This one is quite a bit longer. I went down the rabbit hole to see where the tiny story wanted to go. Turns out it wanted at least 2,500 words to tell its tale...
The page stood quietly outside the castle. The castle was a gothic masterpiece complete with razor sharp spires and fire breathing gargoyles. His hands shook as he held the message he was to deliver. The City of Wands was declaring war upon this castle and all of its inhabitants. The page shivered in fear at what horrors he would discover through the barbed wire gates. He rang the gong three times as he had been instructed to do. Servants wearing radio collars swung open a hidden smaller door inside the thorny gate. The page walked through and followed the silent servants to the main hall. The inside walls were awash in vibrant colors. Some of the color combinations were so outlandish that the page needed to avert his eyes to prevent a headache. A large throne built of bones with a fountain of blood at its base sat at the very end of the hall. But no one sat upon the throne. Instead there were a collection of shabby couches near the fireplace. Several bookshelves lined the walls near the fireplace. He found the queen curled up on one of the couches. She wore clothing not much different from the servants and had a radio collar as a crown. The page approached her and bowed deeply. “Hello milady, I am Page Brennan of the City of Wands and I come bearing an important message for you.”
She ignored him for a moment before stuffing a torn page of parchment between the pages of the book she was reading. He handed her the message written on the finest vellum with the royal seal. The queen let out a sigh and tore the wax seal off, casting it into the fire. She scanned the written missive and began to laugh. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. Brennan shifted on his feet uncomfortably. The queen stared at him hard. “I am no lady. My name is Cinna and I am the last descendant of the House Denari. There are none here for your city to fight. None human anyway.”
Brennan shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “Queen Cinna, I am not at liberty to negotiate with you or yours, I am but a humble messenger tasked with delivering this missive.”
Cinna rolled her eyes and rose to standing. Brennan cast his eyes to the floor. “Quit doing that. Groveling will get you nowhere. None here will harm you as you are exactly as you say, a messenger. Look at me Page Brennan.” He looked up and saw that she was younger than he had first thought. “Have you eaten? I find that I am suddenly famished.”
Brennan did not know how to respond at first but his hunger won out. “Some nourishment would be most welcome, Queen Cinna.”
Cinna laughed. “Are all people from the City of Wands as stuffy as you? No wonder they go out and declare war on their neighbors, otherwise they might die of boredom.”
Brennan did his best to conceal his smile at her words. He thought she had captured the essence of his home very well. The queen nodded as if he had spoke out loud and then started towards the doorway he had entered through. Brennan stood there bewildered for a moment until she yelled back without looking at him. “Well come on, I haven’t got all day.” She gestured for him to follow and he scurried to catch up.
She waited just long enough for him to reach her side and then she stepped through the doorway. He stepped through at the same time. There was an odd flash of light and he had to rub his eyes. When he opened his eyes, they were no longer in the oddly painted long hallway. Instead they were in a dark stone hallway with torches lining the walls. He looked around in fear and again the queen laughed. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t decorate any of this monstrosity. The quickest way to the kitchens is through this hallway that also leads to the dungeons. Damn inconvenient if you ask me.” She kept moving at a hurried pace and Brennan nearly had to jog to keep up. Cinna turned left through a doorway and Brennan stepped through a pace behind her.
They were in the castle kitchens. Two men bustled around assembling a meal. There was a small battered table by the doorway to the outside. Cinna walked over and sat at it. She gestured for him to take the other seat. He sat down and a moment later a platter of roast chicken and potatoes was placed in the center of the table. They each were given a plate and some utensils. The queen wasted no time. She put food on her plate and started eating. Brennan did the same. Only once the meal was finished did she speak again.
“So. What do you think of my home?”
Brennan stumbled over his words. “Uh. It’s lovely milady.”
Cinna rolled her eyes. “No. Tell me what you really think. I have no time for flattery, apparently some idiot thinks that I am worthy of attack.”
Brennan nodded. He knew he might get beheaded for this but he chose to be honest. “I think it is odd here. I have never seen doorways that open to different places at will. The decor is…eclectic.”
