KiKi's Wedlock

KiKi’s wedlock

I’ve been married twice, and now, I have two beautiful daughters and two handsome sons. Today, I’m married to Black Ice, the cat-dog love of my life. The first guy I was married to was Pablo Diablo, the ninety-first son of Diablo. I was supposed to marry Dagur, but he is nineteen years older than me. Gladly, thank the Queen, he got a girlfriend. Oh, you want to hear about the multiple near tragedies of our marriage? Suit yourself. It all started the winter I was fifteen.

It was a cold winter morning when my alarm chimed, waking my sister Molly and me. I slipped out of bed and into my winter skirt. That day was the start of winter vacation and Christmas was only days away. I’d promised Molly that we’d play in the snow every day for the two weeks we didn’t have school. I stepped out of our room after Molly and went to walk civilly down the stairs towards Lara and Domino. However, this was not the case as the twins, then thirteen, raced into us and we all came tumbling down. We tumbled into a bemused Lara and a disapproving Domino. Stripes, who had just left her room, raced over and started checking us out.

“We’re fine, Stripes, you’re not our doctor.” Moon Dust said.

“Besides, we do this every morning.” Heart Dust said.

“I know, but one day you might really hurt yourselves.” She said knowingly. We, the kittens of the Claw family, scampered into the kitchen. Not to our surprise, we saw Mom, my pink and white tuxedo Mom, at the stove. At the large table sat Dad, reading yesterday’s paper. Finally, we saw Doggy, the massive bulldog we called a brother, sitting alone at the oak table. We weren’t allowed to sit with him, and he was not to be interacted with while we ate. He would eat in silence three meals a day, seven days a week. As we sat, we bowed our heads and prayed for our breakfast. We began talking feverishly about what we wanted to do over the break. I watched as Mom handed Dad a black envelope. It was the same envelope as the one that had been on Molly when she first showed up at our door. However, this one was not affixed to a baby. Dad opened it and slowly read it, each line seemed to draw the scowl on his face out even more. Soon, his relaxed stern face was replaced by an angry stern face. Lara, Domino and Stripes seemed to sense the tension and excused themselves. The twins and Molly followed suit as I mumbled an excuse me and left the kitchen. As I left, I saw Dad pass the letter to Mom and watched as her bright face drained until her rosy pink looked better suited for a funeral. I opened the closet door and pulled on my black booties and sparkly scarf. I opened the door to the cold snow and stepped outside. I quietly closed the door and began walking through the snow towards the tree house. Dad and Doggy had built us the tree house on the farmland so that after our chores were done, we could play somewhere safe. The snow was warm against my fur and the cool air had no chill. I climbed up to see Molly sitting with her paws crossed on a window sill. She was looking out towards the distant land that another cat family owned.

“You ready for a snowball fight?” I asked slyly as I slunk towards her, but all she did was sigh when she looked at me and asked me a startling question.

“Do you know who sends Dad those letters? The black ones. Cause I do. Lucy dragged me into their room and showed me where Dad keeps them. I...I read them all,” She turned back towards the neighbours,” Me, you, the twins… we aren’t Mom’s kids. She didn’t go to the hospital for seven kids, she went for three. We are some cat named Ash’s, Dad lied to us… and now I don’t know what to think.” She seemed saddened by the weight of this knowledge. I paused a moment, then I said.

“Then don’t think.” I pushed her out the window into the snow below. I leaped out the window after her and landed in the thick, warm snow beneath. Molly glared through the falling snow before we burst into fits of laughter. She grabbed a paw full of snow and smashed it in my face. Before racing off to get more snowballs. I climbed out of the snow bank, shaking my pelt, and began to do the same. I felt a ball of ice beneath my bootie and decided to leave it alone. Molly launched a barrage of snow and I did the same. We laughed as we dodged and got hit. Soon I noticed that she was beneath a tree covered in snow. I felt around for the ice ball, and when I felt it, I grabbed hold before launching it at the tree. It shattered with a Paf! and Molly laughed.

“Ha ha! You missed KiKi!” She catcalled.

“Are you sure about that?” as I finished, the tree dropped its load onto the unsuspecting kitten. Molly screamed in shock as she was covered in a thick blanket of snow. I laughed as her cute little nose popped out of the snow. Then she proceeded to pull the rest of herself out of the covering before plunging back in to retrieve her lost bootie.

“Kiki, come here please.” Mom called from the farmhouse. I figured Molly had heard as she began building a snow fort. Off I went to see what Mom needed. As I neared the house, Doggy and my sisters left, probably to go do chores. Domino sneered at me as I passed her, she only did this when somecat, or Doggy, was in trouble. I put my booties and scarf away and walked into the kitchen. Dad sat in his usual spot and Mom sat beside him.

“Take a seat, KiKi, we have something to discuss,” So I sat and listened, unsure of what I’d done wrong, “I know that you are a big fan of the Queen of Darkness, so you might find my news a little exciting. The Queen has sent word that she needs you for a diplomatic mission.”

“A diplomatic mission?” I said incredulously,” The Queen wants me?” I felt like I could die of gratefulness that she’d chosen me.

