Mature Decedre

The Choice

Song: PoV playlist by Alone & Lost

My last meal sat in my stomach like a heavy stone.

I watched over Phrygia with Aunt Meg by my side. Sipping wine that was far too sweet and observing the lit torches paving a path to my demise. I swallowed the rest of my wine as General Hector entered the still room. He joined us by the columns, not speaking to either of us. Curious, I set my cup down and said, "You disobeyed King Titus."

General Hector hummed. I looked at him and asked the question that's been bothering me since the encounter. "Why?" When he didn't reply I pushed harder. "Only the gods and my king command me. You said that. Yet you defied your king."

"Desdemona." Aunt Meg placed a leather hand on my leg, shaking her head. "Don't waste your time on such trivial matters. Let it go."

"I can't," I argued. I stared at General Hector until he met my gaze. "A good soldier follows orders no matter what. You taught me that. Yet you disobeyed. I don't understand."

General Hector's dark eyes bore through me. The weight of his stifling silence made me squirm. But I remained steadfast against his statue-like demeanor.

"I should amend my teachings then. Blindly following orders doesn't make one a good soldier," he said. "Knowing when to follow an order is what makes one a good soldier."

My brows furrowed. I glanced away, overwhelmed by the harsh darkness filling his stern stare.

"I defied my king not because I wanted to. But because it was the right thing to do," he continued. "I like to think that regardless of my disobedience, I'm still a good soldier." He paused, then asked, "Do you agree?"

My heart wanted to say no right away. But I wavered. The words of Mahakali, Artemis, and now General Hector swarmed my mind with new beliefs. They battled with the ideology I was raised to support and I didn't like it one bit. I didn't like to have my morals challenged this way. I definitely didn't like it happening on the eve of my death either.

I rubbed my temples, trying to clear the muddiness clogging up my mind. "I don't know," I muttered. "I don't know anything anymore."

There was a booming knock on the door. General Hector sighed, back to that same stoic expression when I met his eyes. "It's time."

Time blurred as General Hector waited outside. I changed into a short, sleeveless tunic. The stark whiteness of the clothing made me shudder. Soon it would be tainted gold, dirtying the pure hue with my blood.

I tugged on my sandals and gloves and then we were off. Aunt Meg's arm rested around my shoulders, keeping me tied to the Earth. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of blue within the trees.

When we arrived the entire village was packed inside the barren river. They overflowed into the outskirts, perched upon the crumbling rock ledges. Those waiting at the mouth of the ceremonial entrance gave a wide berth as we passed through.

King Titus waited for me by the altar, a sword in one hand and a javelin in the other. My breath caught at the sight of the dazzling Sophia standing nearby with her sister Daphne.

Well, at least I was able to see one last light of beauty before I died.

"Remember our promise," I whispered to Aunt Meg. "Don't let them see you cry."

Aunt Meg smiled through the pain, eyes glassy and nose pink. She caressed my cheek with affection, a shocked murmur overcoming the crowd. I pressed a kiss to the center of her palm, inhaling the scent of herbs from the aged leather.