Evil plans

" Primrose ". The soundless words fell off her lips. Bewilderment crumbled every passing thought and drowned her at the moment. Fear alongside the confusion rushed up her veins. Primrose wasn't calling Lord and Lady Elvin, her parents. She wasn't acknowledging them as a part of her life. She was pushing them out of the spotlight into an abyss where she stood, hovering tall in the bright light that bathed her. Speaking of her parents, where were they?. The all-so-good parents were absent while their daughter was scheming evil plans.

Manipulation. That could be the only reason. she manipulated her parents at the same time denied them.

" Primrose, you said these same words the last time, we spoke. How can I believe you?. How can I be assured that your words are not but floaters?. They are not sinking dear. They are not..... ".

" Queen, my plan worked. That can be your assurance. Her mother was not very pleased to see those red patches on her skin. I made her believe the maidservant was reckless and had left the curtain open. I made her believe the irritations were real. Her reaction was very impressive. She did beat the girl to a pulp, providing every just reason to hinder her from attending the celebration. From the way I talked about last year's event, her father only obliged because he thought she was still angry with the servant ". Caroline listened with utmost disbelief as anger turned her face red.

Everything. Every single thing was planned?. Primrose was not hurt but had pretended to be. She had received whips for something she did not do. Those curtains- yes, she remembered closing them properly before retiring for the night and when the morning came and met Primrose, she had only thought it to be the rush of wind. Apparently, that was not what Lady thought, better said, what Primrose made her think. Right judgment was lacking with the way the Lady had handled her at noon. Her body was still aching.

If Primrose was not their daughter, she certainly was not her Mistress. She got more confused. How was Primrose, the girl she had tended to since childhood, holding every striking resemblance with her parents, not her parents' daughter? Something was amiss here.

" I only hope your plan goes well. Bring me Caroline's head by midday ". The disrelish in her voice shifted Caroline's attention away from Primrose and back to her very self.

For a moment she had forgotten that she was the mainstay of their conversation. Why was she their target?. Why was Primrose going through all those stress just for her?. What was so special about her, ?.

Caroline sternly looked at Primrose, deep down wishing she would show a hint of coercion. Show that she was being forced to do that which was not of her liking. Her eyes welled as she saw her little Primrose going on a mission that she knew would be impossible. Impossible because she wasn't going to sit and watch Primrose behead her. Not when she knows the witches' weaknesses. God bless the pockets of Mr. Wellart, the bookseller that gave her books of witches to read in her spare time.

Her heart only bled for Primrose. What she would do to her would hurt her in my ways.

Her thoughts stopped when she saw Primrose walking to the door and out of the room. She knew where she was going and when she heard the door of Alfred's room opening, she eased herself from under the bed, opened the curtain, the windows, and out into the air. She jumped the story building, closing her eyes till she felt her bare feet touching the cool ground. If Primrose don't see her over at Alfred's room, there was no denying that she would be checking under her bed next, besides she previously heard a person sneeze. The cold air hit her.

The moon appeared in full light with the trees swirling to the sounds of the evening breeze. The chirping of crickets, rustling leaves, wind whistling, animals scurrying, and strangely- owl hooting, accompanied her in the dark as she ran.

Faraway, the beating of drums and loud voices mixed in the air, but Caroline was not stupid to head there for safety. If Primrose doesn't see her under the bed, she would search for her all over the house and if she does not find her there her next move would be to the market square. Right now, she needs to hide somewhere safe. Somewhere she cannot be found.

Her feet carried her to one of the houses in the manor. Swiftly, she opened the door and let herself into it.

It was Lord Elvin's brother's house. After his early demise, it was abandoned, not intended to be opened till eternity, so her getting wrapped in a bunch of spider webs after closing the door was nothing out of normal.

Caroline paved her way through the strands of webs, sneezing as she got each of them out of the way. Knowing that a torch was close to the stairs, a heap of stones was packed in the fireplace, she moved, first to the fireplace, her eyes getting used to the darkness that enveloped her. Tracing her way back, she moved to the stairs, stroke two pieces of the stones, and lit the torch.

She has to find a very safe place, then she would blow the light out. That was what she told herself repeatedly, till she got to the basement of the house.

Still in the manor, but in Lord Elvin's house, Primrose was overly disappointed as she stomped her feet o the ground. Caroline was not in Alfred's room, and neither was she under the bed. She was positive she heard a person sneeze but when she took another peek beneath the bed, trying a better angle where if Caroline was there she would be found, no one was there. She searched around the house only to be met with nothing. The house was big and empty.

" Caroline! Caroline!!. Where are you? Mother said I should come back to the festival with you ". She tried a nicer tone as all her commands and threats proved futile. Silence welcomed her.

It was no coincidence, she knew it. Caroline was the one under the bed. Probably, she had her talking to the witch Queen and ran off after she left the toom. If not, which other explanation would guarantee her absence when she was supposed to be catching up with her health. Primrose slapped the erect antique by her side, falling it into shatters on the floor.