[Story 1]
The Kingdom of Malaik: 2025
Bess pins her last curl in place as I lean against her door frame. “Bess, are you okay?” Bess doesn’t answer for a long moment. “No,” She says finally. I’m the only one she’d admit that to. “You don’t have to do this,” She looks over at me. She says what we’re both thinking. “Yes, I do,” She answers quietly. I sigh.
“Bess, I just want you to be happy,” I murmur to my friend. Bess turns, her dress flowing long behind her.
“Lynne, I’m the Queen of Malaik,” She says as if that should explain it. I look away then say what I know is on her mind. “What about Cedric?” Bess glances at me sharply and I lower my head. Bess turns back to the mirror to study her hair again. Angry looks from Bess are rare. Bess has always been kind hearted, never thinking about herself. She’d given up so much for Malaik…
“What about Cedric?” Bess replies, snapping me out of my thoughts. I shake my head, refusing to state the obvious. I bit my lip, my thoughts turning back to the significance of the day. Bess is my best friend. I’m going to stand beside her no matter what. Even as she marries the man she is not in love with. “Being Queen isn’t easy,” She whispers, as if reading my mind. “I’m having to make decisions I don’t want to make,” She continues. I stay quiet, hoping Bess will elaborate. She trusts me more than anyone, after all. Not only am I her best friend, but I’m also the head of castle security. Bess turns to me. “Lynne, will you do something for me?” She asks. She knows I will. Her eyes turn glassy. “When you see him again, and I know you will. Tell him that I love him,” She tells me quietly. I nod, not having to ask who she was talking about. “I will,” I tell her quietly. Bess turns away. Her dress’s train spilling at her feet. She looks at herself loathingly in the mirror. “Okay,” She said, her voice shaking. “I’m ready,” I walk her to the banquet hall, which has been turned for the wedding. I smile at Bess. “Good luck,” I tell her. She waves and I enter the hall through a side door, where I stand next to my other childhood friend, Will, who is my fiance. “How is she?” He asks. “Fine. Dreading it,” He nods. Bess enters the hall, her gaze cast downward. I glance to the front of the hall, where Han Reos stands. My stomach fills with disgust for the man. Han is the son of a Duke, making him fit to marry Bess. Today will make him the King of Malaik. Bess now walks to stand next to Han. I glance to the back of the room. My mouth opens in surprise. Cedric leans against the wall, his eyes never leaving Bess. I silently stand and make my way over to the wall, murmuring as I go in Will’s ear. “I’ll be back in a moment,” I lean against the wall, copying Cedric, a few feet away. He moves closer and says, “Hello Lynne,” I turn to look at him as the priest begins the ceremony. “She asked me to tell you something,” Cedric tears his eyes away from Bess. “What?” I lean my head back.
“She wants you to know that she loves you,” Cedric drags a hand through his hair.
“Even if she can’t be with me,” His eyes go to Han, glaring darkly at him. I nod. I place a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you come around the castle more? We haven’t seen you in over a year. We used to be playmates, the four of us. Don’t you miss Will, he was your best friend!” Cedric turns to look at me and nods.
“Yes of course I miss it, but I can’t come. It would break my heart,” We say nothing for a minute. Then Cedric says. “Congratulations, by the way. I can’t believe Will finally got the courage to ask you,” He nods at my hand, where I fiddle with my engagement ring. “We have to help Bess,” I find myself saying. Cedric frowns.
“What’s wrong with her?” He asks.
“She’s never happy anymore. Tired or stressed or afraid, but never happy,” Cedric sighs sadly. “I knew being queen would do this to her,” He says after a minute. We all knew. I glance back to where Will is sitting. “I have to go,” I tell him, before adding.
“But see her before you go. She’s missed you,” I murmur to him. Cedric nods.
“I’ll see her,” He looks over at Will.
“I’m glad you’re happy, Lynne. I know Will is too. That makes two of us,” I looked over at him, one last time, and sadness overcame me. I hated what my childhood friend had become. I walked away. “What is Cedric doing here!?” Will whispered to me.
“Tell you later,” The ceremony was ending. Bess said her last “I do,” and the priest declared them husband and wife. I saw her hesitate, just a fraction of a second; not long enough for anyone but me to notice, before she kissed Han. She pulls away quickly. Her eyes met mine. I gave her a little smile that she didn’t return. Bess and Han walked down the aisle together and we all went into the Great Hall for dinner. Bess came to me immediately. “It was awful,” She groaned after a minute. “Kissing him, it was terrible,” She shutters.
