When Kings Fall

Six ⋆ Part 1

We stood in the central courtyard. It's the largest space in the castle, able to host thousands with a stone execution scaffold in the center as a form of entertainment and mockery. The block in the middle of the scaffold was crusted over with dried blood from countless men and women, both innocent or guilty of a crime.

It didn't matter which they were, their fate lead them each to this stone.

Elora and I both stood atop the scaffold, looking down upon King Thaddeus's people as they gathered before us. Men, women, even children stood below us.

I lean over slightly, "Children are going to be watching this?" I whisper to Elora.

"These children are the future of this kingdom. They will live and die here. They must know the rules and consequences that come with being apart of something greater than themselves," Elora explains with her chin held up.

She sounded much like her brother with that statement. But, I suppose after all this is her kingdom as well, and she wants to protect it.

I stand straight again. I couldn't say I was upset about the executions. I was glad justice was being taken for someone I never had the chance to save. I was hoping it would ease my guilt, make me feel as though I still served my taster in their afterlife. I just didn't want the horror to be done in front of children.

All the people's murmurs quieted down as the executioner made his way on top of the scaffold and in front of us. I didn't want to look at him, but as I notice Elora's breath catch at the sight of the executioner, my eyes became locked upon his shiny axe. It glistened even more than the soft sunlight against the snow.

King Thaddeus finally joined us on the scaffold. He stands at the center, ready to speak to his people.

"In all chaos, there is calculation," He starts off.

Five prisoners are brought out from a side, all chained and led to the steps of the scaffold. "Cleverness!" King Thaddeus roars. He doesn't bother to look at them, but everyone else couldn't take their eyes off the murderers.

"It is something these five thought they had as they killed and attempted to kill in my kingdom. Our kingdom!" King Thaddeus yells.

I swallow hard, watching the first prisoner in line be unchained.

"Today, we prove to them that all they had was pure stupidity. We will do what needs to be done. We will be brutal. We will not forgive. We will not forget!" King Thaddeus finishes his announcement, stepping back and placing himself beside me as the crowd cheers and yells profanity at the spies.

The first spy is pushed up the steps and roughly placed down at the stone by Broderick. The spy cries, begging and pleading for forgiveness as Broderick steps off the scaffold.

As the axe swings up, sparkling for a brief second, I drown out the cheers from the people and cries from the spy. My breathing becomes heavy, the only noise I could audibly pick out. When the axe begins to swing down, everything seemed slower. Time wasn't on my side as I look to King Thaddeus.

He shares my glance. He immediately grabs ahold of me, locking me in his arms as a deep aching swells in my body for a split second. With my head stuck buried into his chest, I knew what he was doing. He was holding me still, cementing me down so I don't do what I am meant to do; heal.