Death Returns

Chapter one: That Night

1806

As I sat in my small room on my small bed, staring out the window at the lights and movement from the castle up on the hill above the village, I imagined what could be going on in there. Nine months ago, the King and Queen had passed away and their son, Florian, had finally taken the throne with his new bride, Ila. They had instated a new rule, that no one from the village was to speak to them, or even look at them. Not that it was that hard, they never left the castle. Now, they were having a large celebration for.. well I didn't exactly know. But It was pretty to watch.

The guests—all prestigious—had been there for a month already, and they wouldn't stop. The music had been playing for hours, the noises from up on the hill only growing in volume, and the lights only getting more brilliant. I wondered what it would be like to be there right then. In a nice clean castle, in nice clothes and eating nice food, surrounded by nice people. The opposite of what it was like here, in the village the new rulers couldn't care less about.

As I thought about this, I heard a loud knock at the front door of our little house. My mother went to answer it and right when she swung the door open, two large men in guard uniforms and with equally large swords, barged in and started grabbing my parents. I watched in confusion and shock as they bound their hands. My parents tried to protest and ask what was happening but the guards said nothing as they arrested my parents.

"Hold on a minute, we asked you a question! What is going on, what's the meaning of this!?" My father roared, finally getting one of the guards to say something.

"Lillith and Elias Banik, the King and Queen have ordered for your arrest and have sentenced you to be executed tonight." The guard responded in a short, clipped voice.

My parents looked at each other in horror, and I felt my heart almost leap out of my throat. Execution?? For what?? My parents tried to ask the same thing but the guard had gone silent again and started to drag them away. I ran to my mother's side and started to bawl.

"Mother no! Don't go! Please, spare them, they didn't do anything!" I screamed at the guards, wrapping myself around my mother's leg. She crouched to meet my height and I could see small glimmering tears rolling down her cheeks. I bit my lip and stared tearfully at her as she just stared back at me, smiling sadly.

"Calian, listen to me," she spoke after a moment. "Don't you worry about us. You are going to be fine. Go find your aunt Cressida down the street and tell her what's happened. She will take care of you while—" he voice broke and she let out a sob. " while we can't." She nodded a little and I nodded back, crying more now. I wrapped my arms around her neck and squeezed tightly.

"I love you mama!" I cried.

"I love you too, my boy." She whispered as she kissed my cheek.

I went to my father and hugged his torso as tightly as I could. "I love you dad." I wailed into his stomach. He bent down and kissed my forehead. I wished the guards had used something a little less strong to tie their hands so they could hug me properly.

"I love you too. We are going to get out of this. For now, be good for your aunt Cressida." He replied, trying to keep his voice steady and strong to reassure me. I nodded violently and continued to cry as the guards yanked them out of our home and dragged them up the cobblestone streets to the castle. I ran out of the house to watch them go, then turned my gaze up to look at the castle. I furrowed my brow and clenched my fists, staring with all the anger my little body could muster .

In that moment, I decided. I would do whatever it took to avenge my parents. I would punish the King and the Queen, in such a horrible and devious way, they would wish it was them who'd died that night.