The Queen's Keeper

Evangeline circled the castle twice, breathless and red faced. She was surveying the iron trellis that went all the way to the top. There were vines and roses intertwined between each spoke. She weighed the options: climbing the trellis and getting stuck by thorns, or attempting to sneak in through the door and possibly being discovered. Knowing that Henry’s hearing was acute, she made her choice.

Gingerly picking up her dress and the skirts underneath, she gripped them tightly in one hand so that as she ascended, they would not get torn. She grabbed the trellis and shook it gently, to test the strength. It did not budge. She was surprised. From the outside of the castle, the appearance was deceiving. To any onlooker, it seemed as though the trellis was ancient. It looked like it was rusty and the plants were curled up and black with death. But here, they were beautiful and flourishing. The vines were a bright green and the trellis looked as though it had just been placed around the castle.

Evangeline lifted her foot and rested it on a flat surface of one of the spokes. She took her free hand and pulled herself up, grunting when a thorn punctured her skin. She grimaced and started to climb. Her arm grew tired quickly and she perspired through her dress. She knew if she wanted to get there before they had finished, she would have to fasten her pace. Angrily, she dropped the dress and started climbing as fast as she could – which was still moderately slow.

When she had reached towards the top, and where she assumed that her aunt and Henry would be, she stopped, and rubbed her face. Her hair clung to it and sweat dripped down every crevice. She was uncomfortable and wore out already. The thought of climbing back down made her start to doubt her why she had done this in the first place. She caught her breath when she heard her aunt’s voice, barely audible.

“How are you, Henry?” she heard her aunt ask him sweetly.

“I am well, my lady. Thank you,” Henry replied gently. “How are you?”

“I am well. But concerned. Has Evangeline ever left your sight?”

“No…” Henry stammered, “I did not mean to alarm you. It’s just… I have not been able to find the key. But she’s been with me all this time and I know she does not have it and she hasn’t opened the door.”

There was a long period of silence.

“Mark my words: she has that key. She will open that door.” Eleanor spoke gravely.

Henry was quiet. Evangeline wanted to see him, to see what he looked like as he endured her aunt. She felt sorry for him in a way. She shook her head, as if to rid herself of that thought. He was a simple poor boy, nothing more. He should have been royalty, with his looks. She felt like it was a shame. Such a waste.

“You know what you have to do, Henry?” Her voice was sharp and angry.

Henry hesitated before speaking. “I…don’t know that I can do it anymore. I thought I could before. But I have gotten to know her…”

“Don’t tell me you’ve grown attached to the fool!”

Evangeline opened her mouth in shock and glanced in through the tiny window. It was not made for anyone to escape or sneak in. That was certain. There were iron bars preventing anyone of doing so. She saw them both standing, in the small room. Her aunt was standing dangerously close to Henry, who was cowering away.

“No… I mean… I… she’s very beautiful. I…no. I just don’t see why this is necessary.”

Evangeline furrowed her brows in confusion and ducked down when she thought Henry was glancing her way. She feared he knew she had been there all along.

“She’s bewitched you!” Evangeline’s aunt screeched at him. “That’s what she will do. That is what she does to all the men! That’s part of her power. That is why it must be done!”

“Please, I beg of you,” Henry said. “Please…ask someone else to do this. I cannot.”

“You will!” Eleanor raised her voice at him. “You were assigned the task and you must do it. Need I remind you why? Do you wish to be cursed? Do you want to be back in your rightful place?”

Henry was silent.

Evangeline’s heart was beating fast. She knew they must be talking about her. But what did it all mean? What was Henry to do? And what was her aunt talking about? How was Henry cursed? What was his rightful place? She could barely stand not knowing the answers to these things.

“How am I to do it?” Henry asked. “Surely not by sword. I have trained her well and she possesses talent just as equal as mine.”

Evangeline let her mouth fall open. Her heart rate was increasing by the second. She perspired heavily. She dreaded knowing the answer to her growing suspicion.

Eleanor clicked her tongue impatiently. “No you fool. Not a sword. The dagger.”

“Dagger?” Henry asked nervously.

“Yes. The dagger that the Queen herself carried on her person. The dagger with jewels
welded into it. The dagger made of pure gold. You will go to her room while she sleeps with this dagger. This is how you will kill Evangeline.”

Evangeline’s eyes widened and tears fell down her now smudged face. She was in shock, unable to move. And then her body went into overdrive. She climbed down the trellis so fast that thorns ripped her dress into pieces and tore at her flesh. She cried in pain but dared not to stop. She fell on her back to the ground and got up to her feet quickly, fleeing blindly. She hastily opened the gate as soon as she reached it. Never did she stop running, all the way to the forest. She did not glance back at the castle once.

She ran through the forest, deeper and deeper, and could hear them calling for her already. She stopped by a large tree and slid down to the muddy ground, crying desperately. Why would they want to kill her? Why would her aunt be so cruel? This was not how her aunt had been before. Had something changed? How could Henry do this? None of it made any sense. Why would they send her to perform this duty if they meant to simply kill her? What exactly had she done that warranted killing? She knew she might have been loose, or seen frolicking half naked, but how did that justify killing her?

She felt delirious and could hardly control herself. “Hello, Evangeline,” a familiar voice spoke.

She jumped, startled. It was the old woman. She wore a ratty old grey garment against her small, withered frame. Evangeline grasped her chest and breathed out. “Dear god. You scared me. What on earth are you doing here?”

The old woman smiled knowingly. “What’s wrong Evangeline? Heard something that confirmed your belief in me and cast doubt in your mind?”

Evangeline swallowed hard and wiped her eyes. “I overheard…” She couldn’t finish her sentence. Her breathing was still ragged. Clutching her waist, she looked up at the old woman helplessly.

“Yes, yes. I know what you heard,” the witch waved her hand as if such a matter was insignificant. “I knew of this plan from the day I met your aunt, ever since I agreed to help her. Everyone knew. Henry. The girls at your manor, even. It was planned for you since you were a child.”

Evangeline stood up, grasping the tree. Her hair fell in her face and she stared open-mouthed, in confusion. “What are you saying?”

The old woman took a step closer and placed a hand on Evangeline’s shoulder. “I’m telling you, dear child, that your life has been a lie. You have been marked since before you were born. You were hunted before you ever came to be.”

Evangeline sobbed, and her face crumpled in confusion and fear. The old woman smiled evilly, knowing she had Evangeline where she wanted her.

“Sit down and I shall explain it all to you.”