Tie It With a Ribbon

The entire kingdom had erupted in a frenzy of panic once the announcement about the missing Leonian corpse’s discovery. Of course, they had demanded to know the whereabouts of their previous Queen, though they had not wanted the answer quite as badly as they had thought.

The guards truly worked wonders with the crowd, clearing them before any true riots could occur. I looked to Zanzibar, but his gaze was much too distant to offer any consolation. Reginald approached us once the audience hall was clear, and he wore his heart on his sleeve.

“Alena, there has been talk,” he said under his breath, glancing around suspiciously. “Everyone is saying how the traitor is from the Leonian side, because no self-respecting Aquilan would endanger Nadia. Do you know anything? Anything at all?”

He spoke not only as a soldier whose sole duty was to protect my mother, but also as a concerned friend. It broke my heart to shake my head in response.

“Alexandros insists that he had nothing to do with it, and I have to believe him to an extent. After all, she was the one to promote him though every rank.”

“So… There are no leads, then?”

“She did not say that,” Zanzibar interrupted suddenly, looking to Reginald. “There are screenings occurring as we speak, and everyone in my kingdom is being looked into. I have suggested that we do the same here, but Alena insisted that we take it up with you.”

Reginald glanced between us, pure desperation on his face. “I’ll do anything to find her in one piece.”

He saluted us quickly, gathering his men as he walked.

I turned to Zanzibar, Reginald’s blatant fear not helping my own concerns.

“Don’t even speak of it,” he begged, his eyes sincere once more. “I will not allow you to lose your last loved one, Alena, and I’ll be damned if I let these traitors think they can waltz over our peace as if it was but a small pebble.”

“I just want to know that she’s safe,” I whispered, choking on a sob as I turned from him, burying my face in my elbow. “That would be enough.”

“If it is one of my people, then they will not last through the interrogations. I do not know about your process, but my guards know no mercy when handling with tyranny. We will find them, and they will all but beg the soldiers to allow them to disclose what they have done.”

“I thought this was over.”

I shook my head, looking to the cloudy sky above us. It hardly seemed fair that the sun was kept from us on this day, and yet it seemed entirely appropriate.

“You’ve spoken to him, and he swore he had nothing to do with this?”

“He all but screamed that he ordered the death of William, but he reacted very strongly regarding his repulsion about being a suspect of my mother’s disappearance.”

“At any rate, he will be dead soon... He does not know who it was, then?” I shook my head. “Then all we can do is wait. I don’t know how long it will take—”

“Milord, milady—you’re needed at the Den,” the soldier huffed, his face flushed from his obvious sprint.

Zanzibar turned to me. “Or perhaps we will not have to wait long at all.”

We went our separate ways again, though we rejoined at the edge of the forest. After all, I did not know where screenings were held.

The soldier led us through the winding halls and to a dark room which held only a simple table and chair—and a suspect.

“You have your dagger with you?” he asked me under his breath, and I nodded sadly.

Zanzibar finally looked to the suspect, and he cringed at the man sitting at the table, though I could not identify as anyone but a low-ranking soldier.

“This had better be a misunderstanding,” Zanzibar warned him, appearing as intimidating as ever, “because if I find out that one of my trusted soldiers has harmed my mother-in-law, well, I cannot say that leniency will be my first concern.”

The soldier looked away from him, placing his gaze on mine. The intimidation vanished, and all that remained was pure, unadulterated hatred.

“I was trying to save you from her!” he spat, suddenly gaining a spine.

“What?” I gasped, taken back by the sudden animosity.

“You’re tainting our land! You think you can just waltz into our home and defile it in any way you desire? I’ve got news for you, milady, you can’t!”

“Just what did she do?” Zanzibar demanded, cutting me off before I could speak.

“Are you blind, my King?” the soldier whispered. “The idea of peace was something we all wanted… But if the price for this peace is allowing the Aquilan guard to step on us like mats and spit demands in our face, well, I’m starting to prefer the bloodshed!”

“You were to listen to your superiors, be they feline or avian. Those were my direct orders!” He stormed up to him suddenly, slamming him against the wall and refusing to allow his feet to touch the ground.

“It’s obvious that I did not listen, then, isn’t it?” the soldier panted, struggling for air.

“Where is Nadia?”

“Damn me if these lips ever speak that name again!”

“You’re already damned!”

A low growling filled the bottom of his throat, and I cringed. It was the noise of a lion ready to strike, and I averted my gaze as his eyes narrowed to golden slits.

“She’s at my home, in the closet!” he shrieked suddenly, his body trembling violently.

I could see Zanzibar’s nails already transforming into claws, so I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to stop this before it could escalate further. “Zanzibar.”

He scoffed, releasing the man and looking to his soldiers. “Throw him in the cell. I won’t allow him to rot there for long.”

He pushed past them, and I followed him, at his heels the second he took off.

“Alena, I want you to remain here while I go to ensure she is alright.”

“You cannot possibly be asking me to stay? This is my mother!”

“I am not asking you; I’m telling you.”

I tried to follow him regardless, but his soldiers stepped in my way, pure obedience on their faces. I crossed my arms over my chest, standing on the tips of my toes until Zanzibar was out of sight.

“I’m sorry, my Queen, but it would be best for you…just in case, well, you know,” one guard murmured, sincerity in his eyes.

I averted my gaze, not wanting the words to register, and I looked to the trembling traitor in the corner. He looked to be in shock, and surely he had just stared Death in the eye.

Zanzibar had promised to never allow such murder into his eyes again…