Day 6

It was dawn and Tẽra was woken from her sleep by the little rat of a man. He had just come into her room.

“How dare you just come in here” she barked outraged

“Forgive me my queen but this is important.”

“It better be worth more than your miserable skin. Turn around! Speak.”

“It’s your tigers they are all dead.”

“Someone killed my pets?” Tẽra’s voice softened

“Yes, we found them now. I had to tell you.”

“Let me dress and wait outside to door. Then you can show me,”

Couldn’t he have sent in a maid or something? Just barging in here like it’s ok, she thought.

If I was queen, I would make a lot of changes. Wait I am queen. Where is the real queen? She wondered

Tẽra had slept in the queen’s bed and was now wearing the queen’s clothes. She was the queen as far as most knew.

She dressed and hurried out to see her dead tigers. They had been poisoned. All five of them.

Had the real queen been killed?

She hoped not she had made a promise and she intended to keep it, not to harm the real queen.

“How did this happen?” she asked the little man.

“I do not know my queen.”

“What is your name?” she asked

“Shrew, my queen” he answered not making eye contact.

“Shrew. I need you to take care of this. Bury them and plant flowers over. I don’t want anyone to know about this.”

She paused

“Also give me a list of people who might have done this.”

She went back to her room. Her new handmaid was there

“You are up early” she said

“What is your name?” Tẽra asked her.

“Well, its Hannah. Shall I prepare a bath for you?”

“I don’t know if I can keep my promise to you. To not to harm the real queen. I do not know where the real queen is and Shew just told me that her five tigers are dead.”

“All five, she loves them.” Hannah’s countenance fell.

“I am sorry. I know it’s not fair but will you still help me?” Tẽra asked.

Hannah looked into space, a distant look on her face.

“Yes” she replied weakly

“We need a leader.”

“Thank you” Tẽra said.

“Take the day and see to yourself.”

“That I cannot do. You have royal meetings today and you need to sound like the queen.”

“Then please first check on my guest Rachael, who is ill.”

“As you have said my queen” Hannah left the room.

Tẽra was worried. She had never wanted to rule. Her country was good and fair and the people loved them. The servants loved them. It was different here, people wanted to kill the queen who was evil to the people and gave them reason to kill her.

The people here were also irritating and brought out the worst in her. Tẽra had even insulted a man. That was not how she did things. But she had done a lot of things she didn’t normally do. Like sleeping on the ground and pretending to be someone else.

Otchulissa wanted to be fed. Tẽra sent a message to the kitchen for warm milk and fish. She also requested toast and honey.

But upon receiving the milk and fish, a little girl trembling asked

“What is toast, how do we make it?”

“Well, you put bread slices in the oven until it looks light… golden.”

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“What is that?” she asked the girl pointing at the pot of blue berry colored honey.

“Your honey my queen.” She said.

And then she scampered away before Tẽra could ask anything else.

Nicolette came into the dining hall.

“Good morning. It’s so good not to have to catch and kill my own breakfast. What is that?” she asked

“Honey” Tẽra replied.

She tasted it.

“Very nice honey” she added.

“So, what is for breakfast?” Nikki asked

“I am having toast and honey. You can have whatever you want.”

Nikki liked the idea of toast and honey.

While they were eating Tẽra told Nikki about the five tigers that the real queen loved, being killed and that no one knew where the real queen was. No one had called her out on her impersonation except the handmaid who agreed to help her if she didn’t kill the queen.

Where was the queen? This powerful mean woman who didn’t even let people look her in the eyes?

Rachael Ceronio was feeling better. Her whole body hurt but she was feeling better. She made her way into the dining hall where Tẽra and Nikki were. They had finished eating and were now talking about stuff. They hadn’t noticed her.

She had been betrayed by her crush, it hurt.

She really wanted to go home. It also hurt that there was a lack of sympathy and compassion for her suffering. She was sore, what she had been though was not a kicked toe or a cat scratch. She had been beaten and branded. She had mixed feelings and none of her feelings were the light and fluffy kind.

Rachael sat down at the table.

“Morning.” She greeted.

“Morning.” Tẽra and Nikki replied.

“How are you feeling today?” Tẽra asked.

“Better. Thank you.” Rachael answered.

Rachael also had toast and honey. It was nice to be able to eat as much as she wanted.

Rachael went back to her room. It was nice enough. A big sunny window and a chair by the window. She loved window seats. This wasn’t quite a window seat but it was close enough. For the first time ever, she missed her boyfriend Charles Dale-Fest. He was good looking and from a rich family. He was proper and did his public boyfriend part very well.

She found him boring but he was dependable and that’s what she missed. He was also kind and gentlemanly.

She sat at the window staring out at the busy, dirty people working hard below. Then she gazed into the distance the hills and trees and into a daze.

She thought, what if this is my life forever? What if I never get home? the possibilities of depressing options filled her mind.

A pretty pink bird fluttered passed the window. She watched it was it hovered and flew between turrets. Her mind became blank no longer filled with anything. She wasn’t even paying attention to the bird, but just staring into the distance seeing nothing.

She was rudely brought back by Nikki closing the door behind her. It banged loudly making Rachael jump.

“How are you felling?” Nikki asked

“Everywhere hurts but I am ok… I think”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Home” she replied

“I understand that. What do you miss?”

“Everything” Rachael answered honestly “Even my boyfriend.”

“You have a boyfriend? Tell me about him.”

So, Rachael told Nikki how this sweet guy from a good family liked her and how she kept him around as he was good for her image. But she had found him boring and uninteresting. He was a sweet guy she used. She only cared about her image and horses.

