Power and The Queen

Chapter Twenty-One. 🟢

Here it was again, the part she dreaded so much.

The smile slipped from her face as time froze around her. She watched as the maiden in front of her lost her friendly smile. She had come to like her from dreaming about her so much. No lady ever smiled at her the way she did, in adoration and with so much love.

Not even her mother showed her that much affection. Her face began to crack, blood seeping from the lines now present on her face, as did the others in the hall. Cora closed her eyes, not wanting to watch these people she now took as hers perish.

The creaking sound of the glowing ice walls cracking tempted her to open her eyes but she would not, she could not endure such torture. Her weakness to help them made a fresh wave of shame hit her.

They were innocent. She had to save them, but she did not know how. Tears flowed down to her cheek as she heard the thud of bodies dropping to the floor followed by her now increasing sobs.

"Open your eyes." a shrieking voice whispered, making her shiver.

The voice was icy, sinister and calm at the same time, but it set a great unease on her. It felt like the person standing behind her. Her body stopped shaking from her sobs almost immediately, but still, she felt no presence around her. She knew she was dreaming, so where did that voice come from?

It was not supposed to happen. She almost laughed at her foolishness.

Who dreams of people dying? The voice, however calming, made her shut her eyes even more.

"Open your eyes, Cora." the voice shrieked louder this time.

It knew her name? Cora shut her eyes tighter, her fear causing her sobs to erupt again. She knew nothing of this shrieking voice. How did it know her?

"Open your eyes Cora, open it dear, it will not hurt," the voice sang in whispers.

She could not tell its gender but felt a cool breeze fan the tip of her ear. It was next to her. She still kept her eyes shut but swallowed the rest of her sobs.

"Who are you?" she whispered, hoping it could hear her.

She hugged herself, becoming more self-conscious. Whatever it was, she would fight it if she had to.

"Open your eyes, Cora." the voice spoke clearer now though it still sounded distant.

"How do you know my name?" She countered.

"Open your eyes, Cora." the voice said again, but this time it was a deep man's voice.

It was welcoming, and she felt more drawn to give in.

"All you have to do is open your eyes and see." the male voice came again.

But this time it sounded like the person was a few feet away, so she gave in, too curious to find out. She peeled her eyelids apart, forcing her eyes to focus. The first thing that came to her view after her cloudy vision cleared was the bloodied people frozen in position as they were about to hit the ground. But she heard them fall. Right?

She turned and looked around her. She saw no one apart from the frozen people. The breaking walls froze too, even a piece of ice about to drop to the floor froze in the air. Her mouth fell open. This was impossible.

"It is all about control," the male voice came behind her.

She turned and locked eyes with a strangely familiar face. Though a part of her was sure they had never met.