The Queen's Keeper

There were three options Evangeline considered before taking any action: 1) taking the key and pursuing the sleeping witch that very night, which would most likely result in getting caught (she suspected Henry knew the key was gone by now) and getting into trouble, 2) hiding the key away and going to bed, which wasn’t at all what she wished to do, and 3) hiding the key and sneaking out, to explore and possibly find Gwen, who would have answers and know more than she.

She decided on the third choice and turned towards her room. There was a bed, a chest, a vanity, and a wardrobe. It was all very simple. Evangeline walked towards the lit candles and took one out, looking for a safe hiding place. She knew the chest would be the most obvious choice for Henry to look when he discovered it was missing. She sighed and placed the now dreadful thing in her bodice. She hated hiding things because it made her awfully nervous. She blew the candle out quickly and placed it back in its place next to the others.

Walking to the door, Evangeline opened it eagerly and stepped out. A cold draft met her and she shivered in the darkness. She pressed herself against the wall and edged her way forward, step by step. Glass cracked underneath her feet and she paused a moment, catching her breath.

When Henry’s footsteps did not approach her way, she continued forward, her hands desperately grasping at the wall. It was smooth and ragged at the same time and half of her wanted to shy away from it while the other half wished to stand there against it.

She was happy the floor was made of stone and not wood like the manor which she had stayed at. It had been nearly impossible to sneak out at night and she nearly always got caught. It never made sense to her why she could not go out in the middle of the night; there was nothing to fear. And all she wanted to do was to go for a walk in the woods and perhaps dance under the moonlight.

It had always attracted her; that eerie yellow glow was such a mystery to Evangeline. How had it become that color? Who made it? And if that God everyone believed in was real and he had made it, just where did he come from?

Eleanor had never been a religious person and did not follow a particular faith. She only pretended to do so when royalty or anyone of any importance was visiting. She had a bible laying on the front dresser for show, with religious relics and a tapestry hanging from it, the tassels barely touching the floor.

And so naturally, Evangeline did not follow any particular faith. She knew all the bible stories from when she was a child; her mother had read them to her every night. She had always found them dreadful. But it was her father who told her the fascinating stories about things that could never exist – bloodsucking creatures, witches, warlocks, mystical women who could breathe underwater, werewolves, and other countless beings.

She would have liked to believe that there was some man up in the sky watching out for her, but it seemed to be a form of laziness on the human race’s part. If this God were real, would he want everyone to depend on him for everything? She found herself agreeing more and more with what Henry had told her.

She smiled, deciding. She would just have to go after what she wanted. No one else would help her. Or do it for her. She would get the prince herself.

The thought of finding true love was absurd to her. In this day and time, it was almost impossible. And besides, who would want to curse their selves with such a petty thing? She did not want to love the prince and she did not even care if he had other mistresses. She herself would most likely find pleasure in other men’s company. It was in her nature.

All she had to do was to get him to fall in love with her long enough so that he would wish to marry her. After they had wed, she would make it very clear to him what she desired and they could have their own separate chambers after that.

It was actually a bit strange to her, that all she desired was power and nothing else. She had always wondered why not having found love had bothered her. It seemed to her that it was in her being to rule over this land. Like it was destiny, even if she didn’t fully believe in such a thing.

Down the steps Evangeline went, faster and faster while the seconds ticked by. The silence filled her entirely as she descended, making her very curious about this place. It had changed, she knew that. Why? Perhaps the queen had something to do with it. The queen… the queen. Questions bombarded Evangeline’s mind. Who was she? What was her name? Could she help Evangeline?

When she reached the door at the bottom, she opened it swiftly and closed it securely. The grass swayed beautifully at her, clutching the bottom of her clothing garments. She smiled down at it, pushing her hair back behind her ears. A flower, which seemed to beckon her to it, gently unlatched itself from the roots in which it began.

Evangeline gasped and knelt to her knees, clutching the poor thing. It was purple and bright pink – a color she had never seen on any flower in her life. She placed it to her chest securely, as if it was a babe and then, with a bite of her lip and a wary glance towards the castle, she placed it in her hair.

