The Crimson Cake by Margaret Leora Workman; Warponie Art

The Crimson Cake by Margaret Leora Workman; Warponie Art
Chapter one The bracelet
There was once a queen who needed a husband so that her family line could go on.
One day she saw a knight ride by, and she had an idea that she could find a knight to marry instead of one of the other Kings from one of the other kingdoms. She wanted someone who knew about the people in the villages. She wanted a knight who would think of others before himself so that her kingdom could be successful. She thought a knight would know all of these things because they were trained to fight and protect the society around them. She walked back to the castle while she was thinking of these situations. The knight who had ridden by came back on his horse and asked if she would like to ride back to the castle with him, but she told him that she could not because it would be inappropriate since she was not married to him. She had worn regular clothes that day, so he did not know who she was. He lectured her about her response and that she should have been more kind in how she turned him down. She explained who she was, but he did not believe her, and he said that he did not recognize her. She knew that she needed to get back to the castle very soon because it was getting dark. She let the knight see her bracelet which would prove who she was but again he did not believe her and accused her of thievery. She started walking away from him, but he started yelling at her about her assuming the identity of the queen. Soon another knight rode up and they both tied her hands with ropes and made her walk behind them while they rode their horses back to the jail of the castle. They threw her into the outer cell that was outside made for the worst offenders in the land. She stayed in the cell for three days. She tried to talk to everyone who had ridden by to tell them who she was, but no one would listen. Finally, a man from town who she had seen before and talked to, happened to walk by. She recognized him and yelled for him at once. She realized that he was younger than she had thought. He hurriedly ran over to the cell. She told him what had happened and asked if he could kindly find the friar of the church and tell him what was happening. She knew that he would be the only one who could approach the cell that was outside. She told him that she could give an apprenticeship to him with the church to be under the friar. He was very excited. He could not speak very well as his tongue was swollen but he said that he would run and find him. Several hours later as it was becoming twilight, she saw a horse that had a blue and mauve ribboned blanket on it with a saddle on top ride up to the cell and a tall man jumped down along with the man from town. He had a robe on. She smiled imploringly at him and asked if he could help her. He stated that Her father and his helper had been asking around wondering where she was. She told him that she had had a bracelet to prove who she was but the knights who put her into the jail took it from her. She described it to him, and he agreed that she was the queen. She also talked to him about many of the times that she had sent for him for the church gatherings so that he could lead them in prayer. He motioned to the watcher to let her out. He came over and unlocked the cell. She thanked the man from town who had gotten the friar. She explained to the friar who he was and that she had promised him an apprenticeship under him. She said that she was willing to pay the friar for his time and pay the small wage for the apprenticeship as well. The friar smiled but also seemed bothered about this agreement because he had not been asked. She said that she had to be able to get out of the cell and she needed something important to give to him. He finally agreed. She asked if the friar would give him the instructions that needed to be given and where he would be living as well. The friar asked for him to meet the next day and he would explain it to him then. The queen explained that since she was paying for this situation that she needed to be there as well. The friar seemed to feel uneasy about the situation. The queen explained that she has seen this man in town many times and he was always working small jobs in the town square for many people. She said that she knew that he was homeless but very trustworthy in these situations that she had already observed. He seemed relieved and they all walked over to the home of the friar. The friar showed him to the small room where he could stay, it was separate from the home of the friar. He told the queen and the friar that he was very happy to have this opportunity. The queen liked him very much. She thought that he was a very genuine person and would be a very good apprentice. The friar helped the queen to walk into the palace so that no one would ask who she was since she did not have her normal attire on. Her father came over to her and embraced her but seemed very reserved with her. She looked past him and saw the two knights who had put her into the cell sitting and laughing together at one of the round tables. She looked at both of them and they stopped laughing. They both sneered at her. They were very cruel men who did not follow any of the laws that the kingdom had set up so that everyone could live in peace. She asked her father why he was being so reserved with her. He stated that he did not recognize her without her correct attire on. She looked at his helper and he smiled and said, “Of course we know it is you, Anna Sarah!” The friar stated that she had passed all of his questions and did prove what the queen’s bracelet looked like. Anna Sarah explained to her father what had happened and that both of the knights who were sitting at the round table had taken her bracelet and did not believe who she was. She had shown it to them but instead they tied a rope around her and led her into a cell. He seemed very angered but also confused. They had stated to her father that the woman who they had found was assuming the identity of his daughter and they were sure that she had been killed by this woman who was homeless and needed money and had taken the bracelet. She told him that that was a completely absurd story. She was proving right then that she was his daughter. He told her that she seemed so thin and that his daughter had been larger. She stated that she had not eaten for three days in the cell and had lost some weight but still looked the same. He finally agreed that it was her. She walked over to the men sitting at the table and explained to them that she really is the queen. They both laughed at her and disagreed. She stated again that she was the queen and threw her open palm right onto his brazen cheek. He winced and she slapped the other side of his face. He gasped and covered his face with his hand. The other man who had helped to tie her up stared at her and did not know what to say. She turned to him and slapped him on both sides of the face as well. He cried with his friend while they were sitting at the round table. Her father stayed by his helper and his helper announced the queen’s arrival.

