Imagine: A Writing Contest {Closed}

《 The Council 》

A Short Story Written by TheGracedRaven

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She did it. She finally did it. 

Qwiln looked around the Council chambers, fidgeting in her seat with barely concealed giddiness and excitement. 

She dreamed of sitting in this chair for almost two decades now. Ever since she was old enough to understand, she wanted to be the head of her family. To be on the Syetm Council. 

Her grace - no. Her honor, Qwiln of the Nvoevsu family was on the Syetm Council. 

Murderer. 

Qwiln didn't let her reaction show on her face. She did stop squirming, though. 

The word played on repeat like a music box, its bitter melody the song that lulled her to sleep.

Her father was the head of the family before her. Before her stupid Syetm acted up. Before she killed him. 

Murderer. 

If anyone found out, especially someone else on the council, she was done for. Dead herself. Qwiln's younger brother would replace her on the council after her public execution. It didn't matter that she was part of one of the Seven Noble Families; the murder of a Head was unforgivable, even if it was an accident at their daughter's hand. 

The truth would also brand her Syetm as broken. Which it was, there wasn't a time when she didn't remember it not, but Qwiln didn't want to be erased. That's what the Council did when they found out about a faulty Syetm: erased the user's existence. 

Loijt would be alone, too. The entire point of Qwiln being on the Council was to help her and other syetm-less citizens of Basifli. She was going to give them rights and a voice. 

Her telling would ruin everything she ever worked for.

"I call this meeting of the Syetm Council to order," Qoui of the Stealk family said, standing from his seat. "As you probably heard, his honor, Feis of the Nvoevsu family passed away five days ago. The next oldest from the direct line of the Nvoevsu family is his eldest daughter, her honor, Qwiln of the Nvoevsu family. She will take his place as the head of her family and the representative on the Syetm Council."

"Such a shame," Uidayul of the Itaggmyu family said. "I liked Feis." He coughed. "And he was so young, too. Sdykel, you run the autopsy labs, what killed him?" 

Qwiln froze. She forgot about autopsies. And Sdykel didn't like her. 

In other words, she was screwed. "Yes, I know what happened," Sdykel whipped crocodile tears from her face. "I got the preliminary results days ago, but I only figured out what happened last night." 

Qwiln's mouth dried. This was not good. 

Murderer, murderer, murderer, her subconscious chanted. 

Sdykel sniffled. "Feis was poisoned." 

Qwiln's heartbeat stalled. Poisoned? She didn't poison him; that wasn't how any Syetm worked, much less her own. Hers attacked the brain - killed neurons, to be more precise - and nobody could mistake that for poison. 

Sdykel turned to the door. "Voij? Krinel? Bring her in now." 

Two solderers entered the chambers, a girl held tight in their grips. 

Loijt. 

 Qwiln watched as the soldiers threw Loijt into the center of the room, wincing when she heard bone meeting stone.