Another YouTube Fairytale: Nate's Life In The Prisons; Book 2

Chapter 7 - Bloodshed

"Dagger!" 

Nate could hear what they were yelling, but he wasn't listening. He was there, standing, staring at Cristina, until finally, he broke out of his daze. 

He screamed. Falling to his knees, grasping his head, fingers intertwining in his wet hair. 

"That one's a Dagger too!" 

Several palace guards surrounded them in a circle. Nate wasn't paying attention. He crawled over to Cristina, laying on the ground, reaching desperately for breath. "Nate-" 

"You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine." 

Cristina tried to force out a laugh. "You'd better... you'd better." Her eyes already looked somewhat cloudy. 

"We can fix this." Nate said. "I can fix this." 

"Nate." He had to look into her eyes again, despite how much he didn't want to. "Don't you dare make fun of me," she said. "I'm so scared." Somehow, she seemed to be laughing through it. 

"How are you smiling? You're-" 

"Dying. I'm dying," now she looked scared. Almost her entire torso was red with blood. She was going limp. 

At this rate, a guard tried to pull on Nate's arm, but he angrily shoved him off, going back to Cristina's side. Another man tried to take Cristina, but he shoved him away and held her tightly, her face pressed against his chest. He could feel the blood seeping through his own shirt. "Don't touch her! Leave her alone!" 

The guard who tried to grab Nate earlier stepped forward, a little more aggressive this time, but one of the others, possibly the leader, stopped him with his arm. He shook his head, conveying a clear message. Give him one second. They all knew at that moment that they had killed the woman he loved, and that if they tried to detain him in this state, he would become too hostile to safely detain. They didn't back away, and they kept their hands over their weapons, but they didn't step any closer towards Nate and Cristina. 

Nate was crying now. "It's alright, you'll be okay- someone help her!" Nate cut himself off, screaming with reckless abandon. None of the guards moved, which Nate noticed. "What are you doing?! One of you, help her!" He held her even tighter. "Please, please, just help her. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." 

At this rate, the possible leader of the guards did step forward, noticing Nate was less hostile now. Nate looked up at him, still clutching Cristina tightly. "Help her." He said weakly, the last trails of tears in his eyes. 

"Kid... look at her." He said calmly. Nate finally looked down at the person he'd been holding the whole time. 

Her eyes were cloudy and wide, unblinking. Her skin already seemed pale, and was cold to the touch. Her chest and shoulders no longer moved with the spring of life. Nate screamed. He screamed her name, almost praying that she would call back to him. The head guard gently lifted Nate up by the arm, but Nate was hostile as ever again, thrashing around in his grip until another guard had to help hold him back, as he watched two other men approach Cristina's body, still lying on the sand. 

"Don't let him see." He heard the guard say. He turned back to see them dragging it. Not even bothering to lift the body. Nate gritted his teeth and screamed again. 

He elbowed one of the guards in the stomach and kicked the other one in the shin, allowing himself to get free. He took off towards the hole that he and Cristina escaped from. Taking one last look at her, he escaped back down it. As soon as his head was covered, he quickly packed the top with a stone that they set up earlier to block it off it need be. He sat in the little tunnel, not daring to breathe, as he heard the men above him. They hadn't seen him move the rock. They had no idea where he was. 

Nate sat in the darkness there, and sobbed. 

.............

There was a knock at the door. Dark opened it to see Nate. He was pale, his eyes were red and swollen, more dirty than ever, his clothes ripped, and a blank expression on his face. Dark held the door open and Nate stepped inside. He guestured to a chair, and Nate nodded. Dark sat across from him and folded his hands, resting them on the table. 

"First of all, are you okay?" 

Nate only nodded. 

"Okay. That's good," He paused for effect. "Is... Cristina okay?" 

Nate paused before slowly shaking his head. 

"Is she hurt, or dead?" 

Nate was silent. Then finally, he spoke the word that had rung through his mind all night; "Dead. Cristina's dead." 

"I'm sorry, Nathan." Both of them paused. "Tell me honestly; did you find a way aboveground?" 

Nate nodded. 

"How, exactly?" 

"I snuck through the kitchen entrance." Nate lied. "The one that the servants use to bring food to Joey the jailor." 

"Of course, that sounds accurate." Dark paused to think of another question that would suit his needs. "Did I not warn you?"

"You did." 

"Did I not tell you and Cristina that they would kill you if they even saw you up there?" 

"You did."

"So why were you there?" 

Nate was silent again. "We wanted to see the light." 

Dark leaned back in his chair. "Oh, Nathan. You don't need the light down here. It will only make you weaker. The dark is hard, and tough, I know, but that's why everyone is so strong; because we have fought." 

"We have fought." Nate repeated. 

"And we will continue fighting, because we are stronger than anyone above ground," Dark continued. He stood up and placed a hand on Nate's shoulder. "I think someday, you will make a very good successor, Nathan."

That wasn't the truth, and Dark knew it. He was not physically very strong, so he ruled through wits; a tough job with the Daggers, but only he could make it work. But there were two people that threw wrenches into his plans, Cristina, and Nate. One was gone now, good, but Nate was still aching for the light. For Cristina. He had to change him, and soon, or Nate might be his undoing. 

"Allow me to take you under my wing." Dark said. "Anything for a true Dagger.

Nate nodded. "Yes. I am a Dagger." 

But even though he was hearing it out loud, in his own voice, and he really meant it, Nate couldn't believe it.