The Rebellion

Seeing the sky go dark, the rebels, lighting their torches, surrounded the castle. They felt no fear, backed by the rising moon, the sign of the crown prince. The charged at the door, bashing it again and again until it splintered into a thousand pieces, leaving nothing but ruins of the historical palace doors.

Running through the rooms and halls of the palace, the rebels found and disposed of each and every royal they found. They spared many of the servants, unless they had been involved with whatever evil deeds the king had committed.

Meanwhile, Aegaeon wandered the halls, searching for a missing princess that was supposed to have returned to the palace a day ago. Where was Madeleine? He heard voices from one of the rooms he passed. Slamming open the door, he found one of the concubines, Orchid, along with her daughter, Nia. He had no idea where Sierra was, but he had certainly found her right-hand woman.

"Please spare us!" Orchid begged, crawling over to hug the crown prince's feet. "We've done nothing wrong!"

Nia said nothing. She was as stiff as a statue, eyes wide and fearful, crumpled up in a small corner of the room, carefully watching Aegaeon.

"How can you say that you are innocent," the prince criticized, spinning his pen between his fingers. "When so many people have died because of you?"

The woman fell still as she recalled each and every deed she had done. Each action condemning the lives of the kingdom's citizens. But she had not done those things of her own will.

"No! It wasn't me!" she cried, groping for Aegaeon's robes as he tried to dodge her.

"You're telling me that it wasn't you who ordered the funds for the rebuilding of the destroyed village to be transferred to redecorating the banquet hall? You're telling me that it wasn't you who took the money invested in the improvement of our armies and used that to rebuild and refurnish the palace? Do you truly think that the citizens are starving to death for reasons other than not having enough money for food and water? Tell me, Orchid! Tell me that none of this was because of you!"

"It was...was...Sierra! She made me do those things!"

There it was. The confession. But Aegaeon still had his doubts. "You're even willing to sell out your own friend. How could I possibly trust you to not betray me in the future?"

Now Orchid had nothing left to say. She would never be able to escape her fate. She turned to look at her daughter, crouched in the corner, to scared to even move. She might not be able to save herself, but Nia had done nothing wrong.

"Please, spare my daughter!" the woman cried, begging the prince. "She's done nothing to harm the people or the state! Just give me this one request!"

"No, mom!" the terrified princess said, finally opening her mouth. "I won't live without you!"

Orchid crawled over to her daughter, shaking her. "You have a chance at living. Why won't you take it?"

Nia shook her head. "Even if I live, everyone will still hate me, mom. I will have nowhere left to go."

Aegaeon stepped between mother and daughter. "Are you done yet? Or should I wait until you're both dead to decide?"

Orchid opened her mouth, but the small princess was first to speak.

"Take us both. I won't live without my mom. And that way, you'll be able to cleanse the palace. You win either way."

The prince looked both of them over. "Is that your final decision?"

They both nodded.

"Then goodbye."

Aegaeon placed a hand on each of their faces, pressing their eyelids shut. A silvery wisp of magic flowed through his fingertips, sinking into their bodies. A moment later, both of them fell to the floor, no longer moving. The prince looked away. He hated seeing the people he killed. It gave him a sour taste in his throat. But some things had to be done.

Leaving the room, the crown prince met up with the leader of the rebels. They had captured the one who had forced his mother to commit suicide. The woman who was the source off all problems in Reinland. Sierra Trist, the king's favorite plaything.

***

The rebels dragged the wretched woman and threw her on the ground before Aegaeon. She did not move to meet the prince's eyes. Carefully, she stroked bony fingers through her tangled blond locks, sorting out each and every curl before turning to face Aegaeon. Even at a time like this, Sierra cared more for her appearance than her life.

"You're not going to beg for mercy?" the crown prince asked when the woman finally looked at him. "You're not going to beg for forgiveness?"

"Why should I?" Sierra responded, cocking her head over to one side, like a wily fox examining its prey. But she only stared at the floor. "I knew that everything I did would catch up to me one day. I just hoped that it wouldn't be this soon."

The prince sighed. "Don't worry. I won't kill you now. I have one more person I have to torment before I let you go."