The Ambition to Reign

Chapter 20: The Snake

There was a painful stab of guilt in his heart. He felt terrible - the worst he had ever been in his life. There were no words to describe the horrible feeling he was experiencing in these last few seconds. This was the right thing to do, but why did it feel so wrong?

He looked beside him where his dead sister lay, decapitated. He just realized he had been covered in her blood from head to toe. He was in shock and was unable to move an inch. He felt as though he was paralyzed from the scene he had just witnessed.

The executioner, covered in blood, picked up the lifeless, bloody head by the hair and showed it to the audience and for all to see. He cried out, as he shook the head from side to side, "Behold the head of a sinner! May all the enemies of the true Evangel thus perish!"

In bold words, he shouted, "God save King Julian!"

The people burst out into chanting, "long live the King!" and were cheering and clapping. They were the happiest they had ever been in their lives. Their joyness spread throughout the kingdom. There was only one person in particular among the audience who did not share the same feelings as they did.

Walter watched in horror as his beloved queen was being taken away. He was questioning himself as to why he did what he had to do. He knew this was going to happen but why must he feel so ashamed? He was torn between two opposite forces; like a magnet in between positive and negative forces, but he cannot decide which was positive and which was negative.

You are merely an observer, a voice inside him said.

He regretted everything he has done up until this point and started blaming himself for the queen's death. The only person who treated him well, who treated him as an equal, who never treated him like the old man he was, was now gone forever.

This is all my fault, he thought in worry. She took care of me all these years and I betrayed her. Her most trusted servant killed her! He pushed himself out of the crowd. Why? Why did I do it? She is dead because of me!

"It's all my fault," he whispered. "It's all my fault... It's all my fault... It's all my fault..." He mumbled to himself. "It's all my fault... It's all my fault..."

He halted in his tracks. He came to a sudden realization. "I must go back." He started walking slowly. "I must return!" he said as he increased his pace and ran as quickly as he could towards the grand castle.

~~~

That night, Julian stared at himself in the mirror for the first time after several months. He was shocked at his own appearance as he had changed quite significantly since he last saw his reflection.

The first feature he noticed was his hair. It grew much longer and darker than his previous blonde hair. He had not shaved either and there was a beard that had grown since then. He also noticed his skin color has turned a shade darker. He was no longer a nocturnal creature of the night but a free-roaming human being under the sun. Underneath his grey-blue eyes lay dark circles and bags. He forgot when the last time he had a proper sleep was.

Along his skin he found several scars. However, there were two scars that will forever leave an impact on his life; one on his neck and one on his back.

The first one marked the day of the traumatizing massacre of his parents and family members, along with him joining the Revolutionists. It left a thin long scar along the side of his neck from the man that placed a sword at his throat.

The second one came from his first encounter with Alyssia after five years of not seeing each other. It also marked the beginning of their rivalry. The deep wound from the cut was evident that a blade had punctured his back.