S1 Chapter 10, Chateau D'if

HolyWood,day.

“Mother.”

“I'm thinking.”

“Well stop thinking and do it. Not only will you end a feud, but you'll make me happy.”

“I know, I know.”

“Then why wait?”

“Its complicated.”

“HOW!?”

“You will gain such extraordinary power you might actually be a threat your mother.”

“Oh shut up! I will not take away the throne from you, you have to give it to me.”

“There have been several kings who killed their father for the throne you know. Don't you read the history books I gave you?”

“It's elementary Mother. Besides, we are not men, we are the first ruling immortal queens give me a break.”

“I know dear, I know we would never kill each other over the throne. . .But I know you want it-”

“And I know you have your reasons, we've established that. Why do we keep going over it?”

“It keeps coming up!”

“Then simplify the issue and allow the BOC and Holy Wood Courts to recognize my engagement. I'll leave it alone then.”

“I haven't officially engaged you two yet.”

“Oh get over it. Arranged marriages are no longer in effect, you did that.”

“Not arranged but marriage to a magic man takes processing time.”

“Processing time?! What is this?! A Fucking mail order husband?!”

“Hmmm, I'm beginning to not foresee a wedding. . . .”

“YOU CRAZY BAT!”

The door slammed open and Dawn ran out in a huff.

She had begun arrangements concerning her and the Wizard's wedding. . . .only to be alerted that no legal wedding would be conducted without the Queen's consent and that of the BOC since her fiance was a magic man. A clause created by her mother after the Rebellion, stating that if a mortal becomes engaged to magic being, a wedding had to be approved by -not only one or both parents- bu the ruling Power of the Throne and a majority vote in the BOC. Since Magic Beings were, in the past, notorious for kidnapping and forcing mortals to wed them for sacrificial and other dark purposes, Star took it upon herself to ensure the safety of the non magic beings in her kingdom. Many other kingdoms had followed this example, and it while it otherwise was a protective, useful, clause for mortals, Dawn was unique and it only infuriated her.

She had gone to demand her mother allow the marriage, since she fit all but one of the criteria to do so. Star, ever fickle for her own reasons, had denied it. She sighed as Dawn left, to go where, she didn't know. Probably with her underground gangs and social rebels circles. Dawn and Star had used these people for favors in some instances and in return, turning thieves into spies. For their “favors” she granted them limited protection in the case any were caught in the act of a crime outside of her “mission”. Most of the time, the incident was easily solved by the thief -if caught- working off the amount they stole, it usually worked to keep them out of prison.

Dawn, in place of being Queen, became a “clan leader” of sorts. These social rebels, while they benefited off of Star's economy, saw Dawn as their judge and leader. A princess, but one who ran with them. Star was amazed that Mother ended up in more legal trouble than daughter with that said.

Queen went out onto the balcony and looked down to the courtyard below. There was Rosie along with her nursemaids Tilda and May, playing with some golems that Star had created for her earlier that morning. They fell into magical slumber when the girl didn't play them, springing to life when she did. There were also some of the other palace children with her, she had befriended so few people. They played now, with the golems and each other, the queen smiled and decided to go be among them. Be away from sexcapades and rulers for a little while.

Rosie was happy, ever since returning from the Castle by the Sea, she had been a happier child. She was excited to see her grandmother join them, and saw something strange in her nana's eyes. Why did it look like she was sad even when she smiled? She didn't voice this concern, it most likely didn't matter and she was too happy in that moment to want to ruin it.

Star saw the details of her grandchild's skin. Felt the patches of roughness here and there. The curse was as evident as always, but slowed. There was movement behind her and she turned to watch the guards enter to announce a visitor.

“His divine interpreter of the BOC organization, Dee Astoria, arrives to see Queen Star Moorison and Princess in waiting Rosie Moorison.”

“Odd,” Star wondered. While Dee had blessed Rosie at birth, even he had had little to do with her since then. He had not approved of the way Star sought help from the Wizard to save the girl over the scientific means of the BOC, but that was years ago.

Dee entered, his long pale gold hair tied into a braid that trailed down his back., a smile on his face. Tilda, Star's house keeper, ex servant to Pirate Queen Anne, and unofficial protector of Rosie, stared at him. May moved closer to Tilda and they remained quiet. Dee came forward, bowing his head at Star, and nodding towards Tilda and May, he was all customs and kindness. Tilda though, watched him with her dark eyes.

