Beginning of the End

The Veil of Evil

                “You did what? I am shocked Aramina that you of all people could lay down a weapon instead of taking a life. Arianna is too dangerous to be kept alive, and to think I thought you knew that. What a shame, Aramina, what a shame. You had the chance to end a disastrous life that would only lead to more trouble, and you let her live?” Asks my mother.

                “Silence!” Aramina screams at her. “I was not finished. What makes you think I would just walk away and leave her free of harm? It would only be the right thing to do.” The final words muttered under her breath.

                “The right thing to do? Who are you Aramina? You have no place here amongst us.”

                “No Zarya. The question is who are you; all of you? Are you a pack of wild animals killing whenever and whoever you deem fit, because that is very much how I see, through my eyes!” she yells in rage.

                The room that had been so silent just moments ago, is now erupting in protest, swatting at the young leader with their hands, screaming insults at her. One man even dares to shoot a bolt of fire at her back, the shot crumpling her to the hard, stone floor, smoke emitting from the burns, her eyes sealed shut in death. I turn around to face Aramina’s killer, a look of pure terror on my face as the man I see in front of me is my father. Almost in tears, I glance over at my mother, an identical look of pure shock plastered on her pretty face, and then back at Aramina, still unmoving on the stone. My gaze now shifts to the crowd of insane council members and raise my hand at shout at them, “Do you not see,” my voice unwavering, “Aramina is was right, you kill mercilessly at will, like a pack of wild animals!” I scream. “I think this plan of yours is not just for separation, it is a plot to rule Norvia, while its inhabitants are slaughtered so only you remain. I think this is the end of humanity my mother spoke of, but instead of it coming from some unknown land, it comes from you and you all know it.”

                “Well played Zianna. Now I think is the time when you are by yourself for a while. You need not here the remainder of the gathering.” A voice says behind me. That voice belonging to my mother, so I reluctantly follow her.

                She drags me by the hand through stone passages lined with white stone statues of people who are unfamiliar to me. There are not windows through this hall as there used to be; they were all boarded up some years ago, for our own protection I am told. The image of Aramina lying still on the cold floor, her body scorched cannot leave my mind, as if I am not meant to forget. When we reach my room, without saying a single word to me, my mother slams the door and locks it, leaving me alone in my chamber with nothing but one window with a uniform grey view of the outside world, my books and the hard stone bed in the corner. It seems as if I am Zarya’s prisoner rather that her only daughter and the heir to the Toran throne.

                I sit down on my bed and stare at the ceiling, wishing my mother would only understand what she is doing is wrong and make the change I am trying to make on my own. I close my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me and keep me for the rest of this long day and the night that follows, with the grave hope that the next day will bring a new light, that maybe I can see her face just one more time. The face of Aramina, the one person in this kingdom who can see past the blinding veil of evil cast upon this city by my parents.