“She wants you to marry the son of Diablo and put an end to the hatred between their families. One of the Diablo children will pick you up tomorrow morning at eight and take you to Hell to be married. Yes, KiKi, I know that you’re fifteen, and I know that he isn’t the ideal boy. As they are known to be a family of violent dingoes. ...I’m sorry if this isn’t what you were expecting.” He finished, he never apologized unless he actually meant it. Despite my quarrels with the Queen’s decision, I put on a brave face for my parents.

“Are you kidding, Dad? She’s known for wedding couples for political reasons. Besides, if my Queen wills it, it shall be done. I’ll go pack for the marriage and tell Molly, but will you tell the others? And Doggy?” I hated lying to him abut the Queen’s political stance, but if I could convince him that this would be alright, it would all be fine.

“Of course, KiKi, what ever will make you feel better about leaving.” Mom said politely, but with a great sadness plaguing her eyes, I knew that she was not comforted by this. Off I walked with a pop to my step, until I was out of sight. I slumped and felt tears flowing down my face. I curled up on my bed and began to weep silently. When I could control the tears, I crawled my way around the room. I filled my suitcase. I packed Swan, my plush swan that I slept with. When I finished, I primed up my face and went to go tell Molly of the news.

I lay in bed that night, recounting Molly’s reaction, first she’d given me fake joy and then she wept. She didn’t want me to go, she was only ten years old and she wanted me to stay with her forever. I laughed and told her that I’d always be in her memories and in her heart , I smiled at my words and soon drifted into a restless sleep. I slept fitfully, knowing I might never see my family again. I awoke multiple times throughout the night from nightmares. Finally, around four A.M. I crawled out of bed and slipped down the stairs. I had to pass Mom and Dad’s room to get outside. As I passed, I heard the hushed tones of my parents. I listened for a moment, heard Dad ranting to Mom about the loss of his daughter. I knew Dad loved us, but it was the kind of love that remains unspoken until the last moments. I slunk to the closet to pull on my booties and scarf. I quietly crunched into the snow, I wasn’t running away, just clearing my head. I began to cross our property to the grove of apple trees. I’d done this many a night when my mind was full, and my heart was heavy. As I walked, I prayed to the Queen of Darkness. The snow crunched lightly and the air was crisp. The night was black with a pelt of stars and a full moon watching the land.

“Queens of the Dark, thank thee for choosing me to be thy maiden. Thank thee for giving me an important yet dangerous task. I am unworthy of thy success, I am unworthy of thine favour. I am worthy not of thy praise or thine council. I worship thee as the most powerful Demon in the Dark realm. I pledge to thee that I will be thine cat at thy right paw. I will not fail thee in thy mission, if thee will not fail me. In exchange for my consent, I request thee to curse my family with all thy heart. I want thee to watch over them and keep them safe while I cannot. My Queen, I will not fail thee or bless thy choice. My reverence, my fear, my adoration,” I stood beneath the apple trees, bare of leaves but clad in snow. I stood before the shrine I’d erected for the Queen, ” Vasílissa mou, katára tin psychí mou.” I asked the Queen to curse my heart, a great honour, to conclude my prayer. I brushed off the shrine and thanked the Queen again. I was tired again, and with the dawn, a fanfare for day approaching, I left. I slunk back into bed for about another hour before my alarm would wake me.

When our alarm chimed, Molly slipped out of bed and slowly got ready for the day. I waited for the familiar tumble of cats down the stairs, but it never came. That day was as solemn as a funeral, even after I was gone. I slipped into my winter skirt and stared at myself in the mirror. I tried to imagine my black sparkling fur all dolled up, a white veil covering my smiling face, and a white gown. But all I saw was a kitten saddened by the wedlock before her. I brushed out my fur and pasted a fake smile across my lips. I felt ashamed that I’d told Dad that I’d wanted this. It was sinful, even if I’d been excommunicated. But I could not disappoint the Queen of Darkness even if she wanted me to walk into Heaven and beg for mercy. I left my room and stood at the top of the stairs, as if waiting to be pulled into the tornado of cats. When I decided they weren’t coming, I stepped lightly down the stairs as if they were foreign. I whisked into the kitchen to see a sad look on everycat’s and Doggy’s faces. With a pleasant plastered smile, I sat to be served.

“Good morning, how are you guys?” I shattered the solemn silence, I wanted to make the best of this last hour. But no one answered, so I tried again, ”I prayed to the Queen last night, I asked her to watch over you all. I think she heard me, I can feel her dark energy…Blessing the house.” The Queen blesses as God curses, all I did was make the wording favourable to my catholic family.

“Thanks for thinking about us, KiKi,” Lara replied politely, and then sincerely, ”We’ll miss you a lot.” I smiled first at Lara, and then at everyone else as they agreed. I began a conversation and soon everycat was involved. We laughed and laughed until a knock at the door startled us into silence. Mom excused herself and left, I turned my face to the clock. It was time, so I excused myself and went to get my suitcase. As I slowly dragged the suitcase down the stairs and into the entryway, Mom moved aside, and I saw our guest. His short fur looked glossy in the morning light, and his orange and white fur contrasted the malicious purple of his eyes and ears. His muzzle was scarred beyond recognition and he seemed displeased at the clean state of our home.