He came to Star and took her hand, kissing it. She did the same is greeting. “My Queen, how are you and the family this day?”

“Dawn has left on an errand to the Wizard land, I fare well. Of course, Rosie is in good health as always.” She reached out to take Rosie under her arm and hold her close, the girl obeyed.

“Oh excellent! I heard of the ordeal with the Kingdom by the Sea,” he looked at Rosie then. “How was your stay with the Old King my dear?”

Star waved off the guards and everyone relaxed. The other children, having watched the BOC priest in all his mysterious glory, shied from him. They were of the palace, their parents loyal to the Queen, unfamiliar with the BOC city immortals. The other women in attendance ushered them away from the royal and priestly group. Rosie watched them go before turning back to Dee.

“It was fine. The old King is very nice.” She said shyly. 

The man's lips curled up in a smile. Star saw a flash enter and leave his eyes in the same moment. Was that disappointment as he looked at her?

“He is a kind man. You two saved your mother as well. Very impressive child. I came all the way from the BOC City to see you today did you know that?”

“No,” she whispered.

Star laughed. “That pact was carried out two months ago.”

Dee returned her smile to its full brilliance. “I had some legal errands to attend to. I have been waiting to clear them to have an entire day free to visit. I brought you something,” he said as he pulled out a small golden cage with a tiny gold lever on one side. Inside the cage was a vividly rainbow colored, gemstone bird inside. He wound the lever and the bird sang a wonderful melody.

It made the girl smile and she took it from his outstretched, upturned palm. She turned the lever and the bird sang another tune. She looked into his eyes then in unspoken questioning.

“It plays five different songs which starts over whenever you turn the lever. Go now go show your friends,” he encouraged her.

She nodded and went to join them, Tilda took her under wing and watched Dee from afar. She whispered to May and the other woman nodded. They did not approve.

“That is very beautiful Dee,” Star said.

“Found in in the merchant bazaar at the BOC.”

“You still host that?”

“Every month your highness.”

She smiled. “Very kind of you to do so.”

“We support the people this way. It is the least we can do for them,” he explained. He saw the way the other two women looked at him. “That taller one,with the brown hair, she was present at Rosie's birth as well. I remember.”

“The midwife, my housekeeper, and keeper of estates when myself and Richi are absent.” She heard the most subtle of changes in his voice. Further disapproval?

“She is bold in the way she looks at you and Rosie.”

“Is that so? I hadn't noticed. She was once under the command of Queen Anne, might explain it.

“A Pirate woman? Is she safe to keep around?”

Star laughed loudly. “Oh Tilda is quiet harmless to me and my blood and anyone I smile at.” She smiled at Dee. “She is one to distrust those she doesn't know. Only natural when she is the protector of my grandchild. Unofficially of course but she is.”

“Must be why she is giving me the coldest of stares.” He mocked a chilled spine and shivered in his robes.

“A hard woman, but one I trust with Rosie and the Palace. May there is her friend and Rosie's motherly attendant.”

“Where is Dawn I wonder?”

“My daughter is away. Where she goes is of no concern of anyone. She did her duty to the throne and had a child, and was engaged to be married once.” Star sat on a stone bench. Dee stood and picked a blossoming pink flower bud off a tree, handing it to her. She took it. “She had fulfilled the demands of the BOC in concerns of procreating and continuing the royal line.”

“Has she?”

“You question me?”

“We both know Rosie is no future ruler. She is too fragile, even you know this. Do you want to be the one to force her to marry or force her to make life and death choices?”

Star never wanted those responsibilities on Rosie. “But as the child of the heir apparent, she becomes the true heir to the throne.” She hadn't told Dee of the Witch prophecy, the BOC would scoff at it. “As for forcing her to marry, you'd have to go through Dawn. And after that, Rosie is already a royal woman, the law that a royal woman is not required to marry remained unchanged.”

“I would never force you to marry, being mother of the royal children, and you declared your marriage to the king valid since his body was never found.”

“Alive until proven dead,” she said, a grin playing on her lips. She sighed then, “Dawn is engaged to the Dark Lord.”

