Dakota Sager
Laungage Arts
Mr. Corbo
October 25, 2011
The Lady, or The Tiger
The spectators grew still in apprehension. Only a hollow wind could be picked up in the massive coliseum. The gruesome place where men where slaughtered and animals mistreated for the human entertainment, it was called the circus. It had a swell of viewers making no empty seat apparent. Not much of the sky could be seen, either threw the archways that where stocked with many more gawking people. Most of the observers grew gloomy at the thought of what may lie on the other side of the door, some who where semi-barbaric, like the king, grew excited and hoped that a loud roar would be heard throughout the city. Everyone was anticipating who was on the other side of the door of fate, the lady or the tiger.
The misfortunate boy who had to choose, could practically hear the questions being asked to him, in a rampage of what was on everyone's mind. Unlike everyone he had no question to ask , he had no doubts, no regrets, no reason for wanting to go back, to turn around and run out of the coliseum, to his home and live with the princess forever. There was no way of changing his fate. It had been put in stone the first step he had made into the coliseum, no since the day he had given his love to the princess. Weather it be that today was the start of a new life or the end of his current one, he had no desire to look back. Due to this feeling he unbolted the door without a care in the world. At this action, a few people had fled due to the ever so growing sound of tension, that came in the form of a door creak. The audience was bounded to the edge of their seat. Eyes unblinking for fear to miss a slightest detail of the poor mans demise or a grateful mans joyous forthcoming.
He flew the door the rest of the way open, making the crowd gasp at the sudden movement. The princess closed her eyes and covered her ears at what everyone was about to witness. The boy closed his eyes and readied himself for a pounce. Weather it be a pounce of joyous love, or that of vicious hatred, it was his fate.
The crowed was appalled at what they saw. To driven by curiosity, both the princess and her lover opened their eyes, but their reactions where completely different. A thin arm wrapped around the boy, now hero's, neck, it was his bride. The crowd went wild with cheers, even the semi-barbaric people felt delight at the view. The bride was being looked over by everyone in the coliseum, especially the boy. Her dark hair curled and framed her face perfectly. To the boy she wasn't human, but a goddess one of wisdom, love and luck. In her hands where six red camellias and in her bright eyes was a glittering joy. Not just for the excitement of that moment, but for what was to come.
The princess was a vex. Her worse night terrors had come true and the looks of love didn't win her over. She knew she needed to calm her steaming heart. She knew it was to come, but that soften the heavy blow anymore. So during the cheers of the crowd she sneaked away while her farther wasn't looking. Not that that was hard considering that absolutely no ones eyes where on anyone but the lovely couple. The couple who had just been joined by a man that would tie their lives together forever. It was amazing how opening a single door could change the emotions so, it proves how great of power the person at large has on the people of the kingdom. Just as much as it is jovial to think that opening a door can be a near death experience, how a everyday thing turns into a nightmare of a decision. It seemed like a happy every after, but with the gleam in the princess's and bride's eyes, it was far from it.
The rest of the day was full of celebration and filled with many congratulations. The whole city was in a uproar of what had befallen the pair, they where the talk of the town. Many people had started blaming the king, for what may have happened to their new hero, and even the princess, since she hadn't been seen. That night was no different the excitement could be heard everywhere, even where the princess sat contemplating her next move. Her main anger was gone, and had been replaced with a burning frustration and sorrow, that rotted deep inside her semi-barbaric heart. She needed a way of escape, she couldn't love anyone else after him. Couldn't think of another sunrise without him. She had come to another decision.
Meanwhile, the couple was readying their feast that the king had graciously given him, in an attempt to make amends. They sipped their wine and chatted the years to come. The lady pulled out a small translucent vile that held a blue liquid. She told her lover of a Roman ledged, which talked about the concoction and of it's supposed special powers. It came from an old roman legend that told of a lovely couple that once they drank this 'dragon blood', as it was called they had a wonderful and prosperous life. She also said that it was just a herb mixture, to distain any fears. Without the slightest hesitation he took the position and mixed it with his wine. Making the blue liquid turn the red liquid a purplish color as it dissolved in his drink. Without the slightest hesitation he took a sip. Unfortunately, his fate was not the one that he had expected, it wanted to give him another twist. He glanced up at his so called beloved, that was the last image that went threw his eyes as the taste of metallic entered his mouth. A feeling so strong that made his insides burn, which such a force that made him tumble out of his seat. The area on the outer part of his view turned dark, and everything seem to warp, all noises, touches seemed unnatural. The vile didn't hold a herb mixture, it held cyanide, a common poison, also known as the tigers bit. The reason the vile didn't contain a herb mixture was that she had become furious at the man after such a long time of neglect, and love for the princess. Which, she hated with some force the way she sneered at her and mocked her with her tone, it had driven her insane with agony. She had no intent of loving him, for what she had done to her. The city would be in an uproar, and would blame the princess she could finally get her vengeance for all those sorrow nights filled with tears of despair. She would get them back for turning her pure heart into something so sinister. With the last of her pleased face, he slid his eyes closed and his air exhaled one last time.
Just in that moment on the other side of the kingdom a lovely princes looked out at her city. All the lives that where going on simultaneously, every person on their own path that fate designed. All blinded what it may lead them to, the tiger or the lady. She didn't know of any of their lives nor that her beloved was dead, and knowing that would make what she was about to do so much easier. She drew a dagger from it's sheath, that held a lion on it's hilt. She plunged the blade into her heart as a single tear rolled down her heartbroken face. In that moment they would live together forever in the afterlife. In that moment their soul could finally breathe.