Chapter 2 Clock Tower Bell
Anna Sarah saw that twilight was upon them as she looked outside from the door of the large, cozy room. Everyone was dressed in their wigs and top hats and had been laughing and talking mysteriously with each other all night. Was there a secret that was being kept from her? The two knights kept talking to each other and then again, they were sneering, unapologetically, at her. She remembered that the tall blonde knight had been annoyed with her every move, kept taunting her while she had been falsely accused of assuming her own identity. He pretended to not know who she was and told her that he wanted to keep her locked up for the rest of her life and that he was going to tell the King that she had died mysteriously. She had been very afraid of him and began to hate him and the other knight with all of her being. She had wondered if she would be left in that jail to die alone. She was afraid now of how she was being treated by them and hoped that their presence would vanish soon. She walked over to the area that the King was sitting in so that she could talk to him about their behavior. His helper looked in her direction in distaste as she walked closer to him and the king. She remembered that he always treated her in this way, but it seemed more devastating now. She was wondering what had happened in the kingdom during the time that she had been locked away. The people in this room had always been ready to help and to speak with her about everything. Now their attitudes seemed very different. She wondered if the situation would change and if so, she wondered to herself how long would it be until she could have pleasant conversations with them again. The clock tower bell rang to let people know that it was now five o’clock in the morning. Time to be out of their houses and to start working. She did not like how the king referred to the people as serfs. He explained to her that he had to have a name for them so that they would know who they were and who he was. She could not make any decisions or change any circumstances for them, but she wished that she could. She always had to pleasantly disagree with her father the King and his helper, and she wished for a change. She wished in her mind to have a different position besides being the queen, but didn’t want to leave the kingdom. She was always instructed to be here for her father because he needed her and that is what he always told her. Now she was very worried because he had not recognized her, had she changed so much? She had become queen because her father needed her to have more authority than a princess so that when he met with parties from other countries, she could be allowed in the room to know about all of the present and future plans for the kingdom. When her mother was alive, she had never wanted that responsibility. She did not want to know about kingdom alliances or wars of any sort. Her mother had only liked collecting beautiful sparkling shoes and lace dresses with ribbons stitched and embroidered upon each train. Anna Sarah had received two names and was given more authority and responsibility than her mother had. Her mother tragically passed away when she was twelve. She was told by the friar one night after he came to her room to let her know of the kingdom news. Her father was standing outside her door when she ran out of the room. He agreed with the friar that her mother had passed away because of heart trouble. She then was raised by her father, his helper and the friar. The friar had always been displeased by her presence because he had been secretly in love with her mother. She had always taken care of her father, who occasionally drank too much at dinner and at parties.

Chapter 3 When I Get Back
Anna Sarah decided to walk down the long corridor to her room. She wondered if everything was still in its place. She thought it strange that her own father seemed to not know her and that she had to prove that she was the queen. She became worried about all of her dresses and shoes and her small figurines that had brought her comfort growing up. She and her mother had placed in all of the correct places before she had passed away. they were always dusted by the maids each day. She thought about her fireplace that also comforted her that was across from her four-post bed in her room. When it was lit it threw light into all of the dark corners and made the shadows disappear. She passed through the large emerald doorway and then turned right down the adjacent hallway. Her door was the first one on the right. She looked at her large wooden door and noticed that the door was open and she could see the color of the wood that surrounded the fireplace was now brown, it looked like the color had been stripped away. She ran to open her door to see what else was missing or destroyed. Suddenly, the man who had brought the friar to her appeared behind her door. He had been waiting for her. He had court jester clothes on, and she wondered why. She had wanted to make sure that his job with the friar was in place. She became worried that something bad was now happening. With a nervous smile he spoke earnestly to her, “Don’t be worried, I am here to help you.” She looked at him and felt dread spread to every corner of her mind. He looked towards her room and so she did as well. She stood in the doorway and saw that all of her things that she had collected her whole life were taken. The room was bare, and all of the color had been stripped from the walls and new wood panels had been placed over her old walls. The room still had the four-post bed, but different curtains hung about the poles. A different bed spread covered the mattress. The fireplace mantel now had bare wood, and all of her beloved treasures were wiped away. She looked at the man who was dressed in his suit and asked him in worry and fear where had all of her belongings gone? He looked at her with sadness and said, “I am not sure, but I am here to help you. This place is not safe for you now and I don’t know all of