The King

 The voices in my head were telling me that I should turn around and beat the man who'd insulted me senseless, make him bleed until there wasn't any more blood for me to drain from his body. But I kept walking on shaky legs, terrified that if I even thought about turning around the monster that lived inside me would take over, and I'd never regain control. I felt then sneers from all the other men watching me walk into the Common Room, trying to focus on what I had to do. I was a servant of the King now, and he wouldn't be happy if one of his little slave girls was late because she had killed one of his best men.

Trying to hold back the rage, I slammed the doors to the enormous chamber behind me, silencing the filthy animals that the King treasured on the other side. I shuddered, physically appalled at the comments they'd made. I took a moment to collect myself before walking through the Common Room to report to the His Royal Jackass.

"Sir," I lowered my eyes, staring at the floor like I was to do every time I spoke to him, "all of the candidates are ready for the Trials. They await your word for the beginning of the competition."

I could feel his cold, judgemental stare. "Tell them we will start in one week. And try not to steal anything on your way."

I nodded, again ignoring the sinister voices snickering from the other room. I'd had enough of the mockery today. The King had no right to punish me for protecting my sister, Opira, and I from starvation. I'd stolen some fruit that would feed us for a week from a wealthy Gladiator. He caught me and when I was reported, I was forced into this servitude. When I'd refused, they cut off Opira's head right in front of me, her screams of terror forever burned into my memory. That had been four months ago, a brief eternity of misery.

Leaving the Common Room, I walked out of the palace and through the village to the area where the Gladiators were awaiting the Trials. The Trials were held in our village whenever the King had a daughter that needed to be married. This year, the princess was of age, and he wanted her to have a warrior of a man that he could be proud of to inherit his position. A man that could beat everyone else, that could protect his people. A man he could call his son.

The daughter, Marina, hated the idea of some Gladiator winning the Trials by murdering all of his other opponents, only to become the man she was to wake up to every morning. She didn't want to have the children of a man that had killed for power. That was how her father had won the throne, and she'd despised him ever since she discovered this a few years ago.

I would know. I am a personal attendant to Marina and her younger brother Kalen. Marina and I spend hours talking with each other at night. Kalen falls asleep, and we whisper about the things that are wrong in the world, the things we want to change. Marina wishes to be a good leader, to be loved by a man that didn't win her hand through death. I simply wish to be free.

Two weeks ago, Marina had developed a plan. It was crazy, but so far it had worked. Strolling through the small settlement of men, I made the announcement about the Trials. Again, I was scoffed at by the imbeciles before me. They pointed out my risque servant's apparel, the short tan skirt and matching skimpy top. They laughed at my bare feet, rough and ugly from not wearing shoes for years. I ignored it, allowing the voices to explode to life, making my way to the one Gladiator who wasn't laughing at me. A smaller man, his name was Ralthar I think, was sitting far off from his competitors. He'd spoken to me nicely in the past few days, treating me like a normal human being for a change.

Making sure I was clear of the other Gladiator's view, I pulled the black dagger from underneath my skirt. Allowing the monster to come out a little, I quickly covered his mouth and threw his head forward just enough to slit his throat, staining the ground crimson rather than his gear, ending him quietly enough to go unnoticed. I dragged the body deep into the trees of a nearby forest and removed his clothes. Packing up all of the items he had with him in his little tent, I took the long way around the Gladiator Camp. They hadn't seen me, and they'd think he'd simply left to prepare for the fight for his life.