The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that came at the beginning of summer. They set forth at daybreak to see a man beheaded. Sierra rode beside them nervous with the excitement that came with seeing a man have his head severed for the first time. 20 in all the small company came upon a clearing in the never ending forest(at least to sierra)that her family owned. in the middle of the clearing was an old and worn, ivy plagued stone with a divot in the center for one's neck. It was the only thing in the clearing that looked out of place. It had a darkness about it that set off the peaceful Forrest around it. Sierra couldn't help but find it hard to swallow when she noticed the blood caked at the base of the stone and the circle around it witch grass seemed to refuse to grow.
They dismounted their horses sierra following closely behind tying her own pony to a stake next to the larger horses. The convicted criminal was being brought before Sierra's mother, Lady Bennett. For a long period of time the prisoner was questioned. The extended time with nothing to do made sierra feel uneasy. Her Older sister Emily was bickering with their mothers ward Alyssa. Emily, despite being the oldest was small and petite. She had bright blonde hair that lapped at the spot just below her shoulders as she moved. Her bright blue eyes shone in the early moment light and where set aflame from the complementing color of her orange cap that brushed the grass as she walked. Alyssa looked out of place. She looked nothing like a Bennett. With Brown choppy hair that just hit her shoulders and and odd brown color for her eyes that made her mismatch herself. For as long as she could remember her sisters always argued. Emily was sympathetic and Alyssa was more of a tyrant. They completely opposed each other on every subject and everything the other would do would make the other upset in some way and you would never hear the end of it until something else happened.
Sierra looked to the distance and settled her gaze on one of many of her house banners. It had a silver canary standing elegantly against a light blue background. It waved elegantly over the tree tops for all to see and gave her pride to see it. Sierra thought about what would happen when they returned home. A long time had passed and when the questioning was done with two large men drug the criminal over to his stone pillow for his final rest. The mans face was covered by his long ratty hair as he placed his neck uncomfortably in the divot of the rock. Sierra's mother stood in front of the man, her face solemn. She looked nothing like the Woman she was behind the throne, happy and cheerful always telling stories to sierra and her siblings around the fireplace.
No now she was as cold as the stone that caressed that poor man's neck, now she was Lady Dana of house Bennett, not Sierra's mother. Lady Bennett took off her silk gloves and handed them to Alyssa. Emily then stepped forward holding the immense family sword that Sierra wondered how Emily could have held it so steadily and proud. Their Lady Dana took her sword from Emily and both siblings took their places standing elegantly behind Sierra, who tried to look as less frightened as she was.
Lady Dana held the sword by its hilt, placing the tip carefully on the ground as she began,"I, Dana of house Bennett first of my name and warden of the north here by sentence you to die." Those un-motherly and cruel words made Sierra's skin began to prickle. She only knew she was shaking when her sister Emily placed her comforting hand on her shoulder and leaned in a bit closer to whisper,
"It will be okay Sierra, It shall be over soon."
"Don't look away though everyone will think your weak and I don't want people thinking I'm related to some scaredy cat." Alyssa added smugly.
"Your not related to us so no worries not shut your mouth."
Emily countered witch earned one of Alyssa's famous glares ,but she didn't say anything more. Sierra leaned into her older sister's hand like an attention starved puppy and hoped it would all be over soon Emily's hand tightened in reassurance around her shoulder. 'Perhaps Emily is scared to.' Sierra thought to herself as pictures of her eldest sister hiding under the covers of her bed covering her ears tightly during a thunder storm. How can you really get used to seeing a man's last breath took anyway? She asked herself and thought her sister very brave for enduring such a thing while holding her stature.
It was asked of the prisoner to give his last words before his last breath. He was silent for a moment, pondering what and how to say what he needed to say then opened his mouth slightly and took in a breath, raised his head to meet the eyes of Lady Dana and stated,
"They are coming, the ones in armor will come, and the north south of the wall will be the first to fall."
He dropped his head after he was finished and awaited his death. Lady Bennett raised her sword high into the air its shinning silver scars blinding Sierra as her mother did so. It was silent all of a sudden then the thud of the man's head hitting the ground. Sierra stood frozen as blood spilled onto the ground, the dry dirt drank it lustingly as it pooled beneath the stone. Emily took her hand off of Sierra's shoulder and walked in front of her as to face her little sister who had begun to tear at the gore. She quickly took out her handkerchief and wiped them away and coed gently to her,
"There, there you did very well for someone of your age I am proud and I am sure mother is as well."
Once she was finished cleaning Sierra up she pulled her in for a quick hug ,patted her on the shoulder ,and gave a warm smile before turning on her heels to retrieve the sword she was trusted to carry. Sierra watched her sister's retreating back for a moment the pastel orange gleamed and provided a kind of comfort to Sierra knowing her sister was always there.
On the way home Sierra had noticed up in a tree a birds nest. Her heart filled with dread when she also noticed the canary laying on the ground beneath them. Dead. Sierra could hear the chirping of the chicks in the nest unable to protect themselves from the world. barely able to fly. She said nothing but redirected her gaze to the back of her pony's neck. It was long before she noticed her mother riding beside her.