the answers. The friar has given me this dress for you to change into. We have to go immediately, and I have to take you out of the castle. I will wait for you outside of the door, please hurry.” Anna Sarah was full of grief and confusion. She looked at the clothes and was surprised that they looked like the clothes that the kitchen maids always wore. She hurriedly changed into them. She did not think that she could order this man to bring her to the king now because her father had allowed this to happen to her. She went to the doorway of her room that she had always come in and out of. She wondered why she had to leave it right away with no preparation. She was the queen! He was still standing at her door when she opened it, and he gave her a smile of grief when he looked at her. She was relieved that he was there. He said, “Ok, you will have to remove all of the ribbons from your hair and place your bracelet inside of your shirt. I will tell the friar that you did not have it and that it must have fallen off somewhere.” She knew right then that the friar, who had favored her mother, was against her. He helped her to remove all of her ribbons and then said, “Ok, we need to go downstairs to walk out through the kitchen. Hurry let us go!” They ran down the stairs that were at the end of the hall. One of the men from the kitchen started walking up the stairs and blocked them from leaving. The man said, “Hello sir! we just came from up stairs and all of the rooms are completely done, no need for anyone else to go up! That is what they said.” He smiled at the old man and turned him around and made him climb back down the stairs. “Now stay in your room and rest, they will come to get you when you are needed.” He shuffled the old man into his room and shut the door. The old man looked confused but grateful to finally rest. The man took Anna’s hand and announced to the kitchen staff in an excited way, ” I am taking Shurley outside for a walk!” They all stated in unison, “We don’t care!” and then laughed at him. Anna had wished that she had been able to know the kitchen staff as friends. She put that on her list of things to do when she got back.

Chapter 4 The dead tree
Anna Sarah found herself making more and more of the cakes that the old woman liked. When she had gotten to the cottage the old woman had been unable to get out of bed but now, since she had been making these cakes out of whatever she could find with the small amount of flour that she could buy, the woman had become stronger and happier. She hated making these cakes and all of the other tedious chores that she had to do in town and at the cottage. When Anna Sarah had gotten to the cottage the old woman had told her what she had to do every day. Scoop out the fountain from all of the mud that was always placed there at night by unknown creatures. Spray all of the flowers and plants around the cottage so that they will not die. Ride the woman’s horse so that it would not receive a disease and die. Collect all of the ants from the surrounding trees for the woman’s soups that she made for other people. Forage for plants for the people in the nearest town who would only stay in the town because they were too afraid of entering the forest. She had to watch the daily entertainment of the jester who had helped her to escape the castle, which she was still angry about. He had many friends who would laugh and sing and juggle with him in the middle of the town. They played pretend games of fighting as if he were a knight to show the people of the town what it was like to be a knight. He had earned that position after he had worked for the friar. He had become very popular. He really liked the cakes that she had made and would sell them at his daily shows. She knew the money would be sent to her father for his crimes even while he was still a king. It had been a year since she had ridden on that horse with him to get to this town that was very far from the castle that had been her home her whole life. The jester had to find the cottage from the directions that had been written by the friar. Anna Sarah wondered if her father thought about her because she had not been able to talk to him, and he had not visited her. The old woman was very harsh when Anna Sarah had gotten there because they had gotten to her cottage very late at night. She spoke of a giant who had been looking through her window for several hours, so she was not able to sleep. She described his huge white eyeball with very large red veins as being as large as her window. The Jester had to leave Anna Sarah with the woman that night to ride into town to stay at the boarding house. She was wondering about the jester whose name was Tim, but she always just called him jester. He had told her that he did not want anyone to know his real name. Sometimes he would appear next to her when she was gathering things from the forest. She had gotten used to him being able to be invisible when he chose to be. He had explained to Anna Sarah that it had been this way for him since birth, and he had learned how to use this gift but also hide this from other people as well. Sometimes Anna Sarah had been angry with him because he wasn’t honest with her about situations that he was part of. She wanted to be his friend and to help but he would not allow that so she decided that she could only be a make-shift friend to him, only for a short time. The old woman was still sleeping very soundly in the only bed in the tiny, one room cottage. Anna Sarah had found an old dead tree one day that had been rotting for a very long time lying next to a stream. She wanted to find a new way to town that could be shorter than the long way she had taken for half of a year. She saw the tree and thought that it could fit through the door of the cottage so that she could have some privacy in the cottage. She talked to the jester that day when she finally made it to town because she had gotten lost. He seemed worried about his performance that day, but she asked him for help despite his worry.