Chapter 3 - Vappu

After leaving her husband's chambers, Vappu ran to her private quarters and slammed the door shut. Laughing, she danced around the room. Finally she fell on her bed and thought to herself:

Well, well, well. At last I have what I've always wanted. Ikriam is all mine! Oh Sage, have I got plans for you. Ever since the first day I saw you, I knew you were trouble. But now I'm Queen and all of Ikriam belongs to me. Including you.

A gentle knock came from the door and Vappu shrieked; "What is it?"

"It is I, Your Majesty. Ragnid." The petite elf entered the chambers with caution. She's had first hand experience when it comes to the Queen's horrifying temper.

"What do you want, slave? Or perhaps you want to know what I want, don't you Ragnid?" Vappu said with a malicious smile.

Vappu jumped off the bed and took bottles from her cosmetics chest. One by one she started throwing them at Ragnid.

"I want all traces of that man and his family erased from this house. This is my house now. Everyhing. You go and tell Zavier I want Gadwalader's room burned down to the ground. All his clothes except the jewels. Bring them to me."

Ragnid couldn't understand what was going on. Why would the Queen destroy her husband's personal items? Does she not weep for him?

"Your highness, when will we bury His Highness? Surely we have to arrange a feast in honour of the King. And then we have the two week mourning period. You have to go to the Elders and they need to walk with you up the path of Zvonko so you can rid yourself of all the sorrow." Ragnid babbled unaware of the Queens rising temper.

In one simple movement, Vappu lunged forward and grabbed Ragnid by her waist length blue hair. With a shriek of fury, she threw Ragnid against her cupboard. Ragnid connected with the furniture and could only moan in pain as she hit her head on the stone tiles. Eyes blazing Vappu bent over Ragnid's battered body and said;

"Don't ever tell the Queen of Ikriam what she should and shouldn't do. Do you hear me you little worm?" with that she kicked Ragnid in the stomach "You are nothing but a slave. That's all you'll ever be. Now get up and do as I tell you."

Vappu grabbed her by the hair and pulled Ragnid up. Blood streamed down her face.

"MOVE!" Vappu yelled

Ragnid fell down again and crawled towards the door like an injured animal.

Sage heard the commotion and ran towards Vappu's room. What she found appalled her. Ragnid was crawling out the room and Vappu stood behind her with an wicked look in her eyes.

"What has happened, Ragnid?" Sage asked

"None of your business Sage" Vappu said "I was just teaching a worm how to obey her master. No slave will tell a Queen what to do."

"How dare you Vappu?" Sage hissed. She walked closer to Vappu. "How dare you treat a fellow elf like a dog. Have you no respect? We are not animals that attack others. We respect each other. Slave or royalty."

"Aaw! What a noble elf you are Sage. Just like your father was and look what happened to him."

"What do you mean? Father was ill. He did nothing wrong nor did anybody hurt him. He was ill for almost a year."

"You see Sage" Vappu said a smile playing on her thin lips "You trust others too easily. You are truly...uhm...what do they call it? Gullible. Yes, gullible. You exist in your perfect little world where everyone is pleasant and pure. You think you can fix all things but you can't. And now you can't even control your own Kingdom because you don't have it anymore. It belongs to me. Ikriam and everything in it. Mine. And there is not a thing in this world you can do to stop me."

Sage looked at her without a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Vappu, you will not take what is mine. Over my dead body."

"Oh well, that can be arranged you know" Vappu laughed.

"Are you threatening me, Witch?"

"Darling, I don't threaten. I get rid of elves like you. Now, as you know I'm your new Queen not to mention Stepmother. You are compelled to show respect. Now bow and accept your fate."

Sage stepped forward and with their noses almost touching she hissed "Never and don't you ever use the word mother before me again. You know nothing about being a mother."

Sage turned around, helped Rignid up and started to walk away. Just before leaving the room, Sage looked back at Vappu and said:

"And another thing Vappu. If I were you, I'd better watch my back. Things have a way of turning around and when that does happen, you are going to be right in the middle of it all. With nobody to help you. Get ready Mother, for your time is near."