Black Rabbits And White Ravens

BR/WR 1: Myth Of the Fairy Key- Ch. 1: A Queen, the Ace, and Two Jacks

"Bring in the defiant brat!"  Queen Cardstroke commanded her knights. The giant oak door's handles creaked open slowly. The two Jacks wore red and white striped jackets to signify their rank, as they dragged their captive by the chains around her wrists and ankles. Upon finally standing before their Queen at the end of her huge throne, the duo locked the chains into place, taking their statuesque stances beside the accused.

"You've been brought before me, the Queen of Deckarea, to plea your case and tell me why you interrupted the death of a criminal. You should be glad that I am just too all sisters, regardless of age and actions. Had you been a man, you'd be dead long before now. Speak now and tell me your reasons of treason!"

The girl in chains sighed 'What have I gotten myself into? I shouldn't have listened to that damn gossiper!' "Your Majesty, please, think about my words. That man you accused of committing a crime was clearly innocent! Did you not see the look of fear in his eyes?" The girl paused as the midnight haired Ruler barked a harsh laugh, "Every man in my kingdom fears death, whether or not they are guilty of anything."

"But Your Excellency, did you not see the look of sadness in the woman who was by his side the whole time? The tears that were streaming from her face were like a waterfall in a forest. You cannot-"

The Queen slammed down her scepter, the Jacks suddenly grabbing the girl, as the Ruler yelled, "You dare tell me what I can and cannot do in my own realm? What kind of foolish girl tells Queendom's Ruler how to do her job?" She smirked, ready to prove the girl wrong.

"If you must know, the man that you saved was about to kill his wife and children- the blood on his hands was from practicing on swine! Does it make you feel better knowing you saved a would-be murderer?"

The Queen paused, as if trying to recognize who she was talking to. "Who are you, girl, and why does it feel like I've seen you before? Heather, my darling?" Heather Maddigina, the Queen's Ace Commander and right-hand woman, appeared beside the throne.

An ugly sneer flashed on her face as she recognized the girl who had struck her off guard. "Yes, madam?" she asked her Queen gently, kneeling at her feet. Cardstroke asked her Ace to go retrieve her digi-graph to identify the criminal before them, Moments later, the Ace returned with a silver scroll in hand.

The Queen's Ace let it fall to the ground before the Queen, her highness pressing every name of every girl that was on the list to activate a full 3D projection of their profiles. Beside the images were all their physical attributes, from height to the color of the eyes, and the bounty that was to be paid. When the imprisoned was found, an evil smile appeared on Cardstroke's face.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting. I thought I recognized you from somewhere, Alicia Blackhart."

"Check the back of her neck for the mark. If it's there we can distinguish if this is really the Princess Alicia Rayel Blackhart from the Lundane," Heather commanded the Jacks. One of the Jacks lifted back the captive's hair and, true to the digi-graph, there was a black mark that resembled rabbit ears on the back of her neck. Alicia muttered under her breath ["Damn charm…"] as the Jacks confirmed her identity to the Queen and her Ace.

"Your parents, it seems, are willing to pay a very pretty *penny for your return Princess. And because of the disruption you caused in my Queendom, they will have to pay an extra tax to have you back, as well as pay for the repairs. Jacks, take this lost Princess," The Queen gave a wicked laugh before she finished her thought, "To her new quarters, see that she is treated with the utmost care and the best service a criminal can have here in Deckarea." Cardstroke's smiled as her mind reeled at the thought of the jec she could make off the princess.  

She waved her hand to whisk Alicia away to the dungeon area below the castle. As the runaway was being dragged away, Heather had the final word, "This is what you deserve, you brat!" The Queen's laughter stopped, "Heather, dear, jealousy is not a pretty color on you."

"Make sure that you to tighten the security around her cell; Alicia Blackhart is much stronger than she knows, possibly even more than yourself. Go now and make sure she has no way to escape, while I contact her parents and discuss my payment." The Ace retreated from her queen, a sour look on her face for being put in her place.

Once out of view from their Queen, the Jacks started to harass Alicia. They called her names like Pink Eye and Dandelion (Alicia laughed because they had come up with such brilliant and clever names, "Hahahaha! You two are extremely funny! Maybe you should go join the circus to be clowns-even through you'd both probably end up as freak-shows…").

With that final crack the Jacks pushed her into the dark cell, the stink of death overwhelmingly strong. Lashing out their rapiers, they slashed at Alicia's clothes. "I hope you like your new quarters and clothes, Princess. You'll be in our company for awhile, so I suggest that you get comfortable." The taller of the two snort with laughter. They disappeared with hard footsteps in the distance, leaving Alicia all alone…or so it would seem to anyone not looking close enough.

"So this is where you ended up? Maybe you should stop with the whole truth and justice thing, if it's only going to make you look like a criminal…" Alicia spun around, her eyes still adjusting to the dim light that was supplied by the orange moon. She recognized that voice-it was the same one that had told her how the man was innocent. In the corner under the window bars was a boy in khaki pants and an open white button shirt, staring out at the moon outside. His hair reminded her of flames and his green eyes twinkled with mischief.  

"'Stop with the whole truth and justice thing…?'" Alicia hissed at him, once regaining her composure, "It was at your words that I believed that man to be innocent and rushed to help him! How do I even know what you said was true?" At her words the boy stood up, stalking over to her side only to sit by her with his legs crossed. He handed her a canteen full of water, and then a pulled out shiny red apple, biting into before he spoke.

"When I said that he was just leaving to visit family across the country, it was the truth. I heard it myself while I was helping clean their lawn. The blood on his hands and knife he was holding was due to him killing one of his sheep and cleaning it for a week's food for his travels."