“What do we do now?” I heaved Lief off of me, grunting in disgust, and his limp form tipped over the edge of the bed and flopped bonelessly to the ground, “oops.”          

                Charlotte rubbed her temples, staring down at him, “think we’ll get in trouble for knocking him out?”

                The idea was alarming. He was the prince, and it was our word against his. When he finally woke up that is…. but the Queen knew he was rash….

                Charlotte was already moving, grabbing Lief’s arms, no, she was pulling off his shirt.

                “What are you doing?” I watched in astonishment as she yanked Lief’s shirt over his head, jerking him around roughly. Would he wake up? Apparently not. He flopped back down, eyes still shut. There was a red stain where he’s been lying before Charlotte had moved him.

                “Is his head bleeding?” I said nervously, “is it bad?”

                Charlotte looked up at me sharply, “He just tried to kill you, Megan. He was going to kill you and dump your body in the moat.”

                “I know…I just…” I didn’t know how to explain it. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of anyone dying in this situation. It was underhanded and shady. There was no honor in it.

                Where the hell did that come from? Screw him. I blinked as Charlotte began to peel off her shirt. What the hell? She wiggled out of the oversized sweater, revealing a white tank top underneath and a pair of black shorts. She bent over Lief and struggled to pull him upright into a sitting position.

                “Here, help me prop him up.”

                I moved to help her, feeling stunned. Placing my palms on his naked back, even to hold him up, made my skin crawl. Charlotte yanked the sweater over his head and maneuvered his arms into the sleeves, struggling with him as he flopped around, his head rolling to one side to rest on his left shoulder. Finally she had both arms in the sleeves.

                “Okay, lie him down,” Charlotte instructed. I obeyed, mouth dropping open as Charlotte leaned over him and undid his belt buckle. My jaw snapped shut, and I resisted the urge to ask her what the hell she was doing as she tugged his pants down over his hips, sliding them down his legs. She even took his socks off, leaving him in white boxer briefs. She shoved the clothing at me, “Toss this in the fire.”

                I took the bundle, standing up so fast that it made me a little dizzy, and shuffled over to the fire, which was just orange embers by now. While I built up the fire with whatever paper I could find and gradually added on kindling, I darted looks at Charlotte over my shoulder. She was collecting the glass chunks from the floor, dropping them into the neck of the bottle, which she was holding upside down in her other hand. I turned back to the fire, which had finally flared to life, and slowly fed it Lief’s clothing. The fabric took forever to catch fire, and when it finally did it stank.  Charlotte grimaced, walking over to throw the doors open to let the room air out.

                “Okay good, now hold this,” she thrust the bottle neck at me, “be careful not to let the glass shards fall out.”

                 I took the bottle gingerly. It was sticky underneath my fingers. Charlotte grabbed Lief’s arms and dragged him towards the door, grunting at the effort it took. It was actually impressive, considering he was double her size.

                “The thing is,” she gritted from between her teeth as she dragged him, “he didn’t even care I was sharing a room with you. He didn’t even remember I was there,” staggering backwards through the door she let him flop down just outside it. Looking down at him she said, “and this is what you get for underestimating me, moron.”

                I winced as she poked him sharply in the ribs with her foot. Lief actually moaned, and his eyes flickered. Charlotte waved one hand at me, “Quick, hand me the bottle.”

                I stepped forward and offered it to her, wondering if she was going to clock him again. Instead, Charlotte dumped the glass shards onto the ground beside him. Then she placed the broken bottle neck down in the middle of it. “Damp the fire down a bit,” she ordered, “and then turn the lights off and get back into bed.”

                I obeyed, wondering what on earth she was planning to do. When I finally slid between the sheets in the darkness Charlotte straightened up and prodded Lief with her toe again. I could hear him groan from across the room.

                “There,” Charlotte sounded satisfied. She turned, leaving the door a crack open so the light from the hallway partly illuminated the room.

                The bed shifted as she climbed in beside me, “Whatever anyone says, just act shell shocked and frightened,” she said firmly, “the idea is that we don’t know what’s going on. That takes us out of the equation. “

                “What…” that was all I got time to say, because beside me Charlotte took a huge breath and let out an earsplitting scream. I jerked in surprise at the sheer volume and pitch, clapping my hands over my ears in shock. It seemed to go on and on, and I wondered how on earth she had so much air in her lungs. Finally, just as she stopped to drag in another breath the sound of footsteps thundering down the halls reached us.  I braced myself, feeling my heart lurch, my fingernails biting into my palms.

