And Then... They Fell

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lilly

One look and he's pulled down to the same level as the people that are 'mean to little girls like me' or the people that murdered their brothers. That's why I wasn't allowed to go. Dan didn't like me going places alone, he was really protective. That's why he was going to die.

I was with him when he was taken. I remember when the baker saw his eyes and was calling for the guards, and I remember how he didn't try to run. He knew he wouldn't make it. He knelt down in front of me and said, 'take care of them squirt' I watched as a tear fall out of his eye as he rapped me in one tight, hopeless hug, that we both knew would be our last.

I had never seen my brother cry before.

Before I had time to think about what was happening he was pushing me hard and far away from him, just as the guards rushed in. They roughly pulled him away, but he fought them with everything he had for one last look back at me. I could see the fear and panic in his eyes, but when he saw I was still laying on the ground from his push he relaxed and gave me a small, reassuring smile before he let them take him away.

Now I watched as he was being lined up like all the other criminals, with him near the end as I forced my way through the front of the crowd. I knew I couldn't save him now: I had to protect his family. I wouldn't try to save him, but I wanted, needed, to see him one last time. For him to see me one last time and know we were safe.

I watched as the King dismounted and walked along with the line of rugged looking men. He looked them each in the eye as he walked along them with a puffed chest and arrogant face. He stopped at the third one and reached into his decorative pocket pulling out something silver. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, he stabbed him in the leg with one hard swoop!

The crowd let out a collective gasp and shocked 'AWWW!', but I wasn't focused on what had happened as I locked eyes with my brother. Dan was 26 while I was a mere 12, but I felt so much older in that moment.

We stared at each other with wide fearful eyes, both too afraid to look away. Then his features hardened, and he looked confident and fearless. He gave me a slight nod, telling me he was okay and not to worry. The dam broke and my tears fell silently from my eyes.

I'm not ready. I'm not ready to lose my brother today. I'm not ready to lose the only family I had left, the only person who always protected and loved me.

I slowly shook my head and my hands moved without thought to cover my mouth, as my tears continued to fall.

Then my view of him was blocked. The king had reached him. I looked back at the other men that had gone before him. The third man still had the knife in his leg, but the seventh man now had two in each arm and the eighth man had no knife protruding from his skin, but his face was no longer recognizable, and skin was flapping in the slight breeze off his face and the tenth man had three missing fingers.

Now he was still stopped in front of Dan.

Suddenly I see him start to shake as he lets out a deep, hearty laugh as he peers down at my brother.

"Can I ask what you did to get here?" He asks, seemingly amused.

My brother only stares at his, without a reply.

"Very well." The king shrugs like this is all a game to him and not lives he holds in his hand. He backs up a single step and moves to the side, giving me a clear view of my brother. Dan is now looking straight at me; his eyes never leave mine as the king draws his sword and with one clean swing, separates his head from his body.

I watch his head roll to a stop at the kings' feet, too shocked to move as I stare at the smiling king.

After the shock has left me a sound of pure agony escapes the crowd and it takes a moment for me to realize it came from me as I fall to my knees.

Asher

No one made a sound. We were surrounded by people everywhere, and yet no one made a single sound. We all heard the cut of the sword, the sound of metal cutting through bone. We all heard the head hit the ground as we watched it roll to a stop at my uncles' feet.

He pushed it aside with his foot as if it was nothing more than an inconvenience in his path and not a person's head before mounting his horse.

"Tie his head and body to my horse, I will escort him to his trial." My uncle with a smile and sickeningly sweet voice.

The guards stared, with everyone else, in shock. Someone in the crowd let out a sound of such great pain and loss I felt it in my entire body as my heart broke for them. This shook the guards back into motion as they did as they were told, tying the other prisoners to my father and my horse as well.

As we rode, we could hear the body being dragged. We could hear the head bouncing off the rocks every so often. We could see the trail of blood that was left behind.

Though most of the prisoners were hurt they didn't make a sound throughout the walk to the execution block. The executioner was ready with his ax as we approached, and I knew none of these men would be getting a trial today.

At that moment I realized my father had been right: Nothing good came from today.