A cold wind blows across the town square. I shiver slightly and clutch the base of my hood. It would be bad if anyone saw my face gotta be careful. The angry shouts of the townspeople fill my ears as I slowly push my way to the center of the crowd.
"Witch!"
"Devil!"
"Greedy brat!"
Those were but a few of the names I overheard and each name felt like a dagger to the gut. When I finally reach a spot with a decent view, I look up and my heart nearly breaks as I gaze upon the execution platform. There she was smiling with her head securely locked under the guillotine's massive blade. The princess of lucifer as they called her. A young princess of only age fourteen and the monarch, no, tyrant of this country. It's hard to believe someone so young would cause this much suffering. My gaze then shifts to the clocktower behind the platform which reads 14:53. It's almost time.
"Attention everyone!" The crowd's murmuring and angered shouts she as everyone's attention was diverted to a red armoured swordswoman standing next to the guillotine.
She cleared her throat, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Let me ask you how was it under this princesses rule?! How many of you nearly starved to death while she ate snacks and drained every last citizen of every dime they had! How many lost their lives and families in the war on the green country all because of this devil's selfish desires!" She unsheathed her sword and pointed towards the sky. "Well no longer do we have to put up with this brat's greed and tyranny as the time of retribution is almost upon us!"
The crowd roared in excitement.
The swordswoman raised her hand and quelled the crowd once more "In just seven short minutes the church bells will toll and we will bring an end to her reign once and for all! And a new era of peace and prosperity will be ushered in!"
Again the crowd roared in excitement. "Yeah kill her!"
"Make her pay!"
"She deserves to die after all the lives she's taken!"
All the townspeople in the square kept shouting things like that. I didn't join them though. My eyes we focused solely on the clock tower. Each passing second felt like an eternity. My heart pounded as sweat poured down my face in anticipation until finally the clock read 14:59. At that moment rain began to fall.
The mercenary grabbed the lever and looked down at the blonde princess. "Any last words you would like to give your people?"
The crowds cheers died down as they all looked up at the princess.
The princess merely closed her eyes and smiled, "Oh it's time for a snack!".
With that the hand on the clock moved and the bell chimed. Time seemed to slow down as the bell's chimes echoed across the town. With each chime my heart seemed to constrict ever tighter, on the third the lever was pulled and with that my heart shattered. As her head dropped into the basket below, the crowd roared in excitement. However I once again did not join them as all I could do was silently weep. The rain grew heavier and the townspeople began to clear out leaving me alone with my tears.
"I'm sorry Len" is all I could say.
My legs pulse with an aching pain as I stumble through the sloshy mud path. The weight of my drenched cloak grows with every splashing raindrop. I can feel my stomach constricting itself like a snake wound tightly trying to suffocate its prey. Is this what it feels like to suffer? What it feels like to lose everything? If so, I hate it. I miss my bed, my chefs, my baquents, but most importantly I miss him. His smiling face flashes through my head as my heart begins to twist.
Which is why
Which is why
Which is w-why…
I feel my chest twist and constrict as if about to burst. "IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!" I cry out as I begin to vomit tears.
My legs give out and I splash face first onto the muddy path with some of my belongings spilling out before me. For the next several minutes, I just lay there crying and wailing pouring out every ounce of pain and regret in my heart.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" I continuously cry out in between sobs. "I'm sorry len"
He didn't need to die! It was me they wanted. so then why? Why did he choose to accept punishment for my sins? Why did you have to leave me all alone? Why Len?
"Who's this? And why does he look like me?" I ask narrowing my eyes at what looked to be a male version of me wearing a butler uniform.
The older butler next to him placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "This is Allen Avadonia, my lady and starting today he will be serving as your personal retainer"
Allen bowed his head, "It's a pleasure to meet and serve you lady Riliane"
I raise an eyebrow, "Really!? This kid he looks no older than me and you expect me to trust him to tend to my needs?"
"Apologies milady but I can attest that he is quite capable" The older servant said. "Dare I say he's a better servant than I am"
"Alright I guess if you say so but I'm not calling you Allen that name sounds stupid" I unfurl the fan in my hands and press it to my chin and think for a moment, "I know, Len! From today forward you'll be known as Len!" I say closing my fan and pointing at Allen. "Yeah that sounds much cuter"
"My lady!" The older servant said.
"If that is what she wishes to call me then so be it" Len says kneeling before me, "From today on I am your loyal servant, and I will grant any wish you so desire"
That was the day we first met, the day you first became my servant. Ever since that day, you were always by my side doing whatever I asked of you. True to your word you carried out every wish I had no matter how difficult and regardless of the of the consequences.
The orange glow of the setting sun scattered and sparkled across the calm ocean waves. My eyes glisten in awe as I gaze upon the gorgeous sight.
"It's so beautiful!" I say, feeling the soft smooth sand beneath my feet as I run to the edge of the shore.
"Milady w-wait f-for me!" Len calls out, almost out of breath, as he trails behind me.
"You're so slow" I glance back and giggle.
I turn back to look upon the ocean as a cool breeze rustles through my hair. It is then I feel something cold and smooth brush up against my feet. I look down to see a clear glass bottle with a note inside in between my feet.
"A bottle?" I raise an eyebrow, picking up and inspecting the washed up item. I try opening it but the cork refused to come loose "Hey Len! I need you to do something for me!" I call out, running back to Len who was resting under a palm tree.
He looks up at me, "What is it milady?" he asks.
"I need you to open this bottle for me" I say, handing over my new found treasure.
