Then Everett's expression suddenly turned extremely serious. "There is only one way you can actually fail this, Lady Sable. So I need you to listen to me very carefully."
Everett leaned forward in her chair, her eyes and tone solemn and steely."There are those who wish to harm the Queen. And assassins will not draw the line at involving children like you. Now, you must understand me: If your family is being threatened, if you have been offered money, or if you have been threatened or convinced to aid in an assassination, you need to stop now."
Sable was automatically frozen in place at her dire tone.
Everett spoke on: "If you tell me or any of the maids – or even the Queen – about your family or your poverty or whatever issue it is you are stuck in, we will aid you, the Queen will aid you. For, as her tribute, you are under her protection and that is not a light thing... But make no mistake: If you aid the Queen's enemies in the slightest way, even so much as pass a note to them once in the years that you are here... she will kill you. The Queen has no mercy for traitors, whether you are a child or not. Whether you are coerced or not.
"Do you understand?"
Sable nodded vigorously.
"Good." And now her tone was halfway back to normal. "So, do you have any plans to assassinate the Queen?"
Sable stared, aghast. Why did people keep thinking she was able to kill anyone? What in her face said fearless assassin or brave risk-taker?! She was the type to run and hide!
"Why do you think I'd be an assassin?!" squeaked Sable. "I didn't even know why the Queen took tributes until you told me just now!"
Everett leaned back in her chair, relaxing back into a smile. "I don't think you're an assassin, that was just a warning." And then she sobered, looking rather sad. "But the truth is that this has happened with every batch of tributes. And it's usually the ones from the poorest and remotest areas who are often used to try and kill the Queen. More leverage with them – money, luxuries, or just plain fear... Not that one or two from the richer families don't ever try, it's just less common...
"None of those girls survived their first year, Sable. The Queen found them out soon enough and killed them herself. So... in case you are one of those girls this time, I am begging you to either tell me right now so we can protect you, or just simply give up on such plans." Everett sighed, looking tired. "To be honest, I would have said this to any girl I was put in charge of. Regardless of her background. You're just the one I got this time. I've even told the other maids to warn their tributes too – It would be nice to finally have a full batch of girls make it to the end..."
Oh, thought Sable, so not all the old tributes had actually survived this... Maybe not for the reasons her village had believed, but still...
Everett shook her head and sent her another smile. "Enough of that, though. I think I've tired you with all of this. Shall I serve us some tea?"
Sable, who realized that she was rather tired after all this information, immediately perked up at the possibility of having last night's tea.
* * *
AN:
Eve: Please don't do anything that will get you killed.
Sable: *frozen nod of fear*
Eve: Good girl. Now, shall we have some tea?
Sable: *immediately thawing at the prospect of sweet, head-quietening tea*
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
The Tributes (Sable)
Viễn tưởngEvery couple of years, a girl from each village, town, and city in the kingdom is sent to the palace of the Black Queen as a tribute. And this time, twelve-year-old Sable is the one to go from her village. Sable can't say she's ever been particularl...
