The Names Of The Queen

My name is Pandora. And Lillith. And Quinalyn. It depends on which point of my life you knew me in. My name given to me by my birth mother was Pandora. I was her gift to the world, to our city. And then… then a selfish man took it all from us.

I was raised to be queen of our glorious city of Anumati. Anumati is a kingdom made of silver, and it is exquisite in the moonlight. We held small feasts out in the open courtyard- inviting one sector of the city each of the three nights. During the Blue Moon, there is the Blue Moon festival, where we dance, sing, and of course, eat. 

My twenty-first birthday fell upon one of the Blue Moons. That night my mother decided to leave our world and join the next. It was a mournful yet so happy occasion. My mother chose to drink her death, like most of the Queens in our history. After she was pronounced dead Sebastian, the grand counselor, removed her crown from her head and placed it upon mine. That night was the night I officially was coronated. That was also the night my kingdom turned to ruins because of him.

 I remember the shouts as the arrow crossed my face and hit Sebastian in his heart. More arrows flew fast and killed every guard around me. I then felt myself being hoisted over a man’s shoulder. My crown fell and the last thing I remember is the shine of the silver and the sparkle of the deep blue stones in the moonlight before everything went black.   

His name is Amon, but I only knew him as Master. I became his slave. Being forced to do things a future queen should never have to do for a man. But he was no man. He was a boy only thinking he was a man because of the things he did. The sins he committed. His false pride caused his greed and me- I created his lust. Our kingdom created his wrath. Amon was envious of our only sin, gluttony, and he wanted to destroy us. 

And he got his way. He took me, removing me from my throne. With no others to rule our kingdom, it fell to ruins. He was pure evil I swear. He chained me to the wall of a locked room in his basement. I knew we were still somewhere inside the city, probably in the Stone Sector, based on the walls. There were no windows in the room so I based my days on meals and his visits. 

Amon’s visits were the worst. He forced his half-drunk self upon me. Those nights were atrocious, feeling his heavy body on top of me, his breath smelling of the cheap alcohol I never dared to taste till his mouth was on mine. The first three times he came I fought until he would leave and come back only moments later but with a sedative. He would inject it into me, just enough where my mind was foggy but I would still be reactive to him. 

Within 103 days after my capture, I was able to convince Amon that I loved him and would never leave. He unchained me as a first step. Four days later he bought blond hair dye and green contacts for me. He told me I would be allowed in the house only if I dyed my hair and wore the contacts. So I bleached and dyed my pitch-black hair blond and covered up my zircon colored eyes with the contacts. 

“You’re aren’t as beautiful as you was,” were the first words I remember him saying after. I stared at my reflection. I was looking at a stranger. The blond hair and green eyes made me look like a summer day. Least he didn’t make me cut my waist-length hair. When visitors came by he referred to me as Lillith. He said it was his grandmother’s name. Three weeks later I made my escape. 

It was a night when he was drunk off his ass. As always Amon would rape me- in my time there I realized that was the only time he could get it up. I stayed stone-faced just ready for it to be over with- just planning the rest of the night. After he finished he laid next to me fondling my breast. 

“Make a drink Li,” his voice came out breathless, unsure. I could tell he was sobering up- just a little. 

“Yes, Master,” I answered him my eyes cast downward. I took my chance, I made his beverage, laced with the sedatives he’d once used on me. He’d at least blackout, but perhaps it would kill him. Honestly, I hoped it would kill him. He deserved worse. He deserved the ending of the last king we had. A guillotine would have served well. But no time, I needed to return to my throne.

He drank it deeply, and after about thirty minutes he passed out. I grabbed the small hand mirror from the room he gave me and checked if he was breathing. He wasn’t. He wasn’t going to try to take me ever again. I dressed in the dress I went missing in and left. I went out of the front door not bothering to close it. 

Stepping outside I realized I was wrong. He did not live in the Stone Sector. He lived outside the cities gates. Of course. He was a criminal. But how could he have gotten into the city? I looked around and saw that I was mere yards from the city's gates. 

I walked up to the gleaming gates and looked up to the posts. A single guard was atop the post on the right. 

“Help! Help! Please!” I screamed. He looked down. He looked unsure.

“Please!” I pleaded. He looked around then lowered a rope ladder down. He climbed down. I could see his hand on his gun. 

“What’s going on?” His eyes dipped over my dress. It was the same one I wore when I was taken. “Who are you?” 

“I am Que--,” I think for a second. I still wasn't safe. If anyone out here knew the truth they could kill this guard and take me for themselves. “My name is Quinalyn,” I use the name of my mother. 

“I was taken the same night of the festival with princ- Queen Pandora. I need to get back to the palace so I may speak with the Head Officer so we might save her.” He looked at me strangely. He gulped. He knew he’d be charged with treason if he didn’t help me and I turned out to know something… He also knows he’d be charged with treason if I didn’t. 

“No one other than the Queen went missing that nig--” Realization hits him. Hard. he goes to bow and I grab his shoulder.

“No,” I growl. He shakes his head and motions to the ladder. I climb up and he follows behind. When we reached the top, he pulled the ladder up. 

“I’m sorry, my Queen, I- I didn’t recognize you down there. I gave him a look and said, “That was the point of him doing it.” 

We make it back to the castle just as the first rays started showing, giving the gates a false golden look. I lead him to the throne room. My crown is sitting on a pillowed pedestal next to the throne. 

“Find the new Grand Counselor, tell them I’m back. The people need to know their Queen is back.”