Palace Walls

Part Thirteen

(still 1948)

The Queen and Prince were in their private chapel when they heard it. The gold-encrusted ceiling was high and hollow, allowing noise to trickle in soft, fat flakes. At first, the sharp sound was muffled by the throaty goddess-language of the female Oracles as they twirled across the golden platform. A middle-aged priest pounded a drum, singing a short, choppy hymn to Kaluz Kamud.

"Eryx, dear," the Queen murmured, nudging her tired husband, "I heard something!"

"What?"

The Queen glanced over her shoulder.

"A big popping sound! A boom! Didn't you hear it?"

Eryx twisted his mouse-like mouth.

"Ooh, I think I hear something."

"Really, what?"

"Footsteps. Running. Oh, s-s-s-sugar!" He leapt into her arms, like a frightened child. "The ghosts of the walled Guards, they must be...!"

"Shhh!" She stood up, clasping her fat, bejeweled hands together. "I apologize, Sisters, but we must leave early."

The priest stopped his song, and the Oracles nodded. The Royal Couple left as one body, nearly sprinting down the hallway.

"It's none of my business, Clotilda, but maybe our new Guard is not who we thought?"

"I doubt that! He has a good heart, my dear."

"But he's a coward."

"Pimples and pixie-dust! He's young! He's strong! He's the right amount of stupid! Now, if my father would have heard such a remark, he'd...!"

They stopped in front of the Guard doors. Several shouts and screams clung to the air, as one man yanked the door open. He went pale, panting like an overheated dog.

"Stay back!" he cried, "Sergeant Gorello's dead!"

"Dead?" the Queen gasped, "Impossible! He is my strongest sergeant!"

"He got shot," the man heaved, "And some lady is calling herself the new leader...."

He stumbled, nearly collapsing into the floor. The Queen caught him in her arms. The Prince shot her a puzzled look, and she returned the favor.

"Well, I never heard such a thing," she said, "There are no female Guards! And what of my newest one, Zechariah Domna?"

The man looked up, his eyes glazed with horror.

"He's gone."

XXX

The road was too narrow for regrets. Domna sighed. There was really no time to look back at that ivory palace, to think of all the lives that wilted beyond the Queen's bejeweled gaze. He kept moving, trying to wedge his mind into his sprawling home, his jolly loud aunts, his messy, curious job at the Royal Zoo. Well! The Queen was a good boss, and there was no home finer than the Humble Blossom palace complex, but was it worth the pain? At best, it was comfortable yet unfulfilling, and at worst, it was a blood-smeared nightmare. He cringed, recalling his fantasy of a cushy Palace job. But anyone could think that. Just look how the Royals live!