head of c h a o s;

“And that, my friend, is poison ivy.”

“Do you want me to chuck it down on your throat, little one?”

The queen was strolling around the castle, trying to familiarize herself back to her home. She walked until she had encountered a sitting figure, walking silently to avoid being noticed. The last thing she needed was idiots slowing her down. “You dare speak to a queen that way?”

Marcas was shocked by Valeria’s words and by how easily she was able to walk away. Who was this woman, and what happened to his wife? He wondered as he followed behind her. “—Where are you going?” He queried, hastily catching up to her and grabbing her arm. “You can’t possibly leave now. Fiona would love to see you.” Though he was a crappy father, he couldn’t possibly allow Valeria to walk away again. It would break both his and Fiona’s hearts. 

Valeria hoped she was able to walk away from her husband but he seemed eager to talk to her, so she slowed her steps so they could do that while she looked around the castle, “I’m going to look for Fiona.” She replied, not bothering to look at him and just at the task at hand. “Does it look like I’m leaving? I just arrived.”

Idiots.

He couldn’t help but laugh as he looked up at the woman, “do you see the crowd of people? I think names are the last thing I should give you. But if you want, because it looks like you’re stuck here, I could help you get out”

She looked around to see what he was pointing out, then went to stare back at him, “I am not blind, mister.” She informed the other, her face expressionless. “If you must know, I’m stuck here because I live here. Now, give me names or you’ll be the one I’m kicking out.”

          Isaiah chuckled. “Well, con, we’re all stuck here with no knowledge of when we’re getting out. But if they’ve got good coffee and good wine, then why not?”

The woman listened as he started to speak, “I have made sure the wine here is very welcoming. I’m glad you find it suitable to your taste.” She commented, ignoring his first statement.

Pierce looked the woman over. He knew his history and this woman wasn’t anyone important here. And she was too old to pass as Princess Fiona. “What are you, lady, the old hag who’s trying to pass as Princess Fiona? Nice try, but you’re thirty years too late.—Now get out of my way…” He shooed at her. 

The woman pressed her lips with a little bit more effort, the man was trying to test her patience and she did not want to cause commotion on her first day back at the castle, so she kept still and glared daggers at him, “It’s because Fiona is my daughter, you little -” She cut herself off, her teeth still pressed together in utter annoyance. “Do best to escort yourself out of here before I order the guards to take you out of here. For the king of Wales, you are distasteful.”

“That’s what I’m here for. Just happy to help.” He said with a nod at the regal woman.

“I’m glad you are. You better keep that up. We need more men like you.” She urged on.

“I just assumed that you drifted off to sea.” Marcas said. Really, what else could he say? They’d searched everywhere for Valeria to no avail. After months of no news, they finally gave up and pronounced her dead. “I should have searched harder…” The words came out with a tinge of sadness. He’d failed her and Fiona indirectly because of it. 

She watched as his expression turned melancholic, unsure whether to feel sympathetic or hurt because he gave up on her. Even with her controlled memories, somehow, the woman felt hurt because everyone just assumed her dead. Part of her wished they found her and not the Dorchas. Her brain killed those feelings and her face was left expressionless. “Yeah, you should’ve searched harder.” Was her only response before walking away from him.