Long Live the King

Chapter 2

Chapter II

            I awoke in the darkness.  Nobody had moved me since I had fallen asleep.  I stood up with one thought in my head, find Patrick.  The guards had most-likely taken him to the cells, so that’s where my feet had taken me.  When I had reached the entrance to the cells, the guards stopped me.  “Princess, what brings you here?”

I was frustrated with them for they had obviously known that my brother had been brought down here earlier.  “I wish to see Patrick.”

“Very well.” One of them said, stepping aside to let me through.

I made my way past them and began my search for my brother.  I peered past the bars on each of the cell doors.  I finally found Patrick sleeping in the last stall on the right.  “Patrick.”  I said through the bars.  My voice echoed around the room.  Patrick didn’t wake.  “Patrick!”  I said louder.  I saw his foot twitch and he slowly opened his left eye.  He sat up and stretched, yawning.  “Cassandra, what are you doing down here?” 

“I wanted to talk to you.” I said.

“You shouldn’t be here.  Go to bed.”

I shook my head.  “I’m not a little girl anymore.  You can’t tell me what to do.”

He sighed, looking at me with a smirk on his face.  “Very well then.”

“Guards!”  I called, “Please open this cell and let me in to talk to my brother.”

The guard came and unlocked the cell door and I stepped in.  He closed the door behind me and walked back to join the other guard. 

I curled up next to Patrick on the wooden bench.  “Why?” I said, “Why the hell would you take the blame for something that Gerard had done?”

“He’s younger than me.  He has more of a future ahead of him than I do.”

I rolled my eyes.  “He’s only two years younger than you!  And besides, this kingdom has never seen better days than it is under your rule!  Do you really want to throw all that away?  Because I sure as hell know that Gerard will throw this entire kingdom to the dogs!”

            “You don’t know that.”

            “Yes, I do!”  I said.  “He’s no good!”

            “Once again, you don’t know that!”

            “Would a good person kill his parents?  Would a good person let his brother die for something that they had done? Patrick, what happened to what you said that night?  What happened to ‘You’ll get yours?’  When will justice be served?”

            “Well, forget that!  Would a good person have said that to their brother?  I’m not that great person that you think I am!  I’m not always right! I don’t always make the right choices!”

            “I understand that you aren’t perfect! Nobody is!  But just look at Gerard and tell me that he’s better than you!  Whose life is more valuable?”

            “You know, I expected you to be a little better than that!  No one person’s life is more valuable than another!”  He chided me.

            It hurt me to see him angry at me like this.  I knew that what I had said was wrong.  I didn’t really believe in it anyway, but the words came so easily!  “Bottom line is,” I started, “I love you and I need you here with me!  Your kingdom needs you too!”