Tale of Two Queens

[042] Dead but Undeceased

Mera sighed, squinting as she opened her eyes to the sunlight that peaked into the tent. Her body felt constricted, tight with all the ropes that bound her as the breath she let out turned into white wispy smoke.

The morning was cold, cold as if hell had frozen over. Mera couldn't feel her hands, numb by the chill of the morning. Her tears felt as if they had froze over her cheeks. 

Her pale blue eyes sharpened as she softly moaned in the discomfort in her lower back. Perhaps last night was just a dream but when Mera looked at the choppy raven ends of her hair that curled up in ringlets near her ear, she sighed.

Her head leaned back as she shook her head. Her bangs were saved though the rest of her hair was choppy and uneven, making her look evermore like a boy.

Mera looked around before letting out a sob as she saw he black locks soaking in the bucket on the table. She cried, looking at her hair shimmer in the sunlight before freezing as she noticed the similarities in the buckets she had washed by the river.

Vinegar sheds dye.

Her blood ran cold as she stopped crying. Shit. Mera gulped, her gag was now gone, untied from last night as her bonds had been loosened from all her fighting. 

"Just kill me already," Mera sobbed as Death sighed and rubbed his eyes. He took a deep drag of his dart, the smoke whisping out as it engulfed back at him, the smoke wrapping itself around him.

The red velvet suite Death wore shimmered in the sunlight as he leaned against the table and shook his head. "Your not going to die just because of your hair baby."

Mera shook her head, "You don't understand! My hair is everything!"

Death snorted, "It is not."

"Is so!"

He groaned loudly, plopping on a chair as he slammed his boots onto the table. Death contemplated for a second, taking a deep drag of his dart before looking to Mera as she looked at him with reddened eyes.

"Just keep holding on Mera. It'll be over soon, promise."

Mera scoffed, "Why are you here? You never come unless your here to take something."

Death softened his look and nodded, "I am here to take someone. She's a little girl, pneumonia." Her brow furrowed before she blinked in confusion, "Who?"

He sighed, taking out his small notepad before fumbling through it. "Anne. No last name."

Mera sighed, shaking her head, "No. Not her, anyone but her. She's just a girl. A little girl D." Her eyes watered a bit as she felt emotional. Gosh, crying in front of Death would be real embarrassing.

Death shrugged, shaking his head. "Not everyone gets a happy ending Mera. Most of us never will. Not even dragons get their happy endings."

Mera sniffled, closing her eyes as a single tear fell. "She innocent. Why must you do it?"

"The worlds unfair and so are the gods. Anne is in a better place now." Mera sniffled as she cried, shaking her head. "No, she died in a cage like an animal. An animal!"

Death nodded, he wasn't in the mood for another debate. "I have to go now. She's waiting for me."

Mera shook her head, looking away as she cried. Her heart throbbed for the little girl she only knew for a few hours. Maybe it was just because she looked so much like her little brother that made Mera care for her.

Otherwise she wouldn't have batted a single eye, muchless cared.

"Your awake," Mera gasped, looking up at the oldwoman. She had been cloaked in dark red as she wore a headdress with a large piece of red fabric wrapped around her. She smiled, turning to the bowl before freezing as Mera watched her.