Their Thirst For Pride

7 - A Warning & A Betrayal

“It is terrible, what happened.” Lyra said to a man in some type of uniform.
“Agreed, your majesty,” He said, writing things down onto a paper attached to his clipboard. “Well then, the investigation will begin once the palace is vacant. Trust me, none of these competitiors will be fully out of my hands until all is solved.”
“Thank you, sir. I will see you soon.” Lyra smiled, shaking the investigator’s hand.
“At your service.”

Not long after the investigator had left, Lyra sat in her study, doing paper work. Her mind raced as she wrote. How could she not think about the murder? She consoled herself, knowing everyone would leave. The games would be no more. The crime would be solved.
In the middle of finishing the writing of a letter, there were knocks on her door. They seemed a little alarmed but nothing out of the ordinary considering the circumstances.
“Come in.” Lyra said, pushing the paper she’d written on aside.
Autumn rushed in with something in her hand. A tattered piece of paper was what she gripped in her hand.
“Autumn? Is everything okay?” Lyra stood up.
She stopped abruptly, brushing hair out of her own face. “Good morning, your majesty. I apologize for the sudden interruption.”
“Oh no, it is fine. What’s that you’re holding?” Lyra asked, curious.
A moment of silence occurred before Autumn spoke. “I don’t want to panic you but…” She unfolded the paper, her fingers running over the ridged edges.
Lyra looked down at it, barely able to read the words on the paper. Autumn’s hands were shaking too much.
“I received this letter from one of the staff this morning. She seemed traumatized. It’s all weird, I mean, I’ve never seen or felt this much panic before.”
“Autumn, it’s okay. Calm down. Breathe.”
The servant did as she said.
“So what does it say?”
She looked down at the paper and gave a shaky but slightly calmer inhale before reading: The gates are locked. There is no way out and if you dare attempt to leave, I’ll have you dead. Games will continue or there may never be any escape. -Anonymous
The handwriting seemed sloppy with slanted sentences and letters with too many strokes.
“There is no way I’m continuing these games! Not with everyone’s life on the line. Someone’s messing with us, right?”
Autumn shook her head, her eyes uncertain, “The look on that servant’s face tells me otherwise. Did you not see Miss Amaryllis’s  body last night? You can’t just be in denial.”
Finally, Lyra let the uneasy feeling she’d been bottling drown her. She felt sick. She hadn’t felt this terrified since her mother had passed.

The sound of chirping birds deafened Esme from all other noises as she sat in the garden, bow in hand. She focused her gaze on one of the trees, aiming the bow toward it. She pretended to release an invisible arrow as the only one she had with her at the moment had already been stuck to a tree, sap dripping down its trunk. As she stared at the flowing leaves in the gentle breeze, she could hear the ruffling of grass. It wasn’t caused by the wind, no, it was caused by footsteps. She put the bow down next to her on a stone barrier in the garden, then sat down, looking in the opposite direction of the footsteps. Maybe if she couldn’t see them, they couldn’t see her.
“That’s not how it works, Miss Fletcher. I can see you.”
She finally looked to the man walking toward her. No surprise came to her when she saw the green eyes of Mr. Blakesmith staring right back at her. There was a kind of glint in his eyes. She couldn’t tell what kind.
“What do you want?” She asked. She’d begun to grow tired of his pestering once the games began and she sure did not want to talk to him now. Not after a murder had been committed.
“I assume you’ve heard the news.”
“What? About Miss Amaryllis? Of course I have, I was there.”
“You were there?”
Esme visibly paused for a moment, “When everyone was talking last night, I meant. Where else?”
“I believe you. And no, not that news.”
Esme stood up, becoming a bit anxious, “What then?”
“I hate to be the one to break it to you. The gates have been locked and I don’t think there’s any way out unless the queen does something about it.”
“What? You’re joking.”
“I’m afraid not, miss.”
Tears blinded her vision but she blinked them back, keeping her composure. “Do you know if she is doing anything?”
“Not that I’ve heard of.”
“Do you think she had something to do with this whole situation? Or was it you? You don’t seem worried at all!”
Esme backed away. Orion didn’t move.
“I’m just the messenger. I don’t know how to prove that I’m not the murderer but I care about you, Esme.” He held his hand out, hoping she wouldn’t back farther away.
Esme? He used her first name for once. She hesitantly took his hand, staring into his eyes. Her expression didn’t break, her face stayed tense. As annoying as she found this man, something drew her to him. What a disgusting but odd feeling. She was beginning to like it.

