“Ducky,” Amarah whispered as her lifelong friend approached the throne. Ducky wasn’t sure why, but she felt in her heart that this was a solemn and momentous occasion for both herself and the queen. Curtsying low, Ducky addressed her queen, “Your Majesty.”
Amarah was the picture of regal perfection, only with her crown in her hands instead of resting on her head. “Are you ready to swear fealty to your queen?”
“Yes your Majesty.”
Amarah rose and beckoned to Ducky. Ducky approached her, unsure as the queen extended her crow to Ducky. “Take it in your hands and swear your fealty to me and my crown, Ducky.”
Ducky did as she was told. Her eye for detail noticed that the ancient crown had been altered. Where the gold had once shone smooth there was now an infinity symbol etched in the shining metal. Ducky wrapped her fingers around the crown, until her hands were pressed up against Amarah’s. She blinked, she could sworn that the infinity symbol had shone with its own light for a split second.
Ducky met Amarah’s expectant gaze with her own, and with hardly a though she opened her mouth and spoke the words she had been contemplating since she’d come home from the war.
“I Alexandria, Duchess of Evergreen pledge my life in service to the crown. As long as Amarah, Daughter of Keno,” Ducky’s eyes flitted to Amarah’s swollen belly, “and the descendants of Amarah lay claim to the crown I will live to serve them and protect their sovereignty.”
The infinity symbol blaze then, and Ducky was not imagining it because Amarah gasped too. Light swirled up from the crown and wrapped itself around both women’s hands. Ducky tried to release her grip and back away but she was held fast by the eerie light. She looked up with fear into Amarah’s eyes and was shocked to see the woman was completely calm. As if she had expected the crown to respond in such a way. Then as quickly as the light had appeared it retreated into the crown and Ducky was able to back away.
She looked at her hands in disbelief and then turned accusing eyes on Amarah.
“What was that?”
“That was the magic of the crown sealing you to your word.”
“What, because you didn’t trust me to keep it?”
“No Ducky, don’t you see, now the crown will sustain you in your service to me and my descendants.”
“Where did you get this kind of sorcery?”
Amarah blanched at Ducky’s heated voice. She turned away, letting her hands fall to her side. “The Sorcerer King of Annex.”
Ducky was incredulous, “The Sorcerer King, but he is just a myth!”
“He exists Ducky, I went to see him, and I found him. No I do not have to fret, I will always have a loyal servant, you will not fail me. You can not fail me. The crown won’t let you.”
Ducky shuddered. She did not like the idea of enchantments or witchcraft. She cast about, and realized she had to understand what had happened to her. She would have to go to the source. She would make the Sorcerer answer for what he had done. Ducky turned and strode out of the Grand Hall. Amarah called after her, “Wait, Ducky, where are you going?”
“To find the Sorcerer King of Annex!”
#100words100days #day33 #day34 #day35 #day36 #day37 #makeupday #DuchessofEvergreen Sorry folks, I didn’t mean to go so long without posting.
