A fox in the snow

Chapter 10

Lilith stepped cautiously inside the larder. The larder door behind her slammed shut.

"Crown Shield! What is all this? Open the door at once!" she said, raising her voice. However, he looked at her with no expression and shifted his gaze elsewhere. She almost sensed a feeling of guilt in him.

"He listens to me, not you. And so should you, Lilith!" Queen Catherine's authoritative voice boomed behind her. She took bold strides and stood right in front of Lilith, who stiffened at her sound.

"What is it, Mother? What do you want?" Lilith asked.

"I want you to listen to me, do you understand?" She roared, glaring at Lilith.

"Y-Yes... Mother."

"Good. Now listen to me carefully. You will not utter a word to ANYONE about ANYTHING you know about our plan! Not a soul!" she pointed her fingers at Lilith aggressively.

"W-What plan?" She asked like she had no clue about what she's talking about.

"Don't act dumb Lilith. I'm your mother after all..."

Yeah right.

"...we know you know about it. And if you want to live to see tomorrow, you are not to tell a soul about anything. Let us carry on with our plan, and after we accomplish it, we'll let you go. Until then... CROWN SHIELD!"

"Your Majesty?"

"Put her in the dungeons!"

At once, the Crown Shield clasped Lilith's hands together at the back and pushed her towards the larder door.

"What? No! You cannot put me in the dungeons! I will not tell anyone, I promise! Please don't do this to me, Mother!" She kicked and screamed to let go of his grip, but his arms wouldn't budge. He placed his palm on her mouth to muffle her screams. She bit his finger.

"Oww!" He yelled and pushed her even harder, clasping her hands as tight as possible and grasped her neck with his elbow, choking her.

"Please, Mother! You know this is wrong!" Lilith pleaded, coughing.

"Your father was wrong. To trust me with all his secrets. He'd have never thought his secrets would be used against him someday. Well, that day will come soon." Saying so, Catherine laughed menacingly and pushed Lilith out of the room, the Crown Shield still holding her tightly. He dragged her towards the underground dungeon and pushed her into the cell. She fell on the floor, as her knees were weak with all the kicking and fussing.

"You'll regret this! You certainly will!" She yelled at the top of her voice.

The Crown Shield didn't say anything. He slammed the dungeon door shut with a loud clang and walked upstairs, the keys jingling in his pocket. She peeked outside to notice a young guard looking helplessly at Lilith.

"Your Highness, I wish I could help, but the Queen has given me strict orders to-"

"It's fine, I understand."

What do I do now? How do I let my friends know I'm locked up in this godforsaken place? How long are they going to keep me here?

Oh yeah, they'd have to release me before the Moon Festival. That's where I'm supposedly choosing my true love. At least, that's what they all think. Yeah right, like one night could actually...

Her brain stopped ranting as she was too tired to think anymore. She drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A few hours passed. Lilith stirred about in her sleep hearing some clanging noise. And then a faint click. But she didn't open her eyes, still clinging on to her blissful slumber.