Key To A Goblin's Heart

Cassadrei's POV

"Magnus is missing!" Victoria exclaimed. 

What? Where did he go? I could feel an unknown dread creeping into my mind as I heard Victoria frantically describing what she saw when she went to deliver breakfast. Maland listened quietly, his face was pulled into a grimace the more he listened to Victoria speak. My mother, on the other hand, bore an inexplicable reaction….there was something that she wasn't telling me. 

I didn't want to think about it, but I had to. The inevitable has happened, Magnus has finally escaped his captivity! I shuddered to think what that implies. Is he waiting for us somewhere, hidden on this island? Is he waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack?

"Are you sure he's not there?" Maland frowned, "This is impossible! He can't have escaped….that place won't allow him to use any magic! Maybe, he's lurking there somewhere, maybe you haven't checked properly. Let me go and see."

"There's no need." Victoria said breathlessly, "I have checked the whole prison, he's gone. The cell is empty! And, I don't think he has escaped."

The frown on Maland's face deepened.

"What do you mean? If he hasn't escaped, where is he then?"

Victoria bit her lips and then carefully said, "I think someone did something to him. He...he was hated by everyone on this island, is it too improbable to think that he has been harmed? His prison is hardly guarded at night, anyone might have accessed it and done something to him!"

Maland looked a bit tensed, yet he said, "I don't think that's possible. People here are scared of him, Victoria. I don't think anyone has the guts to sneak into the prison and try to harm Magnus. He had a commendable reputation, and there are things that he can do...which are often inexplicable. I don't think anyone would take the chance."

"I don't mean the Goblin residents of this island." Victoria said slowly, "I mean someone among us might have harmed him."

A wave of shock passed over Maland's face. I was surprised to hear her accusations too, I wondered what made her come to this stupendous conclusion! I looked at my mother, whose face now bore a rigid expression. 

"What do you mean to say, girl?" Mother said gravely, "Are you implying that we are cowards? Magnus was our Prisoner, and I am the Queen! If I wanted to punish him, I could do that right in front of everyone, why should I resort to dubious means? And even if someone has killed him, I think they did us a great favour! Good riddance, indeed."

I was surprised to hear the contempt in my mother's voice. Usually, she seemed way too impressed with everything Victoria ever did. Why was she behaving so strangely now?

Victoria met her eyes with a burning ferocity. I had never seen anyone looking at my mother like that, I had always thought that even her superiors feared my mother. However, here Victoria was, blissfully oblivious of the bindings of hierarchy. 

"I didn't even blame you, yet you are coming up with explanations! Huh, Dear Majesty...tell me what have you done to Magnus?" Victoria said fiercely. 

"Victoria! Dear Lord! You are not supposed to talk to Her Majesty in that tone!" Maland said horrified, as he rushed to pull Victoria away. 

Victoria resisted him, all the while fixating her gaze upon my mother.

"I know there's something that you are hiding." She said, "Magnus knew about it. So, you decided to kill him to keep his mouth shut. Tell me, am I wrong?"

My Mother shook with rage, and I could see her clenching her fists as she approached Victoria menacingly. 

"You DO NOT dare to talk to me like that! I am the Queen and you are a mere street urchin! How dare you accuse me of stuff you have no bloody idea about?" She roared. 

I had never heard my mother swear and I had never seen her so angry before. I quickly rushed to Victoria's side, helping Maland to pull her away before my Mother's wrath befell her. It won't be surprising if they started a duel now. 

Victoria looked surprisingly calm though, and continued to stare at my mother defiantly. 

"I had heard what you said to Magnus the other day. I know your secret, and trust me I am no fool like him. If you try to do anything to me, I swear I would make sure your secret is revealed in front of everyone here."

Mother stopped in her track, still shaking with fury but her eyes crooked a bit. She seemed to be rethinking her decision and suddenly she looked very tired. 

Father came forward and held her hand. As he spoke, I could hear a calm fury in his voice.

