Content warnings: mentions of death, depictions of violence, blood.
"Wow, all this power; you're all going to be sorry" There was an evil pause, a smirk took over Blair's face "My first decree as your ruler is to revoke the citizenship of Finn and Pluto. GET THEM OUT OF HERE"
His words destroyed my senses, my head turned slowly and shakily towards the pair. I saw Pluto tremble, he flinched as I leaned over and whispered words, I didn't think I would have to say.
"Run"
Finn looked over to me as he stood up, I pushed him towards the exit. I pull my friends up with me and I run alongside them. I force them forwards, further away from the stage and pull my sword out from my side. It fits into my hands perfectly, the leather handle only slightly rubbing my skin.
Many people take hesitant steps towards me.
In an attempt to ward them off, I swing my sword threateningly.
"If you come anywhere near them, I will kill you," I say with a pleading look on my face.
Kenji stepped forward.
"I'm sorry Robyn, I have to"
I was confused until his sword was thrown towards my face, I managed to block the attack in the nick of time. A minute passed, our weapons clashed, and his sword lay on the ground at my feet, Kenji scrambled back to the crowd as I backed away. More and more people begin to take swings at me. It was at this moment that I was truly thankful for Millie's sparring lessons.
The last person I expected took a step forward.
"You're going to pay for letting them go"
"Bessie?"
She held up her axe with an evil smile on her face; her mind belonged to Blair now.
"Come on! Fight me!" She screamed "or I'll go after them myself"
I couldn't fight her. It was as if I were stuck in a wall of honey, my arms no longer functioned the way they should and my legs were stuck in time.
"No" My sword clattered to the battered ground "I can't fight you, Bess"
A maniacal laugh broke the silence
"Oh Robyn, you're getting weak"
I was free from the honey as I swiftly moved backwards and away from her axe. Before she could do anything to me, I looked up at Toby, my brother, up there with Blair and I wondered where it all went wrong. Maybe it was all the senseless fighting that had finally taken its toll on him.
I was brought back to my senses as I felt a sharp pain across the centre of my face. My legs completely collapsed. I lay on the ground, my face bleeding out as the young girl I used to take care of as a teen now standing over me, with an axe. My vision grew weaker and she lifted me from the ground. It was now that my vision faded in and out. Bessie, carrying my weak body, stood at Blair's feet. She let go of my arm and I fell to the floor.
Blair lifted up my head "Not so tough without your friends now, are you?"
I completely blackout.
I awoke in a dark room. Dazed and confused, I sat upright. A cold metal clutched my wrists and prevented me from moving any further. I could hear a door swing open and footsteps. They grew louder as someone neared closer. A voice called out; it was my own.
"Where am I?"
A laugh responds "Now why would I tell you that?"
There was a sudden scratching sound, then there was light, it was small but would suffice. The light lit up a face I could never forget. Bessie. I remember her. I found her near my house, alone, young, vulnerable. I took her in as she was only a few years younger than I was. But we were only teenagers, living in a cruel world. The world took its toll on her mind. Bessie was no longer the young girl who once sat me down and trusted me with her life, she belonged to Blair now. I missed her, but I know I couldn't protect her forever.
"Bessie, why are you doing this?"
"Because I know that without all of you, life could be better. It could be normal"
"No, Bess, that's Blair talking. He's in your head! Please Bessie, just let me go and everything can return as normal"
She scoffed "Well isn't this a sight. You, Robyn, begging for my mercy"
Bessie let out another laugh, this one more menacing than the last.
"Are you happy now? Huh? DOES THIS MAKE YOU HAPPY?" My throat burned "I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING! AND YOU USE IT TO STAB ME IN THE BACK!" I took a breath "DOES BLAIR KNOW?"
"SHUT UP"
DOES HE KNOW YOU'RE A SPY?"
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" She screamed. A knife made its way to her hand while she was screaming. She ran it along my cheek. Blood now dripped from my cheek. I was quiet.
"What happened, Bessie"
"I grew up"
And with that, she left.
Days passed, meals were scarce and my weight dropped dramatically. Visits were rarer and rarer. I hadn't seen Bessie since the argument. I had to use the little water given to me to remove the dried blood off my face, it was evident there would be a scar. I looked at my battered face in the smashed mirror from across the room, a large slash ran down my face from my forehead to my lip.
The 'cell' door swung open; the light hurt my eyes. It was Bessie. She harshly sat me up and removed my wrists from the chains. I was too weak to resist.
"Where am I going?"
She wouldn't even turn to look at me
"You'll see. Be quiet and do what I say, and this will be over quickly"
Bessie, the one who I cared for at 16 while she was alone, now carried me outside to a large crowd. I saw Blair and Toby ahead of me, watching silently. Toby made eye contact with me; I could tell he knew what would happen as he took hesitant steps behind Blair. Next to the pair was Millie, she stood confidently which scared me. Now more than ever.
I was dragged up onto the stage by my arms, my feet dragging behind me. Bessie brought me to Blair and let me go. She positioned me on my knees with my hands behind me and Millie made their way behind me. I looked out to the crowd, I saw Niki and Karter watching with sadness. My confusion only grew larger. A booming voice caught my attention once again.
"Great citizens of Cerulean Kingdom, I have brought you here today to witness the consequences of defending criminals" it was Blair's voice that scared me now. "Robyn, do you have any final words?"
I look up from the floor and make eye contact with him.
"To hell with your 'Kingdom'"
An excruciating pain coursed through my stomach as I hear a soft yet harsh voice whisper
"I'm sorry Robyn"
I look down at the pain's origin and Millie's sword protruding from my front, blood dripping. They step away and the sword is removed. For the first time, he shed a single tear only to wipe it away before anyone noticed.
My body, now bloody and bruised, dropped to the floor. I pressed my hands gingerly to the wound, my hand returned crimson. I saw Toby being dragged away, screaming and crying. My vision grew worse as black spots began to appear; I knew I was dying. I lay there, bloody and bleeding out while she watched. A singular trail of blood leaked from my mouth as I breathed out shakily.
"You can't get rid of me that easily"
And I smiled.
Word count: 1312
Thanks for reading. That's all folks!
- Alex