See all