Sarah Kingson was a beloved Queen of the Solus Kingdom. She married King Winzer Kingson and bore a young daughter that they named Eden Kingson. All was prosperous and well in their little kingdom. However, we are looking to their direction today not because of their happily ever after, but for what happens next.
This small kingdom came to a sudden halt in the spring when the princess turned two. An illness spread rapidly among the poor, reaching its clutches to the nobility in little time. This sickness was a deadly one, covering the body in sores and puss-filled blisters. The skin turned gray and began to smell of rot. The eyes sunk into their skull and their hair fell out in clumps. Extreme weight loss set in after, leaving the person infected unable to move or stand. Eventually, it led to death and if you were unlucky, it was a long and painful experience.
I'd like to say that people were smarter than to believe this was caused by some superstitious phenomenon, however, it is usually never the case. The people of the kingdom needed someone to blame for this tragedy. Refusing to believe their God would abandon them in such a cruel manner, they chose to blame the most defenseless of the royalty. Young Princess Eden. The people began spreading the rumor that the princess was the harbinger of death itself. They made claims that her passing birthday brought this horrendous plague upon them. The rumors were only fanned by the snubbed nobility. They felt cast aside by their kingdom because of their illness and lied to give credit to the rumors of the princess.
As the rumors started to spread like wildfire, the Queen became paranoid about her child's welfare. She begged Winzer to close the castle gates, keeping all outsiders from entering the palace. Winzer, however, would do no such thing.
"They are just rumors, Sarah, I will not close my gates and turn a blind eye to those who are dying in the streets!" Winzer pounded his hand against the table. This conversation was taxing and he had not the time nor patience for Sarah's nonsense.
"You care more about your people than your daughter!?"
"She isn't infected and has plenty of protection woman. Yes, the rumors are unsavory, but no one would dare to harm the crown princess! That would be a death sentence!" Winzer was certain of himself. In the history of their small kingdom, no one had dared to harm royalty. They were respected and looked to for guidance by all. He took Sarah's concerns as her looking down upon his bloodline. She had simply married into royalty, he had lived his whole life as one. How could she cause such a fuss over this trivial matter? He dismissed his wife and went back to his mission to save his people.
Sarah, and her increasing paranoia, was concerned she had married the wrong man. For how could a father feel so little concern for his daughter's safety? Determined to protect her child she turned away all visitors, maids, and butlers. She chose a single handmaid to help her with tasks, one she trusted with her life, Sofia. Sofia was her maid since childhood, they practically grew up alongside each other. She was specifically trained to care for Sarah and her children. Whether it be cooking, cleaning, or even mending clothes, Sofia was capable. Sarah felt with Sofia's help, her precious Eden would be safe at last.
Although Sarah felt she had succeeded in sparing her child's life, misfortune always chips away during a crisis. Eden became ill. In a whirlwind fury, Sarah blamed her handmaid for the princess's illness. Claiming the woman, who she had known for years, deliberately got the princess sick. Winzer was beside himself in anger, but not at Sofia.
"SARAH! Do you honestly believe Sofia would do such a cruel thing to our daughter!? She is your closest confidant! How could you turn on her so coldly?" Winzer couldn't believe the accusations his wife was spewing out of her mouth. A maid who has shown nothing but love for their family, brandished a villain overnight.
"She was the only one with Eden, Winzer! I forbid anyone from entering the East Wing to protect Eden. It had to have been her!" Winzer felt pity for his wife. He could see how tired and listless she was. He wondered if Eden was sick at all or if it was a delusion brought upon his wife during this time of crisis.
"Sarah, my dear. Why don't you go rest and I shall personally take care of this for you." Sarah nodded slowly, hoping this sudden change in her husband meant he was finally taking her pleas to heart. Winzer, however, had other plans. He went to the castle dungeon where Sarah was keeping Sofia. He wanted to hear from Sofia about the mental state of his Queen. Now you might say the king was putting too much faith in a mere handmaid, but you have to understand from Winzer's perspective, that Sarah had never acted like this before. Paranoid and fearful of those around her wasn't befitting of her personality. She was usually bright and composed, full of life and wonder, talking to and befriending anyone she met. This sudden change in her personality had Winzer shaken. He hoped that Sofia, who hadn't changed the slightest, could shed some light on his wife's recent behavior.
"Sofia, I must apologize greatly for the circumstances you find yourself in."
"You mustn't apologize, my king, it is I who has lost her grace's favor due to my mistakes." Winzer noticed Sofia wouldn't look at him as usual. She kept her head down and out of his sight.