“The Wizard in the Black Castle?” He sounded surprised.

“Is there any other?”

He chuckled. “None.”

“As the law states, I am two parts of the law to allow the marriage. I find her sound of mind and free from a spell. It would be up to the BOC after that. Though I doubt she will wait for that, a pagan wedding is something she would do.”

“There is nothing preventing her from marrying in the pagan fashion of not consulting the BOC for legal approval. If she is sound of mind as you say, she may very well do so under our noses. However, she would be considered unmarried in our legal courts, both yours and mine.”

“Since arranged marriage is obsolete, what would it matter to her? Why does she fight me on this?”

“Why do you fight her?”

Star was stunned by this. “Me? I'm her mother and Queen. I don't have to have a reason for denying her.”

Dee laughed. “DO you now? Being queen comes after being mother, you proved that in the Rebellion.”

She took a moment of silence and then said, “If she marries the Wizard who knows what kind of power she will gain.”

“Is this fear of another rebellion I hear?”

“No fear,” she shot him a wicked glance. “I am not comfortable with the shifting of power and I do not fear she will fight me for the Throne. I fought to get her and throne back, she would not do that to me.” Star did not voice it, but both she and Dee knew that if Dawn attempted to overthrow her mother, she would present a weakness in the balance of power that those of the BOC would see and exploit until death. “She will wait for approval, to avoid conflict.”

“Yet you create this conflict by denying her what she wants. Will you ever grant the wedding?”

“Of course! If she would stop wrecking havoc on me. . . .”

“Like mother like daughter.”

Star saw a young child go to Tilda, and pass her a piece of paper. Tilda opened it, read it, and looked at the Queen, her eyes relayed all that needed to be said. It was a letter from the man who had left her. With little more to be said she excused herself from Dee's side, trusting him enough to leave him in the care of others in attendance. She did not fear leaving him with Rosie, she had little doubt he would ever harm her in any way.

She and the woman passed ways and the note found itself into the hands of Star. She glanced at Tilda and one look say one thousand words. The ex-pirate woman did not trust Dee in the least. Tilda had no been present at Dawn's birth, but when she into the Queen's service, she became attached to them all. Dawn and Tilda had an unspoken past, she had a love for Rosie and a loyalty for Star. The woman herself had no other family besides the Pirate Queen. She went back tot he courtyard to watch the children play and saw May stationed between Dee and the little ones.

She saw a shadow cross the lawn, one might mistake for a bird. Tilda shifted her gaze up and saw a dark figure barely visible on the roof. She smiled and knew that it was the Princess, no doubt she had seen Dee enter and was not as trusting of those in the BOC as her mother was. Star was so smug and confident in the way she had punished the Priests, killing those who exiled her, cursing the rest with immortality. Dawn knew the stories as she grew up about her birth and the Rebellion, all told from Tilda. The woman told the Princess all about the betrayal, exile, imprisonment and take over of the BOC, and it never sat well with Dawn.

The figure dissipated and Tilda refocused on the scene before her. She met eyes with the BOC priest across the courtyard, the one she remembered from Rosie's blessing ceremony. While he seemed polite and loyal, in a way, to the Queen, the pirate woman knew better. She had seen the same look in his eyes that day Rosie was blessed. She had been the one to hold the baby as the Priest said the usual chant and asked all gods listening to grant her happiness and health. She knew that the man had lied for instead of health, the child had been cursed. The moment Rosie was cursed, was when Tilda knew something was not right with Dee. . . .

                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Star went to a balcony and looked at the terraces above and around her. She closed the glass doors and turned to read the note in a corner covered in ivy vines. She opened the parchment, stained with splotches of sea water, written in His writing. It was simple, short, and all she needed to know.

“Starry Eyes,
By now I am traveling to the Great Southern Island to meet with our friend. There I will prepare the Power Band. I will always love you my Soul Stripper. Your Dirty Deeds Man.”

She smiled and went back inside. She went to an burning incense on a nearby marble table, and let the small ember tip of the stick catch the note on fire. It quickly burst into flame and she dropped it as it burned to drifting ash. She sank into a chair, thinking hard about all that she learned that afternoon. Her conversation with Dee made her remember that the BOC was rising back into unrest.