Life was ironic making a famous rich socialite a slave.

“I don’t even know what I am going to say upon my return.” Rachael said

“My parents have no idea that I have so many colors in my hair.” Nikki told her trying to make her feel better.

Nikki explained that she was rich and pretended not to be. How her driver wasn’t allowed to drive her to work or tell her parents, that he want’s driving her. She used a skate board to get around. Her best friend was an Inuit and she had never been to her house.

She managed an adventure camp as a hobby. Because she was so rich, she didn’t have to have a real job. All she did was what she wanted, and gratefully it helped in this world. But a double life was normal for her. Her parents believed she was studying part time to become an engineer, but she hadn’t been studying at all.

“What if we can never go back?” Rachael asked

“Then we don’t repeat out mistakes here” Nikki replied

Tẽra came into the room. She was glad Rachael was doing better.

“I have a big meeting with the generals from around the whole country in two days. I don’t know what to say.”

“Maybe Kerri will be back and she can translate things for you and relay what you want to say.”

Nikki hopped

“What if we are caught?” Tẽra asked

“Then we run for our lives and live as fugitives like Robin Hood in the forest.” Nikki answered.

“I am being serious.” Tẽra concern could be heard

“Then let have an escape plan that only we know of. A way to get out quickly just in case.” Rachael said

“You are a ruler. You were born into this. I believe you can do this. You genuinely care about the people. Listen to what your generals have to say.” Nikki suggested

“The generals” Tẽra corrected “They are not mine. I am an impostor”

“Well, fake it well.” Nikki said

“Have an escape plan” Rachael insisted

“It will add comfort knowing even if it doesn’t work, it will be ok.”

Nikki gave Rachael a ‘you’re not helping’ look.

“I feel bad doing this.” Tẽra said

Tẽra had been driven by hunger. The genuine need for a bath and other basic needs. This had given her the courage or lack of conscience required to impersonate the queen. Who was conveniently missing, and whose absence was concerning.

Tẽra didn’t want to be found in a compromising situation. Well, she didn’t want to make her already compromising situation worse.

Rachael really wanted to go home. Even though she really didn’t want to believe Natrica’s belief that they were dead and in purgatory. She also wasn’t sure that her grandfather’s diamonds had anything to do with it like Kerri had implied. She didn’t believe either scenario, but she didn’t have ideas of her own either.

But Nikki had made a point that maybe there was no going back so if she couldn’t go home then this horrible world was going to have to get nicer and being friends with the queen could help in this regard. So, she tried to put Tẽra’s mind as ease and make a case that someone with a conscience would have to agree with.

“How about this. You play queen for now. Help the people. Right, some of the wrongs and we will find a true heir to the throne. But until then you fulfil the responsibilities… to the people.” Rachael hoped this would work.

“It doesn’t feel good.” Tẽra moaned

“Sometimes leaders are required to make hard choices. This is one of them. Will you turn your situation into something good? Or will you run from hard choices, even when you can make a difference?” Rachael found herself getting caught up in her own speech.

“Wow” Nikki was impressed

“Ok I will stay but I will need help.”

Tẽra’s big eyes looked at them waiting for an answer as if she had asked a question.

“Duchess, I have walked this road with you this far. No point in leaving now that I am getting free food.” Nikki laughed

“I’ll help if I can. But I was also serious about the escape plan. Just in case. You know rather safe than sorry.” Rachael shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

Tẽra called for Shrew, and asked for the royal records to be brought to her. Shrew was however getting suspicious.

“My queen shall I have someone read them to you?”

“No. Just bring them.”

“This is highly unusual my queen.”

Tẽra was now getting irritated with the little rat of a man.

“I am not feeling well, and if I have to repeat myself, I will replace you.” She said sternly.

He scurried away afraid of what she would do to him. But still unsure of the queen’s behavior.

Nikki and Rachael decided to try to learn the language but this would take time. So, they decided to start with things they could use every day.

Tẽra started reading the royal records. Clearly the records keeper didn’t like the queen as he recorded in several places that Queen Tiffany once again killed someone important and how this foolish mistake would affect the kingdom later.

He also recorded that anyone with an opposing opinion died. His records were… insightful.

Tẽra found herself talking to her new pet a lot. Asking for advice as if somehow Otchulissa could give her the magic answers.

Tẽra sent for the records keeper. He came before her.

“My queen” he said bowing to the ground and not looking at her.

“I have been reading the records you have diligently recorded.”

The color left his face but he didn’t look up or say anything. His body shock slightly with fear.

“I am in a good mood and I wish to reward loyalty. Who is loyal and worthy of rewarding?” she asked him

“My queen…” he stuttered “I cannot recall”

“Please think hard. There must be someone”

He dared to look up and behold it was not the queen. Now he couldn’t stop staring.

“Your voice is… are you ill?” he asked

Tẽra saw him looking with big shocked eyes, unable to look away.

“Well, I haven’t been feeling myself.” She replied

Your move, she thought

“I h-hope i-it’s not serious.” he stuttered again

“I don’t believe it will be fatal” she assured

“That’s a relief my que…” his voice faded off

“Is something the matter?” she asked

He cleared his voice.

“Your matter is my matter” he said

“Well then, I have some prisoners who need to be freed. Please write me a list of names that should be pardoned. So, I can review their offenses. Also please think of someone who’s loyalty I can reward.”

“As you command my queen” he scurried out

Tẽra called for Nikki, Rachael and Hannah the handmaid.

She needed a story. A believable one as to why she sounded different. Looked different and didn’t know things she should know. So, they came up with a plan, and an escape plan for just in case.