Lucky and the Killer ✔

The Meeting

It was like a funeral. Lucky sat through the meeting like she would have done in a college class and didn't speak the entire time. That was a good thing. She didn't know what she'd say if given the chance anyway. Her brother, along with several other faces she didn't know, gathered together in the conference hall discussing politics and the nation's infrastructure.

There was talk of the city's population and the populations within each rank. There was talk of occupations. There was talk of upcoming ceremonies that she didn't understand. So, she didn't try. When the meeting let out, she sat in her seat beautifully-dressed and as clueless as she was when she first arrived.

"Can we talk?" she asked Zee.

He looked up at her from his paperwork as if he'd forgotten she was there, but the light came back into his eyes in time for him to give her a quick nod, "Sure."

The room emptied, and they sat alone. Lucky bit her lip like she usually did when she wasn't sure of something. She tugged on her skirt underneath the polished table. There was something she'd been wanting to ask, though. He was supposed to be her brother. Still, to her, he was just another stranger.

"My parents," she started, "I mean, our, parents...are they gone?"

Zee looked down at the table and shook his head. This new Lucky couldn't have known that it was something he just didn't talk about—ever.

"I don't speak of dad much," he smiled, "but, yes, they're both dead."

"I see," Lucky said quietly, but she didn't know what else to say.

"It's just you and I," he said with a pained smile. "Don't think I'm ignorant, little sister. Please, I may be a busy man, but I am very well-informed. I do not forget nor do I forgive anyone who would want to hurt my family. I have every guard in my province out hunting King, and he will die."

Lucky's heart skipped a beat, but she wasn't sure why. She tugged on her dress more and wished to God she could set the clingy thing on fire. Something about that just wasn't right to her. She should have bee relieved, but she wasn't.

"Oh...," Lucky said.

"How do you feel about that?" Zee asked as he tilted his head in her direction. He could tell that she was still dazed. If it had been the old her, she would have already flipped out. But, the old Lucky was locked away somewhere inside that pretty, little head of hers, and he was absolutely okay with it. It would make everything so, so much easier for him to get things done without a hassle.

"I don't know," she said. "I just...he didn't seem like...well, how come he wants us gone so badly? What did we do? I know I don't remember a lot, but I'm sure I'd remember if I did something so horrible that someone wanted to kill me for it."

Zee stood from his spot and walked over to his sister. He clapped an arm on her shoulder and looked out of the tall, glass windows beside them—the way his father once did when he explained things to him.

"It's just jealousy, Lucky," Zee sighed. "It's just the way people are. Some people just want to have it all. You can't run a kingdom on fairy dust. People have to work. Those people have to live well, and when rebellions happen, they have to be put down. You get a lot of people upset because they see that others have harder jobs and get better things. Then, they start wanting it, too. Pretty soon, the lazy ones work harder to rebel than they do to get the things they originally wanted, and it leads to chaos."

"So, there was a rebellion then?" Lucky asked.

"In short, yes," Zee sighed. "No one meant for it to happen. No one wants bad things to happen, Lucky, but it did. Our father settled it, lost his life, and now we're rebuilding as best we can to keep the people safe."

"Our father...," Lucky whispered. Just saying that out loud felt unbelievable to her.

The doors flew open and the little girl named Sarah flew in with them. She ran around the cherry-wood table and the giant windows like a little bee with her older sister on her tail. Zee gave her a small smile, but it was an irritated smile.

"Oh, but glory!" she wailed, "It is a divine sanction of a meeting betwixt the king and his heir! Are the people rallied? Will there be war? The blood oath must be fulfilled!"

"Sarah, shut up! Get out!" Bella yelled and snatched the little girl up by the collar of her dress. "Let's go. You're going to get us both killed, jeez!"

The interruption was over as fast as it'd came. Bella scooted out of the large doors, butt first, dragging Sarah behind her with tears in her eyes. Her large, blue eyes met Lucky's for an instant, and then the doors were shut.

"Do you trust me?" Zee asked when things settled back into place.

Lucky tugged more on her clothes and thought about it. She could tell he was who he said he was—not only by the people around him but also by his face. Things were starting to look familiar to her, as if she'd seen them in a dream before. And, if only vaguely, so were his eyes. So, he must have been her real brother. After all, the world itself was real. The very dress sticking to her legs reminded her of that.

"Were we close?" she asked instead.

Zee shook his head, "not much."

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I just don't remember."

Zee took his hand off her shoulder and moved away to the window. The trees outside were whispering like nothing at all had happened there. They stood tall in the sunlight no matter how much blood was shed around them. Zee couldn't let that happen again. He would be damned if he did, and if he played his cards right, everything would go well. He couldn't screw up.

"Try not to think too hard on everything," he smiled back at her. "You're safe. You're home, now, and you won't ever have to leave again."

Lucky stood up and walked over to the window beside her brother. She would never have to leave again, but she wasn't so sure she entirely wanted to stay.

Zee seemed tired. What he said made sense, though. He saved her life. The train's flashing lights still blighted her memory, and she couldn't help but feel some sort of grateful. She reached her fingers out and placed her slender hand on his shoulder, too.

"T-thank you," she stammered.

Zee turned and pulled her to him and into a hug. He stroked her back once and then straightened away from her. It was an awkward hug, but a strong one.

"Get some rest," he said.

Lucky nodded. He watched her go to the large doors and open them. He watched her walk past the two guards on either side of the door's exit. She walked down the hall and tripped over her own feet, but she shook her head and kept going. Zee leaned against the door way and waited until his sister was out of sight.

"Where do you think the little one heard about a blood-oath?" he mumbled to the guard beside him.

"Seems someone knows a little too much," the guard said next to him.

Zee nodded, "Lock them up."