Her katana was resting on her brother's shoulder, with the blade against his neck. Her brother was kneeling before her with his hands tied behind his back. She looked around the center square, trying to find someone to save her. To save them. But all she would see was the sad eyes of their friends, the arrogant smiles of the council members and the ever grey surface of Padsong. The snow was falling around them, as always.
Eilise looked into her brothers eyes. Tears were running down her face.
"Do it sis. I always knew it would come to this. I still stand for what I did, and I wouldn't trade a day of my life. But you can't be like me. You can't betray our clan."
Her hands started to shake. Before her stood the brother she had grew up with, and the words he spoke were calm. But it was also her brother asking her to kill him. The brother that had taught her everything about the katana. The brother who had woke her up in time for every class, every event. The brother she loved.
"I… I can't…" she whispered.
"Sis… you have to. Please. I'm dead already."
She pressed her katana harder against his neck and cut his skin. A thin stream of blood ran down his neck. He closed his eyes. A single tear ran down his cheeks.
The wind brushed her face and lifted her hair. She closed her eyes. She felt the snow fall on her face and melt. It mixed up with the tears still falling down her cheeks. In her mind the trial was playing over and over again. Forced to re-watch the memory of her brother being sentenced to death by her hands for all time was a thought that had haunted her sleep last night. Her body felt weak.
"For the crimes of loving a woman of another faction and for initiating a relationship with her, Iiwysin is sentenced to death!"
"NO! It's not right!"
The whole room had faced her. Her lips were shaking as she continued.
"Love isn't something that should be punished!"
The mass started mumbling. One of the council members rose up from his seat.
"Silence!"
The whispering stopped.
"Love is nothing compared to honor and the faction. Iiwysin has insulted us all with his disgraceful deed of letting a woman of another faction close to him."
"Love is everything! It's above all else! Love is…"
"Silence!"
She was shaking in anger. Honor?! What was honor compared to love?
"I guess we should've expected no less from the sister of this traitor. Guards! Bring her to the stand."
A guard put his hand on her arm. She brushed it off. With her hand held high, she walk to the stand and stared into the eyes of the elder that had opposed her.
"For the crime of speaking out of term and with dishonor to us all, you Eilise, will have the honor to take your brother's life."
The weight had been put on the word honor, and the council member was smiling as he said it. Eilise's body went cold. Her eyes wandered to meet her brothers. The pain in his eyes tore her heart apart. She started crying.
"No…no… you can't make me… no!"
No matter how much she refused, here she was. Their word was the law. Her hands shook even harder as she raised the katana high. She could feel the smiles of the council burning in her neck. With one deed they had both killed their traitor and disciplined another.
"I'm sorry brother."
He opened his eyes and smiled.
"You are not the one who's in fault here. I love you, dear sister."
She looked at him one last time.
"I'm sorry."
The look on her brothers face as she dragged the katana over her own throat, slit it open and then fell to the ground, would only haunt her a few seconds. With a smile on her face she died in front of him and in front of the council members. "This is what I think of your honor, honored Council members",was the last thing that went through her mind.
