The queen and the maiden (Part 4)

Anette dipped a washcloth in a big bowl of water she had brought into her room, and then proceeded to wash her body up and down. It was Sunday and time for the weekly church visit. Anette felt how a big lump in her chest started to form.

Duty or love? Duty or love? Duty or love?

She put on a clean, white dress and brushed through her hair. Anette checked herself in the mirror one final time. The smile she usually wore on her lips was nowhere to be seen.

A loud banging noise pulled her out of her thoughts and made her hurry out of the room.

The queen sat there, with her eyes watching her reflection in the mirror. She was already dressed in the most extravagant dress she owned and had several gold jewelries on her wrists and around her neck.

Anette could see in her eyes how much she hated it. Her servants were running around and fixed the last part of her dress. One of them put a table back in its place, since it had been pushed over by someone.

Anette noticed the queen’s gaze and turned around. The queen looked at her with hollow and emotionless eyes.

“Leave us!”

The servants bowed down and left the two of them alone. Anette could feel how her heart started to beat painfully as the queen walked up to her.

They looked into each other’s eyes for a while. Anette saw how the queen’s eyes turned from hollow to lustful.

“I am…I am… so sorry Tarja. I had…”

Tarja brought up one of her fingers to Anette’s lips to silence her. Tarja then moved her hand along the maiden’s cheek and finally down her neck. Anette closed her eyes while Tarja moved closer.

Suddenly, the door opened.

“Your majesty, it is time to go.”

Quickly, Tarja pulled back and dropped her hand to her side.

“Yes, I am aware of that!”

The servant flinched, and curtsied before she disappeared.

Anette giggled and put her arms around Tarja. The queen sighed while the maiden started to caress the tiny hairs on the back of her neck. Without saying a word, they both closed their eyes and leaned forward.

Anette felt how Tarja started to shiver while their lips gently brushed against each other. The maiden started to moan slightly while the queen began caressing her stomach and back.

The kiss ended as gently as it had begun. Both Anette and Tarja were out of breath while sudden realization hit the queen.

“Oh no, we are late!”

Quickly, Tarja grabbed Anette’s hand and soon they were on their way. Not knowing that Death would be lurking around the corner.

First Tarja thought that it was some kind of celebration going on, but she then realized that they were screaming at her.

“We refuse to pay, we refuse to pay!”

Tarja and Anette were surrounded by guards, but the queen still felt uncomfortable. All she wanted to do right now was to cuddle up in Anette’s arms. Only there would she feel safe.

“You send our sons into war, and this is how you repay us? With higher taxes that most of us cannot afford to pay!”

Tarja could feel how the tension rose in the already irritated crowd. The guards pulled out their swords as the villagers moved closer.

“Step back!”

Tarja felt how a panic attack started to build up inside of her. She glanced over at Anette and saw that she felt the same. Anette took Tarja’s hand and squeezed it gently.

Suddenly, armed villagers broke out from the crowd and started attacking the guards.

The sound of sword against sword went through the air. Tarja screamed while Anette kept a close eye on the fight. Several guards fell, with blood coming out of their mouths and wounds they had been inflicted with.

Tarja looked up and saw how a teenage boy held a gun, pointed in her direction. His eyes were cold and calculating. Tarja stood frozen to the ground.

A shot went through the air.

Anette’s body fell into Tarja’s arms. In the background, the queen did not notice that the king’s guards had been running from the church due to the commotion. When they got there, they immediately executed the boy, and later surrounded the stunned queen.

Tarja saw the blood. It stained her beloved’s snow-white dress.

Anette had saved her.

Tarja sank down to her knees with Anette still in her arms. She was still breathing. Anette opened her eyes and smiled.

“I love you.” Anette said while she brought up her hand to caress Tarja’s cheek.

Tarja sobbed uncontrollably and rocked Anette body back and forth.

“I love you too. Please do not leave me!” Tarja said pleadingly.

A single tear rolled down Anette’s cheek.

Tarja bowed down and kissed her beloved. One last time.

When Tarja raised her head, she already knew that Anette had passed away.

“NOOOO! PLEASE COME BACK!”

The queen screamed and clinged on to the maiden. But there was nothing she could do.

Tarja sat there for a long time and dragged her hand through the long, blonde hair that she loved so much. Anette looked so peaceful. The blood from the wound had stopped running a long time ago.

Tarja let go of Anette’s body and lay down beside her.

The queen remembered the sunshine on her face, and the sweet laughter that sometimes escaped from Anette’s lips.

The memories remained in her head until the guards had to pull her away from the body.