A Tale of Regret

To confess or not confess that is the question on Mira’s mind. It was true that her mother, Queen Sasha, did not know who let the assassin into the castle gates, but it was also true that the queen had threatened the culprit with the dungeons. Would her mother show her only daughter forgiveness if she confessed to be the one who let him in?

It was all an accident after all. Mira had been sitting along the castle gates reading like she often does in the afternoons. She spotted a small white fox walking along the fence. She pulled out some jerky she had packed for a snack and offered it to the fox. Oddly enough the fox managed to jump up to where she was. He took the jerky and rubbed up against her leg like a cat.

Thinking he was a lost domesticated fox, she brought it home with her. She made a sleeping place at the foot of her bed and placed water and food for the fox. She awoke the next morning to a missing fox and an angry mother.

It turned out that the cute little fox was a shapeshifting assassin. Luckily, the queen’s guards were highly trained. Unfortunately, the shapeshifter got away, and the queen knew someone had let him past the security systems. The queen had posted high rewards for those with information on both the assassin and the one who allowed him in.

As Mira stewed over her problem, she spotted a glimpse of white fur in her peripheral. She turned and saw the white fox walking alongside the castle gate again.

“Here little fox,” coaxed Mira. “I have some more tasty snacks.”

The fox ignored her. Aggravated, she jumped down and followed it plotting to catch it. As she trailed the fox, one of the guards stopped her.

“Your Highness, what are you doing on this side of the gate?”

“I am following the suspect,” declared Mira.

“Your suspect is a fox?” The guard was both amused and confused.

“It’s not a fox, but a shapeshifter. If you help me catch it, I will let you collect the reward.”

The guard agreed to this plan. He helped Mira capture the fox and bring it to the queen.

Queen Sasha eyed the fox. “Why did you bring me a fox?”

Mira explained, “Mother, I believe that this fox is the assassin. I saw him shape shift.”

“Did you see him shift today,” asked the queen.

Mira’s hands began to sweat and her face turned scarlet. “Oh, um, not exactly.”

“Then, why do you think this fox is the assassin, Mira?” The queen impatiently waited for her to answer.

With her heart pounding in her chest, Mira confessed. “Mother, I’m so sorry, but I’m the one who let the assassin into the castle. I thought he was a lost domesticated fox. I swear I did not know he followed me home for nefarious reasons.”

The queen placed her hand on her face and sighed. “Mira, are you sure this is the same fox?”

“Well, actually no,” admitted an embarrassed Mira.

The queen turned toward the guard and asked him to dispose of the creature in the dungeons just in case it was the assassin. In the end, the fox never turned into the assassin, and the queen forgave Mira for her mistake. After receiving a partial reward for helping Mira, the guard was revealed to be the assassin. He had attacked the queen at a luncheon the following day. Luckily, Queen Sasha was not hurt and took more of an effort to spend time with her daughter.