Chapter7.

Standing in front of the castle gate Lessie shouted,

“Hello! Anybody in there? I need help! What is this anyway! Please, anyone here?”

There was silence. She tried again,

“Please someone! I’m cold and I’m shivering. I need to rest for a few days, or even a few hours only. Please!”

Again there was no response. The coat and the brown sweater that she took from the house earlier were not enough to keep her warm. The freezing air was turning her cheeks rosy. Her fingers were getting numb and her breathing getting heavier. 

Then, slowly the door creaked open and there was a man in a brown robe. His face was covered in a big brown hood. Lessie tried to peak to have a look at his face. But she saw was total darkness. An uneasy feeling swept through her body. Then he spoke,

“Welcome my dear! We have been expecting you. Do come in.”

Almost without hesitation, she stepped into the compound of the castle, walked to a smaller gate of a building in the compound, and again walked in after the gate opened on its own.

She came to a big hall everything was in white. It was a long hall with an adjoining passage to another hall . The dining table was a long table with benches on both sides of the table.

Right at the end of the second dining room, was a white throne on a raised dais. The throne was big – very big, and the back was as high as two meters, although the seat itself was of normal size. 

On the throne, there sat a beautiful woman. 

“Ha!” thought Lessie. “This is a nice change! Someone beautiful to look at! What a change after that horrible and ugly snake!!” she smilingly said to herself.

The beautiful woman was in an even more beautiful white robe. Her platinum hair matched the colour of the robe. She sat on the majestic throne, not saying a word, just watching and glaring at Lessie. If she wanted to, she could melt the ice with her stare, and Lessie was beginning to feel the effect of this evil woman’s eyes!

Indeed she looked so arrogant and proud. Inspite of her beauty, she still managed to send shivers down Lessie’s spine. The cruel look continued for some seconds again. 

“Ha little girl! You poor thing! You must be very hungry! Let me serve you with good food and warm clothing.”

Lessie was relieved with the words coming from the Queen, or at least that was what she thought.

“Oh, thank you your highness. That is very kind of you indeed!”, Lessie said.

The woman on the throne leaned forward, leaning her right arm on the arm-rest and snarled,

“Oh shut up you stupid fool! Don’t thank me!”

“What?” Lessie answered, totally shocked and stunned at the sudden switch in character of this queen and the totally unexpected harsh words. 

She looked at the woman on the throne with her mouth wide opened and more words failed to come out of her mouth.

Impatiently, the woman added,

“Oh-nothing..I was talking to my slave not you. Come, quick, follow me and I’ll take you to a smaller dining room. This hall is too big for a little girl like you! I will also show you a room where you can rest.”

Soon she was seated at a dining table with all the good food that she could imagine for her to have. It had been a long day and she was starving. So without waiting for an invitation, she started to enjoy one of the best meals she had ever had!

So full was she that soon she was beginning to feel sleepy. Her eyes were getting heavier and Lessie was nodding off into a deep sleep after all the excitement she had had the whole day.

Shaking her head vigorously, she decided to retire to the room that was earlier shown to her by the Queen.

Dragging her feet, she was climbing the stairs to the room. She could not wait to change into a set of clean warm clothes and grab some shut eyes! Yes, she was totally exhausted!

Reaching the door to her room, she pushed it open, and, again, could not believe what she saw in the room.

The same feeling of fear, anxiety and yet curiosity filled her body. 

“Oh no! Not again!” Instinctively, she grabbed the brown sweater round her neck and wrapped it round herself even tighter and held it tight, as if looking for support or comfort!