Morganthe: Chapter 2

"Stop fidgeting!" The lean dirty blonde girl sharply whispered to her stout younger brother. "Cody! Stop it! You don't want her to hear you!"

"I feel so itchy! I can't help it!" He glowered at her. "Look at yourself!"

Samantha gasped as she stopped preening her hair. "Well, look at this place! It's dark and dirty. Bugs are all over the place. Am paranoid that my hair has bugs or webs in it."

Morganthe's laugh stunned them into silence and they both dreaded the sound. The children huddled deeper into a corner in a large gray concrete room with a domed roof. Morganthe sat on a throne which was on a high concrete slab with two little steps and was made from black thorns that grew out from the ground all twisted up and flared in the back. It also had a gold trimmed red seat matching the gold trimmed red rug in the middle of the room. On both sides of the throne, big braziers burned in golden dishes, giving off eerie reflections on the walls. There were huge windows behind the throne that showed a cloudy gloomy night sky way above the ground. The only decorations you could see on the walls were banners of gold trimmed red cloth with the letter M overlapping a spider web.

Her black crow pet, Argo, sat on Morganthe's thin left shoulder with his eerie beady yellow eyes watching the children. The children often wondered if Argo was more than just a bird. He seemed to understand what's going on and you could tell subtle emotions in his eyes. But, they never were sure. The children gasped as Agro seemed to smile at them. A evil cruel smile and his eyes seemed to be full of pleasure. Morganthe was all decked out in her tight, sparkly, black dress spun from a special kind of spider web that was hard to break. Her raven black hair cascading down from under her silver crown that was beautifully made. The crown had flowing lines with white and black jewels. Nothing but the best for the Spider Queen.

Her cruel black eyes seemed giddy as she was talking to her Skeletal Warrior commander, Gatto. It would send shivers down your spine every time you looked at the commander since you could see right through him. Nothing, but bones. Normally he only had his little-too-big helment, ragged black pants black boots and his trusty scabbard. But, since he was appointed an commander, he was able to add padded shoulders and armor on as well, all black as the night with silver trim. He also wore an eye patch. Gatto seemed to think it made him look dignified.

"I can't wait for the day we will crush that doddering old wizard! Oh, the 'famous' Professor Ambrose." She cackled as she waved her hands around. "Oh I would love it when I have to force him to his knees and beg me for mercy. And he will regret that he has crossed paths with me!" Gatto jumped up and down on his bony legs, making happy noises, swinging his scabbard and his eyes were full of pleasure. Morganthe laughed at the commander. "Yes Gatto, that day will come soon! Then the spiral will be ours!"

"He'll never know there are spies under his own nose!" Morganthe cackled and the children in the corner cringed. "That will be his doom!"