                The footsteps stopped in front of the doorway, and we could see shadows flickering across the floor. The hallway light flickered sporadically as bodies stepped in front of our door, moving past, milling about. Deep voices echoed through the hallway,

                “It’s the Prince. Drunk as a skunk by the looks of it. Look at this fool, he hasn't even got any pants on!”

                A low voice rumbled, “not surprised in the slightest. He's been sulking ever since the princess got here." there was a pause, and then a grunt, "yuck, he smells like a wine celler."

                “Yeah,” the first voice said, “but what’s he doing outside Amora’s bedroom?”

                 "Looks like the bastard was trying to bust his way in here and knocked himself out," the gaurd sounded amused.

                A female voice spoke up, “Call the Queen. She needs to see this.”

                More footsteps thundering, doors slamming. The crack of light widened, spilling into our bedroom. The voice of the female guard was soft and inquisitive,

                “Amora? I’m going to turn the lights on now, alright?”

                I was petrified at this point, and I figured it would be best to let it show in my voice, “Yes, that’s fine,” I said shakily.

                Light flooded the room, and I squinted at the form standing in the doorway, “Are you two alright?” the voice said.

                “Yes, what was that?” Charlotte stammered, and I was impressed at the hitch in her voice. It sounded like she was about to cry, “who was trying to get in?”

                “The prince had a few too many it looks like,” her voice was tight with disapproval, and her face came into focus at last, revealing a tall blonde woman with large grey eyes. She reminded me of an Amazon.  “The Queen is being notified…”

                She was cut off by an angry voice that rang through the hallway, making all of us freeze. “Where is he?” the voice thundered, “show me.”

                The Queen. My entire body felt stiff with fear. What if she asked questions? What if she realized we had clunked her son over the head? What would she do to Charlotte?

                A tall figure was silhouetted in the doorway, the Queen appeared to be facing away from us, staring down at Lief no doubt, “Drunken sod!” the Queen’s voice was like a howling winter wind, I’d never heard her sound so cold and terrible. Beside me  I could feel Charlotte shudder. This was my game now, she’d rescued me, now I had to deal with the Queen.

                I stood up and walked to the door on shaky knees. When I stepped out into the hall three guards looked up at me in surprise, the Queen’s back was to me, and I could see that her hair was long and loose and she was wearing a long white gown, she’d been sleeping.

                “Who was it…oh,” I tried to sound surprised. The Queen whirled around, her gown flowing around her. Her lips were still just as red, and I suddenly wondered if they were naturally that color. Her eyes were tired, but she still managed to hold herself regally. She looked livid.

                “Amora, my heart. Are you alright?” She reached out and placed one cold hand on my bare arm, and I had to work to repress a shiver.

                “I’m okay,” I said, “Charlotte’s way more upset them I am,” it wasn’t true, but it would help explain my lack of tears. Sure, I would pretend I had nerves of steel, hopefully they would buy that. “Is that Lief?”

                “Yes,” the frostbite was back in her voice as she looked down at her son.

                Lief stirred, and I felt my heart start to gallop wildly. What if he told her what had happened? His eyes fluttered open, and he mumbled something I couldn’t make out.

                I jumped as the Queen swooped down and seized him by the neck of the wine soaked sweater. Lief jerked awake as he was slammed against the wall. “What?” he sputtered, “what are you doing?”

                The Queen’s white hand snapped up and grasped his throat, and Lief choked, his face began to turn red as he gasped in protest, “she’s…traitor.”

                “You’re drunk,” The Queen hissed in his face, “and you were apparently trying to break into my only daughter’s room with a bottle of wine. Just what were you hoping to prove?”

                Lief’s eyes darted to my face, widening with realization. He sputtered in angry protest. What could he say though? He couldn’t say that Charlotte had hit him with a bottle of wine because then he’d have to admit he’d snuck into the room and tried to kill me. Instead he kept sputtering at me.

                “Servant!” he gasped out, “in her bedroom. Filthy whore!”