“Elizabeth!” Han calls from the other side of the room. She pauses before turning around. It’s been a while since I’d heard Bess’s real name used. Almost everyone calls her Bess, some don’t even know her real name was Elizabeth. “Yes?” She calls back, inching closer to me. “Someone’s here to see you,” He didn’t look pleased. Bess’s eyes widened and she hurried over. I smiled to myself. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned. “Lynne, what happened earlier, what did Cedric want?” Will asks me.
“Nothing, I think he just came to watch the wedding,”
“Right. Look, Lynne, I don’t trust him, he’s been gone for almost a year!
“Will! He was our friend, besides I needed to talk to him. About Bess,” I sigh, then added, “I don’t think he’s staying long, he’s heartbroken, Will,” Will put his arm around my shoulder. “We’re lucky,” He said. I nodded, we were. We stood there a moment, until all of a sudden a shout came from outside the Grand Hall. “Help!” They shriek. I move quickly, my hand going to my gun. “It’s the queen!” I charge from the room. The person yelling was a maid, I shove her aside. “Where is she!?” I yell to no one.
“Her chambers!” The maid called back, almost in tears. I sprint down the corridor, vaguely aware of my name being screaming behind me. I threw open Bess’s door. She lay on the floor. There was red, way too much red. I whip my head around. Looking for anyone, not wanting to think of the only person who could have done this. “No, Cedric you wouldn’t, would you?” I pick Bess up easily, my small friend barely weighing anything thanks to the adrenaline pounding through my veins.. “Medic!” I yell. Doctors were already on their way. Bess’s guard was setting up patrol’s everywhere, waiting for my orders. The medics took Bess from me and I bark orders at the men, not able to banish thoughts of Bess from my mind. She can’t die. She can’t die. She can’t die. “I want a full sweep of the castle! Set up guard in a three mile radius, anyone found with a weapon is to be brought to the castle immediately! And anyone who runs is to be killed on sight!” I see a flicker of fear in the guard’s eyes as they nod and move to carry out my orders. I grit my teeth, anger swelling up inside me. Anger at everyone- the maid, the guards, but mostly myself. I cursed myself. How could I have been so stupid? Leaving her alone like that! I push out of the crowd of people that had gathered at the scene, searching for Will. I spot him near the edge of the crowd, he pushes his way towards me. “Guards have secured the perimeter! It’s alright to leave now!” Will calls me. I nod,
“Let’s go,”
A few minutes later Dr. Jane Willis greets me. “Hello, are you Queen Elizabeth’s head of security? Lynne?” The doctor asks. I nod quickly. “How is the queen’s condition?” Dr. Jane frowns.
“Well it’s quite peculiar, actually. A bullet only grazed her arm, so she’ll make a full recovery, but as seen in her room, multiple shots were made and more than just her blood was found,” Dr. Jane bit her lip.
“Someone blocked the bullets from hitting her,”. Cedric was my first thought. He had to have saved her, right? Who else would have? But then who attacked her? I thought. Suddenly someone burst into the room. It was a guard, a castle guard. “Dr. Jane, you’re needed immediately!” Jane nods.
“I’ll be back soon,” She calls to me as she went with the guard. I leaned my head against the wall, waiting for Dr. Jane to come back. She’d said she’d come back soon, but soon turned into thirty minutes then an hour. Finally Dr. Jane came back, her face ghostly white. “What happened?” I asked. Please let Bess be okay.
“It appears that Bess wasn’t the attackers only target, The new king, Han Reoes was found dead in his chambers,”
***
Four hours later I’m allowed to see Bess. Four hours later Dr. Jane’s words are still echoing through my head. The new king, Han Reoes was found dead in his chambers. I’d only met Han a few times, and I’d hated him. But only because Bess was being forced to marry him, not because of he, himself. The thing was Han wasn’t a terrible person, in fact he was a quite admirable person. He didn’t deserve to die. I just didn’t understand what the assassins could want. Attempting to kill the queen and then succeeding in killing the king? What do they want? I thought. Revenge? For what?
“Ms. Lynne? Queen Elizabeth is ready to see you,” A nurse calls. I glance up, then over at Will. “I’ll be back in a little while,” I told him, standing. He squeezes my hand.