Standing straight up, she looked around, and admired the odd beauty of the place. It was unnatural. Stepping forward, Evangeline made sure not to look at any of the plants or flowers or animals on the ground. She didn’t trust herself in this foreign place.

She reached the gate soon enough and to her surprise; she didn’t have to say any words. It opened by itself, gracefully and everything beyond her was hideous. Or, more appropriately, normal. She paused, thinking which way she should go.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know you were gone?”

Evangeline slumped her shoulders forward and turned to Henry, a scowl on her face. “Men,” she muttered, stepping forward.

“Yes, men,” Henry agreed, stepping outside the gate. He walked up to Evangeline and locked his arm with hers, surprising Evangeline.

He looked at her garments and shook his head, removing his over coat. “Put this on, or a passerby will get the wrong impression.”

Evangeline snorted with laughter, “it is you who locked ours arms, not I, and it is you who chose to follow me out into the night.”

“I am your keeper,” Henry replied, locking arms with her once more as soon as she had it on.

“I don’t need a keeper,” she argued, looking straight forward. Her clenched her jaw and looked around for any sign of anyone. “I am the Queen’s Keeper.”

Henry nodded and thought, so am I.

“The keeper needs a keeper,” Henry joked, looking at her. The moon shined down on her skin and he couldn’t help but admire how lovely she was.

“And what of you?” she asked with a smirk, “who is to keep you?”

He laughed and grinned down at her. She was truly mesmerizing. “Do you not have a wife?” she asked softly, looking at his features as they changed from jovial to troubled. Evangeline could tell she had upset him and instead remarked upon the moon.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, “the moon. I wish I could be as lovely.”

Henry stared down at her and quietly murmured, “I did once love a woman, whom I wished to marry. But she killed herself when her father refused to let us marry. I wasn’t of high enough class for his standards. She left a note for me, at our favorite place.” His tone was harsh and unforgiving. “I’ll never forget how lovely she was.”

He cleared his throat and looked down at Evangeline. She swallowed heavily, not expecting such a response. “I’m sorry,” she said, a lump forming in her throat. She felt sorry for him.

What a burden it must’ve been, to have been in love. Didn’t he know what she knew -- That love was a horrifying curse?

“That was the past,” Henry’s breathing was ragged, “and this is the present. One must learn to move on.”

He grasped Evangeline’s hand into his own and watched her cautiously, “Shall I take you there, to my favorite place?”

She nodded eagerly, smiling up at him. “Where is it?”

He pointed towards the right, where the hills and forest extended forever and beyond. Or, at least far enough that no one had ever traveled to see the end; and if they had, they were no longer alive to tell the tale. “There is a small lake, almost dried up, with long stalks of grass surrounding it. And beyond that lake, there is a hill that goes up and onwards for all eternity. Did you know that if you reach the top, you can touch the moon?”

“Have you gone there?” Evangeline asked excitedly.

“No,” Henry answered briefly, “she – my fiancée – was frightened that if we went there we would never find our way back.”

“Would that have been such a bad thing?” Evangeline asked, watching his giant steps and imitating them, so as to keep up.

“No,” he whispered. “Or perhaps so. Never is a long time.”

“Will you take me then – tonight?” Evangeline asked, stopping him. He stared down at her earnestly, with sad eyes. He ran his free hand through his wavy locks and sighed up at the sky. How unfair it was.

“No,” he replied, “we have other things to tend to and would need more than one night.”

“Then soon?” she urged him hopefully. “Please, it would be the adventure of a lifetime.”

He thought on it, looking at her young, eager face. He figured in his own mind that she could be no older than seventeen – not much older than he was when he first laid eyes upon the Queen. The same questions that once ran through his mind were probably running through hers at that very moment. And for that, he felt obligated to help guide her, to take care of her.

He knew all that would become of her in the near future, and what would be asked of her. These would be her last happy days, and he was determined to make them as blissful as possible. It didn’t matter to him what her aunt or the witch had said; words were meaningless unless proven.

“Yes,” he smiled, “I will take you.”

“Do you promise?” he could see hope glittering in her eyes, a hope that she seemed to be giving up on and depending on all at the same time.

Perhaps if Henry had known what the stars watching knew, he wouldn't have taken such a thing so lightly. And he might have even reconisidered, had he known what was to come.

“I promise.”