Page 98 of Of Skulls Of Shackles

She shook her top blob. “No, Your Majesty. Just stressed by the events surrounding the capture of my king.”

I tilted my head at Candor, who nodded. “I had thought you did not care for your king.”

She paused. “My stress does not originate from care of my king. Nor disagreement with his capture. Though I will say that many centuries of union does not evaporate in months, and so my feelings rise and fall like the moon, tugging me here and there. I do not relish such confusion, my queen.”

I softened at her confessed turmoil. “You have the largest of monster hearts. I wished you would not be in knots about a king who poisoned you and wished to erase your immortality. Yet that is part of your inner beauty, Princess Bring.”

“Hedidtry to kill me, so why do I feel such urges?” she whispered, ever damply.

Because the Brings were victims of Change’s ruin. Perhaps I should share the truth with her. She may find healing in knowledge. The matter warranted greater reflection first. For now, empathy must suffice.

I rested back, all-powerful but ill-qualified to advise on conflicts of the heart. Her words could as easily apply to my romance with King See.

He did try to kill me, so why do I feel such urges?she had whispered.

While I might say, “He will not love me, so why do I feel such urges?”

I had an answer after all. “Destiny, dear princess. You feel such urges because of your destiny with King Bring.”

“Who am I to fight destiny?” she stammered. “No one at all.”

I smiled. “You are a monster. That is who might fight destiny.”

“Would you?”

I felt her attention keenly, and that of the silent Princess Take. Would I fight the destiny I shared with King See? “I cannot speak of what I might do in one day or month or century. Right now, I will not fight my destiny with King See. But a colder and harder queen might prevail where this version of me cannot. Resilience grows, after all.”

“Princess Bring was undone by her thinkings of union,”said Candor.

So she was, and so I gently said, “We tip into the jaws of despair. Let us reset. Tell me of this royal gala, if you please.”

Her blobs rolled over one another to push a letter to the surface of her slime. The seal was already broken, so I spread the thick paper against her slime.

To all monsters,

Plague is upon us, be it the beginning or end.

Let us celebrate in monstrous company as once we did.

A royal gala, two nights and two days.

In my palace, all are welcome to stay.

With Sight,

King See

I might have focused on any number of lines in the letter, but my mind focused on the “two nights and two days.” Two days, specifically. For the day was when daylight activities might be had. Queendom matters had made such demands of me lately that I had not had the usual time with King See. We usually found a few hours each week. Yes, our meeting was overdue.

Of course, such absence had only warmed my thoughts of himmore. Yet I could not connect what else to feel after absence from a person whom I valued in body, mind, and company. To feel a dwindling of warmth could not serve us. Lukewarmth? Not powerful enough to last an immortality… Cold certainty of our destiny? I released my exhale in a rush.

The princesses exchanged a glance.

I inhaled and straightened. “Have you replied to this invitation?”

“I wished to consult you on the topic of shackled kings. You see, King See has requested that all monsters attend. Three are shackled in your conservatory. Most other monsters belong to your queendom. So unless you give permission for all to attend, the royal gala might be less of a royal gala, and perhaps not one.”

That was true enough. “You might reply and accept his invitation on behalf of all monsters. Princess Take, I imagine transportation of shackled kings will not be a problem?”

---