Cling! Clang!
The sound of metal against metal brought Ysabel to open her eyes. Her body felt too heavy to move. She was struggling to keep her eyes open.
Her tears never stopped flowing until she passed out.
Ysabel knew she was supposed to have left the castle grounds several hours ago. But the iron bars and the foul smell told her they currently held her hostage in the dungeon.
Boisterous laughter could be heard nearby.
Clink!
Two guards exchanged happy cheers as they enjoyed the ale served fresh from the ongoing party inside the castle.
The maids served the drink to everyone, a reminder of how the late King usually shared every food on the table with all those present within the castle walls.
Except for the guards in charge of securing the perimeter, everyone else was to enjoy the merry feast.
Unbeknownst to the people celebrating inside, Ysabel was locked in the dungeon with no dinner and a broken heart; her spirit crushed.
Despite their rocky relationship, Ysabel loved her mother. She taught Ysabel everything there was to know and learn to prepare her for her reign as Queen.
Ysabel became a respected monarch because of her mother.
Pulling her knees to her chest, tears threatened to fall from her eyes again. The sobs were about to come out when the sound of a creaking door and heavy footsteps caught her attention.
She waited for the person to pass, probably locking someone else with her in the rotting cells of the dungeon.
A different prison was designated for the common criminals. They reserved the dungeon for those who were to receive severe punishments.
Ysabel squinted her eyes to see the faint light that the opened door allowed.
The footsteps stopped by her cell door.
Ysabel lifted her head, shielding her eyes from the assault of the torch brought by the guard.
"There you go, join your lady friend. You both have a long day tomorrow," the guard slammed the cell door shut after shoving someone inside.
Too weak to move, Ysabel used the limited strength she had. The shadow of the guard disappeared as the door of the dungeon shut behind him.
She heard a grunt, and then, a few minutes later, the loud laughter resumed.
Touching the frail shoulder of her companion, Ysabel gasped upon recognizing Reis.
Amid the chaos, she had forgotten about Reis.
Her clothes were torn, and she was unconscious.
Ysabel touched her former chambermaid's cheeks. Dried tears were visible on her face.
"Oh, Reis," Ysabel whispered, gathering her friend in her arms. She started rocking while stroking her hair. "My dear, Reis."
There was no movement from Reis, resulting in Ysabel's tears to resurface.
"I'm sorry."
As Ysabel sobbed, Reis slowly came to. Her eyes fluttered open, and her heart constricted at the familiar sight of the face that hovered above her.
"My queen," Reis croaked. She could barely speak. Yet she persisted. "Why didn't you run away?"
Ysabel shook her head.
"I can't do that, Reis," she whispered, the sobs coming heavier than before. "I can't do that to my people."
"But you have been exiled!" Reis hissed, followed by a coughing fit.
Ysabel raised her head to the ceiling, sniffing back the tears that had no plans of stopping on their own.
With her strength slowly returning, Reis attempted to sit up.
Ysabel helped her.
The former chambermaid had bruises all over her arms.
Despite the dim light from the hole in one of the walls, Ysabel didn't fail to notice the bloodstains on her dress.
"Reis," Ysabel looked her friend in the eye. "What did they do to you?"
"A few beatings," Reis replied, her voice quivering.
Ysabel's anger was reignited.
"Reis," Ysabel sat closer to her friend, pulling her for a hug.
Reis didn't push Ysabel away. She welcomed her warmth and rested her head on her shoulders. Tears streamed down her face as the memory of what went down before she was shoved to join Ysabel by the dungeon flashed in her mind.
Ysabel patted her back, letting her cry.
"I thought I'd never see you," Reis muttered.
"Me too," Ysabel replied, refusing to let her tears fall.
Collecting herself, Reis wiped the last trace of tears away.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Reis," Ysabel assured her. "You, on the other hand, need some ointments. I can make some for your bruises once we get out of here."
"Look at you worrying about me despite your troubles being larger than mine."
Ysabel pursed her lips.
"Queen or not, you are my friend. But I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Now that I was stripped of the title, I am powerless to do anything."
Reis gave the former Queen's hands a gentle squeeze.
The two of them fell silent.
"What will happen to us now?"
Ysabel didn't know what answer to give. She desperately wanted to comfort her friend, at least. But it was impossible when their future seemed bleak.
"I'm sorry," Ysabel murmured, retreating to her corner and curling herself into a ball.
–
Restless, shivering, and with an empty stomach, Ysabel woke up to the sound of the bell echoing outside the thick walls of the dungeon.
With an aching back, Ysabel got herself to sit up. Reis woke up seconds after she did.
The loud bell told Ysabel that the sun would soon rise, promising another day for the hopeful.
A faint light had Ysabel squinting, assaulting her vision.
Lone footsteps echoed from afar, followed by the jingle of several keys swinging in the hand of a royal guard.
Reis gripped Ysabel's arm, hiding behind her.
A cheerful whistle resonated in their still surroundings.
Reis trembled uncontrollably, a behavior Ysabel wasn't familiar with. Her former chambermaid had constantly been bouncing with joy.
She never saw her like this.
As the footsteps drew near, Ysabel felt Reis' trembling becoming worse.
She muttered a prayer in her language like a mantra.
Ysabel understood it clearly.
Learning several languages was part of her studies as the former Queen. She needed to communicate with people from various lands and kingdoms.
"All Hail the Queen," a gruff voice brought Ysabel back to the present. She found herself face to face with Simeon, the captain of the royal guards.
The captain was no older than she and Reis.
In fact, he almost grew up together with them inside the castle.
Because of his exceptional skills with sword fighting, he became a captain at a young age.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to claim my prize."
Confused, Ysabel watched Simeon insert the key to open their cell.
"Move, lady. Despite the removal of your title, the blood flowing in your veins is still blue. However, your friend is a common folk like us."
His response brought understanding to Ysabel. The realization left her shocked and burning with rage.
"Leave Reis alone, you filthy scum!" Ysabel stated, fighting to keep her voice even.
The man only chuckled in amusement.
Simeon attempted to move past Ysabel, but the latter was relentless. In a blink of an eye, the former Queen unsheathed the sword dangling from his belt.
Pointing the tip of the sword to Simeon's throat, Ysabel glowered at the man. She felt repulsed by his presence.
The captain of the royal guards laughed mockingly at Ysabel's effort to threaten him.
"Are you sure you know how to swing such remarkable blade? I know your capability doesn't lie in swords."
"Leave us alone, or I'll scream."
The man only chuckled again.
"And you think they will help you?"
"Do you want me to test it out?"
Throwing the sword to the ground, Ysabel rushed to the door of their cell, screaming for help with all her might.
Despite his confidence, the man rushed and caught Ysabel in a tight grip, covering her mouth with his callused hands.
Squirming, Ysabel bit Simeon's hand. In his anger, the man shook Ysabel off of him, forcefully throwing her back.
Ysabel hit the wall with a thud, causing her body to go limp as she slowly fell to the ground.
"Ysabel!" Reis' faint scream was the last thing Ysabel heard before her eyes shut close forever.