Through The Mirror by Juniper Grimm (best book clubs TXT) 📕

There once was a girl
With eyes of silver
Hair of bronze
And a burning heart
She fell asleep
Awakening to find herself
In a hall of mirrors
With no way out
She turned slowly
Observing her reflection
Slightly distorted
Equally altered
In each sheet of glass
Until, in the final mirror,
Her reflection diappeared
She reached out
Placing her palm gently
On the cold, flat surface
And watched it shatter
Tinkling lightly on the ground
She looked down the dark passage
And carefully, quietly,
She stepped out
Vanishing through the mirror

Once upon a time there lived a happy royal family. The family consisted of three young princesses, one young prince, a Queen and a King. The children were all unique, but loved each other and their parents.
One fateful day, long after their parents had separated, the children were informed by some castle guards that they were to move into their father's new castle. This was not a big deal to the young heirs, because they were used to staying with their father, the King, and he moved to new castles quite frequently. What the royal children did not realize at first was that this new castle also held a new queen, who could also have been titled as their new step mother.
The eldest princess, who was barely 13 years of age, had long been wary of the woman who was now the new queen. Her father had been courting this woman, but the eldest princess had never been able to become aquainted with her personally, so the princess knew nothing of her character. The princess was also well aware of the cliched dangers of having a step mother. She had quite frequently heard her friends refer to their step mothers as evil.
As the eldest princess prepared herself to meet the new queen, she couldn't help but wonder what her younger siblings were feeling. During the long carriage ride to their new home, she took the opportunity to discover her siblings thoughts on the matter, which weighed heavily on her own mind. She was prepared to comfort the children and reassure them that everything would be ok.
She approached the youngest princess first, who was only 6 years of age, and asked her, "Princess, do you not worry whether the new queen will like us?"
The youngest princess answered sweetly, "Father told me that she has many pets, and you know how I love animals."
The eldest princess did not feel satisfied by the answer, but felt that since her sister was so young she should pester her no further on the subject. Instead, she decided to question her younger brother.
"Prince, do you not worry whether the new queen will be acceptable?"
The young prince, who was 7, answered, "Father told me that she has many new games and grand spaces for me to play with and in."
Of course, his answer was not quite what the eldest princess wanted to hear. She was not reassured by the queen's owning pets or games as her youngest siblings were. The only thing left for her to do was question her other sister, who was 12 and the closest of her siblings to herself.
"Princess, do you not wonder what the new queen will be like and how she will act towards us?"
The princess responded, "No, sister, I do not worry. Father has told me that she is kind and generous and she also loves to bake."
The eldest prncess was still not comforted by her sister's answer. She loved her sister and her father, but did not trust either of their judgements. She did not want to worry herself any longer, though, so she pushed all thoughts from her mid and stared blankly at the scenery until they arrived at the castle.
When the eldest princess saw the castle, she was forced to admit that it was quite beautiful. It was the biggest and least warn down castle she had ever lived in. She allowed her father to lead her through the corridors, but she did not let the beauty of her new home distract her from what she was truly waiting to observe: the new queen.
"Now, children," her father began, "I want you to be on your best behavior when you meet my queen."
"Yes father," the young prince and princesses responded in unison. Each one seemed to be eagerly anticipating the meeting. Only the eldest princess was truly prepared to judge the queen.
As they stepped into the throne room they looked at the queen. Smiles covered everyone faces, including the queen's, but the eldest princess noticed other things about the queen's appearance that none of the others seemed to.
The new queen had yellowed teeth and was extremely skinny, as if she had taken drugs earlier in her life. Yes, she was clean, but she did not look like a true queen. Nothing about her countenance suggested royalty and she carried herself with an air that semed to combine an unequal measure of pride, confidence, yet also insecurity. Her smile, which at first glance looked purely happy, seemed a bit forced and there was an unmistakable evil glint in her eye.
The queen sat as gracefully as possible and called down to the King, "Introduce me." Her words were commanding, asw if she did not respect him at all.
The King led the youngest princess forward to the queen.
"My youngest daughter."
The youngest princess curtsied and the queen held out her hand to her, pulling the princess to her side.
"How old are you, young princess?"
"6 years of age, your majesty."
"Your father informs me that you love animals."
"Yes, your majesty, I do."
The queen snapped her fingers and a servant brought forth 2 young kittens.
"Then you may have these," the queen told the princess, as the princess shrieked with joy and hugged the kittens.
"Thank you, your majesty," the youngest princess called as she trotted away with the kittens in tow.
Next, the King brought forward the prince.
"My only son."
The prince bowed and the queen held out her hand to him, pulling him to her side.
"How old are you, young prince?"
"7 years of age, your majesty."
"Your father informs me that you love playing games."
"Yes your majesty, I do."
The queen snapped her fingers and a servant opened a door into a giant game room.
"Go on and play all you like."
"Thank you, your majesty," the prince called as he shut himself in the room.
Then, the King brought forth the next princess. She curtsied and was introduced just as the others.
When the queen pulled the princesss to her side, at first the princess was reluctant.
"How old are you, young princess?"
"12 years of age, your majesty."
"Your father informs me that you love to cook and bake."
"I do, your majesty."
"Well, would you like to have free rule of the kitchen? Because you may."
The princess seemed indecisive for a moment, but couldn't help giving in.
"I would love it. Thank you, your majesty."
Finally, it was the eldest princess's turn. Her father brought her forward and introduced her.
"My eldest daughter."
The eldest princess curtsied, but did not bow her head. She kept constant eye contact with the queen, waiting for the first falter in her fake personality.Nothing changed, even when the queen held out her hand and pulled the eldest princess to her side.
"How old are you, young princess?"
"13 years of age, your majesty, and hardly very young."
"What do you love, princess? Your father has not informed me of anything you enjoy doing or having."
The queen's eyes glinted as they stared into the shrewd eyes of the eldest princess. Just from her expression the eldest princess could see that the queen was not willing to be pshed aside and forgotten, nor was she willing to risk her new position of power. To the King, she was nothing but overly generous, but the eldest princess wasn't fooled.
The eldest princess did not want to arouse suspicion in herself or put herself at odds with the queen just yet. So, she knew she had to avoid answering at all, while still striking an innocent tone. Thankfully, she was equally prepared as the queen to be cunning.
"Your majesty, I am a simple girl and I value nothing more than time alone to think."
The queen did not show her astonishment at the eldest princess's answer. In fact, the princess had succeded, for the queen thought nothing threatening about her, but only thought it peculiar that she would not ask for something when given the chance.
The eldest princess observed no change in the queen as she reassured her, "You may have all the time alone you want, as long as you attend my banquet each night."
The princess curtsied and thanked the queen. Then, she walked down the hall and shut herself in her room until the evening.

_____________________________

The evening banquet was a common sight in most castles, although some found that a family meal was hard to cordinate. The new queen, though, would ake no excuses and no absenses at her dining table.
As the eldest princess and her siblings admired the splendor and the exquisitness of the dishes laid out upon the table, the queen addressed the seating arrangement.
"Each night a different one of you oung children will be seated next to me, starting with the youngest princess. I would like to get to know each of you personally."
The queen seated herself at the head of the large table and the King sat at the oposite end. The eldest princess positioned herself across from the youngest princess without waiting to be commanded.