Day 5
Tẽra, Lakisha and James hid away waiting for the inn to clear from drunks. Tẽra soothed Sherralee who was quite anxious. She found some bread that she could soften for Otchulissa.
Her new cub was quite hungry. It seemed like a long time before the inn cleared and they could go see if Chris was still alive.
Chris was a weed, the kind that don’t die even when poisoned with weed killer.
The weak but very alive man had played dead while the room was searched. Now that it was empty, he gathered his things, but he was missing a gun.
He couldn’t remember what happened to it and this annoyed him. He also remembered people being around him yet while the room was ransacked, he had been alone, left to die.
He helped himself to some of the things in the room and made his way out. There he bumped into James and Lakisha.
“We are so glad you are alright” Lakisha said
She’s pretty he thought.
James and Lakisha helped Chris out of the inn and to the hiding place where Tẽra waited.
“Chris!” Tẽra exclaimed “The man you helped was Chris?”
“You know him?” James asked.
“Yes, he sold Rachael as a slave and killed Otchulissa’s mother.” Tẽra was upset.
“He’s wounded” Lakisha said.
“Karma” Tẽra taunted.
Tẽra wasn’t worried that Chris could hear her. But rather that she was sharing space with a crazy untrustworthy man.
“He cannot come with us! I will not be around him.” Tẽra said
“I think you might be over reaction” Lakisha said.
Tẽra turned to Chris,
“Tell them about Rachael and what you planned to do to me?”
“I have no idea who you are or this Rachael chick.” He lied.
“I’m leaving. If you want to die while your back is turned. That’s your choice, but it’s my choice not to be around him.”
Tẽra gathered her things.
Picking up Otchulissa, she was sure that the cub was a different color.
“Wait” James said “Surly this man isn’t everything you say and even if he is. We can’t leave him to bleed out, he is wounded.”
“They branded Rachael. The men he sold her too. They whipped her, if anyone deserves sympathy it’s her not him.”
She mounted her horse.
“The choices we make define us” James said.
“Yes, they do.” Tẽra agreed “So, be careful what choice you make.”
She covered her hair so that it wouldn’t be so ease to recognize her.
Tẽra Trazzie rode towards to castle. She straightened up and rode through the gates up to the castle. No one stopped her or said anything. They just looked at the floor as she passed.
She set Sherralee free and carried Otchulissa. She walked head held up high like a true royal. The main door was opened and maids swept the floor before she could step on it.
“My queen”
The little rat of a man said
She gestured, go away and kept walking.
“The Lovac people are in the dungeon as you ordered.” he persisted “The other wagons have arrived.”
She stopped in her tracks turned to face the man. He looked at the floor cowering before her.
“Leave me” she ordered.
He scurried away like a cockroach. Tẽra soothed her cub as they walked through the busy castle. People fussed about her. Asking her questions and making a nuisance of themselves.
In an angry voice she demanded
“LEAVE ME!”
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Everyone cleared the room. No wonder this queen kills people she mused. They make the decision easy. She wondered the castle exploring all the fascinating things. The castle was full of fascinating things. Portraits, paintings, suits of armor, statues by the doors and tapestries.
Tẽra walked holding Otchulissa, enjoying their art.
Rachael’s back was really hurting. Her brand was like nothing she had experienced before.
No wonder they tried to make it illegal, to do it to animals.
She removed her shirt from over it.
“WOOH that’s bad!” Nicolette exclaimed staring at the burn.
“You need a doctor to look at it”
“I wish” Rachael sighed “We have no money and nothing to trade.”
Spice looked at her infected burn.
“You are unfortunate” she said.
She took a knife and a piece of cloth.
“Tell her to bite the cloth and not to move.” Spice said.
Kerri- liana relayed the message.
“Why, what is she going to do to me?” Rachael asked worried.
“Spice was able to help Joe when she was poisoned. Have faith that she knows what she is doing.” Natrica said.
“Your angel was poisoned?” Rachael puzzled.
Rachael put the cloth in her mouth and Spice with the knife cut into the burn. Goo started coming out. She cut again in another place and more goo came out. Rachael was screaming in pain. Once Spice was done cutting, she left.
“She’ll come back” Natrica comforted “Joe saved her or something and she now follows us around, helping out.”
“I am going to see if anyone knows anything about Joe this warrior woman.” Kerri declared and left.
Part of her couldn’t handle Rachael’s suffering. She felt really bad for not being understanding before. But regret wouldn’t help anyone. But finding Joe that would help. She wondered the passages filled with maids and soldiers. No one paid any attention to her, even though she was different. A buzz filled the halls. She heard them talking about a second dungeon filled with hunters.
Suddenly Kerri was back in reality two dungeons? Maybe Joe was here.
She asked around and got no straight answers. She was lost. She looked at her book. There were lots of places that could be turned into a second dungeon.
She walked into a room to find Tẽra stroking her cub.
“What are you doing here?” Kerri asked,
Tẽra quickly explained.
“Chris the guy you helped is the one who sold Rachael and killed Otchulissa’s mother.”
Kerri was in shock. The guy she had helped, the one beaten half to death, was the guy that caused harm to come upon Rachael. The reason Rachael was branded. It was hard for Kerri to hear.
Kerri then quickly filled Tẽra in on her idea to find Joe and have the queen assassinated and replaced.
Tẽra was shocked.
“You want to kill the queen?”
Tẽra didn’t want to be part of an assignation.
“Will you be the queen?” Kerri asked
Someone knocked on the door
“Come in” Tẽra called
Black beard Gruff came in and bowed to the ground.
“My queen all the dragon eggs have arrived as you required.”
Dragons?
“Show me” Tẽra said
“My queen?” he asked surprised
“Do not question your queen.” Kerri said sharply
This was it. If the guards believed Tẽra was queen then everyone else would to.
