A small servant wearing a cream-colored tunic entered the room carrying a gilded silver tray of food in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. As he entered the room, the Senashow stole into the boy’s mind. It was full of fear; he knew that he was late bringing the queen’s food. The chefs in the kitchen were running behind because the queen had changed her mind at the last second, and the boy was terrified that she would hurt him, or worse, his older brother who worked in the stables. His thoughts were plain on his countenance; the boy looked as though a breath of wind could destroy him. He was trembling slightly and froze in the doorway. The boy could see that the queen was angry.
“Don’t just stand there dog! Bring me my food!” roared the queen. Her anger was palpable in the room. A wicked sneer began to tug at the Senashow’s lips. He knew that the queen’s rage would soon be taken out on the servant. He might be able to salvage the night after all.
As the boy crossed the room, his foot caught on the fine rug. He tried to catch himself, but to no avail. The contents of the tray went flying at the queen as the boy toppled toward her. With inhuman speed the queen sidestepped the oncoming food and grabbed the tray out of the air. She swung it at the boy, catching him in the mouth. There was a crunching sound and a stifled scream. Blood sprayed out of the servant’s mouth and arced across the room, covering the wall with crimson droplets. The Senashow felt a slight plop on his chest. He looked down to see a small white pebble on the floor covered in blood. It was one of the boy’s teeth. The boy was on the ground with a hand clamped over his mouth, his tunic now scarlet with copious amounts of blood pouring from his ruined face onto the fine rug. The air became saturated with the salty metallic tang of blood. Oddly, the Senashow thought that this new smell somehow added to that of the food. He thought he might go by the kitchens after he left the queen’s study and partake of the offerings.
“Get out,” said the queen in an icy voice.
The servant grabbed the food as fast as he could and backed out of the room holding his mouth. The queen and the Senashow, now with a sneer on his face, watched him go without a word. Yes, he would definitely stop by the kitchens.
The Senashow looked at the queen and started to talk as if nothing had happened. She appeared calm, and the look on her face was now impassive.
“I am sure that you have noticed the new star in the eastern sky.” The queen nodded indicating that she had.
“It is one of the signs of the rebel prophecy. It says that when the hero approaches manhood and the time when he will cleanse the land, a star will appear in the eastern sky. The star will be brighter than all other stars, and will never dim or change its position in the sky.”
At this point the queen interrupted. “We do not know that this is the star that is spoken of; it may just be a star.” There was an almost bored tone in her voice.
“Possible, my queen, but that does not change the fact that the resistance could take it as a sign that the prophecy is coming to pass. I agree with you that a star is just that, a star, but these animals and twigs are superstitious creatures. They will believe anything that might even look like a sign.” His voice was patient. He knew that the queen had been getting scattered reports for years of signs coming to pass, but nothing ever came of it. But the Senashow knew that this time was different; never before had a new and bright star been seen in the sky, let alone one that fit a prophecy.
The queen took her time in replying. The Senashow knew that she was contemplating what to do.
Finally, and with a careful voice, the queen answered, “I do not think that the prophecy is coming to pass, as there is no way for anyone to see accurately into the future. I agree with you that the resistance will be moving now that the sky has a new light in it. Send out men to look for one that fits the prophecy’s description. Tell them that if they find one who does, bring him here so I may examine him.”
At this point the Senashow stifled a small cough. “Your Highness, if he is the chosen one and you bring him before you, he could… could… oh forgive me for saying it, he could kill you, my queen!” There was worry in his voice as he said this. The possibilities rushed through his head. If the queen is killed all these years of work will be lost.
The queen laughed. “My dear Senashow, it pleases me that you worry about my well being, even if only for your own safety. It also worries me that you would entertain this mindless mysticism, as you like to call it.” Her voice was becoming cruel and soft, and he listened with rapt attention. “If we capture a boy that fits the description, the rebels will come to save him. In their haste, they will be sloppy and will make mistakes of which we will take advantage. They will be crushed and in little time we will rid the land of this prophecy and the resistance.”
The queen continued with a smile crossing her face. “When the boy is brought before me, I will sway his thinking and convince him to join us! I do not believe that there is a chosen one, but the people believe that there is, or can be lead to believe as much. We can persuade the boy to believe in our way and then we will have an icon of our own to hold aloft that will silence all our adversaries, for if you remember, the prophecy does not say whose side he will join. It just says that he will cleanse the land. If the resistance is crushed, the land will be cleansed, and we will be in power forever and finally have our revenge.”
He flinched inside as her voice took on an accusatory tone. “Furthermore, I do not believe in prophecies as you well know; there is no chosen boy, so it will be a human boy in front of me. Do you think that a human could overpower me?” The statement dared him to question her.
He resisted and said, “You are wise, oh great queen; we will set a trap and either way, the fools will spring it. Their own beliefs will bring them down.” There was true joy in the Senashow’s voice now.
Malice flickered in her eyes. “And apparently your beliefs too.”
He stammered, “My queen… I… I was merely saying…”
“No matter. You were covering all of the possibilities, no matter how unlikely, and I do not fault you for this. Indeed, it is your greatest strength,” she said conversationally.
Relief crept into him. “Thank you, my most kind queen.”
“Now, we must develop a plan,” said the queen in a brusque manner. “We need to make sure that we find someone who matches the description exactly. If we are off in the slightest all will be lost.”
Deep inside the Senashow’s mind a small voice said, And if the prophecy is true we will still be safe.
The queen continued. “You will send out men to the country that the boy is said to come from. They will search every boy that is of the proper age and look for the mark on him. Then they will bring him back to me.”
“And if he should resist, your highness?”
“Then they will kill him; he may only be of use if he complies.”
“It will be done,” said the Senashow, bowing his head.
They exchanged a few more words before the queen dismissed him. As he was leaving the room, the queen addressed him saying, “One more thing.”
He paused in the doorway and turned his head back to the queen, who was still wearing a calm look on her face.
“Yes, my queen?”
“On your way out, send servants to come and clean this rug.”
“It will be my pleasure,” he answered. Another slight smile began to creep onto his face as he said, “And the dog that caused the stain?”
The queen replied in a calm and emotionless voice, “He fears that I will take retribution out on his brother, who works in the stables, as I’m sure you are aware.”
“Yes,” replied the Senashow brightly.
“Make sure those fears come to pass.”
“Your will shall be done, your Highness,” he said as he turned and closed the door behind him.