The Queen in the Tower |
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I live at the top of a tower in an enchanted forest. I have lived here all by
myself for my entire life. Well, I'm not all by myself; I have my cat, the bats in the attic, and sometimes Percy drops by for a visit. Percy is a big dragon who lives in a cave at the top of a mountain nearby. It's not a dark and dank and dreary cave; beyond the front cave, which is really just a landing platform, there are proper rooms behind a secret door. I've been to visit him, and it's just like inside a nice house, with a fireplace and proper furniture and everything. Percy is one of those dragons who can shapeshift into a human, you see. But enough about Percy. My rooms at the top of my tower are very nice. My favourite room is the big library, with its small fireplace and deep, comfy chairs. I also have a veranda, where I sit and read on sunny summer days. I have everything I need. Percy has been kind enough to gift me with servant spirits, so I don't have to bother with having other people in my tower. From the outside it looks like my tower has no entrance, but it does. It's just hidden, so that I won't be bothered by all those wandering peddlers and minstrels and knights and what have you. My privacy is sacrosanct. I spend my days reading and studying, new and old books and manuscripts, and I write, too. I'm quite happy living like I do. One fine summer day I was sitting outside on the veranda, enjoying a good book and a nice cup of tea. Then suddenly I hear someone shouting down below: "Hail fair maiden in the tower!" I got up and looked down, and there was a knight in shining armour, on a white horse. Oh no, not another one. It had only been 3 months since the last one came by. "What do you want?" I called, rather grumpily. "I have followed rumours of your fabled beauty! I have travelled long and far to rescue you from your imprisonment by the evil wizard! Fear not, fair maiden! Soon you shall be free, and I will make you my bride! Never more will you be alone! I will treasure you and slay dragons in your honour!" Dear gods, but he was laying it on thick wasn't he! I bet it was the local villagers taking the piss out of a self-righteous, gullible knight again. "For your information, I am a queen, I live here alone by choice, and no harming the local dragons, young man!" "Obviously you are under an evil spell, fair maiden! But fear not, I will rescue you!" the knight called back. I sighed. There are just no talking sense to these hero types. "Oh, all right, then! Just wait a moment, I'll be right back!" I called down. I went inside, fetched my magical crossbow which never misses, loaded it, went back outside and shot the knight straight through the left eye. He fell off the horse, quite dead, and the horse bolted. I summoned a servant to bring the body to Percy; he'll enjoy the snack. The sword I'll keep in my collection downstairs. Ah, finally blessed quiet again. I sat down and picked up my book. Drat, now the tea's gone cold. Bloody knights. |
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Written by Amber Drake 2006 |
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