"What If?" Fairytale Blogfest

Today begins the "What If?" Fairytale Blogfest and I am excited to share my entry. I have had it picked out since Morgan Shamy first announced it, so imagine my surprise upon checking out her page to find that she had picked the same fairy tale. Great minds think alike! She went the way of the love story, but I am of a little darker bent and chose to join Team Tragedy. I hope you enjoy my little 300 word piece. 

What if the queen hadn't figured out Rumplestiltskin's name by the end of the 3rd day?

My Scene(exactly 300 words) 

 The ominous beat of the drums vibrated the ground beneath her feet as Queen Serena made her way toward the platform that floated amid the sea of silent spectators. Head high, she fought against the weight of her grief even as her tears made glistening tracks down her cheeks. She could feel the King’s gaze boring into her, his words at discovering the reason for their missing child imprinted in her mind forever.

          “What kind of woman barters her child to save her own life? You are a liar and a fraud, undeserving of being called queen or the mother of a prince.”

She reached the platform and turned to face the balcony overlooking the crowd.  

The drums stopped as the king stood. “Queen Serena, you are guilty of lying to your king, of false claims, and of arranging to have the heir to the kingdom kidnapped. The punishment for these charges is death by beheading. Have you any last words?” 

She met the cold eyes of her once beloved King and remembered when those same eyes filled with desire, amusement, and love for her. At her silence, the King gestured for the execution to commence. 

She knelt before the box and bent at the waist until the rough grain of the wood pressed into her cheek. As the sound of steel sliding free echoed around the courtyard, the queen broke her silence. “If I could go back, knowing where this would end, I would make the same choice.” The air whistled as the sword swung toward her, but she continued to speak. “Having you love me and having these few precious months with our son is worth the price.” 

            Her last thought was relief as the King surged to his feet, his grief and love written across his face.

So that's it! I hope you like my little "What if?" flash fiction.