Malice Maze

Chapter 29
The Gypsy

Ilona stood at the entrance of the cave, Dralnu by her side. Forgotten were the simple shifts the women had worn when they entered. Ilona, her scarlet hair flowing around her body, was dressed in the regal dress of a queen. Melody returned to the regal silver gowns of her princess stature. She stood proud next to the king and the Enchanter, who had been at the exit to greet her as she followed the other girls out, last, but still shortly afterward. She seemed standoffish but even she seemed unaware of why.

Hope was standing happily beside the King Orphen and his queen, Serena. Serena, who always held the same blank expression in her dull eyes, was not smiling, nor was Orphen. Hope was smiling with all the joy of the world. The King and Queen did not look hostile towards Hope, they actually seemed to be welcoming her, but who could read the expression of a king trained to be a blank and a woman forced to wear nothing but a blank expression thanks to a curse her mother had put on her over a hundred years before.

Nanaia stood with a self-satisfied look about her face, her dress the same robes she had worn as a priestess except shorn to show off her best assets. By her side stood one devil, dressed in a red loincloth to cover just what needed to be covered. No one feared the devil, no one questioned the devil. This was the understanding of the women, that whom they left with was kept among them. What happened afterwards all depended on what they chose to do. If they became friends if they became enemies, that was not a matter to decide now, it was a matter to decide when they went on to conquer new things. Now they were just four women who had survived an ordeal together, though they had not seen one another since the beginning.

One devil emerged from the cave opening of the maze, in his arms he held a baby with the same dark skin and same black hair as his mother, but clear colored eyes that saw through things the way no one would expect. This was all that was left of Roxy. The devil carried it over to Nanaia who reached out to take it, but her hands hesitated, hovering over the child as her new sapphire gaze turned to the group around her. “Does anyone mind if I take charge of this child? I have a feeling we can love it and nurture it the way none of you will be able to.”

No one was hurt by the accusation. This was a child born of a further sin than the rest, and no one turned accusing eyes towards Dralnu, ready to blame him for Roxy’s death, though blame she confidently be placed only on him. He had created this, created the prophecy, and still none of them turned to him with accusing eyes. They watched Nanaia and the baby and all nodded, despite the sick feeling in their stomach.

“Thank you,” Nanaia smiled and cuddled the child to her full breasts, breasts that were growing fuller with her own new pregnancy. Every woman stood there at a stage in their pregnancies, Ilona’s the youngest at a few hours, for she had been in the real world when she had become pregnant, the others in other stages. In the world around them it had only been hours since they had entered the maze, to all of them it had seemed like weeks.

“What about Queen Andais, and Queen Andreah?” Hope questioned. “And Lord Rivalen. Who will tell them what has happened and that they have lost?”

“I will personally tell Lord Rivalen of Roxy’s demise,” the king Dralnu said diplomatically. “As for Andais and Andreah…”

“Oh, let me tell her royal majesty Queen Andreah,” Nanaia insisted. “I feel I have earned the right to pay homage to the queen who forced me into this maze.”

“As you wish,” Dralnu acquiesced. “Andais… will have to find out on her own for I feel no one wishes to enter her territory when she learns she has lost one victim.”

The silence was agreement enough.

All four women stepped awkwardly into the center. None questioned what had happened. None questioned why they all seemed to have changed. They just all held out their hands and hugged one another, having gone through similar, yet completely different, experiences. They were the pawns, what came of them were the true players in the game.

The girls said good-bye to one another knowing most likely the next time they came upon each other they would be enemies.