Dawna: 23
Pixie: 20

I started a fire, that I can't burn out
I'm higher, and I can't come down
Desire, is taking control over me
The Faim; Fire

'Today we will be visiting the village in the most east point of your realm,' her auntie spoke as the two settled down in the carriage. 'We are going to a local school.'

The pale woman rolled her eyes. 'Boring, boring, boring. We all know how this will go; we will be welcomed by the principal, then we will get a fantastic tour around the school that ends in the cafeteria where all the children are awaiting us. They will sing an awful, self-made song and I will have to pretend that I liked it.'

'You forgot the part where all those little rats push each other over to pet Looky,' her aunt pointed out. 'That one always does it for me.'

The both laughed shortly before the pale Queen leaned back in the comfortable seat. Her black and white pet had curled itself up in her lap where he was sleeping peacefully, not feeling any treat whatsoever.

'So, when are you going to tell me how it went last night?' the oldest woman asked before folding her hands together. 'You were gone a long time with her to the bathroom.'

'Could you please stop that?' Dawna groaned. 'I am not in the mood, and besides I just showed her the bathroom. That ordinary girl was too afraid that she would get lost so I had to wait until she was done feeding that little rat of hers.'

'I must admit that the rat is very adorable and that ordinary people can have good sides too.'

'Name one, auntie, just one.'

Delphinium rolled her amber eyes before holding her hands up. 'Alright, alright, you win, and all humans are awful and boring. Except maybe for that cute short-haired girl.'

The pale woman groaned before rolling her eyes in annoyance. 'I hate it when you pretend as if I have feelings.'

'Well if you refuse to pretend than I must do it for you, it is my solemn duty as your aunt.'

'Your solemn duty as my aunt is to make sure that I stay out of trouble,' the Queen spoke as the carriage put to a halt before a large building. 'So, let us see how that goes, shall we?'

'My pleasure,' the honey blonde reacted before the door swung open, revealing a guard.

'We have arrived, your majesties.

Dawna immediately signed deeply before putting on a very fake smile on her plump lips. 'Shall we then, auntie dear? After all, the children are awaiting.'

Dawna had known that something was not quite right since the moment they had entered the building. It was too quiet in the hallways and there were too little children to show her around. Something was going to happen; it was just a matter of time.

Perhaps things would get interesting after all.

'This is our hobby-room where the children create all sorts of masterpieces,' the nice lady explained while the children showed her a few craftworks.

'Very nice,' the pale Queen spoke without even looking at them. 'When are we going to the cafeteria? I would love a cup of tea.'

A frown was created in the older womans forehead, but she just nodded in agreement. 'We were not supposed to go there for ten minutes, but I suppose that we can cut our tour short.'

'How very kind of you,' the pale Queen spoke as they left the messy room again.

'What are you doing?' her aunties voice hissed angrily in her ear. 'If you continue to disrespect her the resistance will have another reason to plan an assassination on your life.'

'They have plenty of reason since I am a woman alone on the throne without an heir, I am not really the ideal candidate, yet I wear the crown,' Dawna hissed back. 'Besides, there is going to be an attack. I can smell it in the air, and I can literally read it from the principals face.'

'What? Another attack? Dawna, we should get you out of here,' Delphi said, suddenly with a stern tone in her voice. 'We have to get out of here.'

'No, we really do not,' the pale woman spoke. 'I am relatively bored and this will spice things up a bit, besides, they do not really stand a chance against me anyways.'

'Darling I really think that we should head out, it is late and you really did not want to go anyways. So, shall we call it a day then?'

'We have not even played yet, auntie,' the white-haired woman whined in a singing voice. 'If they want to play the good and brave guys then I shall play the bad and evil Queen. I was born for that role, do you not agree?'

Delphinium wanted to speak up again, but got stopped by the pale woman before she even got a chance. 'Are we almost there?' Dawna asked loudly. 'I really am excited to see the rest of this lovely building. Do you love eating in the cafeteria, children?