Queen Cinna laughed. “Eclectic is a very nice word for the hodge podge that is Castle Denari. Go on.”
“I have seen no armies nor any treasure. I am baffled as to why the council of Wands has decided to attack this place.”
Queen Cinna sighed. “They are after me. I am the last of my line and apparently your monarchy is in need of some fresh blood in the family tree. I turned down your prince’s proposal last year and I had hoped that was enough. Regrettably it does not appear so. Also, they have no idea the true treasure of Castle Denari.”
Brennan looked around the humble kitchen. He had seen no more than four servants in the entire time he had been here. There were no ostentatious displays of wealth or status in any space he had entered. “Will I die if I satisfy my curiousity about the treasure here?”
Cinna sighed. “We do not behead commoners for curiosity in my home. The treasure here is the castle itself. It is a labyrinth of portals to places in worlds you could never dream of. It is actually a ton of work to maintain, hence the collars.” She gestured to her crown. “This is the only thing that keeps people from wandering into new dimensions. We have a limited number of them. If your people invade, they will never return. The only reason you have not been sent to a far off world is you have always been within twenty feet of one of these collars.”
Brennan stared at her in shock. That was why she had waited for him at every doorway. Why there had been a servant or two lurking nearby at all times. Even now, the two cooks were just on the other side of the kitchen, cleaning the pans. Brennan let out a sigh. “Oh dear. The morons on the council have really gotten themselves into a mess this time. By any chance, would you have room on your staff for a Page? I am quite good at delivering messages. I only ask that you not send me back to the City of Wands. They will behead me for simply disagreeing with them.”
The Queen sighed. “I might have room for you on my staff, but you will have to prove yourself first. Are you under a truth spell?”
Brennan shrugged. “Not as far as I know. Magic is considered to be a hoax in my city. How would I know?”
Cinna thought for a moment. “Lie to me.”
“The throne in the main hall looks incredibly comfortable to sit on. I’m sure the skulls cushion your ass in a most delightful fashion. The blood fountain adds a joyful attitude to the room and is not at all terrifying.”
Cinna laughed. “Alright then. I think we can find a way to prevent the deaths of your entire army. It is not difficult for me to turn the front gate into a portal to hell. It is a most unpleasant place but some of the food is delightfully spicy.”
Brennan stared at her wide eyed.
Cinna shrugged. “You don’t get to me Queen of this Castle without mastering the doorways and portals. The collar hasn’t been necessary for me for a good decade or more, it’s just habit to wear it when I have guests so I don’t lose anyone. It’s quite annoying to be rescuing the farmhands every time they deliver some produce to the castle. Twice was more than enough, thank you very much.”
Brennan nodded. “Thank you for keeping me from accidentally stepping into another world. Are you under a truth spell?”
Cinna shook her head. “No.”
“Then how can I know that all that you say is real? Maybe I am hallucinating in your attic right now instead of sitting in the kitchen of the Queen.”
Cinna nodded. “Good point. First, you should pinch yourself. That will tell you that where you are is real. It will also help you when I show you the proof of my life.”
Brennan pinched his forearm hard enough to leave a mark. He had to stifle a whine from the pain it caused. “Ok. Now what.”
Cinna looked at the doorway they were seated beside. “Now I’ll show you one of the other worlds, nothing too scary so try not to panic.”
She stood up and held out her hand. “Sorry for the physical contact but it’s the only way I’ve found to keep from losing people. Here we go.” She stepped through the doorway and dragged Brennan with her.
Again he had to rub his eyes after the transition. He found himself in a world that was all blue. The large trees looked more like bird feathers than anything he had ever found in the forests of his home. The sun shone blue and even the dirt underfoot was blue. Cinna stared at him while still gripping his hand. “Do you need to pinch yourself again or can I do it?”
Brennan laughed. “No thanks. My arm is still tingling from the last pinch. How do we return to the castle?”
