A Tear Of Insanity

Chapter 4

Lillith

While Leila leaves her rabbit, or 'Reign' as she likes to call him in our house, I strap my two, sharp daggers to the belt of my trousers, concealed by my trench coat. They are deep maroon at the hilt, with a silver handle. Engraved upon it are my initials: L.S. I had stolen them from an unsuspecting hunter, on a trip in the woods. An entertaining memory. Sebastian is still sour about the whole, keeping the rabbit thing and tries to give us the silent treatment. It won't last long.

We huddle our way to the banqueting hall, the smells of a thousand different foods wafting in the air. The hall is large, with five, long rectangular tables, scaling the entire length of the hall. At the front is another stage, except it's wooden, with a dark, oak chair placed in its centre. The entire place is filled to the brim with people, all looking for one thing: a good meal after so much hunger. We wonder through the ruckus and sit towards the middle of the third table, Leila to my left and Sebastian in front of me. We eye the array of steaming hot food in front of us while all the girls eye him up and down. They can't seem to get enough. The girl on his right giggles sweetly and looks at him with goggly round eyes. Marigold. The girl that loves to gossip.

Leila is engrossed in devouring a roasted chicken leg she had ripped from a large platter. I, on the other hand, cannot decide what to choose. There is a round bowl of braised lamb shanks with boiled vegetables , grilled steak and naan, meat and shrimp skewers, golden brown chicken, rose red lobster topped with some sort of white sauce and warm cloudy bread and every kind of pickle dressing you can think of. I grab a steak and stab my fork into it, making it bleed. When I plop it in my mouth, it melts into a rich buttery goodness, a taste I will try to reminisce all year round.

"Hi Sebastian," Marigold squeaks nearly melting into his chest. "So I was wondering if-"
"Who's taking the most Electis in this time?" I blurt out.
She sighs and turns to me with a scowl. Sebastians lips curve into a smug smile, before turning away from her to look at me.
'You jealous' he mouths. I kick his legs from under the table, making him flinch.
"Apparently," she begins, "one of the high nobles is the biggest taker this year. He needs more of us than he needs food." She giggles, turns her head up towards Sebastian and bites her lip. "And I've heard he's really handsome."
Oh God, now I am truly sick.

Before I witness her drinking him up with her gaze, a voice echoes in the hall. It is coming from Mr Monroe, who has seated himself, in the wide seat on stage. I'm surprised to see, he has now changed into a coffee, brown suit of the same structure, except a matte, black bow is fastened at the collar.
"Ahem..."
No one looks up from their food.
"AHEM...I have an announcement to make..."
"Shut up ye old codger, can't ye see we eatin!" A man in the front row shouts, causing an eruption of sniggers.
Mr Monroe looks to one of the guards lined up beside him.

A shot rings in the air and a body thuds on the grey floor. The man's body. Dark blood, stains his shirt, the food he was eating slithers out his mouth and his eyes are left glassy and lifeless. The room turns dead silent.

"Take him away." Mr Monroe orders, before turning his attention to us.
Two Dermans hoist him by his arms and legs, carrying him through double doors, on the right wing of the hall room. I had seen Imus get killed before, maybe for attacking an Altus but for something as simple as this, makes me shake in anger.
He looks around, "anyone else have anything to say?" No one dares to reply. "Now, as I was saying, the highest taker this year is-"
"How dare you?" I snarl with a steady voice.
He shakes his head in disbelief.
"Can I say one sentence without being interrupted?"
"Why did you kill him?" I beckon louder, standing up.
All eyes are pinned on me. Leila grabs my hand and pleads, pressing her index finger to her mouth.
Sebastian cautions from across the table, "Sit down Stryder."

But I cannot. The longer I look at this man's face, the more my blood curdles.
Sebastian leans over the table and grasps my hand to pull me back. "Don't do this," he begs.
I pull out of his grip and march towards the stage making him leap after me.
"Why would you let that happen?" I scream.
The moment these words leave my mouth, he lifts his hand and snaps his fingers. Immediately, two of the Dermans begin marching towards us. Both seize our arms, dragging us like rag dolls to the stage, pushing us down on our knees, right in front of the mad man.

He sneers, inches away from my face."Aren't you a pretty sight." I can barely recoil as he strokes my cheek, with his dry, bony fingers. Sebastian looks down, avoiding my eyes, his hair hanging from his head.
"Don't touch her," he murmurs through gritted teeth.
Monroe cackles at this, exposing his shiny teeth, "Oh dear, and what might you do may I ask?"
"I might break your hand off, if that's what you'd like."
In one movement, the Derman pulls his head back by his hair and holds a knife to his throat, making him grunt in discomfort.
Monroe turns back to me. "You know... I could just take you in for myself," a wry grin twisting in his features.
"I'd rather die than be with a monster," I spit.
Wiping his face with his sleeve he grabs my neck and pulls my ear to his mouth.
"If that is what you would rather do, I can easily give it to you."

I pull away and slam my head into the Derman behind me. His grip loosens so I twist and kick him in the crotch, watching him stumble back. Then, I lunge for Monroe, when two more of them haul me back by my arms.
His eyes widen with wonder. "Who are you?" He asks as if I were some sort of mythical creature.
I stare at him.
"Name? Title? Hurry up I don't have all day."
I lift my chin.
"Fine. You." He points to the Derman holding Sebastian hostage, "cut him."
The man moves the knife from his neck to his cheek and begins to slide it down painfully slow.
"W- wait- wait! Stop. I- I am Lillith Stryder, daughter of Moriah Stryder." I confess.

Sebastians blood begins to drip on the floor, staining it crimson.
"M-Moriah? Stryder? She is your mother?"
His mouth falls open.
"Yes. Why...?"
He looks me up and down as if he were seeing me for the first time.
"Right... well... um, since you have caused such a disruption, y- you are to be removed from our feast and will only be given a ration. Take them out," he orders with haste, averting his gaze.

I do not understand. They're supposed to kill me, isn't it? I'm supposed to be dead. They should be carrying my limp body out the doors but instead I am simply shoved outside, on the dirt, with two ration bags, Sebastian beside me, mad silent.