The Reaper

Chapter Two

I felt something prod my back and I shot up, hand raised. Ted stepped back, his arms behind his back. I glared down at his foot, which had been the attacker.

"Morning sleeping beauty." He said teasingly. I dropped my hand with a huff.

"You need to be more careful." I warned. He smiled.

"C'mon. You need to get dressed."

I stood up and stretched. Ted walked to the dresser and began to dig through clothes while I went to the bathroom and took a shower. The water smelled like flowers.

When I returned in a towel an outfit was laid out for me: a black tunic, tight looking pants, and a new red cape. I scooped it up and went back to the bathroom to change. I was surprised at how well the clothes fit. I learned the pants were not tight at all, but stretchy and flexible.The tunic was loose and thin, keeping myself from overheating.
The cape was silk, and I silently wondered how much silk the seamstresses had decided to use for my outfits.

I stepped back into the main room to find Ted at the coffee table, making a pot of tea.

I sat down on the bed and began to braid my hair into a thick plait. I watched as he moved around fluidly, pouring hot water into a tea strainer. His build was too bulky, too solid.

"You weren't originally a butler," I realized. He shook his head.

"Nope. I was a guard first."

"That makes sense," I said dryly.

"What does?"

"They sent the tough guy to watch me."

"It's not like that will help anything," He shrugged.

He turned around to hand me the cup and I hesitated.

"What?" He asked. I pointed at the cup. He held the handle.

"Oh." He flipped the cup around. I took it from his hands carefully and raised it to my lips.

"No poison?" I asked. He laughed.

"Of course."

I took a sip. It tasted like spices and sugar. The hot drink soothed my throat and I found myself finishing the cup rather quickly. Ted watched with amusement.

"Would you like some more?"

I looked away from him but extended the cup back. He lifted it from my hands and poured me another cup. I took my time with this one, nursing the drink. I could sense Ted was waiting for me to finish it, though there was an urgency about it that unsettled me. He needed to bring me somewhere.

"Where are you going to bring me?" I asked finally. He raised his eyebrows.

"How do you know I need to take you somewhere?"

"You're waiting like an expectant puppy," I grinned. He nodded.

"Hurry up then."

I reluctantly finished the cup and returned it to him. He ushered me towards the door and walked with me down the hallway.

"Do you know where you're bringing me exactly?" I asked, pulling my cape tighter over my shoulders. The hallway was bustling with people, too many for my usual space.

"To the King. He wants to see 'The Reaper'," He said, quoting the air.

I frowned.

"So I'm going to be shown around like a fancy gun?"

He smiled wryly.

"Yeah pretty much, so be extra scary."

We stopped at a tall set of double doors. Ted turned to me.

"Nicholas will be inside the door waiting for you. Good luck," He said as he pushed open one of the doors. I nodded and flipped my hood up over my head.

I slipped into the room silently. Nichols fell into place beside me. In front of us sat three large thrones.

On the biggest one was a cruel looking man. His eyes were hard and his stance rigid. Though his stomach poked through his robes it was clear he had once been incredibly strong. To the left of him was a middle-aged woman, who I assumed was his wife. She sat complacently, face was lined and stoic. Her blonde hair was tied in a tight knot at the name of her neck.

On the other side was a boy my age. He leaned on the arm rest of the throne. His hair was blond like his mother's and his eyes the same as his father. He was the first to spot me. He immediately sat up in his chair, curiosity replacing his boredom.

"Your Majesty, the Reaper," Nicholas said, breaking into a low bow. I simply nodded my head. The prince watched me eagerly. I kept my gaze away from him.

"Demonstrate," The king boomed, leaning forward.

The servants in the room muttered to themselves, though no one stepped forward. I did not expect them to. The king scanned the crowd quickly before pointing at a young girl.

"You. Come here."

She shuffled forward, displaced shock evident on her face. She was younger than I was. A child, basically.

"I'm not killing her," I said flatly. The king glared at me.

"Why not?"

"She doesn't deserve it."

He sat back in his throne, eyeing me carefully. He waved off the young girl and she scurried back into the crowd.

He turned to Nicholas.

"Go get a prisoner. One of the traitors."  He instructed. Nicholas nodded and left the room, leaving me under the gaze of the king.

"Why am I here, your Majesty?" I asked bluntly. He grimaced.

"You are here to protect my son, Prince Henrik."

"And what do I earn out of this?"

"A residence in the castle. Life. What else could you need?" He chuckled to himself.

"I see. What if I were to kill your Prince instead?" I asked sweetly. The king's amused demeanor dropped immediately. The most minuscule flick of his hand warned me of the sound of guards. I glanced at the queen. Blank.

"By what means do you ask this? Is this a threat?" The king growled. The Prince's ice colored eyes had widened dramatically. I fought a laugh.

"Of course not. I asked so next time you weren't so ready to put someone else's kid on the chopping block. See how it feels, you know?" I said innocently, gesturing to the young maid from before.

The king frowned.

"You understand that there are other Reapers in the kingdom?"

I finally did laugh.

"Wrong. I'm the only one. I've been through the entire kingdom looking for them."

The doors opened to reveal Nicholas and several guards. A ragged man stood in chains as they moved into the room. He was thrown down in front of me. I inspected him carefully. He did not tremble, but seemed almost ready to die.

"Show me," The king challenged.

I crouched down in front of the man. He stared into my eyes fearlessly. I gave him a strained smile.

"I'm sorry your death has to be this way," I whispered so only he could hear.

"I forgive you," He returned.

I reached out and brushed my knuckles over his cheek. He fell limp in my hand and I stood, a corpse now beneath my feet. It was quick. It always was. I did not revel in my power. It was a curse. I didn't want it in the first place.

The prince grinned happily. I disregarded him.

"Is that good enough, Your Majesty?" I asked.

"Yes, I suppose it is," The king said softly, hard eyes fixated on the dead man.

"Good."