SEQUOIA

I walk over to the chest in the middle of the room. It looks odd. Like someone moved it there. I tentatively open the lid. It is mostly empty. There in the bottom is a note on top of a light blue cloak. I take the note off the top and open it. This is what it says.

Dear Daughter,

I wanted to give this cloak to you. It was mine and went everywhere with me. It helped me through many things. I died wearing this cloak. And now I want to give it to you.

Good luck.

Your mother,

Elwen

That's it. That's all it says. I wonder when she wrote this. And how could she know that she died wearing it. Did she think she would die or did she write it after she died? No, silly. She couldn't have written it after she died. Unless she didn't die. I take the cape out of the chest and tie it around my neck. It feels familiar. Then I remember it.

That day at the market when I saw him. Cedric. It was a warm fall day. I was wearing this cloak. I had gone to buy some baklava from his stall. I had kept my head down trying not to be recognized and when I glanced up, I saw him. Our eyes met and after that he consumed every thought of mine. As if he wanted to take it all yet give everything. That memory. It comes and goes when it pleases yet never stays so long that it doesn't surprise me when it comes back. I look up and see Tyron watching me. I turn away and stuff the letter down the front of my bodice to hide it. I walk over to him and show him the cloak.

“ looks nice on you.” he says. “ But what is that red on the corner? It looks like blood. Hmm. I wonder where that came from.”

I know that answer but I just say “ I don't know but it’s not from me.” and I walk down the hall. He follows me and he says “ what's wrong? I know that something is wrong. You wouldn't be so rude if you were happy.”

“ Nothing is wrong! Leave me alone!” I say and run to my chambers. On the way I heard something. I stop. I find myself outside of fathers chambers and the door is a jar.

I hear him talking to someone. So I eavesdropped.

“ She needs to marry. I want ther out of my hands.”

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“ Are you even thinking about how this would look to the people? You marrying her when she is just 31? Most women marry at 50!”

“ I know this but I feel that she is going to do something. She needs a proper husband to tame the wild thing she is! I want her married in 3 weeks time. It can be sooner but no later.”

I came to realize. He means me. What other girl is in the palace that is 31? What other girl is going to cause him trouble? Me. Father wants to get me married in 3 weeks. What can I do? I run down the hallway as quietly but quickly as I can. When I reach the doors to Tyrons quarters I burst through them and I stop when I see him standing there one the dias in his room with the chair on it. The one with the huge picture windows. He looks majestic there. Then I see a letter in his hand.

“ What's that?” I ask. He just stands there unresponsive not wanting to explain. I walk up and look him in the eyes.

“ What's wrong?” I say again.

“ this letter. It says that you are going to get married in three weeks and I am to be the man of honor. What sort of joke is this?” he says.

“ It's not one. I just heard my father talking about it to someone. That was the first I heard of this. Who sent you this letter? I guarantee that it was father or one of his accomplices.”

“ What are we going to do?” he says, distressed.

“ we’ll sleep on it. In the morning we’ll talk again,” i say. I take the letter and head upstairs to lunch with father. I just hope I don't say anything about this to him. Just pretend I don't know anything.

***

When I get to the lunch and I can't look into fathers eyes. I never could but it feels like he is farther away than ever. When the maids come to bring in the food something odd happens. In fact, two odd things happen. The first one of the maids that comes in looks just like me. I mean it. Same long black hair. Same green eyes but not the same scare. Then halfway through lunch, a man arrives with a huge package for father. He opens it up and inside is a box and inside that box is a box and inside that box is a delivery of class 5 strong alcohol.

“ aha! Here it is.” he says and takes out a bottle, pops it open, and starts drinking. Soon he is drunk. When some people get drunk, they are happy drunk, sad drunk, or think the world is great. He thinks the world is great. We just sat there while he chattered on about how great the kingdom is.

“ Omka evn shercl malnod! Gelep semoty jel! C avay fornodium! But Poor little Sequoia! She can’t even go to the market without ogling some handsome little boy. But soon enough, you’ll go away.”

Translation: look at the money! Watch it go! We have it all!

Finally, when i couldn't take it anymore i just shouted

“ Gandov! Shut up! Stop talking!”

Everyone stopped eating and stared at me. I slammed my bowl of soup down on the table and walked off my head held high. Not looking back. I could not stand to watch him anymore. What happened? He was nice before but now he has gone crazy. He drinks until it all goes away and then spends more of the kingdom's money. I can’t take it anymore. No. I must stop this. Something must be done. So I go to my desk, pull out a piece of paper and begin to write. I watch ideas flow onto paper. Spelling out so perfectly. Some are better than others but good. I hear a knock on my door and I flip over the paper in case it is my father. It is Tyron.

“What are you doing?”

“ I have a plan.” I say and I tell him the ideas.