Into The Storm

34

Some hours went by and Rosalis glanced at the clock, frowned. She had not heard from Edmund for quite some time. She stood up and made her way through the castle, in search of her king. She opened the door to Edmund's chambers, seeing a figure clad in a black robe, raising a dagger in the air. "Edmund!" She called out. Edmund spun round, just as the assassin stabbed him in the chest. Edmund cried out and collapsed to the floor. Retaliating, Rosalis dashed over to the assassin, drawing her sword out. Plunging her blade into his throat, she then pushed it down like a lever, tearing his throat open, mortally wounding him. She drew her sword out and the assassin dropped to the ground, bleeding out everywhere from his ruined neck, already dead. Dropping her bloody sword to the floor, Rosalis ran over to Edmund and picked him up, supporting him against her. She carefully drew the dagger out and Edmund screamed in pain as it sliced through his flesh. She threw the dagger down and looked down at her king as she cradled him in her arms. "Come on, stay with me." She urged him. "Goddamnit, don't you die on me."

Edmund's breaths became shallow and his eyes started to close, himself quickly succumbing to his wound. They closed entirely and he gave out a single sigh. Rosalis looked down at him in disbelief.

"Edmund? Edmund!"

A funeral was quickly prepared and once again, the entire kingdom mourned the passing of their king. Rosalis stood in front of the entire population and looked at them. "Our king is dead." She announced. "Murdered by the enemy. It is now at this moment in time that we will need to be stronger than ever. We have no one to lead us, but still, we will not let that break us. We will protect this kingdom at whatever the costs. Our great rulers taught us that. Even though they are gone, they will never be forgotten. At this moment in time, let us mourn their passing."

Silence followed. Not a single bird chirped.

A pair of monks transported Edmund's body to the crypts, laying him to rest with his parents. With nothing else to do, they went away, sealing the tomb forever.

Rosalis made her way back to the hall, when suddenly, she was seized by two knights. One of them took away her sword, disarming her.

"Come with us." He said.

"What is going on?" Rosalis asked him.

"For your own good, I suggest that you do not ask questions." The other knight said. And with that, she was led away.