"What did you do, Iphigenia? Tell me the truth." He said. 

Mother looked at him with astonishment. 

"You...you trust that girl more than me, Rathaerys! How could you?" She moaned. 

Father replied, his voice an edge of steel, "I know and understand you well enough to see through your deceptions. And this time, I feel Victoria is right. You did something, Iphigenia, something you are not very proud of and you don't want us to know of it. Tell us, where is Magnus?"

Mother shook her hand free of my Father's and braced herself. I had absolutely no idea what was going on and how to react to it. So, I searched for Michael, looking at his confused face gave a slight relief that I was not the only one. 

It was Sofosys who finally spoke. His voice was ragged and very very tired. 

"I am sorry, Your Majesty...but I can no longer keep quiet. If you wish to behead me for it, it's your choice. But, I must reveal the truth."

Father turned towards the Magi and looked at him gently. 

"You need not fear any repercussions." He said, "Tell the truth, whatever it is we'll bear it."

Sofosys said everything. How my Mother had used Dark Magic to imprison Magnus inside the little dark ruby and had forfeited her soul in the process. Mother looked at Sofosys stonily as he narrated everything in a single breath. 

I could feel the ground shake beneath my feet, or was it just my whole body? I suddenly felt very light, and clutched Michael's hand to steady myself. He looked worried but he let me take his hand. I didn't want to believe a single word Sofosys was saying, it must be terrible nightmare and I was waiting for the moment that I finally wake up. It never came. My whole life has been turned into a giant nightmare instead. 

"You devious woman!" Victoria shouted, "You call yourself the Queen, so tell me where is your justice? Is it justice to apply dark magic on a defenceless prisoner? Is it even humane to curse anyone to a lifetime of torture and imprisonment?"

"It is when the person in question is a terrible criminal!" Mother roared, "If only you had known the atrocities committed by Magnus, you would not have been so sympathetic towards him."

"Still, it was wrong." I finally spoke, unable to keep quiet any longer, "Mother, I understand all your sentiments regarding Magnus, trust me no one understands them more than I. But still, it doesn't justify what you have done. You could have set up a trial and publicly executed him, that would atleast have been lawful. How could you resort to something as terrible as Dark Magic? Aren't we supposed to be better than him?"

"Now, you are questioning my decision?" Mother said viciously, "My own blood! How dare you? I carried you in my own womb, raised you with everything I had and now you betray me like this! First my husband and now my daughter! Oh dear lord, what have I ever done to deserve this?"

"You are mistaken, Iphigenia." Father tried to explain in an uncharacteristically cool voice, "We are not against you but you can't expect us to accept what you have done. What you did was a grave sin! I really hope to God that you receive salvation, but don't count on me for support if you don't wish to revert your actions."

"Revert? Even if I had the option, I would never do it! I did what was right!" Mother replied stubbornly. 

"For all that it matters, I agree with Her Majesty." Maland suddenly said, "I don't understand why are we all empathizing with the plight of someone who destroyed our homeland? Didn't you all know what he was capable of? He deserved what he got!"

"Maland!" Victoria said, horrified, "How can you be so blind in your devotion towards the Queen? Can't you see what she did? It's not any ordinary punishment that he has received, its freaking Dark Magic! Weren't you the one who told me never to trust those people who meddled with the dark stuff?"

"This is different." Maland murmured. 

"Why? Because she's a Queen, she gets away with anything?" Victoria shot. 

"I agree with her." I said, "Mother, how could you? You should atleast have consulted us before taking such a stupid step!"

"Enough!" Mother roared, "I am not going to stand here and listen to the ravings of mad people. I have a Kingdom to save, so I am going now. I don't have to explain anything to you all. Sofosys will not accompany me, and Cassadrei if you want you can still come."

"No, thank you." I said in a small voice, "I think I will stay too."

Mother glared at me one last time, then flaring her gown magnificently, she left to transport herself back to Mafhaelore.