“Please, Your Grace, I ask for your forgiveness.” She said it loud enough for everyone at court to hear. She could feel the General’s gaze on her back.
“Why did you escape if you had nothing to hide?” He shot back loudly.
There was a small uproar in the room. Her stepfather held up his hand and the crowd ceased.
She hated lying, hated not being able to tell the truth, or to expose both of these men for the evil men they were. She stood there under the scrutiny of the the people of Zuff. She took a deep breath and recited what the General had told her.
“I was taken, Your Majesty. By a man. He…” She paused. Thoughts of Marlon caressing her cold cheek when she was unconscious came to her. She didn't think she coul
“Please, Your Grace, I ask for your forgiveness.” She said it loud enough for everyone at court to hear. She could feel the General’s gaze on her back.“Why did you escape if you had nothing to hide?” He shot back loudly.There was a small uproar in the room. Her stepfather held up his hand and the crowd ceased.She hated lying, hated not being able to tell the truth, or to expose both of these men for the evil men they were. She stood there under the scrutiny of the the people of Zuff. She took a deep breath and recited what the General had told her.“I was taken, Your Majesty. By a man. He…” She paused. Thoughts of Marlon caressing her cold cheek when she was unconscious came to her. She didn't think she coul
“You two shall be married at once. A wedding will brighten this Kingdom’s spirits and bring some hope back to our land.”The people clapped at his announcement and he once again stood up. The two courtesans were again by his side. The crowd parted once more and the King exited the throne room. All but a few were left from the crowd that had filled this room seconds earlier. The General took her by her left arm and escorted out of the room. They walked down a hidden hall the servants used. She felt low. This man walKing beside her was evil. This had been his plan all along. To make himself look like a hero and then marry her. Her stepfather fell for it all. He had fell right in agreement with the General and she felt forsaken.“That w
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flashing light. It startled her and she stopped crying and looked in the direction of it.It was Khepri. Flossina was so happy to her. Khepri was still as she remembered, beautiful. She was wearing a gold ostrich feather floor length gown with matching gold feather bracelets. Gold cuffs with scarabs carved into them were adorned on her wrists and upper arms. She was still beautifully bald and her eyes were outlined in the dark black eyeliner and cobalt blue eyeshadow. Her sun kissed caramel skin seemed to be glowing in the gloomy castle. Flossina hadn't seen any sign of Khepri since she had had her assistance leaving Marlon's home, which succinctly got her captured and rescued. Khepri walked over to her, kneeled down in front of her and held her face in her hands. She wore a sympathetic look on her face.
Flossina closed her eyes at the motherly gesture. When she opened them she was alone yet again in her room. Seconds later the door opened and in walked her lady’s maid Alexis Carrying a large white box. Princess Flossina immediately stood up and wiped away her tears. She then went over to help Alexi set the large box onto the foot of her bed.“Evening, Flossina.”“Evening, Alexi.”“What’s in the box?”“This is your wedding dress, ma'am.”She still couldn’t get use to hearing the word wedding in conjunction to her.“Is it?” She asked, hoping she sounded interested in it.
Marlon stood on the desert sand dune surveying the desolate land. It was low mountains and golden sand as far as the eye could see. The hot breeze blew, but he did not feel it touch his bare arms. He looked down and noticed he still held the book inside of his left hand. He wore brown leather boots with a matching brown leather kilt. A leather face mask hung loosely around his neck. There had been no time to gather his wits. He had passed the first trial and was immediately sent here. Where was here? He wondered what he would have to do to pass this one. He steadied his footing and walked down the dune. The sun seemed to become hotter with each step he descended. He wanted to think that it was odd, but seeing as he had awoke in the afterlife for royalty, the temperature changing in conjunction to his movements didn’t seem so far fetched. He
Thoughts of his mother’s burial seemed to sucker punch him and he fell to the sand holding his head in his hands. He saw his mother’s motionless body wrapped in the white muslin. The lamenter sang a beautiful farewell song about her. He felt his sorrow,his heartbreak. He was so young then, but the emotions he had felt then, he was feeling now. Loss was his main emotion. Loss of warmth and love. His father had seemed so tough to him then. His mother had always been there to fuss at him for stealing the baker's bread and cuddle him when he fell and scraped his knees as he often did. She was the first woman he had loved, and she had grown sick rather quickly and died. He looked ahead and he saw a mirage of the burial. It was as if it was playing in front of his eyes. He saw himself, his father, the priest, and all of the townspeople. He had bee
he flapped his wings harder so he could go faster. It had worked and within minutes he landed on her shoulder. She smiled at him and it seemed brighter than the sun.“Ah, I see you have overcome the desert of sorrow.” She stroked his feathered breast. He thought it would feel awkward but it didn’t. It felt comforting. “You have a strong spirit, Marlon.”He flew off of the perch that was her shoulder and stood in front of her. When his feet touched the ground he was transformed back into his full human form once more. He was happy for that. Being in hybrid bird form had felt strange, but freeing. He touched his bare chest and saw that he was back to adorning the outfit he had started this journey on. The book was tucked between his gold belt and the white linen kilt he wore.&ldquo
“This is your final judgement. Although you are not of royal blood my brother insists that this is the only way. Had you just not conquered the desert of sorrow I would be worried, but now I understand.” She took him by his hand and held it in hers as she pushed open the door.He followed her inside.The room’s walls were a charcoal black. Three large torches sat atop gigantic, black alabaster pillars that had the same gold inscriptions that the door had. He heard low singing. A song similar to the one the Royal Lamenters sang for the Queen when she had passed on. It felt somber here. He had forgotten that Khepri was the one leading him through this large somber chamber. He became enthralled with the beast that was slowly stalking him. The atmosphere and gravity of his situ