All the accusations of underage sexual encounters all meant something, they were all perpetrated when conducted in secrecy. They were all set up for a reason. It made her suspicious, all this talk of marriage coming from the BOC, and reminded her what she was being to fear. . . .The past she did not remember. True what Dee said was a strong legal holding she thought, being the Mother of the heirs apparent she was indeed strong enough to remain as queen, her daughter and granddaughter had no fear of forced marriage, being born royal. Since the King's body was never found, she pronounced he was not to be declared dead unless a body was found, cementing her on the throne.

It was tricky and if there was a possibility of there being something they could use against her that she didn't know of, she wanted to know about it. The dreams, the nightmares that haunted her of red sands and a mirage at her finger tips. Rosie and Dawn would never be required to wed since they were born royal, and while she was from a noble family, she was not born to the Blackmoores and it had never bothered her until now. She laughed, it was the first time she had worried about her lapse in memory since her arrival in the Blackmoore family in 1959. There was one person she knew could tell her what she wanted to know. . . . .

                                  **************************************

The ocean....night....

She was sailing to the prison with one guard, Tilda. They were both under disguise in black robes. The island prison loomed before them, one she had once been locked up in and escaped, that she had revisited to free those who would fight for her. Ever since her second escape she had no desire to return ever again.

She sighed as they drew closer to the island. When they landed, the golems she had instilled as guards did not question her or stop her in any way. She created them, they showed her to the prisoner she wished to see and with no one from the BOC in attendance. Tilda stood behind next to an armored golem, giving the Queen enough space to have a private conversation with the man who sat in his cell. She tossed a cigarette pack at him, it landed by him and he opened it, pulled a cig out and put in on his lips. He lit it, drew a long inhale, and let it out.

“I remember the day I caught you. During the last leg of my campaign there was an ambush. Right before I was to over take the BOC city. We were surprised yes but the attack seemed to just die the moment I brought you to your knees. Why did I always think it was a set up for both parties?”

“Maybe it was.”

“Whatever the reason, I didn't kill you.”

“No you did not.”

“Why should I not?”

“You came here to ask me what you want to know. You could not kill me because you would lose the only connection to your past.”

She sat on her heels. “You know me, better than I know myself. Why? Who are you? Why do I have the same dreams about red sands? Where do you come from?”

“Where do We come from you mean.”

She sneered at him and grabbed the bars. “We are not from the same home.”

“We have more in common than you want to believe. You deny it because it would undermine everything you know, everything you love. It would end your rule as Queen of Holy Wood.”

A bright flash crossed behind her eyes. “Tell me.”

“What do you want to know Queen?”

“Who am I?”

“That is the wrong question, you know who you are.”

“The Red Sands....The image of the man-”

“What man?” This made him lean forward. “Who do you see?”

She closed her eyes and recalled the dream with perfect clarity. “He is tall, thin. His eyes, one is dark, one is light.....he ..he has red hair, as red as the sands I run across.....I fall into the sand and there is no more.”

When she opened her eyes he was there, his cigarette smoking between them, nearly touching her nose through the bars as he leaned in close. She saw his silvery eyes, they were unearthly. She had never seen such eyes in any human ever before. She was not sure if he had had any water of immortality, yet he still lived, as if frozen in time. He stared at her closely, never breaking eye contact, trying to tell her something.

“I don't need to tell ya anything. You already know.”

“It cannot be true,” she whispered and shook her head. “No one has come or gone from Mars since decades before I was born.”

“Where were you born?” He asked.

She opened her mouth but no answer came out. There was no answer. No one knew.

“Its impossible,” she whispered. “We, you, me, we are not Martians.”

“You seem to know all the answers to your questions. You don't need me.”

She growled in frustration and glared at him. “Why do you not tell me the truth?”

“I have no reason to lie or tell the truth. I'm still stuck 'ere.”

She got up and snapped her fingers, a Golem came forward and held out a large black metal key. Without much ceremony or hesitation she unlocked the cage door and swung it open. Tilda hung back, putting a hand on her sword hilt.

Star faced off with the Kilmister. “Is this reason enough to tell me what I demand to know?”

“I already did.”

“IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!”

He didn't move from his reclined position on the ground.

“Call me a liar, you knew,” he said.

“If its true, then I will grant you freedom with a single condition.”

“Oh?”

