Solomons Death

Warning! First, if you have any sensitivity to gore, describing death, someone dying, or uncomfortable scenes in this book that might make you sick. It is throughout this chapter please take precautions and do not read. My chapters are also long, if need be, comment and I will shorten them asap.

Solomon sits on his knees in front of me, his shoulders hunching forward. Townsfolk gather around to watch the execution take place and I am the one who does it. Except the equipment is different today. We were doing one of my least favorite methods. I stare at the flat wooden table that is rarely used to have anyone beheaded. I take heed of the ax. Its shining iron reflects my cloaked figure.

"My son will be doing the execution today, Tanda," the King announces behind me.

I turn and make eye contact with the King. My eyes sweep to the left of him, where a man, dressed in violets and lined with gold, stands an inch above his own father. He stares back at me. He is not able to see me but I am able to see him. It's pleasing knowing that he cannot see me so I get to be one step further. Except, when I look into his eyes, I see nothing but darkness. Like the life I see from many others, is not in his. It makes me curious but I don't let it eat at me much.

I close my eyes briefly before shifting away from them and going to Solomon.

"Up now, my prisoner," I commanded.

He stands and I don't touch his chains.

"He will run," a man says behind me.

"Calm down, my son. My executioner is well at their job."

"Move to the table and lay on your back. Let me remind you what I do if you dare run," I warn him quietly and I stand closer to him.

Solomon moves slowly to the table. I watch him sit at the edge before leaning back.

"I will repeat any last words to the God from above. Do you wish to give me the last sayings?"

Solomon's eyes glance into the darkness of my hood. I watch his eyes try and find mine. My hands reach up, the cuffs of the cloak falling to my wrists, and pull the hood enough for his eyes to meet mine. I smile delicately.

"May my wife and child find another man to keep them safe at night," he speaks openly. He glances down at his hand.

"Do not worry," I whisper. "It will be sent."

I pull my hood back over my head and reach out to Solomon. I draw a cross on his face before moving down and placing my hand on his heart. I watch his eyes and breath in. A dark cloud hovers over me and his eyes grow emptiness. Then, my fingers open his hand and take the item he gives. I slip it into the pocket of my cloak.

"I wish the heavens to open and not the hell. I see what sin you've caused but none that seeks entrance to hell. I gave you a way to ease your misery now. No torture will be done, Solomon."

With that, I step back and watch his head shift to stare at the sky in blankness. I gaze at his almost lifeless body for a moment before moving around and walking to the King. As I stand beside him he turns to me.

"You do well, Tanda," he praises.

"My majesty, I will be disrespectful but I will tell you what is on my mind. I believe he has done no crime but it is far too late to keep him alive as the soul is tainted and dispersed into the air."

"Why is it you only speak sentences in riddles but when you speak little you give quick replies?"

"Why is it you ask me this and I am the one who kills your prisoners?"

"Father," the prince speaks. I glance at the man and his eyes are already on me, trying desperately to see my face.

"It is time, my son."

A smirk grows on my face.

He strides forward and goes to the ax. Solomon lies there motionless and still as if he were already dead but he is not since his chest rises and falls from his breaths. His head turns a fraction towards me and his eyes pierce my own. His life-filled eyes are now mellowed out and without emotions.

My eyes fall back on the prince who places his hands around the grip of the ax before raising it smoothly to balance on his shoulder. He moves over to the table that lays Solomon and I take a deep breath.

"May God forgive my wretched soul," I murmur.

Another man starts talking, "The accounts that have been made are thievery and is found guilty. You may continue with the execution."

The prince swiftly swings it off of his shoulders before lifting it up. I watch him without hesitation as he swings it down onto Solomon's throat and the ax sticks into the wood while slicing so smoothly through Solomon's skin and bones before his head is completely decapitated and rolls back off onto the dirt floor. It perfectly lays on its right side, staring straight at me, eyes drained completely of life now.

I stand there for a few minutes, the blood draining and dripping from the table to the dirt floor. I inhale sharply and take out my gloves before slipping them on. Its silk black material is not very comforting against my fingers and hands.

"My son will be accompanying you for the cleanup."

I bow my head for the reply. I move forward and open a case for the ax. I see the prince watching me closely.

"May I take the ax?" I ask.

He holds it out to me. I grab it with one hand and take a rag out of my pocket before wiping off the blade in a swift movement.

"My father says you have been working for him for years," the Prince comments.

I place the ax into the case before standing up and turning to him. "He is right. Five years long."

"Do you wear this..thing all the time?"

I glare hard at the Prince. "Of course I do. I let no one see my face for I have witnessed nothing but death. Do you think I would like for you to see into my own eyes as I have seen life drain countless times from other eyes?"

He glances away at the decapitated head.

"Do not touch anything. I will handle it. You can watch it. I know your title as a prince. I wouldn't want you to touch anything that makes you feel disgusted."

"Are you saying I am inexperienced with getting my hands dirty?"

"I am not. I am saying that you are a prince. My job is to do this and you do not touch anything so it doesn't soil your hands with dirt."

"You have a way with words.." he trails off, looking for a name to call me.

"You know my name, Majesty."

"Call me only your prince. I do not have an issue with getting my hands dirty. I know your name, but I want to hear it coming from your own mouth."

"Tanda," I answered quietly.