Cinna started walking backwards and he followed her. He dared not look over his shoulder to see where they were going. That same dazzle came across his eyes but this time he did not have to rub the light away. He looked around and they were back in the castle kitchen.
“Ok. I believe you. Now what is your plan?”
Queen Cinna smiled. “Drop the pretense, I know you are the prince. I’ve known it since the moment you crossed my threshold. Do you still wish to pursue this war?”
Brennan let out a deep sigh. “It is not my war. I am a prince in name only. The council decides the workings of my city. My family has not had any power in at least 50 years. I had hoped that by coming here myself, maybe you would accept the proposal my grandmother had sent. I can see why you were hesitant to. It’s amazing what a little time outside our city does for perspective. I do not wish to see my people die for the boredom of the council. I put their lives in your hands Cinna. How can I save them?”
Cinna sat back down at the table. “I will not marry for political gain, not even to save a thousand lives of your people. They are not my people. This castle cannot fall into the wrong hands. If the portals are not maintained, unspeakable horrors will be unleashed upon this world. Have you heard the tale of the 12 beasts?”
Brennan nodded. “Yes. About a hundred years ago there was an infestation of beasts. It took nearly a hundred knights to kill them all. The songs are still sung about the glorious battles that were won and lost. Wait. Did the beasts originate here?”
Cinna nodded. “A hundred years ago, there was a sickness that swept through this castle. Most of the people who lived here did not survive it. It used to take 30 magicians to maintain the portals. Now there is just me. One of the survivors stumbled onto a world of technical marvels and brought back thirteen of these collars. The collars stabilize the gateways somehow. As long as they are kept near the portals, it keeps the magic and monsters from leaking out.”
Prince Brennan nodded. “Thank you for sharing the secret with me. You are lucky they decided upon me instead of my older brother for your groom. My older brother would’ve slain you and taken the collars, believing he could master the magic and profit from it. But I’ve seen too many of his ideas end in heartache to think that is the correct path.”
Queen Cinna laughed. “I have not shared all of my secrets with you. Only the ones you would’ve pieced together yourself, given enough time. There is much deeper work that must be done to maintain the fragile balance of this place. You have not earned that trust. Maybe you never will. I propose we release a single beast from one of the worlds. You will return with the message that I can at any time release a hundred of them. I will accept your city’s withdrawal of hostilities in exchange for a yearly tithe of twelve young abled bodied men and women. Your council can decide how the youths are selected.”
“The Beast will kill many knights. How is that better than if I just let the council invade?”
“Because I will only release one. It should take no more than 5 knights to defeat it. If they are very skilled, then they might even survive the encounter. If your council invades, I will release the hundred I have already promised. None of your knights will survive that.”
“And the sacrifices?”
“As I have said, my people are nearly all gone. Your youths will not be harmed, but they also may never return home to your city once they enter this castle. I cannot risk my secrets getting out. Surely you understand. I recommend offering a reward to the families of the youths to balance it out and prevent a revolt in your city.”
Prince Brennan sat in silence for awhile. “I am not sure if I can accept your terms, I am just the second son of a powerless king.”
Queen Cinna laughed. “Oh that is a simple fix. I will release the beast 3 hours after you leave. That should give you enough time to return home with the proof following on your heels. I do not wish to be the villain in this tale, but I will be if I must.”
“How do I leave?”
Cinna grabbed his hand and walked him through the kitchen archway. Once on the other side, they stood outside the front gate. Cinna kissed his hand as if he were the princess in an ancient tale. “Best of luck to you, Prince Brennan. You are welcome to visit me again.”
Brennan felt reluctant to release her hand but she stepped three paces backwards through the gate and disappeared from sight. He turned and started the long walk back to his city. It occurred to him that she knew it would take him exactly two hours to reach the gate of his city so he would be safely inside the walls before the beast was released. He looked forward to returning to this strange castle and getting to know the Queen better.
The prompts for this short story:
Page of Wands
Radio Collars
Gothic Masterpiece
Copyright 2024 Klaudia Grady
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