The Beaded Necklace (Short Story)

Chapter 2

Sitting in her room she couldn't help but think of the man. What color were his eyes? Was he tall? She couldn't remember. Why has she never seen him before? Irritated with these irrelevant thoughts she decided to satisfy her queries. She goes back to where she met him and searches for him. At last her eyes find him. As she hides behind a tree she sees that he is helping an older woman climb up a flight of stairs. There is a smile on his face. This reminds her of what she told him before. Again, that strange feeling tickles her heart. Why did it hurt her simply because she stated that he was ugly like his horse. Was it true? Of course not. So why did it matter? She begins to answer her questions. Yes, he is tall. The color of his eyes are brown. She asks herself another question. Was he really handsome? Yes, very much. Heat rushes to her cheeks. How? How could a man be that handsome? Curious she decides to take a closer look. She leaves her tree and walks towards him. The man immediately recognizes her and clenches his jaw. Out of necessity he bows. Seeing his uneasiness Inocencia asks, "Why do you bow to me?"

The man responds with another question. "Do you really want me to answer truthfully?" Inocencia nods. "Well, because I have to. I'd rather not." It felt like a slap against her face hearing something like that for the first time in her life. She always got what she wanted and always heard what she wanted because everybody loved and adored her. Never did anybody obey her unwillingly.

"I see." Inocencia wanted to kill the man, but then started to realize something. It felt good to have a person who spoke truthfully and who didn't adore her to pieces. She smiles at the man. "From now on, I order you to talk honestly to me no matter what I ask of you," she says. Having no choice in the matter the man nods. "Who do you think I am?" Inocencia asks.

The man takes a deep inhale before replying, "A brat. A spoiled immature child who thinks life is a game. You hide what you really are."

"And why do you say that?"

"I can see right through you." Inocencia's pupils widen. Why is her heart beating so fast? Who is this man that can see right behind her mask?

"And who are you?"

The man licks his lips. "According to you, Your Highness, I am someone who shouldn't smile everyday." Inocencia leaves the man alone, until her curiosity gets to her again. She wanted to learn more about him. But most importantly, she wanted to learn more about herself though him. She would constantly bother him on his way to work, on his way to his house, on his way to go shopping. She would visit him in the mornings, in the afternoons, and in the evenings. Never could the man say anything to her for she was the Princess. Inocencia would watch the man. She would watch how respectful he was, the way he treated others with loving kindness, how he cared for children, how he treated the injured, how he was a good friend to others, and how he was just a good man in general. Time passed and she realized something terrifying. She was in love with him. One night as she asked the man about the stars she kissed him. Cheeks flustered she turns to walk away. What did she just do? "Wait." A hand grabs her wrist and gently turns her around. The man looks into her eyes. He caresses her head and then looks at her lips.

"What are you doing?" Inocencia asks with a pounding heart. He shushes her and kisses back.

"I'm in love with you too Princess."

Inocencia went home that night feeling happy and giddy. She jumps on her bed and rolls around in her blankets covering herself with great comfort. Was this what love felt like?
The man taught her the real importance of being kind and why she shouldn't be bored with life. As they were walking in the woods one day the man walked up to a birds nest and chuckled. "My Princess, you should not be bored with life. Look at all the beautiful creation around you. Everybody works and cares for each other. Live with the people you love and those who love you back and you will be happy." Inocencia also learned something else. This man was pure. That day Inocencia looked herself in the mirror and cried. A creature like her did not deserve a person like him. She finally understood the wrong-doing and the blood shed that she committed. She finally understood what kind of person she was. She was not pure. She was not beautiful. And, she was not innocent. She also knew that no matter what, she was not going to change. Was it because she was afraid she couldn't? Was her guilt so big that she couldn't forgive herself? She wrote a letter for her lover along with one of the beads from the Abrus Precatorius. She sliced the seed making it respresent the cut in her heart. Seeing the poison leak out she kissed it.

"I'm sorry. I love you." She brings the letter and seed to his bed stand during the night. With one last glance she smiles painfully at her lover. Inocencia dies that night. When the man wakes up he finds the bead and gasps. How did this get here? He knew who this belonged to. He watched her hand it out to so many people in the streets it would be impossible not to know where the bead came from. He picks it up and goes in search of his Princess. Upon arriving at the Castle he can hear the agonizing cries of the Queen, the King, and all the officials of the Kingdom. And that is when he finds out. His love is dead. In honor of her death, he makes the beaded necklace he always secretly saw her hand out. He scoffs at the beaded necklace once he's done. "Why did my Princess never make me this necklace?" He kisses the bead necklace. In that bead necklace, though, is the cut which Inocencia made. Going to bed he wears the beaded necklace, crying himself to sleep.

His body is found dead the next morning. Laying in the room lies the letter the man never opened. This is what Inocencia wrote to her lover. 'I knew you would die for me. You were too innocent for this world. Love, Your Princess.'