(no subject)

[nohalation]

[The memory starts with the sound of footsteps, echoing in the hallway. The footsteps belong to Angel who seems to be walking with steadfast determination, carrying a large flag in her arm. She's a little younger in this memory, but this expression has more life to it than her child self.

I must ask mother.

I have to know the truth.

She hears herself say these words over and over as she approaches the Throne Room where her parents should be. As soon as she reaches the closed doors, she feels her entire body freeze in place.

Something isn't right. Something isn't right at all.

When she opens the door, her instincts are proven correct by the smell of blood. On the floor are the dead bodies of her parents, and the court that had followed her parents.

And right in the middle of the room is her brother, looking at her and smiling.]

Comments

[mourningson]

I cannot simply call a stop to the executions. They're necessary, though they need to be regulated.

[then, his voice softens just a bit]

And most importantly, I must remove anyone who dare stands in my way.

[nohalation]

Why.

[mourningson]

What do you question further?

[nohalation]

All of it because I don’t understand.

[something feels wrong]

Brother, if our parents are dead, there is no reason to keep killing so I do not understand why you say you cannot stop the executions. If you are the next ruler, of course you can stop the executions?

[mourningson]

This kingdom's misery is what keeps the world in balance.

1/2

[nohalation]

[She has to grab her head for a moment as the world starts to spin, ignoring the blood on her fingers.

Our parents are dead. They actually died. They CAN die. Father is dead. Father is dead? He's really dead?

He can die?]

The kingdom's...misery...?

[No he's not dead. He's right here, right? Standing before her is-]

[nohalation]

[no, this is brother]

[this is brother]

[this is kind Dawn]

[right]

Brother . . . what are you talking about? We do not have to kill anyone anymore. We do not have to kill anyone. Because . . . because our parents are dead.

. . .

Right, they are dead?

[The world resumes spinning.]

No, we can stop the misery now. No one has to be miserable anymore. I have to tell mother . . .

[mourningson]

[takes a moment]

Why are you caught on everything?

[nohalation]

Caught on everything...?

[mourningson]

[he's almost certain she's lost her mind, but guess what, he lost his a while ago.

he slowly approaches her, leaving his axe behind]

I'll lay out the facts for you:

Mother and father are dead.

The executions must continue to sustain the world.

And I am the one in charge now, so what I say goes.

These are facts that simply cannot be changed, and it's all for the better.

1/3

[nohalation]

[He wants to continue the executions.

He wants to

continue the executions. He wants

to cont

inue

th em ? .????????? .......?????????????????????]

[nohalation]

[At that moment, Angel's brain just recalls the hundreds and hundreds of people she had to watch die since the day she was born. Over and over and over and over, the brutal murders and executions of her family, of the kind bakers, the parents, the children, every single person she had to watch at the execution stage until she couldn't remember what it was like to not smell blood on a snowy day.]

[nohalation]

...no, brother. We do not have to. No, we do not have to kill anymore. You see, we do not have to because they are dead. We can finally be free from all of the sadness.

[mourningson]

[stops in his tracks, staring at her]

Excuse me?

[nohalation]

They are dead so no one else has to die.

[mourningson]

That is not how this works.

[nohalation]

[Getting up, picking up something like a dish and throwing it at a wall.]

THEN WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES KILLING THEM MAKE?

1/2

[mourningson]

[taken aback for a second here, did his beloved sister just lash out angrily in response to his grand attempt to save what little of this kingdom he can]

[mourningson]

[stay calm stay calm stay calm]

It makes all of the difference. With them removed from the throne, I can do better for this kingdom. Reducing the death tolls, even by small margins, is only the start.

...it won't seem like much at first, but there must be a threshold that can be tested. There was never any reason for our people to remain as miserable as our parents insisted.

There was never any reason for you to be that miserable.

The world—our world, isn't black or white, Dusk. It's a distasteful grey, like a filthy slurry of snow.

1/i dont even know, she's ok

[nohalation]

Reducing the death tolls doesn't make any difference, what is this nonsense, brother! Father didn't kill the same amount of people every week. People were not miserable because 500 people died instead of 400, people were miserable because PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS DYING, brother!

[nohalation]

Why are we the only ones that have to be unhappy? Why is it our kingdom that has to suffer? Why only us? Why does no other kingdom has to suffer? For the world's sake? You are telling me that we have lived for sixteen years and they couldn't come up with any other solution? Do they truly just prefer to let us sit and wallow in despair for their own happiness? Do they even know we are here? Do they know what is happening here? Why do we not simply leave this kingdom? Why do we all stay here? Why do we all accept dying when no one else has to?

[nohalation]

I sat in a dark, cold room with no blankets and food for days over and over and OVER AND OVER DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY, smelling the stench of decaying rats until I was so hungry that I did not have to worry about the smell anymore.

[nohalation]

[Finally stands up and spins away, back turned to her brother now, as she sways back and forth on her feet.]

The baker saw I was hungry and was kind enough to give me a piece of bread, and then I watched the baker's head get sliced right off.

[nohalation]

When I was crying outside once, a kind lady came up and sang me a song. I then got to listen to her scream when they set her on fire.

[nohalation]

Our cousin was simply born into our family, and father could not trust anyone so he killed them off, too.