Episode 15

Persephone

"I didn't push her." I told Prince Dameon who was hell bent on getting me punished. He looked away from me and to Queen Mother who was trying her best to look as pitiful ever.

I didn't understand why I was forced to stand in the middle of the court in front of the King and other weird looking people. I had done nothing wrong. The only reason I still stood here was because Teris warned me never to disregard the members of the court no matter how tense the situation got.

"Do you suggest the Queen Mother is lying?" A very old man who sat next to King Alec, Teris' father asked me,looking at me strangely. I had never seen him in the castle before and his clothes were different from ours. The red of his cloak was really eye catchy. He was covered in a red cloak that swallowed his whole body up I couldn't even see what he wore inside. I could not help but imagine what I would look like if I wore something like that . Ugh. The color would contrast with my hair and I'd really look like a witch. I scolded myself mentally for letting my thoughts wonder off.

I looked at Teris' face for at least a reaction so I would know what to say but his face gave me nothing.

"Do you imply that the Queen Mother lies?" He asked again.

I stared at his grey eyes for a while and his white eye brows furrowed together,forming even more wrinkles on his forehead.

He looked away from me a bit frustrated and to Teris'. Why did he seem frustrated all of a sudden?

"Who is this woman?" He demanded from Teris.

"A consort." He simply said.

"A consort..." He looked back at me.

The frustration on his face had vanished when he looked at me. He observed me from head to toe. His eyes rested somewhere above my eyes for a while before his eyes landed on mine.

"Who are you?" He asked me.

I found the question strange. It seemed to me as if there was more to the question. Like he wanted to know something.

"Speak!" He shouted all of a sudden,startling me a bit and I gasped.

"P-persephone Aeschylus." I stammered. His eyes widened a bit and even if he tried well to hide it,I saw a bit of uneasiness. Why?

"Persephone... Your mother... where is she?" He asked.

I frowned. Why was he asking me these kind of questions?

"Dead." I tried to say dryly but I ended up choking the words out of my mouth.

He touched his beard slightly.

"Magus Adonis,why do you ask her such questions? This is not the matter-" Prince Dameon was saying.

"Quiet." He raised a hand and Dameon's jaw snapped shut.

He scrutinized me some more and looked back at Hera then at me again.

"The girl did not push you." The old man said. I gasped. How could he tell by just looking at me? I'd heard of mages who could read minds and sniff out lies but I never believed it was true. Until now.

"She most certainly did. Her very aim was to take my life." Hera said,pointing her index finger at me.

The old man observed me again.

"She did not. Except our gods lie." He said without looking away from me.

"She did Magus Adonis. I will not stand for this injustice." Hera said,and rose to her feet angrily.

He observed me again. "If you insist,Your Majesty... " He paused.

"...but Queen Hera,are you sure she pushed you on purpose?" He paused again and stole a glance at my direction."...for the step I am about to take has repercussions if you are lying."

I looked at Queen Mother whose eyes seemed to wander about.

"Do not palter with the truth Queen Hera. You know what will happen to you if she is found innocent. Are you willing to take the risk of death?" The old man asked.

Queen Mother did not utter another word and the court grew noisy with whispers.

"Silence!" Prince Dameon shouted and everyone kept quiet. "Mother she pushed you,did she not?" Prince Dameon asked her. Queen Mother's head remained bowed and she didn't breathe a word.

"Who brought you here?" I didn't hear the old man at first until I noticed he was looking at me and repeating his words.

"I did." King Teris said.

"My work here is done." The old man said and turned to Teris.

"May I see you for a minute your majesty?"

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Teris

"What have you done? Why would you bring that woman to the palace grounds? You know what she is, do you not? "Magus Adonis said with annoyance written all over his face.

" Why,Adonis? Persephone is completely harmless." I said.

"You can never be too sure about that."

"Which is why you spared the life of one many years ago?"

The color drained out of his face and he grimaced.

"It was what your father asked of me." He said as his eyes darted about.

"Was it really my father's wish?" I taunted with folded arms.

His forehead wrinkled even more than I thought it could and sadness clouded his features suddenly.

"What could I have done? I raised Elpis and she had the kindest heart. How could I have killed my own?"

I sighed,dropping my hands.

"Adonis, I very well understand you. All I wanted to make you see was that Persephone is harmless. She can not harm anyone."

The Head Mage's eyes darted to the door and back to me again. "Young King,it would do you well to know that an elf is always dangerous. You are knowingly putting the royal family in danger. Yes. She is of a pure heart but even in the purest of heart anger exists. Be careful or you will all die. If you plan on keeping her here,prepare to take her secret to your grave for you know what awaits if it gets out that you spared the life of a beast. Be careful." The old man said and walked away from me. As he opened the door, Elpida fell in.

