Her Trusted Servant

Under the moonlight,

the autumn leaves had fallen

They lay on the ground.

Carelessly and chosen by fate,

for their eventual decomposition.

Yet her face had remained still,

frozen in time for all to see.

In her glass casket,

she wore a grey dress,

and wilted black flowers.

A once rosy face,

now pale and grey,

her expression at peace.

Unfortunately,

I still remembered.

The last expression she made,

it was anything but peaceful.

I was young when I had met her,

we were prepubescent.

Unknowing of true fear,

or of life itself,

or the horrors to come.

Her spells were innocent,

her posture was perfection itself,

and she spoke carefully,

as if to not upset anyone.

She wanted nothing more,

than to be free.

She even told me one evening,

She would give up the crown,

and start a new.

On her thirteenth birthday,

I bestowed an artifact.

An iridescent crystal ball,

that saw into the future.

I had brought it,

for she had insecurities.

She could not foresee the future,

unlike the rest of her family.

The joy on her face,

moved my heart so.

Her eyes were wide,

as she looked into my gift.

Her whimsical humming,

as she asked about the future.

A gift out of innocence.

Yet it was not worth it,

not after what had happened.

I should have shattered the thing,

and burnt the shards.

The years had went by,

Her pink blush now rouge,

Naturally textured skin,

smoothed out through spells.

Her midsummer field green eyes,

that of the deep woods.

Worst of all,

her once genuine smile,

now smug and ridiculing.

"I should thank you for the gift"

She began,

as she sat on her throne.

The throne room now red,

with rose-tinted windows.

The look was festive,

yet the atmosphere dreadful,

as I waited for her words.

"Had I not seen the future,

The people would hate me.

I had foresaw a million futures,

I survived in few.

We are lucky I am here."

She said with audacity.

Oblivious to any suffering,

Her subjects had faced.

Famines, political uprisings,

corruption, low morality.

Or perhaps she knew?

Purposely acting in spite,

as the people had shunned her,

in timelines far beyond.

As I stood up,

Knees shaking from fear,

I looked into her eyes,

There was nothing but fear.

"Of course,

Where would we all be?

Had it not been for you,

Queen of the Ablewoods."

I remarked in sarcasm.

The only reason I am around,

and not punished,

is all thanks to sarcasm,

and remarks layered in lies.

However,

I changed my mind.

Too many conflicts,

Citizens lived in fear,

The Queen held parties,

as the people died outside.

Her innocent dreams,

morphed into reality.

The last straw?

Using my gift for revenge.

Plotting the deaths of others,

for her amusement.

It was finally time,

to redo what I had done.

As selfish as it sounds,

this was not for the people,

I had been shunned myself,

forming relationships,

was almost alien to me.

The citizens were quite guilty,

at the start anyways.

Hating a once kind woman,

who they did not know.

Wanting a kind soul dead,

who wanted freedom for all.

Until I saw it for myself.

Families torn apart by death,

Endless struggles of workers,

A once fairytale land,

Turned to horror and chaos.

There was no turning back,

I had waited for any opportunity.

On a summers night,

she laid still in bed.

Overcoming an illness,

she had recently caught.

Instead of water,

I had given her a potion.

One that froze the soul.

The person would be alive,

but externally cold.

Upon drinking this,

she had recognized the spell.

She collapsed on her bed,

Knowing what would come.

"You fiend!"

She quietly yelped

"How could you do this?!

I had given you a home,

I gave you purpose in life,

I did everything for you!"

"This is for your own good.

I did what I could for you,

I even tried to protect you.

But I was too late.

You take from your people,

You messed up their lives.

This kingdom is in ruin.

Everyone hates you,

and they want you dead".

I held back tears from my face.

Knowing this would be,

my last conversation with her.

"Did you want me dead?"

Even though,

My answer was a solid no,

I refused to reply.

I tried to look away,

But I couldn't.

It was a painful experience

Her face was that of horror.

Her body froze still.

Her soul was trapped,

forevermore.

The maids found her still,

assuming she was deceased.

I did not attend her funeral,

as my actions brought sorrow.

I hid far in the woods,

as I heard cheers from the people.

They would be free,

of a selfish Tyrant.

The castle staff were also free,

of a smug Queen.

I would never be free,

of her last look of despair.

I only came back,

to contemplate what I had done.