A blurry chandelier filled the vision of the queens as she laid in bed. Her eyelids felt heavy. She must have fallen asleep after finishing paperwork. Couldn’t she just go back to sleep? Her heart raced as she sat up, still settling into being awake. Then, she reembered what had happened earlier. The warning. She sat for a minute, thinking until getting up and changing into a gown. She got herself ready the rest of the way and left the room.
As Lyra walked down the hall, she stared at the ground, counting her footsteps. As she reached the corner, where a pair of bookshelves stood, something brushed across her arm. She flinched, stopping in her tracks and looking to the right. Before her stood someone dressed head to toe in black. They were silent as they grabbed her hand and dragged her into the room across the hall, her study.
“Who are you!?” Lyra yelled.
The person held a finger up to their face, shushing her. Luckily for the mysterious figure, no one was tending to the library, it was ten minutes to lunch time. And Lyra was close to missing it.
“God afternoon, your majesty.” The masked person said in a muffled voice.
So now it was time for greetings? Lyra stared at the figure with bewilderment and fear.
“Get away from me.” She said in a firm tone.
“Relax, I won’t hurt you. At least not yet.” The person said, pulling a blade from a seemingly invisible pocket in their robe. “I’m only here to deliver a message. Again. The gates are locked. Games will continue. You are not to speak of this conversation.”
She stepped away. Far away. Instead of running or screaming for help, she succumbed to fear and nodded. She stared back down at the floor, hoping nothing would happen and listened as boots echoed across the room. The door to the garden opened and closed. And Lyra ran. She ran as fast as possible to the dining room.
She stumbled into the room, nearly falling. Autumn, who was standing by the wall, awaiting her arrival ran to her aide, wondering what in the world had happened.

She had to sit down. It was all too much. Lyra’s eyes darted around as she watched all the competitors talk frantically. She made note of the pairs in the crowd. Fletcher, Blakesmith, and Cadman who stood off to the side. Winslow alone. Garvish and Galle. Flint alone. She wrote the pairs down in her journal. Then, she stood up from her throne and clapped once, catching everyone’s attention.
She took a deep breath. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. You may have heard the news by now. The gates have been locked without my knowledge and I… I have made the decision to continue the games.”
River tensed up, laughing manically. “You’re insane! I mean, what is wrong with you!? Someone died last night- how are we supposed to believe you’re not in on this?”
“I apologize I just- I feel it is the right decision. I swear I have nothing to do with this.”
“Sure, we’re supposed to just count you innocent when all of us are suspects!” River went on.
A hand planted itself onto her shoulder, pulling her back. “Miss Cadman, blaming the queen of all people isn’t making you look very good. I’m sure she’s innocent.” Vardaan said.
She didn’t say anything more, just glared at him.
“I expect your jewelry to be made by dinner tonight. This is what you signed up for.” With that, Lyra stepped down from her throne and left for her room.

“Come in,” Esme said, sitting at a desk and writing.
The door creaked open and in stepped River. She shut the door behind herself and sat down on Esme’s bed, watching her crumple up a piece of paper and throw it in the bin sitting next to her.
“What’s that?” River asked.
“Something familiar,” Esme answered, leaning back in her chair.
“What’s familiar?”
She sighed, “Lesson plans. I don’t know, it sounds crazy but it’s all I used to do, being a teacher and all.”
River nodded, “I miss my life too. Can I ask you something?”
“You’ve been doing it.”
“Do you think we’ll make it out of here?”
Esme turned to her, “Of course we will. Someone will unlock the gates… Those tall, tall gates.”
“That sounds menacing.”
“Sorry.”
“I’m worried. I won this damn game to help my brother out and now I’m convinced I’ll never see him again.”
“You won it for your brother?”
“Yes.”
“To be honest, I would’ve won it for myself if I were you. Being a female swordfighter isn’t easy. I joined the archery competition for myself.”
“What? Esme, my brother is disabled. I just thought the money would help. Sure, I won it a little for myself too but that was the biggest reason.”
“You’re very selfless, River.”
River thought for a moment. Was she really betraying her brother? Did she do it for herself? Did she want it all for herself? No. Why was Esme being so ignorant?
“Do you even want these games to end? It sounds like you want to win.”
“Of course I want them to end. You know, I just thought that if none of this ever happened, I’d want to win.”
“Good for you, Esme. Thanks for listening.” River stood up and left, slamming the door behind her.
Esme stood up and stared at the door. She’d lost a friend. A sensitive one.