The Huntress

Killing My Parents: Flashbacks

|Flashback- Sept. 23, 1907|
I crept toward my parent's bedroom listening to the weeping of my mother. My feet stalk forward on their own. I can't control myself or my thoughts. They wander to thoughts of killing and revenge. I will kill the King and no one will get in my way. I make it to my parents dimly lit bedroom, pulling out their wedding knife. My mother just lays there and my father looks at me in expectance as though he knew I would kill him.
I slowly raise the knife and bring it down full speed at my mother's chest. Driving it through her heart and out her back. Her blood stains my blade and my father's torso. I rip out the knife and raise it again. This time I drive it though my father's forehead. The last thing I hear him say is, "My daughter you have grown strong, find the League and make them wish you were born as the Heir. Challenge the Chief and kill the King. I love you." I never forgot those words.
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|December 14, 1908|
"Prisoners! Front and center!" a mentor of the League called.
I had run to the place I thought the League was and demanded I was taken prisoner. I knew all I had to do was wait for a Mentor to die and an Apprentice to take their place. The prisoners were brought forward to show their skills and the best was chosen. I was the youngest at seven years old. I hadn't felt anything since that day except determination to kill the King. I was certain that I could beat the others because of my age. I was known as weak and helpless as a disguise. The others didn't know anything about me or my strengths. Because I was small the trusted me more. And I used that. I still had the shoelaces from my feet and I snuck in a long stick. I tied the string to both ends of the wood and made the string taunt. With dinner I was brought plastic spoons and forks. I used the forks as arrows. My cell was larger than the others, once again because I was small. It was probably six feet long and eight feet wide with cell bars across the front. I would stand at the farthest end of the cell draw my makeshift bow and shoot the fork across the cell directly at at the crack between two bricks. Every time. Now I just hope they have to replace the Bow Apprentice.
"Prisoners! Listen up! Earlier today Apprentice May of the Bow was killed by the Chief for treason. Now we are looking for an Apprentice of the Bow. Anyone wishing to comply step forward. About five people step forward but I don't look at them. They won't matter.
One by one the Master of the Bow who I think is Master Merlyn. He stands before each of the others barking orders in their face. One of us five flinch. She is taken away to stand by the others. Only a burly man, a smaller boy, an extremely thin girl and I remain. Everyone looks at the man. Over looking me. Big mistake. Next we are forced to a race. They all thought all they had to do was shoot a bow. Ha. Jokes on them. That's only a fourth of the test. First order taking. Second a race of speed. Third an obstacle course. Fourth the Bow.
We are lined up at the edge of the training room.
"The burly man probably can't run, the girl is too weak, so the only competition is the boy," I think to myself. But my advantage is that they don't even consider me a threat.
"On my mark you will run to the edge of the gym, last place is disqualified," he says looking directly at me, as if I will certainly lost. I smile back at him.
I ready myself. The gun sounds. My legs push forward propelling myself ahead of the others. My legs are weak from the cell but so are the others. And they didn't get a large cell. My heart pounds as I reach the halfway mark. I can feel the boy at my heels so I push forward again. Shooting ahead of him and to the wall. I turn and the Master is looking at me wide-eyed. I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to see the burly man.
"I had a daughter like you. She was strong and determined. I want you to win, I know you can. That girl she's not strong enough for the obstacles so in the Bow challenge I hope you know what you're doing. I'll be rooting for you," he says as he is taken towards the others. I turn to look at my competitors who are sweating a storm. I smile. Not even a sweat, no pain since that day. Without a break we are taken toward another section of the training room. Walls and blocks are everywhere. I plan my route. I notice that the others are still huffing. Advantage. Start fast. They won't catch up at that rate. The thin girl looks as though she'll pass out and the boy's legs are wobbling but firm. All I have to do is score first and I'll advance. I ready myself again.
"Contesters this is a challenge of strength and speed combined. It works the same as the last. First two advance and the last is disqualified," the Master explains.
After a few seconds the gun sounds. I shoot forward again. I scale the wall with ease. Swinging my leg over I don't bother to climb down. I jump from the top. The non-contestants make sounds signaling hurt. I don't feel anything. I take off running again. Jumping over boxes making it to the final wall. It's twice as tall and the others are just getting to the boxes. I step backwards for a running start. Again I take off and jump halfway up the wall. Reaching for holders I push myself upward. I make it to the top and jump off again into a roll. I had won the third challenge.