"How did I not see that?" King Arnold looked painfully confused and frightened.
"We have to do something, Your Majesty", Charles said frighteningly.
Queen Amanda rushed towards the guards outside. "Get the dowager queen. Fast!" She couldn't think of anything else.
A witch killed herself because of her husband. What did she wish before taking her life? Did she curse her husband? Her kingdom? How could they live happily ever again? Several questions arised within her but she couldn't voice them out. Her throat felt like she had swallowed sand. She felt as if several needles were being peirced inside her body at once. Fear was very strong.
"We will take care of this, Amanda". She heard the king say.
She couldn't bring herself to reply or even react. How could he take care? He was responsible for this.
"We can bury her before any of the witches know about this", Charles suggested.
"She wasn't strong at all. She couldn't be a witch. Maybe the symbol was merely a fantasy", king Arnold said.
Queen Amanda did not believe that.
Even dead, the woman could easily be called as the most charismatic woman in the kingdom, such beauty she reflected. Her blonde hair gleamed like gold and her skin flawless resembling smooth marble. Such a marvellous looking woman could only be a witch. Besides, her gown, her jewellery was different than those they wore in this kingdom or even the neighbouring kingdoms.
"What is going on?"
They all turned their heads to look at the dowager queen. She was in her night robe and it was clear from her raised breath that she had rushed to get here. Since it was the full moon she would've got the notion that troubled had arised.
She brought her strides towards her daughter-in-law. "What is the matter, Amanda?" Her elderly voice seemed scared.
Queen Amanda opened her mouth to speak but words did not escape from her.
Charles moved forward and explained everything to the dowager queen.
Widening her eyes, she dragged them towards her pitiless son. "Oh Arnold, what did you do!"
"She must have been a spy, mother. What would a witch do here?". The king tried to appear innocent.
"You brought her here!" She barked at her son. "This disgusting habit will be the death of you".
Charles suggested his earlier plan of burrying the witch to the dowager queen who nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Bury her. Before the witches come for Arnold, get rid of her every evidence. Do not let anyone in this palace know about this. Not even the guards outside".
Charles nodded and positioned the guards to the gates of the palace. He then left to make the arrangements for the burial.
Touching her mother-in-law's forearm, queen Amanda said in a panicked voice, "This is not right, mother. She might have a family. Is there no other way?"
The dowager queen squeezed her hand with concern in her eyes and shook her head. "No, Amanda. We have to think of Arnold and this kingdom. I know it's wrong but building peace with the witches had been the most difficult task. We cannot let bloodbath happen again. Thousands of innocent lives will be lost".
Queen Amanda swallowed. As a queen, it was her responsibility to make sure her people are safe.
The dowager queen caressed her hand.
"Besides the damage is done. She is dead. We cannot bring her back but we can save others from dying".
Queen Amanda nodded.
King Arnold, queen Amanda and the dowager queen stood in the royal cemetry. Charles digged the ground to bury the witch's body lying near him.
Queen Amanda prayed for her soul to be in peace and begged for her apology several times in her mind. She looked at the full moon which was now up bright in the sky. Never the beautiful moon appeared so scary like it did tonight.
She felt her mother-in-law's hand on her shoulder. She tried to smile at her for she knew even the older woman who appeared to be strong was scared to her wits. Her son did an irrevocable crime. A crime he could be punished for in the most frightening of the ways. Witches could be behind him the moment they knew about this. He was going to watch for his life every moment henceforth.
Charles climbed out of the digged grave. He bent down to pick up the witch and queen Amanda closed her eyes. The next moment they all heard a loud shreik.
"Bellezza!"
Everyone present there turned their heads towards the entrance of the cemetry. There, stood a woman like a lethal shadow in the darkness. She ran towards them with such speed, queen Amanda could only make out a flash of her golden dress. She haulted near Charles and haunched at the body beside him.
"Oh, Bellezza!"
Queen Amanda could only see her golden hair flowing down as the woman's back faced her. The same blond hair as the dead witch. Her heart almost stopped. Someone came for the dead witch. They could no more hide all this.
She looked at the dowager queen and found the same expression stamped on her elderly face.
The woman in golden dress ran her hands frantically over the dead witch's body. "Get up, Bellezza. I am here." She shook her body. Holding the dead witch's face in her hands, she screamed. "No, no. You can't leave me". She hugged her body to her chest.
Queen Amanda realised this pain, this affection could only be of a mother. Should she apologise? Should she say something at all? Were there any words that could be said to console a mother for her dead child?
The woman in golden dress turned her head abruply and looked directly at the queen. Her eyes which were filled with tears resembled a golden fire. They were wide and angry. Her face just as beautiful as her daughter's.
Before queen Amanda could realise anything, the woman stood in front of her. Taller and broader than her. Queen Amanda couldn't think of anything to do. Charles was between them instantly, grabbing his sword to stop the woman before she could touch the queen.
"Who did this to my daughter? Who killed her?"
"No one did anything. She killed herself", Charles said.
"This king took her from the forest".
A new voice spoke. A boy who must have been fifteen years old joined them.
"Bellezza begged, cried but he took her away".
The woman, in the next moment, was in front of the king and grabbed his neck. "You killed my daughter".
"She killed herself", the king said with ragged breaths, trying fruitlessly to free himself. Charles tried too, but none of them could move her. She was built handsomely but no way she seemed to be stronger than the two men and still her hold was so strong.
King Arnold's face started to change the colour. The dowager queen joined them.
"Leave my son. We all aplogise for what he did but he did not kill her".
The woman haulted hearing that. She left the king's neck and pushed him. He clutched his neck, coughing.
The woman pointed a finger at him. "You made my Bellezza take her life." Anger visible in her eyes. Her words. Her accusation.
Queen Amanda felt her skin going numb. As if she predicted what was going to happen, her legs shook.
"I curse you". The witch's mother held up her chin.
"No!" Everyone screamed.
Queen Amanda did not feel her voice. Perhaps she did not scream for if she could, she would've screamed the loudest. She clutched her hand to her heart and staggered backwards.
"I curse you to feel the same pain I feel now. You too, will cry for your child. You too, will cry for your heir."