Happily Ever After......NOT!

Chapter Three

    My cell was small, well at least it was to me; my chamber was much bigger! anyway the cell was square with a tiny window with bars around it, and below the window was a small bed chained to the wall.  The bed had a straw mattress that has seen better days, and a single thin blanket.
    I sat down on the bed which made a loud creak;curling myself into a ball I cried myself to sleep. One minute everything was fine, I was just a princess taking a walk with a suitor, then I'm with my mother talking about all the problems with suitors that I had, and the next my mother is dying right before my eyes, and my father sends me to prison for it! I was a princess in her father's own dungeon. Life couldn't get any worse.
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     I don't know when I woke up, but it must have been sometime the next day. My head felt dizzy and I was exhausted. It was hard to sleep in a dungeon; the bed wasn't comfortable and you could here rats and other critters running around. I shuddered just thinking about it. What an awful place to be in! For the first time in my life I felt sorry for those who had to be in places like this.
     "Enough being gloomy, let's get this place suitable!" I jumped out of the bed and the springs let out a small groan. I turned back around and I picked up the thin blanket, flinging it up, and then laying it as smooth on the bed as possible. Then I ran my fingers through my long blond hair trying my best to brush out the tangles. My five inch heels were killing me so I took them off and walked around my small cell barefoot feeling all the dirt and grim that's probably been here for years under my feet. I screamed as a rat scurried across my feet, I lifted up the skirts of my dress and  kicked my legs out, "eww! Ewww! EWWWW!!!!" I sighed and dropped my peach gown. Then I decided to check under the bed to make sure there wasn't anymore mice or rats.
   I glanced around at the empty cells close to me, it looks like no one else has been disloyal to the King. "Hello?" I called out only for my voice to echo back off the bare stone walls. I sighed and leaned against the cold iron bars, it looks like I'm alone in this big prison. A tear slid down my cheek and I wiped it away with my hand and sniffled, it was starting to sink in that my mother was actually dead. I let out a sob and slid to the cold dirt floor, oh mother why did you have to leave me??  What's going to happen? Does my father seriously think I killed my own mother? So many thoughts tumbled around in my brain. I missed her so much, images of her in her green dress sitting in the library came into my mind making me cry more.
    Shortly later Zora walked in with a small bowl of something and a glass of water.
   I smiled, relieved to see a friendly face that I knew loved me and cared about me deeply, "Zora! I'm glad to see you!"
    Zora didn't say anything, she only  bent down and slid the bowl and the glass under the iron bars.
    "Zora? What's wrong?"
     Zora brushed a strain of white hair back, but kept her eyes to the ground.
      Alarm filled me, "Why won't you look at me?"
     Zora kept her blue eyes towards the floor, but spoke, "I'm only to deliver food to the prisoner."
     It hurt to here Zora say that, I lowered my head, "So Father's calling me a prisoner? " there was a long pause "You don't believe I killed my mother do you?"
     Zora placed a hand on my cheek and raised it so I was looking into her eyes, "I don't know what to think, but I do know one thing. The princess I know won't hurt a fly."
    "Oh Zora! Thank you!" We awkwardly hugged with the iron bars between us, "Thank you so much! I'm so glad you believe me!"
    Zora held my hand and gave it a tight squeeze, "Of course I believe you sweetie, but it doesn't matter how much I believe you. It all comes down to your father's decision and what he believes." Zora paused then whispered, "You know he could have my head for talking with you."
    "Then go, I'll be ok Zora." I tried to give her an encouraging smile, but I don't think it worked.
    Zora gave me a quick pat, "Have faith and hope my dear, it'll all turn out good, you'll see."
   I sighed, "It's hard to have faith and hope when everything seems to be going wrong."
    Zora gave me one last pat and a smile full of sympathy, then she left.
   After she left I bent down and picked up the bowl of porridge and the glass of water. I had almost forgot how hungry I was, but now looking at the food Zora brought for me I was starving! I gobbled down the porridge and washed it down with the water, not caring about my princess manners on how to eat properly after all I was in a prison. I whipped my mouth with the edge of my sleeve and then placed the empty bowl and the glass at the edge of the locked cell.
    New thoughts entered my mind, like how long will I be locked up like this? Will my father even let me out for my mother's funeral? Does the whole kingdom of Rollick knows that I'm locked away for treason? I glanced down at my peach dress, it was starting to look dirty especially at the end of the gown where it touched the dusty cold dirt floor.
   
 
    
    
     Some time later my father walked into his prison and walked over to my cell.
   "Father!" I quickly stood up smoothing my gown down, "You have to believe me, I didn't kill Mother." I clung to the cold iron bars like my life depended on it.
   My father the King, looked worn out. His eyes had dark circles around them and his lips were pressed in a firm line. All his cheerful and kindness were wiped from his face  and was replaced with a look of darkness and grief. "That's not what the evidence says...."
    I stepped back, "What evidence?"
    "The tea Amaya!" King Jack suddenly roared not able to contain his anger anymore, "The tea you gave your mother, my Queen was poisoned."
    My eyes widened, "NO! That's impossible! I fixed the tea up myself!"
    Anger flashed in my father's eyes, "Exactly! You killed her Amaya!"
   I shook my head not believing it, "No, I loved Mother, I won't kill her! This is crazy! Father!! I didn't do this!"  I reached my hand out between the bars and tried to take my father's hand, but he pulled back.  Tears fell down my rosy cheeks as I pulled my hand back inside, "You don't believe me, your own daughter! You think I did this?!"
   Now my father's eyes glistened and he looked away, "I believe the evidence, and if the evidence says poison and you handled the tea then, yes." He tuned and faced me, "Princess Amaya, you are charged with treason for killing Queen Macie."
   "No! Father I didn't do it, please believe me!"
   My father turned and walked away not once looking back.
  I screamed at him as he walked away "I DIDN'T KILL MOTHER!!!! PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!! FATHER!!!" The heavy door slammed shut echoing off the cold walls and feeling like a zillion knives stabbing my heart. My mother died yesterday of poison and my own father thinks I did it, being in this cell wasn't so bad, but being charged with treason against my own father's kingdom was too much for me. In the Kingdom of Rollick anyone who is charged with treason is then put to death. It was only a matter of time before the palace guards came for me.
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   I heard the heavy door open and close, and the sound of my father's boots echo off the floor, but I refused to listen to it. I took a big bite of my piece of bread as he walked closer to my cell. I could tell him all I want on how I didn't kill Mother, but I knew he won't take my side. He believed I did it and that was that, my father was a stubborn man and he hardly ever changed his mind.
    He stood there watching me eat, "Supper was different without you and your mother there." He took a breath to see if I would say anything.
    I shrugged, "it's not my fault you put me in prison for something I didn't do."
    He sighed and shook his head, "When, when Amaya will you grow up and take responsibility for your actions! You're twenty years old!"
    I stood up and marched over to were he was standing on the outside of the cell, my cheeks were in flamed with anger, "For the last time I had nothing to do with this! I didn't put poison in that cup, I didn't kill mother! I would never betray you!" My face soften, "You really want me to confess to something I didn't do?"
   "Your lies have to stop Amaya, you were the only one who touched that cup, you poisoned her. As a Princess you shouldn't lie to your father or your kingdom." He turned to walk away, but I stopped him.
    "Speaking of Kingdoms, what will the people of Rollick think when they here that Princess of Rollick  heiress to the throne is locked away in prison?"
    He turned his head to the side keeping his back towards her, "The kingdom will never know, besides you are not Princess of Rollick."
   I scoffed, "I'm your daughter! Of course I'm Princess of Rollick! The one and only!"
  "No! Because you are not my daughter!"