Genie stands before me. The Irisquedor blinks at me, her face unreadable. "Pepper-Riia." She says regally. I look into her silver pupil-less eyes. "So, you've decided to go and join the Rebels now?"
I bite my lip. "I-..I-.." I stutter.
"No.." Genie raises a brow. "No? Then what is this- " She waves a hand about the ledge at my friends. "This.. Group you're crusading with?"
I open my mouth to speak, but she interrupts before I can begin. "I don't want to hear what you're gonna spit this time; another one of your lies, and- childish games. I've had it! I'm through with your shit, Pepper-Riia. You've bided your time for too long, and now you decide to reveal your true colors to the common Cytronic!"
I frown at her, as I feel warm water and liquid trickle down my cheeks. The term just slips out. I'm terrified of what she'll do to me, so I'm probably not thinking clearly. "I-I'm not lying, Mother! I-!" I sniffle.
She's not my mother. She never has been. I don't know what to do to cover that up, so I continue my argument..
"You don't understand. You- you don't even know them!" I swallow hard, against the zombytronic's grip on my throat. Genie shoos off Rozill and It lets go of my collar. She steps forward and I feel my neck. "Of course I know who the ruffians you associate yourself with are." She nods behind me. "Country girl over there is an escapee from the second nearest kingdom over, Kiiharchii; she came here seeking false refuge." I blink, still frowning. 'False?'
Genie nods to the side at Boxtrip. "Bad boy here is the reason we have allies with the Ghosties and those who took that Paluna girl." She snickers. "But honestly that's all I know about him.."
I frown. "You don't even know who he is?" Genie scoffs. "And you do?" I stay silent. Genie stands regally and crosses her arms. "You know, Pepper-Riia, it would be nice if you speak when you're spoken to!" I stare at her. "No." I shake my head. "I don't, your highness."
Genie raises a brow. "Don't what?"
I roll my eyes slowly.
"You really are pushing it, girl. I should send a Warrent to make you go missing along with that Paluna girl." She says. Circuit holds Boxtrip back, who's trying to pounce Genie. "Who else is here with me then, since I'm on thin ice." I spit. "Pretty boy over there is Paluna's boyfriend-" I cut her off. " He's also the reason Boxtrip hasn't beat the shit outta you." I raise my wings. Genie grabs my face. "You wanna rebel? Fine. But challenge me and you'll find out what happened to your sister and the former retired Irisquedor. Watch it!"
I frown, the tears still coming. "I know already exactly what happened to them! " My friends listen now, watching the ruler. I sniffle and shout in her face, "They were slaughtered! You murdered them!" I ball my hands into fists.
I swing at the Irisquedor, and Rozill blocks my punch. Genie steps back. "No one defies me, Pepper." She says with her nose turned up in the air. Rozill restrains me and ties my hands behind my back. "You did it!" I kick around at Rozill.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Genie says. I stop at her stupidity. "I watched you do it." I growl. Genie smirks. "I'm sorry, what was that?" I pull against the zombie thing, and raise my voice. "You made sure I was there when you did it! You made me watch as you killed those I loved! " I feel tear stains drying on my cheeks. Behind me, Stygian raises a hand to her mouth. I continue, "You took everything from me! You spared me so you and your precious little demon of a daughter could have the throne, no questions asked!"
I'm forced to my knees. My friends reach out at me, and three more zombytronics appear over the ledge and hold them back. "I gave you a home didn't I? I let you wander about the Hicrill as you please! You got many things my daughter didn't, and you repay me with being a spoiled brat! " Genie argues.
I growl and lunge forward. "You were planning to kill me that day!" Genie grins mischievously. "Yeah, so?" I raise my wings again, pushing Rozill back.
"So.." I say through gritted teeth. Genie stands in front of me and bends down. I move my wings to grab her and she pins them down painfully. I wince. "You won't be so lucky this time, little fennec. " She growls. She raises her hands, and before I can move my wings she throws them down with sharp claws out. Genie pierces the flesh and mechanisms of my golden wings, but she doesn't stop when I scream.
She fucks up the feathers and rips open a long, wide cut in both wings, assuming I won't be able to fly anymore. I hit the wooden floor with a thud.
I curl up on my side, my hands behind my back and my torn, bleeding, brelta leaking wings pulled up near my face. I scream and cry loudly in pain. One of the metal claws in my exposed wing catches my cheek and tears open a new wound, fleeing back beside me. Genie kicks my arm, splashing a little bit of my mixing blood and brelta on the floor.
"No one goes against me, Pepper-Riia." She says. She kneels in the mix of my vital liquids and lifts my tear, blood and brelta stained face. "No one. That offense is punishable by death." I hear faint gasps behind me. "You hear me, brat? By Death. " Genie stands and snaps her fingers. A red zombytronic appears over the ledge and salutes the ruler. "Please don't do this, Your Majesty!" Cries Boxtrip. Genie shoots a glare at him but says nothing. "Prokrii, " She says. The red zombie thing responds with a, "Yes my Irisquedor?"
I sniffle.
Although I deserve it probably, I plead instead, "Please no.-" I sob. "I-I'm sorry." Genie laughs. "No you're not." She turns to the red zombie minion. "Arrest these two hooligans, again,- " She orders and mutters, " Second time this week..-" And commands, "Take the Quoredoone to the dungeons. Restrain her. Get her ready. The execution will be tomorrow at dusk."
My friends gape at our regal ruler, and I'm taken away first. "She wouldn't really execute Pepper would she?" I hear Stygian ask. Genie laughs and grins. "Why, no, my naive friend." I frown.
"Why would you think a thing like that?" Genie asks rhetorically. The only true answer floats around in my mind.
"Yes she would; there's nothing and no one to stop her now."
YOU ARE READING
The NexttGenns Trilogy: Season 1: THE CORRUPTION SERIES
FantasyPepper-Riia Cyy is the heir to the throne in Cordinia, her home kingdom. At least, she Was, until a tyrant and leader in the rebel army named Genie (no last name given), stormed the Hicrill (the royals' castle) and killed the ruler and Pepper's old...