Will to Live

Oak Geranium

"Well, look who we have here!"

Unwin.

He fingered a knife and began to walk toward them.

"No! No! Please!" Kolby pleaded.

"You're too late, Herzog. I've got everything taken care of. The Kaiser is locked away, ready to die when I'm ready and here are both of you. Easy pickings." He squatted down in front of them. His eyes narrowed at Adelaide. "Remember chess, Pfalzgrafin? Check. Mate."

"You can't do this!" Kolby said, voice quivering.

"Watch me." The blade descended toward Kolby.

"No!" Adelaide threw herself in front of it. The blade dug deep into her shoulder.

"Oh, this should be fun!" Unwin smiled.

Adelaide held up the dagger, poised to strike.

"Oh, how cute. The little Pfalzgrafin thinks she can fight."

Adelaide lunged for him. At the same time, Kolby ran past Unwin toward the door.

"Oh, no you don't!" Unwin sent a knife flying as he backed a safe distance from Adelaide. Kolby fell to the floor, the knife imbedded in his back. Adelaide pushed herself up to her feet, leaning on her crutches. She gripped the dagger tighter and held it up in front of her.

Unwin turned. He laughed when he saw her. Slowly, he advanced. He easily avoided her dagger and pulled out the crutch under her right arm. He broke it across his knee. Adelaide's face went white as she was forced to use her useless left leg to keep herself upright. Unwin lunged again. Adelaide missed yet again. She fell to the floor with a scream of pain as her leg buckled underneath her. Unwin cracked the crutch across his knee and threw the two pieces aside. He crouched down in front of her. She reached for the fallen dagger, but it was too far away.

"Goodbye, Pfalzgrafin. And good riddance."

The knife glinted as it caught a ray of sun that filtered from the small overhead windows. There was a yell from Kolby as the blade began to descend. Down it came. Adelaide watched it as time froze around her. A blinding pain like fire exploded in her chest as the knife plunged into her. She could hear her heart beating. Unwin stood and advanced to where Kolby lay.

"NO!" Adelaide grasped his ankle.

He stumbled and began to fall. The hand holding the knife reached the ground first. The blade turned upward as he tried to stop his fall. His head came down on the upturned knife. A shrill scream filled the air as the knife pierced through his skull. He was dead.

Silence descended. Kolby breathed heavily from across the room. Adelaide pushed her torso up with her arms and began to drag herself across the room. She passed Unwin's body and made her way toward Kolby. With each movement, pain exploded in her chest and leg. After many long moments and much pain, she pulled herself up next to Kolby.

"Kolby!"

He smiled up at her. An acrid smell filled her nose. Death.

"I'm sorry, Ada. For every..." Death didn't even allow him to finish his sentence. A horrible scream filled the room as his breath vacated his body. A putrid smell swirled around Adelaide. She pushed herself away from Kolby's body and rolled onto her back.

Blood began to fill her mouth. The door opened and people were shouting. She felt someone cradle her head in their lap and gazed up into the face of Everard.

"Everard! What are you doing here?"

"Adelaide! What happened!" Katharin appeared.

"Katharin! You're here too!" Adelaide coughed as blood began to fill her lungs.

Across the room, a figure appeared. Adelaide watched it approach. It kneeled down beside her and smiled.

"What do you see?" The shade whispered. "What do I look like?"

Adelaide smiled. "You are beautiful!" she whispered back. "You are a young woman with beautiful, beautiful eyes. You look very pleasant!" She gulped for a breath, struggling to breath through the red copper blood that was filling her throat and mouth. "Have you come for me?"

"I have."

"Please, can I say one last thing to them?"

Death smiled and nodded. "You have seen my true form. Speak quickly. Our time grows short."

Adelaide looked back at Everard and Katharin. Both were crying.

"Everard--the letter--the letter--be kind--to Emnilda and--" She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe. "Give my--Kolby--" She writhed in pain, trying to get a breath. "A proper burial."

She couldn't manage any more. Death gently picked Adelaide up like a baby.

"We're going home now."

Adelaide smiled and yawned. "Home. Sounds. Good."

And then they were floating up. Adelaide could see everyone now. There was Everard and Katharin crying. Adelaide shook her head knowingly. They should be happy for her. Peasants armed with pitchforks and other equipment of their respective trades were beginning to take over the castle. Her people had come to take back their lands from Duke Reikhoff. The body of her father lay lonely and forgotten on a bed in a small room. She would see him in a minute. Adelaide smiled and rested her head against Death's chest.

"It's so beautiful."

Death smiled back at her.