The Proposition

I instructed the guard to lay her on my bed, stomach down.

            “Call the doctor,” I instructed. I quickly grabbed a towel and some water from the basin at my dresser and wiped the blood from her wound.

            “That was a nasty fall you had, Tyrina.” I said. She whimpered as the cloth grazed over the gash down the middle of her back.

            “Why are you doing this for me?” she asked, fighting back tears.

            I looked around. “Because I care for you, Tyrina. I would do anything for you.”

            I stopped rubbing the towel over her wound, and placed a hand on her shoulder. I began to soothingly rub small circles over her skin, making her feel better.

            “Stefan,” she began, turning her head as far as she could. I leaned down so we could make eye contact. “I don’t want you to get in trouble on my account.”

            I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “After tonight you will be free. And we will spend the rest of our days together.”

            “How touching, nephew.”

            I turned to see my uncle and two guards standing in the doorway. “Would you mind telling us how she will be free?”

            I just stared at him, watching his cold eyes stare me down in an attempt of intimidation. The air seemed to have left the room, and my heart beat violently inside of my chest. “How do you mean uncle?” I asked.

            “Stefan,” he said, chuckling as he came towards me. “I always knew you were a contemptible b*****d, but I never assumed you to be as stupid as you are now. Did you not find it strange that whenever you stole the gold to supply your little rebellion, the guard was never on duty? And also, that our apt treasurer never found a discrepancy?”

            He now took two more steps and was mere inches from my face. Now I could really notice he was a head taller than me. His breathing was slow and deliberate, and his gaze stayed on me the whole time. “Did you think you were that smart?”

            “What will happen now?” I asked, feeling my knees weaken.

            “All the slaves in the rebellion will die,” he said. The edge to his voice was a cold, sinister one. I could even detect a gleam in his eye as he pondered his words. “You see, it was fairly easy to know there battle plans when I had a little ear on the inside.”

            He looked towards the door, and I did too. There from behind the guards stepped Jhanili. My heart nearly stopped beating.

            “Jhanili, how�"“ my voice trailed off, seasoned heavily with disbelief and betrayal. My old friend, or who as assumed was my friend, had betrayed me. He could barely make eye contact with me.

            “Stefan,” Jhanili began. “I am so sorry�"”

            “No you are not!” I screamed, letting my anger flicker. “And if I have any say in this, you will be�"“

            “But you don’t,” My uncle said, cutting in. “I am the King of this Kingdom. Now, my nephew, I will give you a choice.”

            My uncle drew his dagger from his belt, handing it to me. “As of now, Stefan, you, Jhanli and Tyrina are guilty of treason for adding and abetting a rebellion. I have given you that dagger and a choice.  Option one, you can use that dagger to kill yourself, and I will let the old man and the girl go free. They will face no charges, but will be banished from the kingdom.  Or, you can kill them both and I give you my word that you will not stand trial for any crime. Not only that, but I will move that you be crowned King immediately.”

            “What assurance do I have that you won’t kill them as well if I kill myself?”

            He gave a sly smile. “You have my word.”

            “Your word was damned by your deeds ages ago,” I said, “And what if I were to kill you?”

            “My guards would kill all three of you before I even hit the floor.”

The room fell silent. Even Tyrina’s whimpers stopped. I could barely feel my fingers as they glided over the blade. My clouded mind glossed over a plan. In an instant I decided what to do.

“I will not participate in your ultimatum,” I said, handing him the blade.

He looked at the blade briefly. “You are a fool.”

He turned to the bed and drove the blade between the shoulders of Tyrina. I cried out, trying to push him off of her, but he kept stabbing her. He far to large for me to stop him. Her blood curdling shrieks filled the room.

I wish I had turned away and not seen her twisted face as she cried in agony. I wish I had not seen her eyes bulge, and her mouth form around silent words. I wish I had not seen her die on my bed.

But my wishes could not change anything.

They couldn’t stop my feet either as I ran.