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| The Runic Heart | |||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||
| Act seven: girl talk | |||||||||||||||||||
| In a cold dark place - Lady Angela began to awaken. She did not know how long she had been there - but if felt like forever. Her eyes focused to the dim lighting of the place - her ears tried to block out the screams that echoed off the damp stony walls. She watched dozens of soldiers in plated armor marching through the corridors. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "I bid you welcome - my lady," a voice said from behind. She slowly turned around and saw the dark queen Tamina in her cell. Angela slowly backed away from the scary - beautiful woman until her back touched the cold iron bars behind her. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Who are you?" Angela stuttered. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Me? My dear - we have to get some ground rules straight. I don't answer questions - you do. So tell me - why you are sleeping - with my man?" she asked lowly. Angela shook her head. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "No - you're lying. He doesn't have a girlfriend," she retorted. Tamina slapped her across the face and then pushed her head against the iron bars. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "At the moment - he does - unfortunately - and that person seems to be you. But that will change. The only person that is standing between Harmen and me - is you," Tamina said calmly. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "He loves me," Angela said quietly. Tamina released her and sighed. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "The sad thing is - he probably does - but he will get over you in time - I am very good at making people forget things - especially inexperienced little girls like you," she replied confidently. Angela shook her head. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "No - not him," Angela stated. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Really?" Tamina remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "When last I saw him - he proposed marriage - he will not forget me. He loves me," she replied. A look much like shattered glass cross the dark queen's face. She walked over and stood inches away from the timid looking princess. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "He - would propose marriage - after one - night - with you? I have been a fool. I don't believe it," she began as she began to pace back and forth. Angela looked over at the confused looking queen. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you okay?" she hesitantly asked. The queen stopped and looked with disgust at the little girl that seemed to be looking at her - with pity? | |||||||||||||||||||
| "I could have given him so much - I asked for so little - yet he chose - to do this to me - and you - you - the one that has caused all of this. Do not think for an instant that I have forgotten you. You may have his heart - but I will have his body," she began. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "No," Angela muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh yes - and you my dear - will get to watch - as he pleases me over and over again. He is on his way here as we speak," Tamina began with a mad laugh. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "He will never do that," she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "He will - if he doesn't - I will have you killed - and he knows I would do that. Don't worry though - I won't use him for too long. Being with someone that hates me - well, it won't do much for my self esteem," she retorted as a mad look crossed her face. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "What - what are you going to do to him?" Angela asked timidly. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Trust me honey - you - do not want to know. But let me give you a clue - it will end with him being dead - another show you will get to watch - and then - oh - you - you're crying? All this must be upsetting you," the queen began in a voice that could almost pass for concern. She walked over and placed her hand on Angela's cheek. "Don't fret. No need for tears. After I'm done with your boyfriend - you will join him shortly thereafter," Tamina whispered. She was about to leave when she stopped and looked at her again. There was something - disturbingly familiar about her. "Have - have I seen you somewhere before?" she asked hesitantly. Angela closed her eyes and slumped down to the floor. Tamina studied her some more and shook her head. "No - I would have remembered. Rest up - I want you to be fully able to enjoy the show," she concluded as she magically vanished into the shadows. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" she stammered. It was then that Meep scurried out from her pocket and climbed up her arm. She stopped panicking and smiled at her pet. "How did I get into this mess?" she asked timidly. She sniffled and looked around. "We have to get out of here. If we don't," she began - but stopped herself. Meep seemed to nod and hopped from her shoulder. | |||||||||||||||||||
| She watched as the little ferret scurried along the floor towards where the sleeping guard was. Meep slowly climbed up the leg of the guard - crawled up his chest and began to nibble on the chord that bound the keys to the guard's shirt. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Be careful," she whispered. Just then the keys fell from the guard and hit the floor. The guard instantly woke up and looked around - all of the prisoners were where they were supposed to be. Everything looked right - or was it? | |||||||||||||||||||
| "What's going on?" he asked gruffly as he slowly stood up - unaware that Meep was still clinging onto his shirt. Angela smiled and shrugged her shoulders. The guard walked down the corridor and studied each cell until he was towering over her. "You know something," he stated coldly. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "What could I possibly know?" she asked timidly. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm keeping my eye on you," he said gruffly as he walked back to his chair - looking over his shoulder every second step. He then sat down and stared at her coldly. Angela did her best to look as scared as she was feeling. And within moments - the guard was once again fast asleep. She sighed and managed to calm herself down a bit. That was too close. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Now Meep," she whispered. Meep hopped from the sleeping guard and began to slowly drag the heavy keys along the floor. The noise wasn't all that much - but Angela kept a close eye on the guard - in the off chance that he would wake up at the wrong time. "A little more," she whispered. The guard stirred - but just moved a bit in his chair. At this rate she didn't know how much more her heart could take. "Come on - a little more," she whispered. Seconds later the ferret and the keys were with grasping distance she quickly reached out and grabbed both the ferret and the keys. The guard woke up and looked at the suspicious looking girl. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm still watching you," he threatened - but like before - within minutes - he was once again fast asleep. She sighed and began to look at the keys. There were at least ten keys - and something told her that she wasn't going to have tome to check them all. | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Which one?" she asked herself. Meep nudged one key with his nose. Angela picked up the ring of keys and held the one that her ferret had pointed out. Keeping her eyes on the sleeping guard - she carefully began to fit the key into the lock. The key gave her some resistance - she was beginning to lose heart when the lock began to turn with the key. The key turned all the way around. She then took a deep breath and began to slowly push the heavy iron door. The door made an unholy creak. She stopped and looked to the end of the hall - the man was still asleep? | |||||||||||||||||||
| "I wonder what exactly would wake him?" she asked herself as she pushed the door out a bit more - it continued to creak - but it was now open enough for her to slip out. she then slowly pushed the door closed and began to stalk her way down one of the dark corridors. She didn't know where it went - but she hoped - it would lead out. | |||||||||||||||||||
| to be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||