'We love too, miss,' a little girl replied. 'But we love playing outside more.'

'I suppose you do,' the Queen replied. 'So why do you not go ahead and play? I will come and visit you later when the tour is finished, alright?'

The group of children looked at each other silently before the little girl nodded. 'Okay, Madame Queen.'

'Have a nice time!' the young woman shouted in singing-tone before turning to the principal again. 'I do love children so much; I would hate to see something bad happen to them.'

Something changed in the look of her eyes before the oldest woman nodded. 'I can only agree with you, my Queen.'

Her reaction only confirmed Dawnas presumptions. Something was going to happen, and it was most likely going to be another attempt to take her life. Part of her was excited for it to happen since it had been months since they had shown themselves. The Queen had anticipated that killing their leader would force them to do something; she just had not expected it to be so soon.

'Get behind me,' the Queen whispered to her aunt. 'Do it, right now or you will be the one to die firstly.'

The honey blonde whispered and slowed down just a little in order to get behind her niece. They reached the cafeteria which the neatly dressed woman opened with a smile on her thin lips. After you, your majesty.

Dawna had known that she had wanted her to go first. The rebels would know that she was the first one to enter and would most likely try to kill her before she had even made it in the room. At least, that was their horrible plan. A plan which had encountered every possible detail, expect the most important ones; the Queens powers, her reaction speed and her endless hunger to see others suffer.

'Here we go then,' her voice spoke, aimed directly towards her aunt. 'All or nothing.'

The strangest thing was that nothing happened as soon as the Queen entered the room, much to her disliking. Where was the attack they had promised her by inviting her over? She had murdered their leader, where was the revenge? The pain and the hate? Where was it?

Her answer came seconds later, in the form of wooden arrows that were aimed directly towards her most vital organs. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips as her senses were tickled. Before any of the arrows could even get a change to hit her or her aunt, they fell on the ground lifelessly. It was as if they had hit a wall so thick, they could not get through, so the only choice was to fall on the ground.

A loud laugh left Dawnas lips before she shook her head in disappointment. 'Really? Was that all? I must admit that I am very disappointed here. This is not a warm welcome for your Queen, now is it?'

'That was not your welcome,' the woman who had been showing them around said before taking a step back. 'It was just the tip of the iceberg.'

The long-haired woman took a step back before closing the cafeteria door and shutting down the lights; leaving the two royals behind in a dark room filled with their enemies.

'And just like that things get interesting,' the Queen hummed happily. 'You were so right, auntie, this visit is truly worth it.'

'Maybe for you but I wish to stay alive just a little longer,' Delphinium reacted as panic rose up in her voice. 'Just stop it Dawna and get us out of here alive.'

'You will not get to leave,' a low male voice shouted in the dark. 'Not after what you did to our leader, Semual. We will vengeance his death by murdering the both of you and ending the monarchy. We will finish what he started all those years ago.'

'Well, you could do that, of course. But it would not be a very wise decision all mighty man that speaks to us in the dark,' her voice shouted in an almost childish tone. 'Are you too afraid to show yourself now? A little shy or would you rather stay unanimous because of the rare chance that we actually do survive this, huh?'

'You are going to pay,' another voice spoke, adding itself to their conversation. 'For everything you have done to us.'

Dawna simply shook her head, not caring if they could see her or not. 'You could do that, obviously, but it would mean that your children would die together with me.'

Suddenly, the lights were lit on by the Queen herself. The light revealed not only the two royals but also the seventeen children that hung in the air above them. They were all unconsciousness, nevertheless they were in great danger.

'I paid your children a little visit and decided that they should join our show as well, it is only fair, right? You have proven over and over again to like having the little ones there to enjoy the show so I figured that incorporation them would be even better. What do you think?'

