The Runaway Queen

Chapter 2: Honeysuckle, Radish and Old Black Rabbit's Milk

     Andy slowly sipped her lemonade, it was a long day at the daycare today and the day seemed to drag on wearisomely She was glad she found a small moment of silence in the pantry while the children were at play in the school's garden with the assistants.

She sighed in relief and gazed out of the window at the picturesque view of the vast grassy lands that characterized the province of Allagi. Her view was suddenly interrupted by an approaching figure in the distance, she squinted her eyes. Ah! She knew that figure all too well. She slowly walked towards the pantry door and leaned against its frame with the half sipped glass in hand. She sipped calmly as she watched Violet tie the horse on to a nearby tree and give it something to eat. Violet took a moment to talk to the children and give each of them a hug.

'She's too kind' Andy thought.

"I somewhat thought you were dead." she jested out loud as Violet approached the doorway.

"I did it, Andy." Violet spoke tiredly and squeezed her way pass and promptly plopped herself on one of the wooden chairs next to the four sitter matching pantry table.

"You did what exactly?" questioned Andy, turning to look at her with inquisitive eyes.

Violet reached for the batch of freshly baked crumps that rested as a centerpiece across the table. "Vi...o...let?" Andy impatiently cresendoed.

Violet calmly landed a crump into her mouth then muffled "I silled im".

Andy chuckled and turned towards the garden littered with the wild playing children. She sipped again and then questioned "When do you plan to return Violet? Will you be spending all afternoon this time?"

Violet stuffed that last piece of crump into her mouth and swallowed. "You don't believe that I actually did it?" uttered Violet as she arose and approached Andy at the doorway.

"Well you always say that Violet. No one is going to believe a word you say if you just say the same thing over and over without doing anything" Andy scooted around to make room for Violet at the doorway.

"But I really did it this time" cried Violet.

"Did what? Andy insisted.

"I killed him" responded Violet.

Andy glared at her best friend and searched her face for sighs of humor or untruth. She pierced harder as to peer into the queen's soul and then a sinister grin grew across Andy's face. Was this really truth? Was the monarch really in fact dead? In a moment, all the possibilities at once flashed across Andy's mind.

She starred at Violet again who was now again calmly fulling her face with the brimming goodies from off the table. "He's really dead?" Andy asked.

"Yes Ma'am" Violet managed to say between bites. "You didn't think I would do it right? I didn't think I would either." Violet confessed. "But I've been saying this for months now, I had to get around to doing it sometime." Violet continued as she licked her fingers.

"I mean if you've really done it and I mean if" Andy walked towards Violet with bewilderment etched across her face. "How would you...how could you even accomplish such a feat?" questioned Andy.

"Well..." started Violet as she reached for another crump.

"Well?" Andy responded and slapped Violet's hand in disallowance.

Violet pouted and then stroked her fingers through her golden locks and began to pleat as she retold.

"Well, you're the one who showed me how to create the poison by mixing honeysuckle seed pulp and melted radish leaves together in the milk of an old black rabbit."

Andy's eyebrows raised, she never would have thought that quiet simpleminded Violet listened much to her babbling on about war accessories; far less understood how to apply it to good use. "Go on" Andy said with a grin.

"The honeysuckle seeds were the hardest to find honestly. You wouldn't believe how many old black rabbits roam around the castle" Violet finished her pleat, wrapped her hair into a tight bun and elbowed giddily over the table, resting her pointed chin on her interlocked fingers.

"Yes?" Andy hurried Violet, quickly grabbing a chair at the table for herself eager to catch every word that fell from Violet's mouth. Violet's face tightened. "I made the mixture months ago actually, I just didn't .....I just didn't know if it was the right decision. I didn't know if I could actually go through with it" sighed Violet

"But a few weeks ago, I received a letter from Aali. It read of his plan to stay away from the castle, for at least a month" tears ran down Violet's cheek.

"But how could he?!" squealed Andy.

"Because.." Violet wiped her eyes. "One night when he was at the castle waiting for the sun to set to meet me at the garden, one nobleman's guard caught glimpse of him. My Aali ran, he is fearful of his life and also of mine" Violet sighed and arose to wash her flushed red face at the sink. "When I read the letter my heart sank, I knew something had to be done. For sure I could hardly last one day without my Aali, much far less a month" cried Violet as she grabbed the nearby hand towel and patted her washed face dry.

"Ugh men!" exclaimed Andy "He should've fought for you. He ran away like a little frightened turd".

"What could he have done? Surely he can't stand against the patriarchy?" snapped Violet. "Surely if that nobleman's guard had found out, it would have been his head and mine shown on the King's parade of insolence at summer and another full year of virgin harvesting would follow" Violet panicked.

"I still think he should've done something instead of running away if he claims to have such endless love for you." scolded Andy.

"Oh Andy stop being so horrid!" pleaded Violet with a giggle.

"Anyhow, tell me how you got the King to take the poison," asked Andy.

"I requested a Seeking," answered Violet.

"You're the brave one, aren't you Queen Violet." mocked Andy reaching for a crump herself.

"No one should be allowed to live like that Andy. Always guarded, treated like a pet rather than a person" preached Violet. "I had reached to the point where it was either my freedom or my death, I would no longer stand to live in that prison, seven years was seven years too much"

"It took you forever in my opinion," remarked Andy.

"My request was met with no hesitation. I guess I found favour in the King's sight for whatever reason" Violet continued. "I danced for him, charmed him and made sure he was giddy with wine. And when he wasn't looking, I slipped the poison into his cup".

Andy gasped. She heard the harshness in her friend's voice and felt the anger ooze from her. She didn't know what to be more surprised at, Violet's deceptiveness or the fact that she never thought that Violet would actually do it. In fact, no one would ever think any woman could actually do anything so conniving.

Andy chuckled "I could imagine that head advisor's face when he walked into the throne room and sees the King dead"

"Oh I poisoned him as well" Violet revealed.

Andy almost choked on her half-eaten crump. She looked at her friend who was now dancing care freely around the kitchen and Andy's excitement swelled. 

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A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please share your comments, I would really appreciate your feedback. Hopefully you enjoyed reading!