“Good luck Ly,” I follow the nurse into one of the hospital rooms. In a bed in the middle of the room was Bess, awake and alert. Her arm had been wrapped, but other than that she looks fine. I went to her side. “This isn’t how I planned to spend my wedding day,” She said with a breathy laugh. She doesn’t know. I think. She doesn’t know Han is dead. I gingerly touch the wrappings on her arm. “Bess, who did this?” Bess’s face fell. “I don’t know, Lynne. There were some investigators who questioned me a little while ago, but all I remember is yelling. I was yelling at Cedric, I was angry, so angry,” She pauses, glancing over at me. I said nothing, waiting for her to continue. “I remember him kissing me,” Her voice was low as she said this.
“Then the gun shots, I turned away from them, but someone jumped in front of me. I remember passing out as the shooter jumped out of the window and the person who saved me ran,” Bess shudders.
“I don’t remember faces. I don’t know who the shooter was, I don’t know who saved me. But it was Cedric, right? Cedric saved me?” She looks at me, wanting me to confirm it. “I think so,” I murmur, more to myself than to her.
“Who would want me dead?” She wonders aloud. I straighten, glancing over at her. I have to tell her about Han. I thought. “Bess, someone wants the crown, or that’s what I assume,” Bess looks over at me. “And that’s why they tried to kill me?” I nod slowly then, as gently I could, add, “And because well… Bess, Han is dead. He was found a little while ago,” Bess gasped, and covered her mouth with her hand. Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. “I, er, what, I mean,” She sputtered after a moment. She stayed quiet for a long moment, then asked. “I don’t know what to say,” She says after a moment, letting out a slightly hysterical laugh. She hesitates then asks, “Lynne, am I going to have to marry again?” She asked after a while. I blew out a breath. “Honestly, Bess? I don’t know. I don’t know what we’ll do from here. I mean you’ll resume your duties as Queen, and I’ll try to find the assassin, but other than that…” Bess suddenly looks around.
“Wait, Lynne, where is Cedric?” I’d barely given any thought to Cedric since everything had happened. “I don’t know. He’s not here,” Neither of us said what probably had happened to him. If he was the one that saved her, he’s probably dead. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking the words. Bess changes the subject quickly. “The doctors say I can go back to the palace tomorrow,” I give a stiff nod, then stand.
“Bess, I can’t trust anyone to look for the assassin, so I’m going to do it,” Bess shook her head. “You don’t have to-” She starts, but I cut her off.
“No, Bess. I’m doing it,” She stays quiet, and nods after a minute.
“See you tomorrow Bess,” I murmur to her.
Bess leans back.
“Okay,” She whispers. I turn and walk briskly away thinking, I have to find who did this, or else Bess won’t be safe anywhere.
***
The next day I stand at the entrance of the palace, waiting for Bess to arrive. We’d double the guards and two dozen soldiers were at the front gates, ready to escort Bess into the palace. Bess arrived exactly on time. 4:30 exactly. Half the guards moved to the car and formed a circle around her, and led her to me. The other half took their places around Bess as she approached. I stood at the front. As soon as she was inside the guards dispersed to their positions. “Guards are positioned everywhere, Bess, so you should be safe,” Bess nods, looking around the palace.
“It’s weird, not feeling safe in my own house,” She murmurs. I lowered my voice, telling her. “I’m already searching for them, Bess. I’ll catch them,” Bess looks at me with full confidence. “I know you will, but until then…” She doesn’t specify. She doesn’t have to, we’re both already thinking of worst-case scenarios. A messenger hurries down the hall to us. “Your highness, they’re are several letters waiting for you in your office and you’re due for a meeting in ten minutes,” Bess sighs. She’s always busy, and has been since she became queen. “See you later, Lynne,”
I nod. As soon as Bess’s gone I walk to her bed chambers. The vacant room hasn’t been cleaned yet, at my orders. Bess has been moved to a different chamber, I know, but it still chills me to see my best friend’s blood on the floor. I study it, recognizing what Dr. Jane had said. It’s too much red for the wound that Bess had suffered. Some of it had to be Cedric’s blood, from when he’d saved Bess. I back out of the room. That’s when something caught my eye. I frown, crouching to look at the red carpet closer. Among the red threads of the carpet is a slightly darker splotch of red, barely noticeable. Blood. Another splotch catches my eye. A trail. The blood spots lead to a door. I open it and frown. It’s Han’s room, or what used to be Han’s room. Why was there a trail of blood leading to Han’s room? Maybe it’s Bess’s, from when the Medics carried her out of the castle. But then I think of a different reason. One that deep down, I know is true. I stumble backwards in shock, the whole time thinking, No. No. No. But it’s true and I know it is.