                I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him, “I had a servant bring me dinner and that makes me a filthy whore?”

                “Too long…” he gasped, and then he was cut off, because the Queen hissed angrily in his face.

                I watched in astonishment as ice began to creep up from her fingers, encasing his neck, climbing up onto his face and coating his cheeks. Lief’s blue eyes widened in horror, and his entire body began to shudder.

                The Queen spoke to him as the ice consumed him, “You are no child of mind,” each word was dragged from somewhere deep inside her, angry and venomous, “I should kill you. I should let her kill you.”  She looked sideways at me, “would you like that, Amora?”

                Her blank expression sent cold dropping down my spine. She would have no qualms about letting me kill her son. I took a deep breath and shook my head, “I would far rather see him rot for weeks in the dungeon.”

                The Queen tilted her head sideways, considering me. My heart was beating in my ears. At last she yanked her arm back with a cracking sound, and the ice that had been creeping up Lief’s neck and face shattered, showering onto the ground around him. He gasped in relief as the Queen pulled away. She gestured imperiously at the watching guards, “take the prince to the dungeons. He’ll remain there for as long as Amora sees fit.”

                Lief shrieked as the guards grabbed his arm, “No!” he kicked and thrashed in their grip, struggling to hold himself back as they dragged him down the hall, “you can’t do this!” He leaned backwards, arching his back and shrieking obscenities at me, “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you, you bitch!”

                I let out a shaky breath, and the Queen frowned at me, her face concerned, “Are you sure you’re alright?”

                “I’m okay,” I straightened up and gave her a tight smile, “thank you.”

                “Of course child,” she placed her cold fingers on my cheek, “I meant to tell you, but I didn’t get a chance today. Tomorrow we will be having a formal ceremony in the throne room. Erik told you about my plans, yes?”

                Her plans, yes. Me leading everyone into battle in two weeks. I swallowed hard and nodded, not daring to speak.

                “Excellent,” the Queen dropped her hand from my cheek and smiled serenely. It was like her fury from before had just melted away into nothing, “the servants will be coming in the morning to get you ready. I will present you to our people and tell them of our plans.”

                Our plans? Again, I just nodded.

                “Very good,” she said, “try to get some sleep now, I’ll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Amora.” She swept away down the hall, leaving me standing there feeling like I’d swallowed a brick. Sweet dreams, yeah right.

Charlotte’s voice drifted out of the darkness of the bedroom, “coming back to bed?”

I looked down the hallway left and right, it was silent and still once more. Lief was in the dungeon “rotting” as I’d put it, so there was nothing to worry about anymore, nothing to disturb my sleep. Still, I seriously doubted I would be doing much sleeping.

I padded across the floor in my bare feet and slipped into bed beside her. Charlotte said, “Well, it worked.” Her voice shook a little.

“It was close,” I muttered, “he wouldn’t shut up about the servant.”

“Loki?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes,” I tried to remember everything he’d said. Sure, he’d said traitor, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about a fire giant, “I think he might think I’m sleeping with a servant.” I mused, blinking up at the dark canopy above me.

“You mean, he doesn’t know it’s Loki? He just thinks…” Charlotte trailed off, and I heard her snicker in the darkness.

“Yeah…I think so,” I snorted, “I think he just called me a traitor because apparently I’m sleeping with a servant.”

“But you’re not…right?” Charlotte’s voice was suddenly mischievous.

                Thank god she couldn’t see my face heat up in the dark, “no!” I protested, “Charlotte!”

                “What?” she said, “I haven’t met him yet. Is he cute?”

                I pictured Loki in my head, his dark curls, so deeply brown they were almost black. His soft brown eyes and easy smile. His fingers brushing my shoulders…

                “Yeah,” I murmured, “he’s okay.”

                Charlotte giggled again, so I changed the subject. “There’s going to be this big ceremony tomorrow. I think I’m going to have to stand up in front of a bunch of people.”

                “About the war?” Charlotte’s voice was grave.

                “Yup,” my stomach was churning already, just from thinking about it, “the Queen’s announcing that we’re going to battle, and I’m supposed to lead it.”

                We were both silent for a long time after that, and I just lay there staring at nothing, my entire body vibrating with tension and fear. The darkness was complete in the bedroom now, and I shut my eyes and wished it would swallow me whole.