I walk down the moon lit street after a meeting. 

“I can’t wait to get home,” I think to myself. I finally arrive at the small little cottage at the end of the street. My girlfriend, Trinity, is reading a book on the couch. 

“Hey baby!” she says getting up to greet me. 

“Hey,” I respond, meeting her lips in a kiss. 

“So, how was the meeting with the queen?” Trinity asks, sitting on the couch. 

“Normal stuff, going over king Zorath’s day and what not. Kinda what we do every meeting,” I say, itching the back of my neck. 

“Bronwen, you know I can tell when something's bothering you,” she tucks my long purple hair behind my ear. “What’s going on in that head of yours, huh?” 

I sigh, “It’s just…this whole assassination plan, isn’t it putting us at risk of being found and hurt even more? I understand that he has hurt us, but couldn’t we think of something else to do?” 

“I mean maybe? I dunno, the queen was pretty forceful on following through with this plan,” Trinity responds. “You’re right though, this is putting us in more danger then we already are in. Maybe if you bring that to her attention, she might change something about it? We can worry about this tomorrow, right now we should get some sleep, it’s late.” She gets up and I follow her into our room. Yeah, sleep. I could use some. Even if I know I won’t be able to. 

~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~

I sneak into the king’s room. It's late, the moon shines through the curtains. I stand over King Zorath’s bed, holding a gleaming silver dagger. My necklace feels tight against my throat. I bring the dagger closer to his chest. Closing my eyes, I bring it all the way down and–

The door bursts open. Guards fill the room almost instantly. One of them holds Trinity by her hair, another Fiora. The two people I care for the most, in the same room I was going to murder the king. 

“Step away from the king!” A guard yells. I try to but can’t. I feel stuck, like I physically can’t move from my spot. “I said step away! Do it now, or the other witches will die!” 

I try to pull away, drop the dagger and run over to my sister and girlfriend, but I can’t. Tears start to stream down my face. I’m frozen, the dagger still close to the king's chest. 

“I gave you a chance!” The guard holding my sister throws her on the ground. 

“Ow!” Fiora says, their face hitting the floor hard. The guard steps on her back, holding a gun to her head.  

“Last chance, bitch,” his finger hovers over the trigger. 

I bring my dagger closer to the king’s chest. 

“I warned you,” the guard pulls my sister up by their hair again, holding the gun to the back of her head, the barrel poking her skull. I see the pain and sadness in my sister’s face. The guard pulls the trigger on the gun and Fiora drops dead. The light leaves her eyes as their lifeless body falls to the ground. I can’t scream, can’t yell, can’t do anything except let silent tears stream down my face as my dagger goes to pierce the king's skin. 

“Now for the other one,” I watch as Trinity is dragged by her beautiful green hair, to the center of the room. 

“Watch it, bastard,” she says as she gets thrown on the floor. The guard puts her knee to her throat. 

“You seem to care a lot for this one, don’t you?” the guard says, pressing down harder on Trinity. My tears flow faster. 

As before, the guard loads the bullet into the gun, pulling Trinity up by her hair as he did with Fiora. 

I bring the dagger hard and fast to the king as a gun shot rings out. I look over to the source of the noise and—

I wake up panting. I gasp for air and look around the room, checking my surroundings. I notice the warm body next to mine. 

“It was just a stupid nightmare,” I say to myself. I tuck a stray piece of hair behind Trinity’s ear and place a kiss on her head. “What if that actually happens? What if I end up killing them too? I can’t risk that. They're the only thing I have left. I can’t lose them.” 

I climb out of bed and grab my cloak and boots. I write a note and place it on Trinity’s nightstand, telling her where I’m going. I’m hoping I will be back before she wakes up but I don’t need her to worry. I put on my cloak and shoes and head out the door. I need to speak to the queen before something gets fucked up. 

When I get to her residence the light is off. 

“Figures,” I think. I knock on the door. No answer. I knock again after a few seconds. Still no answer. “She better not be sleeping. I really need to talk to her.” 

Finally she answers. “Bronwen! My dear, how are we tonight?” Queen Nephthys opens the door fully so I can step inside. “Sorry for making you wait so long, I couldn’t hear you.” I take a seat across from here at her table. “Tea?” she asks, pouring herself a cup. 

“Uh no, I actually need to talk to you,” I say, hesitant. 

“Well tell me! Don’t leave me waiting.” 

“Uh-um,” I take a deep breath, fidgeting with my hair. “I had a nightmare about the plan to kill King Zorath and I’m having second thoughts and I don’t want to do it.”

Nephthys’s face changes, “Tell me, what was this nightmare about?” I tell her about my nightmare and she looks at me grimly. “So you’re telling me, you don’t wanna kill the man that has been hurting us for decades, because of some nightmare where two witches died? Two witches, compared to the thousands? We have let fear control us for too long, Bronwen. We must be willing to lose people for all of us to be free.” 

“But, your Majesty, these people are the only ones I have left. If I lose them, I won’t know what to do with myself. I can’t lose them,” I say, getting more anxious. 

“Bronwen, we can’t let that take over the fact that we need to do this. It is a must. We have hurt and lost to many.” 

“Well, can’t you find someone else to do it?” 

“I would, but that would certainly dampen your reputation wouldn’t it?” 

“Fuck my reputation! I don’t care if people laugh at me, I want the people I love to be safe.” 

The queen looks out the window for a moment. “Why don’t you go home and sleep on it? We can talk about it at our next meeting after some time to think and clear our heads. You may go.” 

I get up and wish Nephthys a good night. I enter my home and head straight to my bedroom. Trinity is still sound asleep. She looks so peaceful like this, untouched by the world’s hate and pain. I can’t lose her. She means too much. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I know I won’t be able to sleep, too much has happened. I roll over on my side and put my nose in Trinity’s hair. Even if I thought I couldn’t, I finally drift off into a somewhat peaceful sleep.