***
I slip out of the palace unnoticed, no time could be wasted. My heart pounds as I make my way through the streets of Malaik. I’m the head of security, when faced with danger I’m usually deadly, but in this moment where everything is playing to my weakness, I’m stripped of my courage, leaving me a scared girl who’s barely an adult. I know where he is. The only place he would be right now. I know him too well. I think bitterly. People in the streets stare at me, glance at my gun and scurry away. I continue on, ignoring everyone. I pick up the pace, suddenly afraid he’ll be gone by the time I reach the gardens. Then I’m there. The luscious trees looking down on me from all sides. The place we used to play as kids. Us four. I spot him immediately. He’s standing by the fountain. The one Bess always loved. She’d had it replicated in the castle when she was crowned. “Cedric,” I call out, my voice cold. He turns, with a smile dripping with venom. “Lynne. Should have known you’d be the one to figure it out,” At his voice, emotionless and calm, my heart breaks. Not for him though, for Bess. “How? How could you?” I don’t try to hide the hurt creeping into the shadows of my face. He turns to face me. One look at his face and I know that I’m facing a mere fragment of the old Cedric. This is not the boy I used to frolic through the gardens with. “How?” He repeated. I nod, daring to take a step closer. “I got my heart broken twice, Lynne. Once when she became queen and pushed me out and then when she married another man,” Cedric was shaking his head. “When you told me she still loved me, that was the final straw. She doesn’t get to shatter my heart to pieces and still claims she loves me!” He’s shouting now. “When her new husband stepped in front of her to protect her I realized how in love they were,” I was shaking my head as he finished speaking. Because he’s wrong. So damn wrong it hurt. “No. You’re wrong, Cedric. She didn’t love Han. Never did. She married Han for Malaik. For this country. Everything she does is for the people. The entire time she’s been queen she’s never thought of herself. She’s always thinking of the people of Malaik who need her to show up,” Cedric scoffs.
“Right,”
My anger towards Cedric surges and I continue.
“Bess will never be happy, Cedric. But you know what? She knows that! She deserves the world for what she does everyday. The choice she made to protect her people, a choice I or you or almost anyone else wouldn’t have made, was a selfless one that guaranteed that she would never get her happily ever after,” My voice darkens as I add.
“And because you can’t see that you don’t deserve her. She loved you Cedric. You’re the only one she ever loved, but she did choose something over you, and I’m glad she did,” Cedric face tightens. “You don’t understand, Lynne, you’ve got everything. Bess. Will. Everything,” He looks away and murmurs.
“You don’t want to know what I’ve become over the last year,” Cedric whispers. I saw his hand climbing to his gun long before he whipped it from his belt. But I was faster. And looking back I’m ashamed to admit I don’t hesitate. I shoot him without a second thought. Surprised flickered through his eyes as he sinks to the ground, his gun dropping from his hand. I make my way over to him. “I already know what you’d become,” I say as he blinks warily at the clouds.
“A monster,”
***
Telling Bess was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. She cried the rest of the night. I stayed with her, guilt slowly creeping into my chest. She said she didn’t blame me for killing him, especially since he’d moved to kill me too. But I know she’ll always resent me at least a little. “I’m so sorry Bess. For everything,” I told her the next morning. “But I will always protect you,”
Bess gave me a small, sad smile.
“Thank you, Lynne. It really means everything to me,” I looked away. I didn’t regret killing Cedric. But there is a barrier between Bess and me now. One that I don’t know will ever go away. Because even though Cedric left and tried to kill her and me, Bess still loved him. And it’s me who killed him. Me who drowned the last shred of hope she’d had of making things right with him. I think she knows though. Knows that the Cedric that showed up at Bess’s wedding wasn’t the childhood friend we’d known. Cedric had changed beyond anything we could have imagined. I’m relieved that Bess feels safe again. I know I should feel like she’s safe, but I can never shake the feeling that it’s not over. That Cedric was part of a larger plan, and the person pulling the strings is still out there.