My feet thud against the forest floor as I run. One step. Two steps. Three steps. I count each one in an attempt to calm down my rampaging nerves. Looking straight ahead, I will myself to move faster. Jumping over roots, and maneuvering my body to dodge trees and low hanging vines. As my body falls into a steady rhythm, my mind starts to wander.
Memories of my childhood replay in my head. My sister and I would ditch lessons to go horseback riding. Mother would scold us after getting caught. Father tried to stall her long enough till we could find a chance to sneak away.
My eyes burn with the threat of tears as I recall my loving family. Out of everyone though, I loved my Father the most. He was the one who was on my side when no one else was. He would always manage to sneak me in a few treats whenever I was punished by Mother. He was the one who told me to run after our family had been slaughtered.
No matter how much I try to deny it, try to say that it was all a dream, I know that what happened was real. I can't deny the fact that my family is now dead, and I couldn't do anything to save them. I still remember everything clearly.
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Quietly,I slip away through the door as the Professor goes on and on with his lecture. For a moment, the idea to go horseback riding again crosses my mind. Tempting as it is, this time I want to explore around the castle for a while. I know this castle like the back of my hand, and I wanted to check up on a couple of my secret pathways. A sudden yell of frustration fills the halls. "That's probably the Professor finally figuring out I'm not there," I think with a small chuckle.
After a while, I stop next to a large painting of me and my family. I look left and right, making sure no one is around, before reaching out and pulling it to the side. Once out of the way, it reveals a small crawl space that leads to the throne room. I get down on all fours, and quickly crawl through the passageway until I can see the throne room. When I look out, my eyes widen in surprise.
My sister, Malaya, falls to the ground, her hand covering the bleeding wound where the sword had been. Mother screams as she rushes over to her. She sobs as she kneels down next to her and pulls her eldest daughter's body into her lap. Tears run down her cheek as my sister reaches her bloody hand up to her face. With a smile, she says, "I'm sorry." Her hand falls limp.
I bite my lip harshly, trying not to scream out. My eyes burn as tears start sliding down my cheeks. Mother lets out a heart wrenching cry as she pulls the limp body to her chest, leaning her chin on her head. "Please," I hear her say quietly. "Don't do this to me. Wake up. You have to wake up. What am I supposed to do without you..." Her voice falters as she looks down with shaking hands.
Protruding from the front of her torso is the tip of an arrow head. She slowly looks up at Father before collapsing. She lays next to Malaya, gazing at her with sad eyes. She reaches out and gently holds the hand of my sister. More tears slip from her eyes as she succumbs to death.
"NO!" Father roars, eyes locked on their bodies. "You bastards!"
"Burn them," I hear a voice say from somewhere I cannot see. "No," Father says, looking up with pleading eyes. "Please, don't do that to them. Isn't killing them enough? The least you can do is give them a proper burial." Silent tears roll down his cheeks.
The sound of footsteps echoes through the room as a cloaked person walks in view. As he gets closer to my father, a sense of familiarity starts to surface. I don't know where, but I feel like I've seen him before. He reaches his hand out and grabs Father's face roughly.
"I owe you nothing," he says with a low voice. "You should be grateful I let them have a quick and painful death. But you will get no such pleasure." He lets go and turns towards the door. As he walks past the guards, he turns towards them and says, "Prepare for a public execution. We will let him be an example for the rest of the kingdom. And find the last royal brat. If you can't find her, you will die in her place."
He walks out, the double doors closing shut behind him. My eyes wander back to Father. He slumps to the floor, head hung in defeat. He doesn't resist when two guards come up behind him, each grabbing an arm, and drag him from the room.
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My body suddenly falls forward, landing face first on the forest floor. Blinking rapidly; my mind finally snaps back to reality. I look back to see a root protruding from the ground. "I must have tripped over it while running," I say, pushing myself off the ground.
As I dust the dirt off of my clothes, my ears pick up a faint sound in the distance. It gets louder and louder with each passing second. I feel like I know it from somewhere, like I'm forgetting something important. My eyes widen when I finally remember what it is. It's the sound of the Black Bell. The bell only rings when there is going to be a public execution. "It's almost time," I say quietly.
Immediately, I take off towards the town. I know I have to be there before it's too late, but at the same time I don't want to go. I know that if I go, all I will be met with is more death. But I have to be there. I have to see him one last time. If I don't, I'll never forgive myself
