Blinded (A Sequel to "Sight")

Truth

Rose stared at Griffin's body. She didn't know what to think. How could he be dead?

"W-what happened to him?" Varian asked. His shaking intensified.

"I-I don't know." Rapunzel took out a pair of keys, and unlocked the cell. She crouched down next to Griffin's body and took his pulse. She shook her head.

"How could he have died?" Rose stepped into the cell and examined his body. No marks at all. It was as if he was sleeping.

"The only people who see him are the guards and handmaidens," Rapunzel told her. "But... I don't see why any of them would kill him."

"You don't think he..." Varian left the question unfinished, but Rose knew what he had meant. Would he really kill himself?
"We need to investigate this," Rose said. "Gather everyone who would've gone near him."

Rapunzel nodded as she stood up. "I'll go gather the handmaidens. You go get the guards-- they'll be wandering around the prison hallways."

The princess ran off, and up the stairs. Rose and Varian went in opposite directions of the hallway. Rose met Stan, and told him to follow her. Stan was skeptical at first, but eventually followed after her.

Rose saw Varian standing back at the cell with Pete. Rapunzel came running back down the stairs, a few girls behind her. Among those girls was Rae. She gave Rose a questioning look. Rose just shook her head.

"Okay," Rapunzel put her hands together. "Varian, can I have the truth serum?"

Varian handed it to her. "Just one drop should do."

Rapunzel looked at the bottle. It was almost empty. "Alright. We'll have to make the most of it." She turned to the six people standing before her. "You are each going to take a sip of this truth serum, and then we're going to ask you some questions." Some people's eyes widened in fear. "There's no need to worry," the princess reassured them. "We're just trying to figure something out."

The crowd glanced at each other in confusion. Rose, Varian, and Rapunzel were standing in front of Griffin's cell, hiding his body. They would tell them about him after the interrogation.

Rapunzel handed the bottle to the first person; a handmaiden named Faith. She took a quick sip, then handed the vial back to the princess. "Alright, Faith. Can you tell me what you did today?"

"Well, I woke up, then went outside to take a breath of fresh air. I noticed a bee nest up on my balcony so I-"

"Not that much detail," Rapunzel told her. "How about, just a summary of what you did after Griffin came?"

"I was taking care of dirty clothes pretty much the whole time," Faith answered. "I only stopped once to grab a snack from the kitchen."

Next was another handmaiden that Rose didn't know. "Same question."

"I was polishing all the decorations hanging on the wall."

Next was Stan. "Just pacing up and down this hallway."

Pete's answer was the same.

Another unknown handmaiden took a swig of the truth serum. "I prepared some food to be taken to Griffin. Then Rachael took it to him."

Rapunzel went to give the vial to Rae, next, but it slipped and crashed on the floor. "Ah! No!"

Rae stared at the mess on the floor. "At least you heard what Emily said. I just took the food to Griffin."

"Hmm. Are you sure you guys didn't see anything suspicious?"

"Yes," they all said in unison.

Rapunzel turned to Varian and Rose. "Then there can only be one explaination."

Rae raised her hand. "May I ask why you asked us these questions?"

Rapunzel, Rose, and Varian moved out of the way, showing them Griffin's dead body. They all gasped.

"What happened to him?" Emily asked.

"We don't know. That's why I asked you those questions," Rapunzel explained. "But now that we know the truth, we assume that he must've killed himself."

"I wonder why..." Rose thought out loud.

"Stan, Pete, can you please take his body upstairs so we can prep him for his funeral?" Rapunzel asked. Stan nodded, taking hold of Griffin's feet. Pete looked disgustedly at the dead body, then hesitantly picked up the boy's head. Together, they carried the body upstairs.

"On behalf of this tragedy, you are all excused from your duties for the rest of the day," Rapunzel told the handmaidens.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Faith bowed.

"Oh, just Rapunzel is fine." The princess smiled kindly.

The handmaidens went back upstairs, Rose, Varian, and Rapunzel following loosely behind. They were quietly talking among themselves.

"Why would Griffin try to harm us, and then kill himself?" Rose pondered.

"It is very strange," Rapunzel acknowledged.

"It doesn't all add up," Varian said.

"There's got to be something we're missing." Rose put her index finger on her temple and her thumb under her chin.

They all reached the top of the stairs. "We'll think about it tomorrow," Rapunzel told the two teens. "Right now, you two need rest. It's been a long day for all of us."

Rose nodded. "Yeah, it has. But you have to promise me that you'll get some rest, too."

The princess hesitated for a moment before saying, "I promise."

. . .

After stopping at Varian's to retrieve Benton and Daina, Rose headed back to her home. The sun had just finished setting as the small little cottage she called home came into view.

Her mother was waiting for her at the door, hands on her hips and eyebrows furrowed. "I thought you said you'd be home for dinner."

Rose stared at the ground. "I'm sorry. Everything's just been so eventful today." She gave her mother a sad look. "I promise, I'll explain everything tomorrow. Can I just get some sleep?"

Elisha sighed. "Alright." Her mother gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head. "You look stressed, anyway." Elisha pulled away and looked into Rose's eyes. "Get some good sleep. You have a lot of explaining to do in the morning."