I didn’t consider all these people her companions. Much less so her friends. They had every right to hate her. Her death would have been a dream come true to these people. If she were anyone else. But she wasn’t. She was who she was and everyone hated that.
I shouldn’t have said these things. I wasn’t above them.
Everyday I tried to make her prison life easier.
Made sure her food was good. That she slept well. And obviously made her ignorant of the escapees.
She was in a unique cell. The only window was placed on the steel door. The light made her shackles shine. The same kind that choked her before. She forced herself to keep her eyes closed. Insanity would have ruled her over had she thought about them. Both the people she ruined and everything that she caused since she escaped them.
The guards her left their stations. They prepared themselves for her execution. If by prepared one meant ignoring ones duties when they had the chance.
I was able to pass trough the door. I kept myself invisible to everyone around. I felt another organ twisting the longer I kept myself outside like this. Her mind was the only place I found rest and health in. Look at what that led to.
I showed myself to her. I was only able to do so much with barely any reaction. Her silence left a headache in both of us. I didn‘t tell her about the food, about the sleep or the escapees. All I did was watch her ashen eyes as they haunted me. I was the one who turned her into ashes
Go ahead“ she said, "Tell me how wrong I was.“
"Child…“
"You warned me several times. About my path. About what I should have done. And now look at me. You must be happy about this.“
She was right for once. I had every reason to slap her. Yell. Curse her for the rest of her life. She should have listened to me. She should have abandoned her kindness and kept to herself. Then again. She was who she was.
"It wasn‘t your fault.“
"How!?“ Her voice wasn‘t prepared for her to yell, "You were right. I never should have gotten involved with all this. I should have looked for my mother and-“
"Because of you they can now grieve.“
She stopped.
"Don‘t forget that you helped.“
The tears fell.
They weren’t a lot. Water was the one thing I wasn't able to help with. She didn’t wail either. She knew by know that the empire didn’t care for tears. And she believed that only people who deserved to cry can cry. That mindset led to more crying.
I was only able to do so much. I got down next to her. A simple spell made this room quiet. She cried, and I let her.
There weren‘t a lot of things that surprised her anymore. Scarletborn, the emperor, Jack and Nexus were several meters away from her. Every corner was filled with fully armed guards. And the crowd of people who got ready to watch her die grew. Tired and numb to all this.
She expected every single one of these things. But it was the heat that got to her.
The sun scorched above her. The richer folk carried fans or used their hats to clear of the heat. She knew they all lived around a desert. Why was it only now that it affected her?
Was it one last punishment before her demise?
Regardless of the correct answer she accepted it as such.
She didn‘t know what to think. She heard that people‘s lives flash right before them as they die. Was that on purpose or a gut instinct? And did she even remember most of her life before this point?
The emperor started talking. The various words he said were nothing but unclear noise. The sound of the wind made more sense than his speech.
Without any strength left in her she let him occupy her thoughts too.
Was this man the same person that she read about all those years ago?
And did people write him as a savior despite the reality.
Did they have any other choice?
She knew this place was above any good will. Cruelty made this city, the city meant for hope.
Did these force themselves to believe that this was better than the kingdoms. That anything else was sunshine despite the scorch of reality?
She didn‘t blame them. Anything seemed like a miracle after a war.
Jack came and unsheathed his blade. Her last thoughts were not of her but of the people. Not even death made her think of herself.
Anything seemed like a miracle before death. Anyone as well.
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