Hallow King

The Executioner is Executing Everyone

Leiah exited her father's room, a wrinkle of worry etched on her forehead. She stayed by his side for a good while, hoping he'd wake up at some point and speak with her, but he continued to lie on his bed completely passed out.

She didn't want to disrupt his sleep, and instead decided she would wait outside until the maids tending to him advised her that he had woken up.

What set her panic at ease was the peaceful look on her aging father's face. He seemed calm despite all the chaos he had been thrown into, and Leiah was glad that at least in sleep her father was content.

She rested back against the dark, marble walls and stared at a particularly haunting painting hanging opposite from her. The princess hadn't noticed it before until that moment, and she couldn't imagine why. Such a grim subject would make anyone's head turn in interest or disgust, without a doubt.

Leiah bent closer towards the painting, raising an eyebrow as she examined a slender, headless man mounted on a cow like a horse. In one hand, he held a rusty bucket with white liquid spilling out. In his other grip, she noticed him carrying a man's decapitated, pale head. "Oh my," Leiah whispered, staring at the rotten bodies the abnormally large cow was treading on.

"That's the headless milkman." A soft voice popped up right behind her, causing the woman to flinch and whirl around with a small yelp of surprise.

A young child with dark hair and round eyes stared up at her, smiling to herself as if she enjoyed giving the princess a fright. "Sorry, mam."

Leiah shook her head, fanning herself with her hand, "No, that's quite alright." She paused when she realized the girl was the same one who had spoken with Hallow in the pumpkin patch.

"My name is Vicky," the child finally piped in, patting down her dress as she curtsied. Leiah returned the gesture kindly, introducing herself as well.

"Like I was saying, that's the headless milkman. He's one of Hallow's favorites."

Leiah's eyes returned to the dark painting, and she cocked her head to one side as she digested the morbid details once again, "Why is he headless?"

Vicky stepped up right beside the tall young woman, peering up as well, "He used to be a farmer here in your land a long time ago. Someone had him executed for a crime he didn't commit." For a moment, a dark hint of anger flashed before Vicky's face, but in an instant it was gone. Leiah's fingers rested against her neck as she swallowed roughly, imagining how horrific the event must have been.

"That's terrible."

"It aint all bad. Karma is going to come back and teach those killers a lesson." Vicky finished with a satisifed smile on her little face. She suddenly snapped her fingers and grabbed a hold of Leiah's dress, tugging slightly to get the tall woman to look at her.

"That reminds me. I'm here to tell you something."

Leiah peered down at the bright, giggling girl who acted like what she was about to say was something overly amusing. Vicky tried to stiffle another laugh as her bright, unnatural eyes glowed with life, "Hallow's personal executioner is executing everyone! The new guy is outside in the courtyard, and my mom said I had to tell you quick. I dont think she's happy. Since you're gonna get married to Hallow, maybe you can tell him to calm his new pet down?"

Leiah's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she turned and started to race down the dim hallway. Vicky couldn't even get another word in, and she was left alone in the spooky emptiness with only a few candles to guide her way. It didn't bother her at all, after all she was raised around ghosts, monsters, and all sorts of strange beings.

With a small smile, she reached out to touch the painting of the milkman, who was surpisingly nowhere in sight. His cow was left alone, grazing through the decaying corpses like it was munching away in a field of grass.

"Did you see her, daddy?" Vicky whispered, making sure nobody was around before she continued, "She's really pretty and Hallow has already proposed to her. I guess it kinda sucks since she's really nice." A flare of anger returned on the little girl's face, and she straightened up as she rested the palm of her hand against the work of art.

"But she's gotta pay like everyone else. Then we can be together again and you, mom and I won't have to worry anymore."

A moment of silence.

"Daddy? Are you there?"

There was no disembodied voice or apparition to answer her, but Vicky was sure her father was in the other side of their world, listening to her though she could not see it. With a small sigh, she blew a kiss and parted ways.

There was no time for tears or sadness, only revenge. If anything or anyone got in the way of her and her parents happiness, Vicky swore she would start killing again.

The small kid strolled towards the entrance of the king of Fariah's bedroom. She could make out voices from outside the wooden doors, but a few grumpy old maids weren't going to stop her from doing what she felt was right.

With a feigned expression of pain on her face, she pushed open the entrance and gave a loud sniff.

"Excuse me? I think my arm is hurt."