"Sofia, look at me." She hesitated for a moment before looking up. The state of her face shocked the king. She was bruised and beaten. Blood dripped from her lips and her nose. He couldn't believe the damage that had been done to this poor woman. "Dear God, Sofia! What on earth has transpired for you to be in such a state!?" Her lips trembled but she said nothing. He wasn't sure who she was trying to protect but he had a rather chilling thought. "Sofia... did Sarah do this to you?" His question was met with silence. Before he could question further, Sofia began to sob. She finally broke down and confessed what happened.
"I was tending to Princess Eden as usual. She was smiling and laughing as I changed her dress and nappy. But Sarah kept saying that Eden was crying. I assured her that the princess was merely laughing and having a grand Ole time, but she insisted the poor thing was crying." Sofia sniffled through her words, "Her grace shoved me away and screamed, saying that Eden was ill, that I had caused her illness and endangered the crown princess. I begged her to look again, to reconsider what she was saying but her fury was unrelenting. She beat me with the whip until I passed out. I woke up here." Sofia's story confirmed what the king had feared. Sarah was losing control of herself and he needed to step in.
Sarah paced back and forth in her room, eager to know how the king would punish the maid that hurt her precious Eden. She bit her thumbnail until it began to bleed. Winzer walked into the room, glancing around as if in search of something.
"Winzer! Was she punished? Did you have her executed for harming the royal family?" Her questions burned his ears.
"Where is Eden, Sarah?" Sarah's face twisted to a nasty frown. Winzer noticed her fingernails had been chewed to the nub and were slightly bleeding. The room itself was in shambles with broken things everywhere. It was cold in there and the smell of something rotting was subtle but undeniable. "Sarah, I need to see Eden."
"Why!? You don't believe she's sick!? Are you taking that maids side!?" He noticed Sarah was visibly hysterical. He also noticed that she looked sickly. Although the king had yet to witness the illness in person due to his position, he was well-versed in the symptoms that came with it. Her skin had begun graying, and her eyes looked sunken in a bit. He was also sure that the smell of rot was coming from her as well. He knew he had to tread carefully with what he said next.
"No, I believe you, my dear. I want to get Eden checked out by the royal physician. Don't you want her to get better?" Sarah's eyes lit up for the first time in forever.
"That's a wonderful idea, my love!" She rushed over to a large wooden chest adorned in gold. Winzer's heart sank as she lifted their daughter from the chest. Eden was pale, her breathing was harsh and it looked as if she hadn't been being fed properly in some time. Her nappy was soiled and she had a horrible rash going up her back. Sarah had her tightly wrapped her in several blankets so she couldn't move. Winzer noticed Eden panting and struggling to breathe with all the blankets. Sarah gently handed Eden to Winzer,
"She's so sick Winzer, please help her."
"Of course, my dear." Winzer did his best not to turn and run immediately upon holding his child. He wanted to get her as far away from Sarah as possible. But he knew if he did run out, Sarah would be alerted to his deceit and try to stop him. He walked out of the room as casually as he could and immediately handed Eden off to the doctor. He set guards to discreetly watch over the Queen. He forbade her from leaving the East Wing and lied saying it was due to the illness spreading. The doctor began caring for Eden and relayed to the king that Eden was not infected but neglected. The king released Sofia and tasked her with caring for the princess in the West Wing where he was keeping Eden.
Some time passed, and the illness that had plagued the kingdom was coming to an end with the king's assistance. However, this crisis was far from over. The Queen, who had been quarantined in the East Wing, had found out about her husband's betrayal and felt she couldn't trust anyone anymore. She began sneaking out of the castle to seek assistance from someone outside of the reach of her husband's influence. She came across a woman the locals called a Witch. The witch's name was Somali, and she claimed to see the future, cure illnesses, and provide spells for those in need. Sarah begged her for assistance with Edenes illness and her husband's betrayal.
"My, a queen begging a mere peasant like me? I should feel honored." Somali smugly smiled.
"Please, I beseech you to come to my aid noble witch!" Sarah was desperate and Somali could see she was also rather ill. Somali was not so cold-hearted as to turn a blind eye to a begging woman.
"I shall tell you of a cure for your illness, but I warn you, it is not for the faint-hearted my lady." Somali wasn't doing this out of goodwill. In fact, she wasn't as generous as the rumors should suggest. She had her own agenda and loved to wreak havoc whenever the opportunity presented itself. She had no intention of giving the perfect Queen a lifeline in her misfortunes.
"I will do anything to save my child!" Somali smiled a very wicked smile.
"Alright my Queen, to cure your child you must rub a dead man's hand on her head. The man cannot be one of virtue or illness or the child will get sicker and die." The Queen knew just what to do. She would round up the Noble men or at least the ones she knew were full of greed and wickedness. She would cure her child and show her husband that she was a capable mother and Queen.
Winzer was startled when Sofia burst into his office. She had a horrified look on her face and was in tears.
"Good God Sofia, what on earth has you trembling like this?"