He bowed and then led them to a pit with iron bars. They descended into the pit and Tẽra looked at the speckled eggs. They were smaller than she expected.
“Real fire breathing dragon eggs?” Tẽra asked
“Yes, my queen. twelve men died stealing this from the Skiopia tribe.”
Kerri pulled Tẽra to one side.
“What if we didn’t need to assassinate the queen? What if you replaced her? You could make things better for everyone in this world.” Kerri persuaded
“Do you really think I would get away with pretending to be the queen?” Tẽra asked doubtfully
“Yes. They believe you are the queen. I can help you with the language.” Kerri persisted
“What if we get caught?” Tẽra asked
“What if you can make a difference? What if we can make a difference?” Kerri asked
Tẽra thought about it. She didn’t like it. But if she revealed she was not the queen now, she was sure it would end badly.
“Put me in charge of some things. Like an advisor. I can find us a way home.” Kerri promised
Tẽra thought about it. If she was going to pull off being the queen, she would need help.
“This woman is Kerri. I sent for her and she will be overseeing some of my sensitive matters. Bring her up to date on everything.” Tẽra commanded. Stepping into her role as queen.
A born natural Kerri thought.
“Take me to my chambers” she ordered a servant.
Kerri felt unsafe left with Black beard Gruff. But she spoke the language and with the ‘queen’s’ backing who would be brave enough to try anything.
Black Beard Gruff hated being ordered around. The queen had no respect for him and he had upheld her laws for so long. Now another, a woman was promoted above him and he was invisible.
He explained to Kerri how the royal counsel had been present for a royal promise. How this woman who killed the queen’s men was to be brought back alive. How a woman named Autumn would be given her people’s freedom in exchange for bring this killer back to the castle alive.
But there was no time limit given.
However, generals from around the country would be gathering here in the castle in less than three days.
Kerri wondered where the queen was. They had been seen by many and yet not one tried to arrest them nor did the real queen appear to behead them.
Kerri went back to the others.
Natrica was talking with Rachael who was now doing a little better. Nikki who had multi colored hair was discussing bad haircuts with the ladies.
Spice had returned like Natrica said she would. She had put ointment on Rachael’s burn and the cuts she had made.
Kerri told them everything that had happened. How she met up with Tẽra who was pretending to be the queen and everyone believed she was. She told them of the dragon eggs and how a woman named Autumn was hunting Joe and Sugar. She also mentioned the meeting of the generals in a few days. Also, that Chris was fine and in town waiting with James and Lakisha.
“So, then we should go back to town. Viola will be there with her sister.” Nikki suggested
Chris was on Rachael’s mind
“Did you say Chris was fine? Are you helping that snake?” she tried not to sound outraged.
“We had no idea he had caused anyone harm. Tẽra is here because she refused to be around him. But I think Chris is not our biggest problem. We should find out where the real queen is before we and our new queen get beheaded.”
“Beheaded?” Nikki asked
“Yip, I saw it with my own eyes. She chops of people’s heads for fun.”
“And you got Tẽra, to pretend to be queen?” Nikki was not impressed
“She’s a natural actor.” Kerri said.
Rachael and Nikki gave her an unconvinced look.
“I will go with Kerri to town to find the sisters and you can help the new queen out.” Natrica suggested
Natrica was trying to defuse a potentially bad situation.
Tẽra explored the queen room. She had a much-needed bath, and put on clean clothes. This queen had nice things and lots of thereof.
“You are not the queen! Who are you?”
An older woman dressed as a maid asked standing in the doorway.
“How do you know I am not the queen?” Tẽra asked
“I raised her after her parents were murdered.”
“Where is she now?” Tẽra inquired
“I don’t know. You speak badly for a royal.” The maid commented
“Can you teach me?” Tẽra asked
“Why would I do that? I should call the guards.”
“Call them,” Tẽra dared “Only you a maid knows I am not the real queen. Why would they believe you over me?”
“They know me. I am the queen’s handmaid.” The maid replied.
“Let’s be civil. Teach me and I will not harm the real queen.”
“What have you done? Where is my queen?”
“Honestly, I don’t know where the real queen is. But I know she’s not where she should be. If you help me take her place, I can keep things running in her absence. Possibly go some good. When she returns, I will not harm her.”
The handmaid put her hands on her hips.
“Well, I don’t like you very much.”
“You are free to go” Tẽra said
“But I will help you for the safety of my queen.”
“Thank you!” Tẽra said
Nikki finally found Tẽra and her new handmaid.
“Are you coming back to the inn with us?” she asked.
“No, I will stay in the queen’s absence and learn all I can from inside the castle. You are welcome to stay. I intend to learn the language so I can pass as queen.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Nikki asked
“No, but I already started and if I reveal myself, I will probably be killed. I do feel terrible about this, dishonest, pretending, and I am afraid.” Tẽra confessed.
“I think it’s a bad idea. But it might work. If it does, it gives us the best chance of finding a way home. I will be here if you need me.” Nikki said.
“Thank you!” Tẽra hugged her.
Nikki returned to the others.
Kerri and Natrica got food before leaving for Point.
Nikki sat with Rachael who had a fever and was in no condition to go anywhere.
Spice was determined to stay with Natrica who now knowing that Joe had escaped wanted to go back to the inn in the hopes of seeing Joe.
So, Kerri-liana, Natrica and Spice went to meet up with the others.
Nikki waited until Rachael was asleep and left her in the care of the castle physician. Nikki wanted to explore the castle and if Tẽra was now in charge. She didn’t have to catch dinner. Dining with the new temping queen was on her agenda.
Nikki and Tẽra ate in the queen’s dining hall. There was more food than what was needed.