“Rebuild the rainbow bridge. It was destroyed hundreds of years ago to end the connection between Mars and Earth.”

“I know.” He blew out smoke and still didn't move from his spot.

“Well then what the hell are you waiting for? GET OUT!”

“Only if you admit it.”

“What?”

“Admit what you suspect.”

“I heard Mars has red sands but I. . . .I've never seen them.”

“Haven't you?”

“No! Never....”

She went into the cell this time, storming up to him and getting on her knees. She grabbed his leather bomber jacket and shook him. He let her.

“Do what I ask and you will be free.”

“If you deny you are from Mars there is no point in building that bridge. What business of it is yours to see Mars when you belong here?”

She closed her eyes for a long moment and kept them closed. “Because ever since the first dream I knew it was a place I've been. You know the penalty for Martians on Earth, I could never utter the truth to anyone, not even myself. But the dreams always made me doubt where I came from because it wasn't just the images that seemed so familiar or strange, it was the sensations that came with it, as if the dream is a memory. . . .”

“What do you remember?”

With her eyes still closed she remembered. “Nothing. Just black until I woke up in fire on Earth. In the desert.” She opened her eyes. “Is he who I think he is?” She asked in a desperate whisper.

“If you don't come from Mars he is not. He is nothing but your imagination.”

“No. . .no he can't be. When I see him my heart beats as if I've been waiting to see him again for a very long time.”

“I wonder why.”

“Why do you do this? Play these mind games with me?”

“The knowledge would destroy you from the inside out. You know where we come from, now you want to go back and I am the only one who can take you there.”

“Why did you leave to come here?”

He leaned in close and took the cig between his fingers. “I was sent to kill you.”

She was stunned into silence.

“You see things only people like us see.” He looked beside himself and saw his mirror image with yellow eyes and fangs, a soundless vision who smiled at him. Kilmister looked back at the queen. “Because you know.”

Many thoughts raced through her head in those moments. Yes, every since the first dream she knew it was of Mars, and she knew it had to do with the past she could not remember. She had wondered if the dreams were memories, glimpses of the past of where she had been, where she came from. But, if she ever voiced such thoughts the BOC would condemn her for being a Martian and would have sentenced her to either a life time of imprisonment, or even death. The people too would explode in chaos. Confusion, wonder, had melted into denial and doubt and fear.

But she could no longer ignore these dreams, she could no longer leave it to doubt and wonder. She could not allow anyone to find out anything about her she did not know herself. There were no Lizard Kings to protect her, if the BOC was again gaining unrest, and if they found out her past before she did, they would launch another war and she feared her allies would betray her for the sake of her Martian blood. Years ago, Mars and earth fell apart from their alliance and an Earth King banned all Martian contact and travel. In his ban, many Martians were left on Earth, and threatened to be executed if anyone from Mars came back for them. But they escaped custody, these groups of people were warriors and came to call themselves Spyders.

“Are we . . . .Spyders?” She asked him.

“No. But we come from the same place.”

“Kilmister,” she said after a moment of prolonged silence. “My enemies are becoming restless once more. I came here because something told me you were the answer, and if you didn't kill me as you were sent to then I believe I can trust you. If this IS true, I need you to send me back.”

“It will take time.”

“HA! I have nothing but time.”

Tilda, watched them and heard it all. There had always been something unearthly about the Queen. On the boat ride back to the main shore, now with three people in a boat rather than two, the women were furiously thinking. One buzzed with thoughts the implications of what they and learned would bring if the wrong ears heard. The other brewed in silence, if what all he said was true then the only way to save herself and her family was to get to Mars and understand what happened. It was obvious that while Kilmister knew, he didn't say in order to protect them both.

“Why do you not tell her everything?” Tilda asked him. Out on the sea there were no spies, only the three of them.

Star looked back.

“Because the BOC is everywhere,” he said. “And it is too much to tell.”

Somehow he knew the BOC better than she did, which explained why he was at the ambush. She trusted Tilda, but if anyone anywhere knew and that information reached the BOC before she could sort it out first, the result would be disastrous. The only way to preserve her future, was to shed light on her past. To learn what she wanted and uphold her family, she had to journey to a place the BOC could not touch. To learn who she was, to protect her family, to protect herself, the kingdom, the time had come to find the land of the red sand.