No Other Choice

It had been a long time since a High Priestess had been deposed by murder. So long in fact that no one alive today had seen it. We shouldn't have been surprised, the world had descended in to chaos with the previous Kings death. He had been the last true ruler to care for the land. His son was an old, foul, greedy man who couldn't see past his own fat gut, who's thirst for violence saw no end. With his ascension to the throne we had been thrown into war, with ourselves but also against the North. The Witches of this land cried out against the death and injustice and have been working against him for decades. Our Priestesses should have foreseen this, but a new power had risen through the ranks and had pulled a smoke screen across her intentions. Mariel was always so sweet and kind. She was wise and but also willing to be fun. She had taken me under her wing from an early age, my mother was so proud. To have the High Priestess as your teacher, there was no higher honour. I studied hard, I knew that Mariel's apprentice would be the focus of many eyes. My situation in particular drew the attentions of all, how did a seemingly weak witch such as myself gain the attention of the High Priestess? That particular question has become the source of my obsession. As I lay awake at night, formulating my revenge I wonder why she chose me. At her final breath I stayed trapped, uselessly screaming out and unable to save her. She should have had an apprentice who could help her, but instead she used the last of her strength to save me. It haunts me to this day.  Trapped in my memories I felt myself slipping back to that night, and feeling the warm blood on my hands.