My heart skipped a bit. Was she eavesdropping? Did she hear anything?

"Forgive me Magus Adonis, I was running in to tell His Majesty that Queen Mother demands his presence."

I watched her for a while and she only gave me a bright smile. Hopefully she did not hear a thing.

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Elpida

"She is not human. She is not human." I said as I paced about my chambers. That explained what happened to the color of her eyes last night. She really did not look normal.

The blue hair, her eyes,her outrageous figure...her beauty was a rare kind.

"What makes Her Majesty troubled?" My personal maid, Penelope said,breaking through my thoughts. I gazed upon her pitiful self that always seemed to irritate me all the time.

I stormed towards her direction and hit her across the face. She fell to the floor.

"What have I told you about meddling in my affairs?!"I shouted.

She held her face and looked up at me,tears shimmering in her.

" Your Majesty, you looked troubled... I was worried-"

"Silence,you peasant! Nothing troubles me! Never darken my door again!"

"Forgive my insolence, your Majesty!" She wailed grovelling at my feet.

I kicked her off my feet and strolled to my bed.

"Your Majesty I..." Penelope said with her irritating high pitched voice that I hated even more than I hated Persephone.

"Get out!" I screamed and she gasped. She picked herself of the floor slowly and strolled to the door.

I went back to thinking. The old fool did think I was stupid enough to buy the elf story. I knew just what she was. I'd always known since I'd seen her. Fae was what she was. No some Lesser Fae pig. She was Fae from head to toe. My lips curled upwards. Finally.

"Penelope." I called. She ran back to where I sat as though she knew I would call her back. She knelt before me,her garment spreading around her,showing her respects.

She truly was a gem of a person. It did not matter how many times I hit her or treated her unfairly, she would always come right back and never complain. No one was like her.

"Your Majesty... you called me?"she said with glittering eyes.

"Get me Altair. I have work for him."

"Y-yes ,Your Grace." She said and ran off.

I'd long prepared for a time like this, putting my plans together, pulling strings and somehow, a Fae had just walked right into my castle. I laughed. I'd miss playing the jealous and immature queen for sure but now, not it was time to set my plans into motion.

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Teris

"Yes Mother?" I said,strolling into her chambers.

"Teris,we need to talk about Persephone." She said as she adjusted her make up in front of her mirror.

"Go ahead Mother." I said,looking around at her room. I had not been in here for a long while but it all looked the same except the covers and curtains mother changed often. It smelt the same like mother's perfume. It reminded me of the days I would run in here when I had a problem and she would take care of it. Things changed. I still loved my mother but now,she was not that woman of many years ago. Now,she was just Queen Hera.

"The consorts are talking Teris. You do not as much as look at them because of that woman." She applied her dark shade of lipstick.

"Mother,she is with child. My child. She deserves more than my attention."

Mother stood from her chair and stared at me,her blue eyes searching mine for something. After what seemed like forever,she finally spoke.

"Do you love that woman?" She arced a brow. The question took me aback. I had never thought about her that way.

"No Mother. I do not. I have treated her unfairly and I will not be able to live with myself if I do not give her the treatment she deserves. So no mother. I feel no such thing towards that woman...but I do care for my child. My heir...and I will go to any lengths to protect her if it means protecting my child." I replied.

"So,Teris,you do not love that woman?" Mother asked again.

"No Mother. I do not."

She smiled rather weirdly.

"We have to stop the rumors going around. I have managed to keep your infidelity within these walls. We have lied to the people that woman is a consort but the consorts think otherwise and if the truth comes out,we will have to worry about our relationship with the neighboring kingdoms."

"So what are you proposing?" I asked,seeing the truth in her words. All the consorts were either daughters of important merchants or the daughters of other Kings. If they complained to their parents and they looked into the issue, I would be in serious trouble.

"That lie has to become the truth."

"She becomes a consort?"

"Yes Teris. She becomes a consort and fight for your attention like the rest of them. It is only fair if that happens." Queen Mother said and I could not help but take it into consideration. It was a good idea but I doubted that she would jump at the offer.

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"No. There is no way I will become one of your pretty dolls. No. I am not doing that." She said with folded arms.

"That is the only way I can keep you here. You need a reason to be here. It is not heard of that a peasant suddenly dines with the royal family and has access to everything the King has. I will be questioned and I will be forced to make decisions that might affect our child's life." While I spoke,I noticed her features softening. Who know,I might actually convince her successfully.

"I do not..."

"Please Persephone. For the child." I pleaded. She let out what I could call a silent growl.

I smiled. Bingo.

"Alright Teris."

"It's King Teris,Lady Aeschylus."

"What was that?" She asked,glaring at me.

"Nothing to worry about." I chuckled.

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