The Jem

~10~

Crimson walked over to the balcony and gazed up at the wonderful star-lit sky. The music could still be heard from the ballroom and so could the laughter and talking.

"We saved everyone today you know." Hunter said from behind her.

"Yes but if it wasn't for Deeja we would have been dead by now." She laughed.

"Yes but we're not are we." He Grinned. "Would you like to dance Tree Princess?" He bowed his head down and held out a hand.

"Heeyyy!" She punched his arm then quickly replied,"I'd love to." Her heart was thumping out of her chest as she took his gloved hand. A few days ago they were arguing and screaming at each other and here they were now, standing alone together, looking into each others eyes.

Their feet followed the music slowly and the breezy wind blew through their hair. She closed her eyes and leaned in. "Crimson What are you doing?" She paused and her eyes flicked open instantly.

"Oh nothing I was smelling the fresh air." She smiled sheepishly.

"Oh ok good, cause I thought you were about to kiss me."

"No!Pffft. Are you crazy?" She blubbered.

"Alright, then." They danced for the rest of the night and talked and laughed.

                                         ~
The next morning Crimson jumped out of bed in a great mood. But she really did want to kiss Hunter. She thought about it long and hard and decided that someone like him probably already has a girlfriend or whatever they're called. He was just dancing with Crimson last night because his girlfriend didn't show up. Or something like that.

No, No! She didn't like Hunter. She couldn't like Hunter. He's a guard and she's going to be gone in a year.

Crimson bathed, changed and headed down for the execution. Oh no, Monica was going to get killed and here she was being selfish and thinking only of herself again.

                                           ~

Everyone had stayed from last night, to attend the beheading. Noelani's mother was crying and her father looked distraught.

"Noelani Vander  has attempted murder and tried to assassinate 48 Kings and Queens, 6 realm leaders and 4,000 Mages. She is hereby sentenced to a beheading for her treasonous actions." The executor stated. Crimson couldn't look, she shut her eyes tightly and her body was trembling so much, her legs couldn't hold her any longer.

Suddenly the head hit the ground with a loud thunk. "That's what they're going to do to Monica too." She whispered to Deeja.

"I know." Deeja gulped. They dragged the body, that was pouring out blood, off the stage and threw Monica onto the stage violently.

"Monica Derlo has also attempted murder, however she did inform everyone about the Hell-stingers. Unfortunately we have reason to believe that she was the one who provided miss Vander with the hell-stingers in the first place, therefore she shall be executed as well." He angled his ax and THUNK. The head dropped to the floor, the girl's expression was frozen with sadness and her eyes hollow.

I will accept my fate.

A tear slid down Crimson's face. "I know I didn't know her that well, but she was a kind girl who just wanted to be treated with respect and now she's dead." Deeja patted her on the shoulder comfortingly.

Hunter was standing silently at the back of the stage. His facial expression remained bored and he didn't move an inch. He looked so different then he had yesterday. It was almost like he was a whole different person but Crimson knew it was his job to be like that. So she didn't let it get to her to much, and besides why should she care how he acted. She didn't like him, she convinced herself.

"Have a good day everyone and you may return to your own countries and home lands whenever you please." The Queen's Captain of the guard smiled.

That was it, Monica was dead.

                                          ~
The mage sat adjacent to Crimson in the garden where the two f them now usually trained. Crimson had told him that it calmed her to be out here: to be around all the plants.

He made her repair the field after someone had killed it, which was good practice for her but not very nice on the gardener's hand. The Mage-Cecil-feared the guard that acquainted Crimson, he was quite dark in a sense, but Cecil learned to never judge a book by its cover and if it wasn't for the guard, Crimson would have never agreed to start training.

"Alright Crimson, I want you to talk to the plants around us." He said.

"Like listen to what they're saying?" She asked.

"Indeed."