The Only Two Left [COMPLETED]

17. The Announcement

Walking away from Matrikas' holding chamber gave me time to think about my announcement. 

What would I say? Should I lift the baby-ban? Should I kill Matrikas? I didn't know. 

Indra met me back in my office. 

"So?" Indra asked. 

"So... what?" 

"What happened to the girl?"

The girl has a name," I snapped. "Her name is Matrikas, and she killed Yama."

"Why? Why did she kill him?"

"She has a child," I say flatly.

"Then we must execute her."
Not talking towards me, Indra shouted to her second in command, "Kill the girl in holding cell number three!" 

"Stop!" I yell in Trigedasleng. 

"Heda," Indra begins.

"I know she has a child, and I know that I instituted the Birth Ban, but I said it would only last five years. I told my subjects that almost six years ago. The Birth Ban's lease is up, and technically Matrikas didn't break the law."

Indra stared at me, the expression unreadable. 

"You know what you must do, Heda. I trust you," Indra said, her heart poured into those words. 

Having Indra's trust is all I needed to survive down here. 

"Thank you, Indra."

I stand up, out of my seat. Walking towards the door makes my legs feel like they weigh an unbearable burden on my body. I don't know what to say. I must speak with my heart this time, not my mind. 

There could be children living under the floor right now, and I would never know if I don't lift this Ban. I don't want children to grow up under the floor and in the shadows like I did. I need them to prosper. The future will make us survive.

I take a deep breath before I open up my heavy set of steal enforced doors. 

Standing on my balcony, I look upon all of the angry faces in front of me. 

"I heard the girl is pregnant and she's not dead?" I hear one say.

"Are you not going to kill her, are you playing favorites, Heda?" Another yells.

Indra, being Indra, jumps down over the balcony, and stabs the man who told me "I'm playing favorites", in his leg. 

"Next one to talk dishonor upon Heda's name, will face my wrath," she says. 

"Wonkru!" I announce. "I know there's been talk. Yes, Matrikas is still alive. Yes, Matrikas is pregnant. And no, I have zero intentions of executing her for her crimes."

Outrage provokes at the last line. 

"Let her explain!" Indra announces. 

I hush passes over the crowd, and soon, the whole room is silent, except for the quiet hum of the oxygen filters. 

"I am not killing her, because nearly six years ago I told you that births are forbidden for five years. Matrikas thought she might be safe because the five years were over, but  she realized she was not , so she murdered Yama, who threatened to tell her secret. 

"I am lifting the Baby Ban, because I believe we will be able to get out of here, and get out soon. From this point forward, the Baby Ban is lifted. That is all."

I hear joyous screams and happy giggles as I leave the balcony and return to my quarters. 

Please let me be right about this, I think to myself.

Please let there be a way out.