He inspects it for a moment before effortlessly pulling the cork off, "there you are milady"
"Ooh gimmie!" I quickly grab the bottle out of his hands and slide the note out onto my palm.
With jittery fingers, I unravel the small parchment and on it read:
"No matter what I wish to be reunited with my twin sister one day"
"Wait that's it?" I raise an eyebrow, "Lame! I was hoping for a treasure map or something! But this is just stupid" I scoff and toss the paper to the side.
Len smiles, "Well I wouldn't expect much from a wishing bottle"
"Wishing bottle?" I raise my eyebrow at him.
He nods, "they say if you write down a wish and set it afloat on the ocean in a glass bottle, it will someday come true"
"Really? That's so cool!"
"Would you like to try it milady?" He asks reaching into his bag and pulls out a pen and paper.
I bob my head and quickly grab the utensil and parchment.
"What shall I wish for?" I press the dull end of the pen to my chin.
After a moment of thought, I scribble something on the paper. I roll it up and carefully slide it inside the bottle.
"Alright finished! I made the perfect wish!"
"Now all that's left is to set it adrift on the ocean"
I shake my head, "Nope that'll take too long! I have a better idea"
"Oh?" He raises an eyebrow.
I Immediately then hand over the bottle to him. Len looks to the bottle and then at me.
I smile, "You're gonna be my ocean because you can grant my wish right away"
He simply smiles and takes the bottle from my hands, "alright, I shall grant it then"
No matter how selfish I acted or how unreasonable the demand you simply smiled and nodded. You worked yourself to the bone for me. Some nights I would even find you completely collapsed on the floor and berate you for it. However no matter how harsh my words you never once questioned me that is until one day when I asked you to something truly terrible...
"That bastard! How dare he choose that that witch over me!" I shout, pounding my fist against the arm of the throne. If that's how it is I'll just have to make sure she's eliminated. "Len!" I call out to my retainer.
Len looked up at his liege, "What is it milady?"
I toss him a glass bottle. He catches it and reads the note inside, "Are you sure about this milady?"
I raise an eyebrow, It wasn't like him to question my orders, "you dare question your liege's orders"
"No, it's not like that milady it's just…" He looked at the note once more.
"I thought you told me you would grant me any wish I desire without question" I glare at him.
Len puts the note back into the bottle and sighs. The look on his face could only be described as being filled with dread. "My apologies I will see it done" and with that he left the castle.
I finally realize why you questioned me that day and what I had forced you to do. Yet you still granted my wish despite how much your heart had shattered because of it. Though by then it was too late, I grew impatient and decided to lay siege to the entire country of green. I didn't care how many died so long as that "woman" was among them. I was selfish and only thought of myself but you were kind. You comforted me in my darkest hours. When everyone else abandoned me, you stayed by my side until the very end. You truly cared for me like a brother would a sister and I took you for granted. I did nothing but cause you grief and pain and that is the one thing I truly regret.
"Wait you want me to what!?" I recoil in shock, nearly tripping over my big poofy yellow dress.
"It's our only option" Len nods as he begins taking off his uniform. "All of the soldiers have either fled or joined them so when the rebels get here you will surely be caught and executed" He says removing the last of his clothes, "and I won't let that happen!"
"B-but that's crazy! what if they find out?!" I stammer out.
He simply smiles, "don't you forget we're twins. They won't notice a thing" He says reassuringly, folding up his clothes and handing them to me, "Now hurry up and put these on we don't have much time! The masses grow closer as we speak"
"There's got to be another way why don't we escape together!?"
Len shakes his head, "The things we've done have scarred these people too deep for them to forgive us and even if we were both to flee they won't be satisfied until they see your head roll"
"But if we do this you'll…" I trailed off not wanting to finish that sentence, "Where will I go? What will I do? You can't leave me like this!" I snap at him as my eyes begin to water.
"Everything will be okay" He smiles and moves his hand towards me and raises his pinky. "I promise"
Slowly I begin to move my hand to his and our pinkies are intertwined. "Al-alright"
He nods "no matter what happens know that I'll always be looking after you and let's promise to always be together even after death"
The frenzied cries of the masses grow louder as Len looks toward the window. "Now hurry and get dressed, they're almost here"
I simply nod and do as I'm told. As I begin to leave the room, I take one last glance backward at my most loyal servant no my brother. A single tear runs down my cheek before I turn and dash out the door.
I'm sorry Len
If only I had not been so selfish, then maybe you would still be here by my side. Oh how I wish I could start over and redo everything. How I wish I could go back to the days when you were by my side. Back to the simpler times filled with nothing but blissful happiness and laughter.
But here I am now, a starving girl sobbing and wailing on the dead and muddy ground with no one to grant my wish. This is what I deserve after all the suffering and pain I caused to the people of green, to my own people, and most importantly to you. I deserve to die but…
My vision begins to blur as I move my head to look forward. That's when I see it, a glass bottle. That's right! I can still…
I quickly grab the bottle and attempt to get up. My body flares up in pain as I do so but I do my best to ignore it. I won't let your death be in vain. You wanted me to live and I will. No matter how much it hurts. I have to get up and survive at least until I cast one last wish upon the ocean. After some struggle, I hobble to my feet and slowly limp forward.
Under the glistening moonlight at a faraway town by the sea. A girl stands at the shore staring longingly as a small glass bottle floats steadily towards the horizon. Through the glass is a note that read:
"Someday if I were to be reborn then I wish to be reunited and live happily with him"