Desert Wings

Take No Prisoners

I hadn't meant to lie to Chance, really, I had just anticipated more people coming near my fortress. Determined to not have completely lied I stalk the area around my fortress on silent feet. A hunter not of game but trespassers, after a week I manage to capture someone, barely looking long enough to see their face I haul them to the dungeon,"See? Not long."
"No, long. A week long."
I shrug,"Not my fault people avoid this place."
"Actually..."
"Oh be quite Chance."
He grumbled but compiled,"Who is that?"
"Trespasser."
"I doubt that is their name." I look at the teen I had just thrown in a cell,"I never know their names, why should this one be different?"
"Because prisoners usually aren't executed Kara. At least not quickly, wait for their minds to go." Chance replied, tapping his temple.
"I'm not that patient."
"Really?"
"You guys know I am here and can hear right?" The girl asked.
"Yeah, I know." Chance replied,"I just like messing with Kara."
"But isn't she Queen?"
"You've got a lot to learn kid."
"And only a few people can give me a hard time and live. There lesson one."
"But I'm your prisoner too."
She died.

"This one going to die to?" Chance calls as I drag a boy into the dungeons.
"Depends, yes if they annoy me."
"To bad that is a talent of mine."
"What is?"
"Nothing."
That kid barely lasted a half hour.
"Is anyone going to survive this besides those you approve?"
"Probably not."
"So no company?"
"Not soon at least. Maybe someone soon."
"Nope. No one survives you long enough Kara."
"Liar, you are still alive."
"I don't count."
"Hestia, she lives with me."
"That's creepy."
"Chance."
"Kara."
"What Chance?" I sigh, growing tired of his antics.
"Fight me."
"What? Why?"
"For my freedom."
"Ummm... how would that work?"
"You set the rules Queen, that is if you accept my challenge."
"I'll think on it."
"Can you even do that?"
"Yes, I make the rules."
"Fine." Chance groans, leaning his head against the cell wall.

"So did you decide?"
"Not yet, just another potential friend."
"So hey when do we attack?" The teen sarcastically asked Chance.
"You know I could kill you right?" I ask, almost concerned this person did not realize this.
"Yeah, almost any one could, him, another human, a wolf, pretty sure a dedicated bird could pull it off. Why does your ability to murder make you special?"
I quickly have them in a choke hold, my new dagger at their neck(the wolf had brought it to me). I notice fear creeping into the eyes of the teen,"Because I no longer hesitate to kill."
They gulped audibly,"Right. I'll remember that one." I feel him shift his shoulder and dance backwards before a knife entered my back. I feel my eyes widen like a spooked horse as I flare my wings, watching this boy. Then I notice his lack of wings,"Who are you?"
He laughs, genuinely for a moment before responding, voice cold and eyes dead,"My name is unimportant. For now at least, don't worry Kara, I make sure all my victims know who has sent them into the waiting hands of Fate in the end. Not before, and don't worry, you won't due alone this day, he will go with." The boy jerked his head in Chance' s direction.
"You dare defy your Queen?" I throw my title in his face.
"If it means I become King then yes, I would do anything." He watches me, trying to gauge my reaction.
"There are other ways to obtain power."
"Oh, such as?"
"Chance I am new to this, tell me is there a rule saying anything about distribution of power in the royal family?"
"Yes, well, no they no longer apply. Except for one, The Rule of Fate, the monarchy can be obtained through violence, one may kill the ruler and automatically receive their position."
"What you are trying to do." I nod towards the boy.
"Yes."
"No other rules?"
"None."
"Good, I might be making a few soon. Don't worry I will record them myself, you don't need to remember them Chance."
"Okay."
"Perhaps we shall play a game sir." I saunter forwads, folding my wings.
"What game my Queen?"
"Right it will need a name, we will come up with that later. For now let's lay out the ground rules."
"Okay..."
"You can try to win a fief, not my realm, a fief to start."
"How?" He asks, a starved greed in his eyes.
"Win my heart, then perhaps you may win a territory."
"That's it?"
"Yes." I reply, unsure as to why he sounded so surprised.
"Oh this will be easy my lady Kara, far to easy." Now would likely be a good time to mention his looks. His eyes a stormy sea, his hair was an obscure yet breathtaking shade of brown and it brushed his forehead constantly, occasionally getting in his eyes. He was tall but not uncomfortably so and like most people in this realm he had a lean frame filled out with muscle.
"So you think." I should also add that I felt nothing towards him.