"It's the Queen..." Sofia's voice shook violently, "She has gone too far..."
Winzer rushed out of his office and to the East Wing. To his surprise, no guards we posted outside of the East Wing. He pushed open the hall doors and the sight before him was far worse than he could have imagined. Noble men, dukes, barons, and marquises, all hung from ropes by their necks from the rafters. They slowly twisted and turned in mid-air causing an eerie creaking sound to echo through the halls. The king walked slowly down the hall, following the smell of rot. Guards littered the floor near the Queen's chambers. They didn't look dead but asleep. A strange incense could be smelled leaking from the Queen's chamber, which made the king feel faint. He assumed that was the cause of his men's slumber but wondered how his gentle wife could do all of this on her own.
With his stomach turning from nerves, Winzer pushed open the chamber doors. Sarah sat in a rocking chair next to the hanging body of Duke Henry. The smell of incense was so strong that the king had to cover his nose and mouth. Sarah was humming to herself as she rocked slowly. Winzer approached slowly in hopes of catching her off guard but Sarah had been expecting him.
"Hello, my love" her voice was sweet and melody-like.
"Sarah...what have you done..." Winzer couldn't play her game of delusion anymore. He couldn't keep sweeping her antics away, especially after this. "Sarah... where is Eden?" His voice shook a bit. He couldn't hide his fear of his wife now. He couldn't deny or justify her actions any longer.
"She's right here with me, of course. Don't you think a child should be with their mother Winzer?" Her voice was one of warning, but he couldn't leave his daughter with this woman a moment longer. "Why did you lie to me, Winzer? I told you Sofia got her sick and you let Sofia go and even put Eden back in her care." Winzer was getting angry now.
"Sarah! This nonsense had to end! Eden is not sick, and Sofia did not do anything wrong. You are sick Sarah! You smell of the rot, and your skin is full of blisters and sores! If anyone was going to get Eden sick, it would be you!" Winzer panted in anger as he spoke. The incense was so thick he had trouble concentrating. Sarah was silent now, she no longer rocked in her chair either. Winzer stood in silence as well, waiting for what she would do next. Sarah stood and turned to Winzer. He felt his throat tighten when he saw his daughter in her arms. Eden had the illness now. Her skin had turned gray and her eyes were sunken in but she was still in the early stages, which meant she could be saved. Sarah, however, looked far worse than he could have imagined though. Her skin was peeling off from the blisters and sores, she was so skinny her bones poked at her skin looking ready to burst. Her eyes were hollow and empty with not a trace of the beautiful light that once filled them. She had no fingernails, they looked as though they had been ripped right from the source. Her once beautiful blonde hair was dull and falling out in large clumps. He felt a deep sorrow fill his chest seeing his beloved fallen so far from her grace. He knew she could not be spared from this illness.
"Sarah, please, I beg you, give me Eden so I can treat her illness."
"How dare you! I told you she was sick Winzer! You did nothing! You turned me away every time I pleaded with you!" Sarah clutched Eden in her arms.
"Sarah you are sick! You have been for a while now. You neglected Eden and made her sick too. Sofia didn't harm Edem, you did." Winzers words pierced Sarah's heart. "Sarah, my dear, please. I can still save Eden." He reached his arms out for the child but Sarah pulled away.
"I have her cure right here!" Sarah lifted a severed hand from the rocking chair. It was Duke Henry's hand. "The witch said, the hand of a dead man would cure our child! Look Winzer!" She placed the Dukes hand on Edens head. "She's getting better! Don't you see!" Tears streamed down Sarah's cheeks. Winzer was unsure if his Sarah was still in there or not but he knew he needed to end this tragedy. Seeing no other choice, Winzer pulled out his sword.
"Sarah, hand Eden here, don't make me do this to you." Winzers hands shook as he pointed his blade towards his once loving wife. She looked at him blankly for a moment, then rushed at Winzer clutching little Eden in her arms. With one swift movement, taking extra care to not hit Eden, Winzer sliced Sarah's neck. Sarah dropped to her knees, allowing Winzer to catch Eden as she fell. Winzer looked upon his departed wife once more before leaving the room and for the first time she looked at peace.
The kingdom was shaken to hear about the Queen's death. The incident with the deaths of the noble men were covered up using the illness as the means to their end. The official statement on the Queen's death was the same as well. The king thought it better to remember Sarah for who she was and not what she had become. The small kingdom mourned the losses but rejoiced at the crown princess's good health. The rumor about Eden, that drove his wife to the brink, had died out completely among the people. Praises and prayers for the young princess spread far and wide. The kingdom once again became peaceful. As for Somali the witch, Winzer did look for her. He searched his whole kingdom for many years and some say he searched until his death. Somali the witch was never found.