Revised on 2.3.11.
"My lady, all men are accounted for," a deep, brooding voice informed. I looked up, analyzing the officer. He was clean shaven, and his pointed features only seemed to enunciate the fact furthermore.
"Lovely," I said flatly. My face was washed of any emotion. "Causalities?"
"Nearly all are dead or critically injured," he explained, nodding his head in the process.
"Nearly?" I asked, my back rigid. He had piqued my interest.
"We did find a group of four civilians trying to escape," he explained. His eyes wandered the room, flickering back and forth.
"And?"
"We brought them to you." He stood in front of me, his head down, fiddling with a loose strand on his jacket. He was deliberately averting my gaze.
"Well, bring them in," I commanded.
"Yes, my lady." He hurriedly walked out of the throne room, his shoulders hunching as he neared the corner.
Now then, what to do with the rule breakers? I thought to myself. A sly grin played on my otherwise immobile face as I thought of the possibilities.
Sobbing broke my blissful silence. I looked up slowly, my nose snarled, analyzing the disloyal subjects.
A man, probably in his thirties, his face dark from working the land, his black hair streaked with grey, was standing in front of me. His skin had a leathery sort of appearance, and deep lines cut through his face, lines of worry.
His wife was standing beside him, clutching a baby sound asleep, choking back sobs. Her plain dress clearly marked her as a peasant.
A small child was standing behind his father, his black hair hanging in greasy clumps. He gripped his father's leg, tears dotting his grimy face.
"Why were you trying to leave?" I asked, my brows raised in an apprehensive glare.
The man spoke, his voice ragged, "Your men set fire to our home. They burned our crops and slaughtered all our animals."
"And this gave you reason to leave?"
"We were leaving for our children's sake!" the woman shouted suddenly, her dark hair threatening to release itself from the loose bun. The baby woke up and started crying. The little boy hugged his father's leg tighter.
"Are you suggesting that my men would have killed your children?" I asked, my head cocked sideways.
They didn't respond. They knew what was coming. I allowed my lip to curl a bit.
"You were aware of the rules, were you not? No one shall enter or leave the kingdom without written permission of the queen."
They still didn't say anything.
"And here my men found the four of you crossing into enemy territory, and with no papers!" I raised my arms in frustration. "We have a strict policy for rule breakers, you know."
The little boy started crying, and his father picked him up and held him close. "We do not follow your rules, witch," he spat, taking a gutful step towards the throne I occupied.
"Well, I suppose we won't have to worry about that anymore, now will we?" I said, allowing a smile to cross my face.
"What do you-" the woman muttered, though she seemed to understand. She clutched her baby tighter.
I snapped my fingers and the screaming began.
A loud speaker cackled to life, ruining my dreamlike state. "Attention all gods and goddesses, there will be a short meeting at the proposed area for the swimming pool at five o'clock to discuss possible designs. That is all."
I looked down at my watch. It was four thirty. I had thirty minutes to complete my pool design. I sighed… Back in the good ole days, I didn't have to worry about such silly occurrences. I ruled my country, and that was it. What had happened? Where had my cold heart went?
I picked up my pencil and scribbled down some more details as my mind took my back to the place I once ruled. The place I called home. The place I ruled with a cold heart.
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