Little King

Paeton

My fingers rest on the rusty doorknob. I turn it and the door to my house opens with a click and a screech. Trei isn't here. I don't wonder where he is, I just drop my basket of bread on the table and shrug off my jacket. I make my way to my room, with it's gray-colored walls and uncomfortable bed. There's a small dresser on the far wall, underneath a window that makes the room some-what light. On the dresser there's a flower I found while out in the woods, and a journal. My clothes are stuffed in the first drawer and my few possessions in the bottom one. I just finish braiding my hair as the door to the house slams open and I hear Trei's voice. 

"We've gotta hurry. Paeton!" I hear him call my name and I rush to the kitchen, where he stands with some girl I've never seen. She has dark skin and curly black hair, and the prettiest brown eyes. She's holding Trei's hand, and she's surveying the house. Finally, her eyes rest on me.

"W-what's going on?" I stammer, staring wide-eyed at my brother. He shakes his head. 

"We don't have time we need to go. This is Adalade. She's my...uh...fiancee." I can't say anything, I just help them pack, not even bothering to say anything to my brother's new fiancee. I wonder how long he's kept her a secret. He clearly knows it's illegal. Trei grabs his coat and wraps it around Adalade, and for a moment I see a flicker of affection between them, then the guards come. I can barely say anything before I'm pinned to the ground. I can hear Adalade scream and out of the corner of my eye I see Trei kicking and struggling with a guard. I can taste my own blood, welling up in my mouth. I turn on my back and spit in the face of the guard holding me down, and she gasps and stumbles back. I push her away and stand beside Trei. He's panting and blood streams from a cut in his forehead into his eyes. 

"Stand down, you are under arrest for violating the code." On guard says, stepping over something. I realize it's Adalade and I want to scream. She's so still, her curly black hair falling in her face, her brown eyes glazed. Trei is on the verge of sobbing, but he's never been one to cry. There are three guards, a tall middle-aged man who's clearly in charge, a young girl with tan skin and black hair, and a boy with dark skin and curly hair. He holds a knife slick with what I can only assume is Adalade's blood, and he looks down at the body in disbelief and horror. Trei snarls and lunges at the tall man, raising his fist. The guard catches it and knees him in the stomach and Trei falls to his knees with a hiss. The tall man kicks him again and Trei gasps, choking on his own blood. 

"Trei." I sob, watching, horrified, as the girl and tall man grab him and drag him out of the house. Trei grunts and kicks and tries to attack them but he doesn't stand a chance against two trained guards, and I'm hunched over Adalade's body, a combination of blood and tears streaming down my face. The young boy hovers, and I meet his gaze. He steps forward and I spit at his feet. He leaves, and I'm alone. 

                                                                                  ***

The rain is merciless, the clouds thundering and roaring above me. My hair is damp and sticks to my face and neck, and my boots fill with water. I stare numbly over the grave, a pitiful mound of now-wet dirt topped by a stone. It reads their names, Trei and Adalade, though only Adalade rests beneath it. I drop down to my knees, mud splashing upwards and covering me from head to toe. My eyelashes glisten with raindrops and I hold a drooping flower. 

"Paeton..." Yoko murmurs behind me, coming to sit next to me. I turn to look at her, and she's crying too. Her black hair is messy and hangs in her eyes. She opens her arms and I hug her, sobbing on her shoulder. Around me several people stand, but after a while they disperse and it's only me and Yoko. She's silent, which I'm grateful for, but soon the rain ceases and the world is swallowed by the bright colors of sunset. Yoko's pale skin reflects the colors, lighting up her face. Her green eyes shine and she looks at me sympathetically.