The Congregation

As I knew that I couldn't win in what was to come, I tried to think of all the good moments that I have lived to already.

Maybe remembering even a short moment would have been great but due to whatever I was going through, didn't allow me to pull even a single happy memory.

All that I could concentrate on was the fact that I was in a bad shape than before. I could probably trace all the broken bones in my fragile body with my mind.

It was so bad that I couldn't fall back asleep. As the hours passed by slowly, I just turned and turned and turned from one side to the other and that would just give me an unbearable amount of pain each time.

The night seemed long as if time was slowed by half or maybe it was the fact that I was in a bad condition and all I could see was the pain that at this time had already clouded my mind to think of nothing else but it.

I continued to suffer in my agony as Toothless snored only some feet across from where I was.

At this time in the couple of hours that I could remember, is the fact that before I was caught in the forest, nothing came to mind.

And that whatever I did, was sickening enough to make me in this state. Also not forgetting what Toothless said that it will be a miracle if I could keep my head intact.

...

I saw the first streaks of light coming in through the high window that was erected to brighten the cell during the day.

It has been a millennium if am not wrong. I thought that the sun would never rise again as the pain that had numbed my body gave me another feeling that I couldn't expect anything from the future. It was just the present, and it sure was going to torture me to death as it just looked to have an endless length.

It started just with the sounds of crows that indicated it was almost time, but even that was like a lifetime for me.

And now after persevering for a few more hours, the first light started to shine in the room. I knew for a fact that it would be only some minutes before being taken to face my judgment.

With the slightest of steps that were approaching our confinement area, Toothless was already up stretching his boney hands that made some cracking noise every time he did so.

"Hey brother, how are you feeling?" Toothless asked.

Though I couldn't see him as I had my back to him, I could feel the jubilation in both his actions and words.

"Bee-tt-te-r." I answered with the best voice that I could master.

"Hey... You look worse." Toothless said as he turned me on my backside after hearing my reply.

Clank!

Before we could continue with anything, the metal bars opened and two squires stood by the door watching us.

"Come on now Toothless, your family is waiting outside." One of the squires said after noticing that Toothless didn't even flinch from the spot where he was crouching.

"He is sick, can you help him? Please...!?" Toothless begged as he looked at my face which was swollen like a pumpkin.

After seeing that Toothless was unwilling to leave, they started to threaten him in different ways but that also didn't bore fruits.

They cursed as they approached to take him by force.

"Please... Help him..." Those were Toothless words as he continued to beg but to no avail.

With a little force he was carried outside and the bars were closed shut. Though he writhed like a headless snake from their grasp, it was like a child's play to these trained squires.

And only a few seconds later, I couldn't even hear his shouting.

With that done I closed my eyes as the rocky ceiling wasn't fun looking at. I could feel my body heat rising steadily since I have been exposed to the harsh cold for a whole night. And also from the beating that I had received yesterday.

My heart slowed down and at this moment, I just prayed that I could have died to save myself some dignity.

As I continued to think of all the most unuseful things that crossed my mind. Almost two hours passed but due to my trance, I didn't take notice.

Clank!

The bars opened but I was too deep in thought and pain to even hear. I was so engrossed with questions that seemed to give birth to new questions as there weren't any answers that could fit me properly.

Splash!

I opened my eyes suddenly due to the unceremonious bath that the squires decided to bestow upon me.

"At last... I thought you were dead. Up and about your hearing starts soon." One of the squires said as he kicked me in the ribs.

I couldn't give them the satisfaction like last time. So even though the kick landed in a place where I was just injured, no sound escaped my mouth as I clenched my teeth.

I tried to stand up so that I could save myself some slack, but my body seemed to have lost all motivation to move.

"Shit Lucifer, don't make me lose my cool. You can't be this rude on your last day or I will give you a beating that even the underworld hasn't been capable of administering." One of the squires said as he sounded pissed and humiliated.

The squire seemed to know me. I couldn't help but curse my luck as I didn't even remember anything.

"Hey man, go easy on him. Look at how he's shivering. And also remember that he is just a kid. He can't possibly take all of those things, at least let him die in peace as I fear that today is the end of him." The other squire said as he couldn't help but feel sorry for me.

I applauded his modesty in my mind as I haven't seen a squire who was so sentimental. Maybe he was new to all of this but I couldn't care less.

"Can you walk? We need to take you to the princesses hall for judgment." The second squire inquired politely.

I shook my head with the little energy that I had before he pulled me upwards with a force that only added to the pain that I was already feeling.

I was drugged slowly as we passed through hallways and corridors. A few flights of stairs and we finally approached the biggest doors that I had ever seen.

Two guards were manning the doors and opened them the instant they saw us approaching.

It was a heartening sight as I was between the two squires with my hands around their necks and my feet dragging behind as I couldn't even lift them.

As we entered the enormous hall, I saw a gathering that I haven't witnessed before. In short, the hall was packed to the brim with all classes of people.

From their gazes, I could tell that many were overjoyed while many more had somber faces that displayed their sincere apologies.

Among them, two women rushed out of the crowd while screaming.

"My son..."

"Lucifer..."

The older one was probably my mother as she referred to me as her son. And the other one that looked slightly older than me, well I guess that wasn't my sister as there wasn't any resemblance between my mother and her.

So I looked straight past her into the crowd and I noticed someone that I knew, Toothless.

'So she is...'

Realization hit me harder that if I was walking on my own at this instance, then my legs would have given in and I would have fallen.

But before they could reach my position, a few guards intercepted them and cut off further advance.

Other commoners came to console the women as they were in the spotlight. The commoners could be easily be distinguished from the rest of the classes as they wore less fashionable clothes than the rest of them.

My eyes shifted from one place to another until they reached the front, where two identical thrones were erected perfectly beside each other.

On the thrones, two identical girls the age of ten were seated elegantly with all their eyes pinned on my silhouette.

'Are they the rulers of this place?' I couldn't help but asked myself that question as I thought that they were too young to even be considered potential candidates by the council.

Or else.., they are the members of the royal family. That was the only explanation.

The thing that shocked me the most was that they both had different faces when our eyes met. One showcased humor and pity and sorrow, but the other one, she was blissful probably on cloud nine.

It was all that I had to see to realize the situation that I was in. Even if am pardoned by the other, her twin sister will just overrule the decision and get what's she want.

I was just doomed beyond measure.