For a few seconds there was a complete silence. Dawna hummed in herself while tapping with her foot on the floor impatiently. 'So? What game do you like to play? Personally, I love playing hide and seek. I could hide your children on dangerous and life-threatening places where they will most likely die. Unless, of course, you find them on time; which I highly doubt.'

'Let them go!' a high female voice suddenly shouted. 'Please, your fight is with us; not them.'

'You are so wrong, darling!' Dawna cried out. 'You were the ones to add children in your silly games and I intend to continue our little traditions. Now be good and show yourselves before I drop the littlest boy. You know, the one with the red sweater.'

Another silence fell, causing the young woman to glance over to her aunt who had a frown in her forehead. 'Sweetie are you sure that this is the right move?' her worried voice asked whereby the pale Queen rolled her eyes.

'If the mouse wants to play a little game of mouse-and-cat then the cat must play too, right?' Dawna asked her. 'So, this cat is doing just that.'

Looky was there with them and despite him being alert he showed no real signs of anger or fear, meaning that there was no real threat. Her beloved pet only reacted in case Dawna could not handle the situation anymore or if she was unconscious.

'My patience is running a little thin!' the Queen shouted before the little boy dropped a few centimetres, causing many people to almost choke in their breaths. 'I am not messing with you so it would only be fair if you stopped messing with me and stepped out of your little hidey holes.'

A few seconds later people started coming out of their hiding holes. It was a little over thirty people, all dressed in the signature black clothing. Most of them were in their mid-thirties and much to her surprise some were even younger whilst others were over sixty-years old.

'This means you have picked a new leader; I suppose?'

No one reacted, causing the pale woman to sign deeply.

'Dawna, we should go. No one has been hurt and I suggest keeping it that way.'

Hush hush now auntie,' the pale woman spoke before snapping her fingers, causing her aunt to be transported back to the castle on her own. Her aunt really did get on her nerves.

'Release our children!' the same man from before demanded angrily.

The pale woman could not help but to laugh at his words. Her laugh filled the room with a coldness and bitterness that had been unfamiliar to anyone presented.

'Are you making the demands now, huh? While I have your children and you have nothing on me besides some wooden arrows and a very bad plan. Pray tell me that this was not your plan. There must be something else, right?'

No one reacted again, making the young woman irritated. This day had been nothing but an unpleasant surprise and the only interesting thing was turning out to be just as boring as the rest.

'I assume this is it, then? A bit disappointing if I may say.'

Dawna took a close look to the people who were watching her from behind their masks as a deep sign left her lips again. Fine, fine, I shall spice things up a little, her voice spoke before she snapped her fingers again.

A small, red flame danced in the left corner and spread its heat and smoke through the entire room.

'Look, now things are a little more heated,' her voice joked. 'We do not need children for the rest of our little game, right?'

With another snap the children disappeared, causing the woman to cry loudly in panic. 'Where are they, you monster?'

'Hush now, I have brought them home safely. No need for the name calling.'

'How are we to trust you?' the male asked again.

'Well, it is simple; you cannot trust me but right now you really do not have another option. This fire is going to spread in less than ten minutes and will most likely kill you all in under thirty minutes, so let us get to business, shall we? If you tell me who your new leader is I will allow you to be reunited with your little rats again, if not you shall burn and leave your rats as orphans.'

'We will never tell you!' the woman with the high voice shouted again as smoke covered the floors. 'We are loyal to our leader not to you! You could never force us to do anything.'

'That might seem true,' the pale woman spoke. 'Since you refuse to speak I can only assume that this ridiculous loyalty is something you all share and therefore I can only force you to do one last thing; you can all die.'

Without even listening to another voice the Queen made the fire spread through the entire room before completely closing the building down and transporting herself back to her safe castle.

Delphinium was waiting for her with a worried frown in her flawless forehead.

'What happened in there? Are you alright?'

'Let me just say that this day was fun after all, auntie. We should really do these visits more often.'