Short Story Collection

Rise of Four Kingdoms: Part 1

BEGONIA

"What have I done?" I think to myself over and over again as I stare at Rose, bleeding to death on the floor. Panther comes over and pats my shoulder.

"She was the queen's maid. She was brainwashed. You did the right thing, Begonia." Panther reassures me.

I pushed her away.

"Panther, Rose and I have been friends since we were toddlers, and I just, I just..." I feel the tears starting to fall on Rose's motionless body.

"Begonia! Get a grip!" my friend shook me; I could tell that she was getting angry.

The floor of the castle shook as soldiers arrived, at least 500.

"Begonia, we have to go!"

"Not without Rose!"

Panther grabbed me by the arm.

I fought her trying to get to Rose, but Panther was stronger. She scooped me up and jumped off the three-story high ledge before landing gracefully on a tree branch.

Her mother definitely named her right. My mother named me Begonia because she knew I was as gentle as a flower. I am, but I can also be fierce when it comes to fighting my enemies.

I cried and fought against Panthers strong grip.

"Panther! You let her body get burned and crushed by the soldiers! How could you! You monster!" I sobbed.

"I know, Begonia. I know." Panther was starting to cry too.

I thought back to the day this all started. It was a sunny Saturday morning when the soldiers came. I remember it as clear as if it was only yesterday when the world that I had always known fell apart. 

BEGONIA

The nightmare that would become my life started on the last day of my 7th grade school year.

I woke to the sound of vases breaking. I shot out of bed and ran to see what all the commotion was about. Then I saw them. The soldiers.

"Why would soldiers from the castle so far away bother us?" I thought.

Then I saw their unusual uniforms. Instead of the usual red badge lined in gold, they had blue badges lined in silver.

"For Queen Benedict!" the soldiers shouted.

That was even weirder, because there was no Queen, there was only King Raghad.

As far as I knew, the Benedict's lived in The Second Kingdom not so far away. Who could be Queen Benedict? There was only one possible woman in the Benedict family. That was Beatrice P. Benedict.

I'd heard all this from a traveling merchant that came to trade with us. The Benedict's were very rich and well known in their kingdom. Beatrice was the mother of the family and married to a young man named Albert Benedict Sr.

Albert was very famous. He also had a mean streak a mile wide. They had two daughters and one son. Bethany was 6, Brittany was my age, and Albert Jr. was 19. Albert Jr. already had a job as a banker.

"Begonia Beverly! You are officially decreed as an enemy of the queen!" a guard shouted.

Me? Enemy of the queen? Does not compute! Does not compute!

I said the pledge every morning! I sang the Kingdom's song with gusto at school. I always followed the rules! I never insulted King Raghad or Queen Benedict! "I'm innocent, perfectly innocent." I reassured myself.

"You are deemed a threat of The First Kingdom. Begonia Beverly, you are under arrest!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"Show me your warrant!" my father shouted over and over again.

"Never say that word again. It has been outlawed by Queen Benedict." another soldier sneered.

"Queens aren't even allowed in The First Kingdom!" my mother burst out of the bathroom.

"Queen Benedict has changed the law." a third soldier smirked.

"The law!? The law has been in place for 4,000 years, and Queen Benedict dares to change it? Why does she want my daughter!?" Father was raging mad.

"Another word out of you and you will be arrested as well!" the first soldier spat.

My parents watched in helpless silence as the soldiers lunged for me. They were too fast, even all my years of training wasn't enough. They bound my wrists with rope and pulled me out onto the sidewalk.

A cart was waiting. It was one of those prisoner carts. They shoved me onto it and just like that, my life of dungeon escapes and midnight missions had begun.