THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Forty-Three |

Forty-Three | 

    I imagined a child growing within the Red Village. An orphan girl, no older than a young deer who would never know strength nor survival. I imagine in another life she'd die of the plague, and she'd die a happy death knowing she was loved, and she'd return to her parents. Perhaps in many ways, it would have been easier to have such a death. 

    Unfortunately, I had a tricky relationship with fate. 

    "Just kill me!" The man cried like an infant. 

    I cocked my head. 

    His name was Afton Woddle the eldest boy of the Woddle family. He'd gained the title of lord after becoming an air elemental three years ago and then joined Erik's band of royal assassins a mere month ago and, sure enough, Erik had underestimated me. He'd told these poor fools that I was a weak woman who'd be an easy death. He said getting to me would be the trickiest part, so upon hearing my love of Phoenix, they planned on using my dead horse to lure me out. By the gods that made me angry. 

I had no sympathy for Afton Woddle. 

"Please," he sobbed. "Have mercy!"

"Ah," I sighed softly, grabbing him by the hair. "But I am much like my brother in that I am not a merciful person. Why would you want my mercy in the first place? What was it you called me—a whore? Why would you want a whore's mercy?" 

He let out a pathetic sob and I dropped his body down to the ground and stared at my handiwork with a frown. Perhaps I'd gone a tad overboard. I'd created a quite beautiful image. Each of his limbs had turned to beautiful crystals. His chest heaved up and down, and Ebby sat peacefully on his ribs, a patch of mold covering the dark clothing he wore. 

"Please," he cried. "Forgive us."

Hm. 

"No. I will not," I replied simply, pressing my boot to his neck. "Am I to simply forget the innocent lives you murdered? Or the children you tried to kill? Did you have mercy for them? How selfish can you be? At least hold some Ipuina pride." 

"I-I'm only sixteen sun cycles old," he whimpered, tears dripping down his face. 

"Old enough to know murder is bad I reckon," I purred, crouching down. "Old enough to know murdering children is shunned upon in most kingdoms. Old enough to reflect on your actions, ah but you didn't want that. You wanted your King's attention. You wanted his greed. What did he promise you in return?"

"N-nothing!"

I smiled. "Lying to me makes me wish to spare you even less."

He sobbed. "One hundred gold."

My eyes widened. That was enough to buy land and retire and yet...

"That's it?" I muttered. "That's rude."

Erik you bastard, I'm worth two hundred at least. 

"E-each," he whispered. 

Ah, that made more sense. 

"How many men did he send?" I asked. 

"Ten. Please—"

"How many siblings do you have?" 

"F-four."

I nodded, absorbing this information. "How many are elementals?"

"Two."

"Are you close to them?" 

"Yes," he whispered. "Very."

I giggled. "Afton, you're not a very good assassin. You're not supposed to tell me anything. Has Erik truly become so weak?"