The Princess And The Stones

  "So," Claudius Harmoniac asked as he walked with his wife down to the farm, "are you going to punish her?"

   "Claudius darling, I don't see any reason to punish her. She didn't do anything I wouldn't have done myself.” Moraca said with a laugh. As they reached the front door, she turned to look at her husband and winked. “You should be used to things like this. She's a little fireball, just like someone you love dearly.” Casually, she leaned against the door frame. The saucy, taunting expression on her pretty face brought back Claudius's memories if the days when they were courting. Despite aging, his wife never really grew up.

Claudius just laughed and ran his fingers through his wavy blonde hair “She is a bit like my sister Reidna, isn't she?” His laughter was cut short by a smack to the side of his head. “Mor, was that necessary?”

“Yes.” She said bluntly, forcing herself to pout.

He shook his head and placed a kiss on top of her head. “It's hard to believe you aren't her real mother.”

"I know dear. It's easy to tell you aren't her father. She isn't at all tall like you, and she lacks the pot belly you have." There was a mischievous spark in Moraca's golden brown eyes, a spark that had been there for almost a century.

He patted his stomach, "This fat hasn't always been around, my darling. You really shouldn't say too much love, you aren't exactly the thin and slender angel I married anymore, are you?" Claudius teased.

Moraca simply smirked. She knew her husband had no intentions of insulting her with those words, and actually probably intended it as a hidden compliment. After all, on more than one occasion he'd said that over the years, her slight weight gain hadn't taken away her beauty, but merely added to her pleasantness.

"Darling," Moraca said, "You were never married to an angel, don't fool yourself."

"Yes dear." He replied, "Now, should we go do something about that daughter of ours? She's probably locked herself in the attic again."

Claudius was right. He made his way up the stairs to the second floor and down the hall only to find that the hatch to the attic was shut and locked, and the ladder was pulled up with it.

"Not this again," Moraca mumbled, "she'll be up there all night hoping we'll forget to punish her."

"But we aren't punishing her."

"I know that dear, but she doesn't." Moraca picked up an old straw broom that was leaning against the wall and began rapping the handle against the attic hatch. "Maria! Maria, are you in there?"

"No." Maria's voice said bluntly.

"We're both up here Aunt Moraca!" A higher voice called back.

Moraca smiled. Her job just became much easier. "Iliana dear, open the hatch please!"

 "Maria says she'll hit me if I open it." Illiana replied.

"Tell her she's not in trouble."

Moraca had barely gotten the words out of her mouth when the hatch door flung open. Rather than Illiana looking down on them like Moraca expected, Maria's face apparent in the open entrance. "I'm not?"

"Of course not. Now let me up, we need to talk about something."

Maria's hand cautiously went to the hatch. "I thought I wasn't in trouble?"

"You aren't," Moraca pointed to the ladder until it dropped to the ground, "it's about something else."

Maria seemed rather curious. "Something between you, me and Illy or--"

"Illiana, can I speak to Maria alone?" Moraca asked as she pulled herself up the ladder.

"Yes ma'am." Illiana squeaked. Once her aunt had made her way up, and wrapped both hands around the ladder and slid her way down.

   Claudius peered up into the attic. "So that means--"

  "Yes Claudius. Go find Simon, won't you? Help him bring in the horses."

 Still conviced she was in trouble, Maria curled up on the bed she shared with Illiana and hid her body behind a pillow, only her hands and head showing. She put on her cutest pouting face and batted her eyes, hoping it'd get her out of the trouble that would surely follow.

 Crazy girl, Moraca thought to herself. She sat next to her daughter on the bed and sighed. "Stop that foolishness. You aren't in trouble."

  The pillow didn't move. "Then what did you want to talk about?"

  "About tomorrow night," Moraca said weakly, "and about the Karalenian Royal Guard." 

   "What about them?" Maria asked nervously. She pulled the pillow tighter as if it would protect her. 

   Moraca ruffled her daughter's blonde hair and laughed. "Maria, I lived in Karalena City for years. I knew the moment I heard you speak."

   The princess's gaze dropped to the bedsheets. "Don't let them take me," she whimpered, sadness beginning to pool in her eyes, "please, I don't want to go back." A few tears rolled down her cheeks. 

    The tears ceased when she felt a warm arm wrap itself around her shoulder. "I have friends staying in De Fassiette. If need be, we can send you and Simon with them. The villagers are easy to cast spells on, we could make them believe you are going away for some other reason. Don't worry, my love, I'd never let then take you before you were ready," Moraca smiled weakly, placed a soft kiss ontop of her daughter's head, and pulled back the blankets, "now get to bed."

   Maria's rose eyes grew wide. "But--"

   "You've got a big day tomorrow. I know you think it's early, but you need the sleep."

   Not wanting to start a fight, Maria crawled under the blankets and put her pillow back in it's proper place. "Fine... Good night Mum."

   "Good night my dear."

   "I love you." Maria mumbled as she tightened the blackets around her. 

    Moraca smiled and placed on more kiss on her daughter's head. "You won't be saying that in the morning. I love you too, my princess." 

   Slowly, Moraca made her way to the ladder. Each step was harder to make. After all, this could very well be the last time she'd ever see her daughter.