I push the tub over to the dead body. The tub has four wheels mounted on it and two bars for you to steer it. I look at the body for a second before pulling the body to the side of the table, it's already growing colder. I slide my arms underneath and lift up, the blood drips more, and I lay the limp body into the tub. I walk to the head and grab it by the hair as it sits in a puddle of its own blood and my fingertips are conscious of the sticky texture through the silked gloves. I set it on top of his torso and his lifeless eyes stared into the abyss so I put my fingers on his eyelids before pulling them down a few times so they would stay closed. I see the blood puddling and staining the table. It has been years since we have had this and they furnish a new table on each occasion.

"Why do you do that?" the Prince asks.

I turn towards him before ignoring his question. I push the tub forwards, away from the chattering crowds that are slowly dispersing.

"You!" a woman screamed.

I dropped the tub quickly. Pulled my gloves off and laid them on the side of the tub before taking out a handkerchief and wiping away the blood. I shift towards the sound and immediately a woman is pushing toward me and the deceased body. She has been crying and she looks as if she still is. I inhale tensely.

I walk in front of her but she tries to bypass me and get to her decapitated husband. I pull out the ring.

"He is gone," I assure her. "You mustn't see what he is now. The remains are all. It is shattering."

She looks at me and raises her fist to hit me but I grab her wrist tightly and hold her from hitting me. I hold the ring out for her to see it. Her frame quickly trembles and she sobs against me, crying the pain of her loss into me. She stumbles but I hold her into me as she cries her pain.

"He will rest in silence for many nights and many mornings but when your grief subsides, may a fellow ride into your sights and you will be full once again," I speak out to the air and to comfort the woman.

She cries heavily again, her sobs loud and painful. Two other women come up and pull her off me. I hold the ring out again and the woman snags it from my hand with anger in her eyes.

"You murderer!" she shouts.

"I admit so."

She looks at the ring I have given her and she slides it on her finger before turning to the two women and sobbing loudly. The women look back at me with glares before pulling the widowed lady away.

I stand there as a breeze picks up and blows my hood. I hastily pull it around my face and continue hauling the body towards the charnel house. I hear the Prince's footsteps behind me, following.

"I assume it is normal to deal with those things."

"It is the way of my life."

"Do you mourn?"

"Why must I mourn when I've no family to mourn for, my Prince?"

I stop abruptly outside a black door with a sign of death placed upon it, a skull hanging freely against it. I push open the door and place a block so it would keep it propped open. Then, the tub is pushed in my direction and I gasp, grabbing the edge and keeping it still.

"Do not dare touch and move things that will curse your being!" I bellow. I glare at the Prince angrily.

"I am helping and it is such a bore to stand and watch a lady do work when she should be at home taking care of a child and husband."

"Do you think my intelligence is only for a career in those ways? Of course not! I do not bow to a man who will keep me at home to bore children each winter and let my body go to waste."

He tightens his grip on the handles. "You are a female who needs it. This is supposed to be a male's job."

I clench my jaw and kick the block out of the way and step back so the door shuts closed for the Prince to do it himself. In about a minute, the door comes open and the block is placed, as I did just mere minutes ago, before he pushes the body into the room. I stand and watch him stand up straight, his shoulders roll back and he takes in the details of the room. His nose scrunches from the obscurity of smells.

"It is not a place for a Prince, but for a peasant as I am."

"Fine," he turns away and leaves the room.

I kick the block away from the door and it shuts close. I relax and quickly get to work. I place the body onto the stone and take out a liquid. I take out a bowl and pour it in before dipping my brush into it and applying it onto the area that is completely severed. The blood stops dripping and exiting his body and I put the two body parts together.

I get my needle and thread. Just as I'm about to put the thread into the needle's eye, the door comes open, making me jump and stick the needle into my wrist. I shift my gaze over to the Prince who sets down the ax's case and gazes at me. His eyes fall towards Solomon's body before resting on my wrist. He hurriedly came toward me.

"What is wrong with you?" he scolds me.

I take the needle and pull it out quickly. "If you knocked, it would not have been like this!"

He tries to reach for my wrist but I jerk back, my elbow knocking into the bowl that has the unused witch hazel. I move quickly and grab it before anything spills. I dip my finger into it before touching my wound and looking at him.

"Do not touch me," I hiss to him in warning, my eyes looking into his own as he tries to see my face. I see his brown eyes, filled with nothingness, stare at me curiously.

"I have my duties to return to. They are burning the table. I will visit tomorrow."

"I will not be working tomorrow."

"I will see where you are and assure you, I will visit once more."

I watch him turn away and exit. Once I sow Solomon's head back on I pull out a cart and set him in the wooden body. I lay his frigid limp body in and place the cover on top. I take out my hammer and nail it so it will not be coming off, as I do many times before. I push the box holding the body outside. I leave it there and go get the horse that already has a cart attached. I put the cart beside the one that is holding the corpse and push it onto it. I put the cart back into the charnel house and I pull the horse around to the back of it. We make our way to the trail.

The sun begins to set and we continue trekking through the woods until I see the black cross hanging lopsided on the tree. Once we are past them, I saw my shovel and the hole that is dug. I pull my horse up to it and pull the corpse's box off of the cart with a thud as it hits the ground. Then, I lift it with it before dropping it steadily into the hole. I started to bury the box with the corpse and after I finish, I take out a white cross. I hammer it into the ground above his grave. I glance outwards, towards the field while hundreds of white crosses stood out against the dark green grass that took over.

I smiled darkly as I feel the settling feeling inside light on fire. I close my eyes and open them before drawing the cross along my chest.