Becca sat on the cold hard floor of the dungeon where she had been thrown into. The dungeon reeked of an overpowering stench of the rotten food which littered the floor and a kind of damp offensive stench which she figured was probably the smell of urine, not hers, but that of other prisoners who had been locked there in the recent past.
She had been locked up in shackles and thrown into the dungeon because she had nearly killed one of the warriors she had caught raping a citizen of Rodena on their way to Lumba.
With her eyes closed, she imagined different ways she would love to kill King Robin. She opened her eyes when the image of her father's head falling off his body flashed in her eyes.
Her heartbeat quickened, and she screamed angrily, letting a tear drop from her eyes. She had been unable to let herself cry or mourn her father's death, not when she was trying to be strong for her people and figure out a way to save them from slavery.
She couldn't mourn her father yet, not until she buried a dagger in the heart of the barbarian who had dared to behead her father like a common criminal in front of her.
She looked around the dungeon as she had been doing for the past two days. She knew she had been locked in there for two days already, only because of the little window on the upper wall of the dungeon, which let light in. She had watched the sun rise and set for the past two days.
She had refused to touch every single meal she had been served since she set foot in the Lumba kingdom, and the servants had been more than happy to throw all the rejected food on her each time they returned for the plates.
They claimed it was against their traditions to take back a meal after offering it to their guest. She a guest? Indeed! She was just going to murder them all in their sleep the moment they let her out of the dungeon.
She raised her head when she saw the reflection of light from a lantern and heard the lock being opened.
"How could you keep him locked in here with shackles on him?" Queen Catherine cried in alarm and hurried into the dungeon.
"It is the king's orders. He is a very violent lad," One of the prison guards told her.
Becca could tell she was the Queen mother merely by looking at her. Her clothes looked like they were made from the finest of linens, and her pieces of jewelry shone, even in the dimly lit room.
"I'm so sorry," Queen Catherine pleaded, looking at Becca pitifully and wringing her hands helplessly.
Becca said nothing but just kept glaring at her with her cold brown eyes.
"Leave the lantern and excuse us!" Queen Catherine commanded the guards who were still standing beside her, watching them.
"He is very dangerous, milady," One of the guards reminded her.
"I said excuse us. I want to speak with him alone," She said, raising her voice slightly. The guards exchanged a glance before reluctantly excusing them.
"I understand how you feel," Queen Catherine said, bending down to gather the rotten food which was scattered around Becca.
"You understand? You think you do?" Becca asked with barely concealed anger resonating in every word.
"Yay, I do. I never planned for any of this. I can never fully tell you how sorry I am for all that has happened to you and your people," Queen Catherine said and raised her head to look into Becca's eyes. Becca noticed there were tears in the Queen's eyes, so she turned her face away from the Queen.
"My husband, the late king, would never have done this. Robin took over the throne and is uncontrollable. I'm sure my son, Prince Ian, would be back from his trip soon, and maybe he would be able to set things right."
"Set things right? Like bring my father back to life and resurrect every Rodenian that was slaughtered? Or would he bring back the dignity of the women who were raped and abused by your kinsmen?" Becca asked in an angry growl as she tried not to give in to the sob that was threatening to break out.
"I'm sorry," Queen Catherine cried as she listened to all Becca was saying.
"That your son must have magical powers to be able to do all of these things," Becca said sarcastically when Queen Catherine couldn't respond to either of her questions.
Queen Catherine stood up without saying a word. Of course, there was nothing that could be done. What had she been thinking? That coming here to see the Prince would set everything right? She suddenly felt very exhausted and lightheaded.
"Please help me pass a message to your son, the king. If he wants to live long on that throne, he should kill me," Becca said before turning away from the Queen.