Insurrection

I covered my hand to whisper, “This Hand Talking…” I thought back to Lady Hen using it, she looked so happy to see me trying to understand it. I gritted my teeth, “Outlaw it.”

The ground shook. Bubbles did not mention that I’d requested it, “Within Dragontown, the sacrilege of Hand Talking is to be punished by the faith. The only need for a code of this sorts would be by criminals or traitors.”

I slowly passed over the bridge. I was surprised, for when I was halfway across, I noticed Lady Hen beside me. Falcon was cradled in her arms and she was going opposite me. “Where are you going?” I asked her.

She glared at me and touched her cheek once. She dragged her thumb across her teeth.

“Why?” I asked her.

“I thought you were my friend more than hers.” She looked down at her child. “I thought you loved him.”

I reached toward the infant and his mother pulled him away. “I do love him.” She hurried her pace across the rest of the bridge, her steps almost careless, yet safe. The shoes around her feet didn’t fit. I shook my head, she’d stolen a pair from me.

“I don’t hate you…” I whispered as she disappeared into the distance.

By the time I got inside, I could barely take my shoes off. They were melted and ruined. I was lucky they didn’t burn through to my foot. I held one in my hand and I hurled it out my door. It bounced aimlessly toward the river. I sent the other after it. I made a bath for myself.

Bubbles voice rippled in the water around me, “Are you going to punish her?”

“I don’t want to,” I shook my head, “I don’t even know why she’s angry. Bubbles, what have I done?”

“You’ve only ever been good.”

“They were using Hand Talking to say terrible things about you,” I dunked my hair into the water, “and now me.”

“If you don’t want to punish Lady Hen, I will.” Bubbles said more firmly.

I shook my head, “It would be more a punishment to her son. He didn’t…”

“He would be yours. You would be the best for him.” Bubbles’ voice echoed far, just as it always did, “Lady Hen is to be found at once and returned to the palace on suspicion of treason. Her child must be unharmed.”

I redressed myself and grabbed my scepter. She can’t have gotten far, and I needed to be ready for her to be carried here. If I met her in person, I could pardon her before Bubbles said anything else. Lady Hen had betrayed me, and I didn’t doubt myself for a second. I stood just inside the palace such that my feet remained on the cobbles and I looked out longingly. I hoped this would be fast.

I looked across the river. The faithful gathered outside of the bedhouse. They looked up to Madame Piff for instructions. She looked out the window of her tower toward somebody else. Mr. Sky was wandering through the town. Madame Piff did not use words with him, but her hands. Through her window, I caught a glimpse of Lady Hen sitting quietly. I sighed in relief, Madame Piff wasn’t planning to give her up.

Mr. Sky approached the half-dozen faithful outside of the bedhouse. He began speaking with them, I couldn’t make out the words. “Is it a negotiation?” I asked into the sky above me.

“Small-talk…” Bubbles answered quizzically. Mr. Sky was stalling. Mr. Love and Mr. Brick emerged from some of the other homes. And finally five more. They slowly surrounded the faithful. Mr. Sky shoved Elsie. A push turned into a scuffle, they were yelling wildly. Madame Piff looked at me out her window. She dragged her thumb across her teeth.

I picked myself up and ran to the broken bridge. I needed to stop them. The faithful would listen to me. But, by the time I reached the bridge, the faithful had been tackled or apprehended. Two were fought back to the edge of the river. Bertha and Mr. Terrace chose drowning over capture.

Mr. Sky dragged Elsie toward the river as she kept struggling against them. I raced across the bridge, and stopped, breathing heavily on the opposite riverbank. “Halt! You can’t be doing this!” I hadn’t even noticed the bridge creaking and trembling.

Madame Piff glanced down, “And, why is that, Fawn?” She called me by no title, “The faithful are crippled or dead.”

“You are the leader of the faithful!” I yelled to her.

“Apparently, I am,” she smiled, “do you regret that?”

Mack ran down the side of the riverbank yelling, “Elsie! Elsie!” Daisy stumbled behind him. She hopped as her bare feet hissed against the ground. Elsie only used the commotion to tear herself away from Mr. Sky. She sprinted past me.

“Come, Your Majesty! To the safety over the river!” As her weight reached the top of the broken bridge, it groaned. It creaked, then the stones gave out. The bridge splintered and Elsie tumbled down into the river. The falling stones splashed acid across the riverbank. I fell to my knees as it slashed across my back like a knife.

As I forced myself to look up, I saw half of Dragontown on their knees. Mr. Sky had been splashed in the eye. Mr. Brick’s hands were covered. Mack and Daisy were too far. The only one standing was Daisy herself, her eyes wide in the direction of the fallen bridge. She muttered, then screamed, “Swim! Mama, swim!” She tried running toward the riverbank, but Mack pulled her back. I saw Lady Hen through the window. She watched Daisy sadly, her hand over her mouth.

Mr. Sky gritted his teeth. He put his hand to his eye, blood dripping from the burnt socket. Then, he stumbled over to me. His fingers clenched around my wrist, “This is done.”

I blinked, “I came here to help you…” I slowly caught my breath. There was the collapsed bridge, the last of its remnants sinking, never to be seen again. There was no more way across. The palace may as well have drowned with the crossing. My bed, my bath, my tea.

“You serve the dragon,” Mr. Sky pulled me closer to the river, “join her for all I care. Do you have anything to say, citizen?”

“I am no civilian!” I yelled. He rolled his eyes.

Mr. Sky stomped against the ground, “Your puppet show ends here, Beast!”

“Go ahead if you will. Throw her in, it won’t change anything. I’ll even enjoy it But…” The river rippled as Bubbles’ voice shook the ground. “There is one thing I have not told you, and it would be unfair for me not to at this point.”

“What?” Mr. Brick scoffed.

Bubbles laughed, “If the princess is happy on the last day- the very last. She will be allowed to choose two people, not herself, and those two will be permitted to leave… unscathed. If she is blemished or otherwise unpleased. We can’t have that, can we?”

“She’s lying…” Mr. Sky shook his head.

“Maybe,” Bubbles admitted, “But, I’ve listened to you playing with those cards many times. You’re a gambling man, Mr. Sky. You have nothing to lose.” His grip on my wrist loosened.