The weight
765 Words
The war room smelled of tales untold written in books and of old parchment. I had spent my life in the room learning the tales people don't know was a reality.
Peter didn’t look up as I entered; his fingers were no longer tracing loopholes in a contract, but mapping the jagged terrain of the frozen lakes on a map. The same terrain our enemies have now camped.
"They aren't waiting for the annual events, my Queen", his voice rough as the edges of the map that had lost it smoothness.
I stepped close to the same large mahogany table which the Queens before me had sat to decide the live and death of our kingdom "They never were. They were waiting for three refusals from us",
Peter paused for a few seconds before his finger resumed trailing the paths along the hills.
Who had sent the last letter?
The door behind us didn't creak this time; it slammed. Embers giggles have been finally died down, and in place of the huge smile that curled my father's lips was a mask of pale shock. His approaching frantic steps a telltale of his peaking anxiety.
"Winter, we can still send a herald, we can offer-" he called out before even reaching the table.
"Offer what, Father. The third you sent went unanswered", My eyes hardened at the confirmation that he really did sent it. If we survived the war some things needed to be reestablished. Father went radio silent for a while, his words seemed to have failed him.
"I could go -", Ember started.
"And do what, exactly? They don't want you," I said, the words cutting through the air like a blade. I heard her gasp, a sound of pure mortification, but I didn't turn. "You still assume a bride will bring resolution. Even if we offered both of us on a silver platter, he wouldn't take it. We have spurned him, Father, and he wants a graveyard in return."
My eyes never left the horizon. This is the first war I'll be fighting, and if the books do justice to the rules of war set in stone, then I needed to see it. Then I saw it in the distance, the first red glow of fire- a torch had been lit.
"Peter, once the sun set it would begin, but, I don't trust him", I turned away from the window as the glow died out in the wind.
"Regardless of whatever comes, protect the young and the old", I braced my hands on the table, making sure he didn't miss the command in my eyes.
"My Queen-", He protested.
"You will obey",
"Gavin",I tried to mindlink him, but he seemed preoccupied.
"My queen they've breached the perimeters", his voice urgent and carried panic. Something seemed to tear through the connection between us. "Gavin", I called out again, but it was a dead end. The only thing I could hear was the resonance of my voice.
Ache spread through my chest like a plague, and tears glazed my eyes.
"Perimeter has been breached. Protect yourselves", I walked out of the room with no destination in mind. I needed to protect something, but for the life of me I couldn't comprehend. The throne room, so I headed in its direction.
There stood the throne I always avoided; made of snow-white jade that it looked blue with sculpture of wolves supporting it. It used to look so big, but from where I stood today how come it looked so small.
"Young and old escorted safely", Peter voice trembled as he pushed the message to my mind. My lower lip trembled.
I don't want to die, I am afraid of death.
"Thank you, Peter", a tear trailed down my cheek. Peter, the forbidden fruit I dare not taste.
As I turned to look at the throne room one more time, my eyes caught the ring on my finger- a lavender jade the first to be mined in our land, a signet that represented my position. I took it off and hid it somewhere no one could ever think of.
The black long gown weighed heavily on my body, the crown heavier than it had ever been. I took it off my head and placed it on the velvet seat of the throne. I had failed, all they would remember of my name would be a fallen kingdom.
Would my people hate me for failing to protect them? The thought more painful than the fire that flickered alive in the horizon.
Would they hate me for failing them?
- Writer
