Chapter 8: Story and Stages of Greif
Amy watched as about ten servants of Scourge came in yielding plates and platters of delectable foods. From breads and fruits to an assortment of meats and vegetables. The green hedgehog nodded telling her to get her fill of food.
"Take what you want to eat Rose." stated Scourge, "We eat and then the rest of the crew will eat, followed by the servants."
Amy nodded in a approval as she reached and grabbed a plate adorned with a large cut of honey glazed ham, pineapple, and beans. One of Scourge's servants, a male blue collared servant walked up to Scourge and handed him a plate with the same food Amy had chosen out too, along with setting a glass down and pouring him a glass of cider and a goblet of red wine.
Scourge lifted his goblet asking Amy if she wanted some wine, but she only held her hands up and shook her head, "Sorry I do not drink."
Taking a bite of the ham Amy's eyes lit up, it was very sweet and moist, "This...this is good."
Scourge nodded before turning and cutting his own piece, "Yes, they are the best." Taking a bite and chewing it, the green hedgehog turned back toward Amy. "Well now that we have gotten our food, I think its time for me to tell you whats actually going on, why you are my Chosen slave."
Amy put her fork down eying a glass of cider that a servant sat at her side, taking it in her hand, she took a sip. It was warm and sweet, and had a hint of both berries and apples. It was quite delicious.
Scourge continued his story.
"I have another Chosen Slave, but she... she is on her death bed." A small twinge of sadness was laced in the hedgehogs voice, "She was more than just my servant, but I loved her. Still do."
Amy's eyes narrowed. He was still in love some one but he had her in his possession, but she did not interrupt his story.
"I have had her in my care for nearly two years. She was the light of my world, and for once, I thought I found some one to be my queen. Though I had taken bed with her many times out of desperation, it was not long, till we both started caring for each other, and it was not just me sleeping with her, it was us making love."
Amy internally shook her head.
"The day I was to announce she was going to be my queen, I had found out she was with child. My first Child." Scourge's voice was low now, "I was so happy. The symptoms were apparent and we had gotten a few of the older females in the city to check her out, and she was healthy as could be. Nothing was wrong. Everything was perfect. We were going to be a family of great leaders."
"What happened?"
"We had got into a fight, and I had given her extra privileges, so she could visit any one she wanted to in the city. So she took off." Scourge's ears flattened, "I did not think of it as nothing, besides, I felt foolish for putting stress on her and the baby, so I prepared my room with roses and other things of her liking so I could make her happy again once she returned."
A single tear dropped down his cheek, rolling down and hitting the table below him, "This was a week ago...," said Scourge slowly, "She returned late that night. I had gotten word from Shadow, and I went to meet her, in the court apologies ready and open arms...That is when I found her. Slowly running through the darkened courtyard, I began screaming, as I saw her, collapsed, grasping at the front of her stomach, crying...breathing hard."
The green hedgehog bit his fist turning away, "She...She had been stabbed. She began going into a premature labor."
Amy could feel tears welling up in her own eyes but kept them from pouring as he finished his story.
"We brought her to the medical section of the castle, to where she gave birth...to my first son." Scourge was now choking, "I only put on an outward appearance of being happy, to hide what true pain resides in me. He was a still born...The blade was fatal to him, and now to her. As of right now she still resides in the medical chambers of the castle, on her death bed."
Scourge turned toward Amy with his blue eyes shining from tears, "I chose you to be my chosen to keep others from guessing what happened to her...the woman, who I named, Fiona."
Fiona? Amy's eyes widened, she was here too. Her ears flattened, but not as healthy as the one she knew, according to the story she told.
"I can not stand to bear the fact of what has happened to her, but I can not show any sign of sadness, or remorse in front of my kingdom, they will take me as some one weak and leave me open to a coup or war." Scourge wiped his face, "For now, its only a matter of time before she-"
"YOUR HIGHNESS!" Shadow's loud voice broke through the door, running in Shadow ran to the green hedgehog, "Fiona, she is on her last breaths, and requested for you!"
Scourge gasped, his eyes narrowing as he instantly shot up grabbing Amy's arm, "You are coming with me." He said quickly as all three dashed out of the room, Amy snatching one last piece of ham before they ran out.
Running through the path that lead to the inner castle, and through one of the red carpeted hallways, Scourge, Shadow, and Amy arrived to a huge door with a metal plate with the word "Medical Care" on it. Going through the door, Amy looked toward the back of this large room with beds lined up thought the sides of the walls, and at the end was a large magenta curtain, that was slightly see through, and there was a large bed, with a wooden head board, and foot.
Slowly walking up to the curtain, Scourge pulled it aside, revealing the dark brown fox, with a weak look on her face. A weak smile came across the fox's face as Scourge dropped to his knees next to head of her, tears pouring from his eyes.
"Fiona?" Scourge lipped out as the fox's blue eyes caught Amy.
"N-New slave?" Fiona asked slowly as she curled her finger for Amy to come close, Scourge nodded in approval.
"Yes, she will be the one taking care of me, that is till you get better Fiona." Scourge grabbed the fox's hand, "Then she can become friends with you, and you'll have some one to spend time with and-"
"S-Scourge. You... you know as well as I do... that I will not be alive for...much..." Fiona coughed, "Much longer."
"Do not say such things Fiona, please, you will heal I know smiled once more as Amy keeled next to Scourge.
"You...You seem sweet." stated Fiona, "I...think...he made a good choice." Fiona placed her loose hand on Amy's, "I...I have...a final request..."
"Anything, anything." Scourge stated.
"I...I want her to take my place. Love her, as...as you loved me."
Amy's eyes narrowed, what did she just say? Did she ask?
"I...I..." Amy started to stutter as Scourge looked just as shocked as Amy.
Scourge looked back at Fiona, "But..."
"Its my request Scourge...I have loved you...but...I can't love you...any more..." Scourges face shown that of pure sadness as Fiona turned her head to the side and slowly closed her eyes, seeping out her final and last breath.
Scourge began to wail, "No...No...She can't be dead...She can't..."
Amy stood slowly, "I...I am sorry King Scourge... But there's no way..." The pink hedgehog looked behind her to see if Shadow was still there, but he had already left.
"There's no way, I can fulfill her request... I just can't."
"You just can't?" Scourge's voice was now from being crying to that of a dark, angry rasp, "You just can't?" He turned up from the sheet of his just dead lover, his face wet from tears, but his muzzle was red, and his eyes were narrowed with a look of pure anger.
He stood slowly still looking at Amy, "Her. Last. Request. Was. Made. Clear." Scourge grabbed Amy's wrist yanking her close, "And you just deny it?"
"N-N-No I'm not saying that, I just."
Scourge still with daggers in his eyes, snatched Amy along roughly. "I would do ANYTHING to have her back the way she way, before you came along, before Any of this happened!" yelled the green hedgehog, "But you know, that's not whats going to happen, you know whats going to happen?"
Amy didn't dare ask as he pulled her through the door, "I'm going to teach you a new lesson."
"WHAT?!" Amy screamed out, "I DIDN'T DO A THING!"
The pink hedgehog screamed right before, doing something she knew she was going to regret. She kneed him, right between the legs, before taking off through the castle, her goal, keep away from the raging green hedgehog. It was now time for a fatal game of hide and go seek.
She knew, if she was found by him, there would not be a safe zone, there would NOT be a base.
