The Story of Our Evil

II

Lumine sat by the window of her study. Her face was shadowed, due to the half opened curtains. What little sunlight that hit her face revealed a rousing anger that could send anyone running. Her minister, whom she had summoned, was kneeling behind her chair and he was shaking in fear.

"Minister," she said suddenly, immediately making the petrified man behind her jump. "Ready the troops for battle."

"B-but, my queen..." the minister stuttered, pulling out papers. "As of yesterday, multiple sources-trustworthy ones, might I add-say that there have been no external threats to the kingdom, so forgive me, but I, along with many others in my department, don't understand why-"

"ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY AUTHORITY, YOU LOWLY PEASANT?!" Lumine shouted, immediately rising from her chair. Her minister flinched, and he scooted away from her, cringing and questioning his decisions.

"I'm not questioning your authority at all, my queen, not at all! I just wanted to know why you wanted to send out the troops if the kingdom is safe and sound as of late-"

"You STILL sound like you are questioning me. Have you no brain?" Lumine screamed, throwing a little glass vase at him.

The shattering sound seemed to make the minister wake up and come to his sense, and immediately he said, "M-my deepest apologies, Queen Lumine. I...I'll ready the troops right away, but may I ask where you are sending them?"

"The kingdom of Wind. I want that horrible kingdom to be destroyed and burned to the ground." Lumine said bitterly. Just saying the name of the kingdom made her feel even more rage in her chest.

The minister opened his mouth, probably to protest, but he cringed and stumbled backwards as Lumine advanced on him with another fragile ornament in her delicate palm.

"Protest against me one more time, minister. I dare you." Lumine spat, throwing the glass ornament at the cowering man before her. "If the troops have not made it to the kingdom BY TONIGHT, I will know, and you will be beheaded. Do you understand, or must I put it into simpler terms for your poor little brain?"

When he didn't respond, Lumine took a paper from her desk. "Do. You. Understand." she said, ripping the paper in half to show him what would happen to his head. The minister squeaked in fear as she poured a bottle of red ink on the edge of the paper.

"I...I understand indeed, my lady! I will go and prepare the troops at once." the minister said, his tone ending in a higher note out of pure nervousness. He bowed quickly as he retreated out of the room.

As the minister shut the door to the study, Lumine sank down into her chair again, her anger immediately evaporating. It was replaced with a sadness about Albedo being taken away from her.

Another face arose in her mind...the very girl that took Albedo from her.

Lumine gritted her teeth, as she thought destroying one kingdom didn't seem to be enough for proper revenge. But then, an idea popped up in her head...

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Aether was walking through the halls and towards his sister's study. A servant had notified him that the queen had requested his presence.

Upon arriving at the door to his sister's study, Aether knocked on the door softly. After a few seconds of no reply, Aether placed his gloved hand on the doorknob and he opened the door.

He couldn't help but let out a gasp as he immediately noticed the shattered glass and ripped paper all over the floor. He bent down to pick up the pieces carefully, but then his sister's voice, coming from the front of her chair.

"Leave the glass, Aether."

He obeyed his sister, although her voice sounded...a little sad. When she turned towards him, Aether was shocked to see the state of his sister's face. Her face was covered in tears, both dry and fresh. She was occasionally hiccuping now and then as more tears slid down her cheeks.

"Wh...what happened here, Lumi? What's wrong?" Aether asked. He still didn't get up from his kneeling position, afraid that he might upset her.

"I... want her... dead."

Aether froze up. "Pardon?"

"If I'm not good enough for him, then she must be dead."

"Lumine, what are you saying?!" Aether exclaimed, panic stricken. "Who and what are you talking about?

"I want you to go over to the kingdom of Wind, and take away the life of the girl that stole my prince away." Lumine hissed, and she clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into her palms. "I just don't know what Albedo sees in that...princess Sucrose that is so special. She took everything from me. My hopes, my dreams, my future....and I want my revenge against that witch, and I want her dead."

Aether's heart dropped to his toes. He thought he heard Sucrose's name, but he was too shocked to be sure. "What was the name of the Princess of Wind, Lumi?" he questioned, fearing the answer that was to come.

"Her name is Sucrose." Lumine growled. "Quit making me say that wretched name."

In one last effort to try and get his queen to come to her senses, Aether begged, "Please calm down Lumi." Placing his hand on her shoulder, he said, "You don't know what you're saying. Please relax."

Lumine slapped his hand away, tears of rage pouring from her eyes once more. "You heard me the first time, Aether! I know exactly what I'm saying, and I'm saying that I want Sucrose dead!"

Aether gave up. There was no more reasoning with his sister, who was so deep in pain to even listen to herself. When Lumine gave him a shining golden dagger, he knew that all fate had just been sealed.

Aether gave one last bow to his sister and, donning a cloak, he left the castle and he set off and went on his way to carry out the orders that he had been given. All he could do was to hope that the Sucrose he had been ordered to kill was different from the one he had fallen in love with.

As Aether entered the courtyard, his eyes flicked up to Lumine's bedroom, where the lamps and the candles were shut off so that she could sleep.

But even if this Sucrose was the one that he should kill... he had to carry out his orders and fulfill his duties to the sister he loved so dearly.