The Lady, or the Tiger: The End
There comes a time in every writer's career when he or she learns that what wants to be written isn't necessarily what should be written. In some ways, it is the one thing that makes the job of storyteller difficult. To hold back the words that are desperately waiting to be put onto the page in favor of those that must be documented, if only for the sake of preserving the true theme being represented. Therefore, I am sorry to tell you, no matter how badly I want this story to end in my own way, it cannot. For I cannot change so absolute a character as the princess; she has taken the life breathed into her and run with it. Her choices are not mine to make; I am merely here to take them down and present them to you to do with as you wish. From here onward, this tale belongs to her.
In the sleepless nights since she had learned of her lover's arrest, the princess had gotten the information she desired. Now, it was time to put it to use. But which door? Should she sacrifice the life of the man she loved, if only to save her own heart? Or should she give him away to another and, in doing so, lose her own self in mindless days of jealousy? As she sat beside her father, gnawing furiously on her bottom lip, she realized she still hadn't made her decision. But how could she possibly decide between two halves of herself?
The door opened and a man stepped out. As she watched him walk into the center of the arena, she made her decision. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for his signal. It wouldn't do to show any hint of hesitation. She was the king's daughter, for goodness sake. Someday she would be expected to make decisions for her kingdom and not only for herself. Hesitation was a weakness, and she was most certainly not weak.
And so she looked on calmly, her white, drawn face and compressed lips the only betrayal of her true feelings.
He turned and bowed, body held loosely as if this were an everyday occurrence and not what could possibly be the end of his life. Only his eyes held the franticness usually associated with such an event. As soon as she caught his gaze, she raised her hand...and motioned to the right. She could sense his relieved breath from halfway across the arena.
Turning once more, he marched confidently to the door she had signified. Biting down hard on her lip, she wondered if she had made a mistake. The amount of trust he'd placed in her...but it was too late to change her mind now. What's done is done and she knew there was no going back.
He reached out for the handle of the heavy iron door. It creaked slightly on its hinges. The audience waited with baited breath, leaning forward in their seats, anticipating. Of all the spectators, only the princess closed her eyes. Of all the spectators, only she pretended not to hear his anguished cries as the tiger leapt from the shadows.
Shortly afterward, the crowd dispersed, some mumbling, some shouting, some still sobbing and asking why. The princess sat, unmoving, eyes still closed, until every one of them had left. Whispering to her father that she'd like one more moment to gather her composure, he too left, and she found herself alone with the man she'd loved.
A single tear trickled down her cheek as she finally opened her eyes to look at his bloody, mangled body. Blinking rapidly, she rose. Silently, she flicked away the tear and headed back towards the castle, steps firm and sure.
It was all for the best.