"My lady." He greeted me each morning when I unlocked the door of his tower room on the agreement he would make no further attempts on my life.
"Yes?" Was my standard reply.
"You greet me each morning, my sun, bringing light to a once dark night."
I roll my eyes, the cheesiness was fatal some mornings, this was an all time record though.
"Do you really think I'll buy that?"
"Why would I so insult you and your intelligence?" He asked, planting in hand on the door frame to look at me,"How could I insult any aspect of such a beautiful person?"
"Easy, call me out on being the murder I am, tell me of their lives, their families, futures, the what ifs the should have beens. Tell me of the moments I stole, the broken hearts, shattered minds. Tell me of them."
"My stories could not hope to compare to the sings you whisper to my heart. Each word a melody, every breath, my heart keeps beat, a monotone lacking music."
"No heart beats alone, we are all part of an unending universal song, our hearts singing their dreams, hopes, hurts, joys, loves, everything while keeping up the beat of life."
"So poetic, so lovely." He cupped a hand to the side of my face, I could almost hear him plotting my murder.
"So brash, so arrogant, need I go on?"
"Even your insults make my heart skip with joy."
"You're really bad at this." I roll my eyes, walking down the hallway.
"My light, why do you leave?"
"Work."
"Stay with me, I shall be your reward."
"Nope."
"Love..."
"You don't know me,"I whirl to face this nuisance,"So don't make false declarations."
"But..." He faltered.
"No." I hold up one hand,"Now, I have work to do, see you later." I reply.
As I hurry to one of the libraries to do some research on governing (oddly enough no one back home had bothered to teach us much about government) someone starts banging on the front door. I divert my path and open the door to face a tall man,"How can I help you?" I ask when he remains silent, staring at me.
"I wish to see the Queen, Kara."
"This is she."I reply dryly.
"Oh, my lady,"his stereotypical blue eyes glitter,"I heard you were hosting a competition, whom ever wins you heart gains a parcel of land in this great realm."
"Yeah that was more of a prevent murder..." Then I notice the numerous weapons he possessed and made no attempts to conceal. I wasn't in the mood for a duel so I let him in,"I'll fund you a room later, for now just leave me to work on stuff and try to not break anything. And if a door is locked that means don't open it. Bye."
I turn back towards the library when I notice the guy following me like a lost puppy,"What?"
"I just wanted..." He hesitates.
"Well? Spit it out." I tap my foot in impatience.
"Never mind, I shall leave you to your work." I shake me head and quickly hide in the library.
I might just end up killing them, this is already obnoxious. I sigh, contemplating what that would mean, I could no longer be as brutal about what I did, word seems to travel quickly around here. At the end of the day I lock both of the guys in the tower room despite their complaints, still trying to think if a way out of this contest I had created.

"Where are you going?" Their voices grated on my ears.
"Hunting."
"Why?"
I turn to face which ever one was questioning me,"It's a necessity for survival."
"Oh." I shake my head, knowing he won't last long. Once I've returned from hunting I notice him neglecting the chores I had dolled out to the numerous people in my fortress, I had clean up the body and the blood.
Several others meet the same end that night, I wasn't going to let anyone free load off me.

"Hey, where did John go?" Someone asked me, I was busy and didn't bother looking up.
"Which one is that?"
"Brown hair, medium ish height, blue grey eyes..."
"Oh, him. He is... dead." I finally turn to face whoever had been speaking to me, Jacob I think.
"What?! When? How?"
"I don't know when, recently I guess."
"How," Jacob growled,"You forgot how."
I shrug,"Murder."
"Who did it?" The question was more of a demand, the words short and sharp.
"Same person who will likely kill you if you keep asking questions." I reply coolly.
He seemed flustered, attempting to speak several times before whipping around and stalking from the room.

"Hey Kara." I groan inwardly.
"Yes?"
"They are plotting something, found out about your little execution party."
"Well that's no good." I reply, not looking up.
"Why?"
"Well," I briefly contemplate how much I should or should not share of my newly formulating plan,"I'll just have to kill them instead."

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