Re_Birthday-Len Kagamine
Chapter Four
I was thrown into another memory, further in the future now...we were fourteen. Still so young, yet having done more than most people our age. Unfortunately things had not improved for the people of our Kingdom. I of course had been ordered to kill more people, and each time I did this I became a little more desensitized. Though if I let myself think about what I was doing I'd fall apart regardless. After the first time I received no more 'thank you's or sympathy, it was my duty now, and I pretended to Rin that I didn't mind. In a way I didn't, I'd do anything for her.
Rin had once again raised taxes so that the people of the Kingdom loathed her, though this was in secret, there was no way they would say anything against Princess Rin. They had to work twice as hard to earn the money they needed, many families were couldn't afford to eat, people were ill and died, and if anyone said anything against Princess Rin a mysterious boy in a cloak would come to end your life. Well this is what the people said anyway, and it was true, I killed many people, mostly men, though there was the occasional woman. I found this much more difficult. Especially if the woman resembled Rin in anyway, though men provided for their families, women were mothers, and this thought always gnawed away at me each time I was instructed to kill a woman.
Needless to say, things were not improving. Some days I would simply slump in a chair after an execution as if I were a corpse myself, I felt like one. Like an empty shell I would float around the town, collecting those whose fates were to be sealed. Rin didn't seem to notice, though I suppose I never really let her see my depression; I would always put on a smile for her. Some days it was easier than others, I would serve her afternoon tea as she ordered, smiling kindly at my queen, making idle conversation of what was on her menu for the day. It was like I was living a double life. I would leave the castle a ghost hidden in a cloak as it were, feeling either numb, bitter or resigned, depending on my mood, however when I was not out taking care of those who had displeased Rin, I was inside the castle waiting on her, the loyal brother and servant, cheerful and optimistic.
I suppose you could say I had become used to murdering people for Rin. Used to dragging them through the forest in handcuffs, seeing the same tracks in the mud and leaves below me, my footprints, and the footprints of those who had entered the forest with me, never to return. I was the only one who ever returned from this journey to hell and back. I was used to their frantic prayers as I we stumbled across the grass and roots of trees into the unknown. I was evil, I knew I was, but I refused to believe it, for who really wants to admit something like that? Is that what makes a person truly evil, admitting you're evil, as if it is something to be proud of? I'll never know. Despite being 'used' to killing, nothing could prepare me for what was to come.
I should've expected my evil actions to have a consequence. I think I did to begin with; I would kneel beside my bed at night and pray for forgiveness, I'd pray and pray until I was drenched with tears of regret and sorrow. As time went on I learned to forget about the innocent families of those I'd killed. I also learned later on that this was a grave mistake. I should've known that one day I would kill the wrong person...or wrong people.
I awoke as I would any other day. I sighed as I pulled the dark cloak over my head that would conceal my identity, and trudged to the throne room where Rin was waiting to give me my day's chores. I tried to distract myself by staring up at the vast ceiling with its many skilfully painted images and designs. At the walls around me, the busy wallpaper covered by large paintings of past royal families. I passed a particular painting, one of our parents, and felt a twinge of pain inside. What would they say if they saw me now, if they knew what I had done? Clearly this was not helping my mood, so I decided to pick up the pace and report to Rin.
I almost turned and walked away as I entered the throne room, advancing towards my sister. A look of absolute fury plastered across her beautiful face. I gulped, knowing I was soon to meet whoever had displeased my twin so much. I kneeled before her respectfully, greeting her in the same manner. She interrupted me, the anger she felt now evident also in her voice as well as her expression.
"They are so disrespectful!" She slammed her fist down against the arm rest of her throne, her voice shaking angrily. I was almost too fearful to ask.
"My lady?" I began nervously, not wanting to have this terrible anger directed at me "What have they done to you?" I questioned quietly, staring at my mud caked shoes, spotting dried on flakes of blood. This sight made me feel queasy.
"Thieves Len, we have thieves! Did you know this?" She questioned me, almost accusingly. Did she think I was hiding this knowledge from her? She should know better, I would never let anyone take advantage of her.
"Thieves? No my lady, I didn't know about this until this moment when you told me, what do you mean, we have thieves?" I questioned curious now, and eager for her to understand I had no knowledge of thieves.
"I mean someone has been stealing from my kitchens! Stealing MY food to feed the people! That is why they farm is it not? To feed themselves, to earn money for buying food? How dare they steal from me!" She cried, her voice becoming higher as she spoke with sheer anger.
"Who told you this?" I questioned, suspicious that someone had simply said this to irritate the Princess, who was so easy to agitate lately. Some people were so spiteful.
"One of servants from the kitchen, she informed me that she saw a man sneaking food from the pantry. Lots of it too. How she attempted to catch him, and how he escaped! It is good to know I have some loyal servant left at least! I suspect she is not the first to have witnessed this man, food as been disappearing for weeks now!" She was growing fiercer with each passing second. I felt a slight pang of jealousy; I was always the one who caught the ones who disobeyed our Princess. I was her most loyal servant. This was a childish and irrelevant thought, and I felt ashamed even as I felt it, so pushing this to the back of my mind, I proceeded to ask;
"So do you know who this man is?" A slight edge of bitterness to my voice as I once again thought
I'm her most loyal servant. However Rin didn't notice the sudden change in my tone, or didn't care for the time being, more concerned about this thief.
"Yes, thankfully the girl knew him from the village." She smiled for the first time, a pleased smile of satisfaction, she had her man, and I was to take care of him, she told me his name, and I reflected, realising I knew his daughter, Meiko. I recalled she was older than us, perhaps eighteen or nineteen. I stopped, remembering it was not wise to think of my victim's family.
I smiled up at my twin, promising to stop him from stealing anything more from her before pulling the hood over my head, and walking back through the long halls and corridors into the old kitchen. A new kitchen had been built, Rin's request as she loved to spend the people's money. However this turned out to be a good thing, as it gave me a place to hide my weapon I was now able to wield. Rin had ordered her servants not to bother cleaning the old kitchen; she was fearful they would find my blood stained sword and decide to weld it against her. Another new thing of hers, she had all of the weapons of decoration removed from the castle, a sure sign of her guilt for having so many people killed, or perhaps she did know the people hated her, whichever she hadn't hesitated in having them all removed. Dust had gathered on the old work surfaces, the only neglected room in the vast castle, as she made sure all of the other rooms were cleaned, even if they hadn't been used in decades. I ran my hand through the dust, wiping it off on my cloak as I removed the sword from its hidden place, gripping it tightly as if I were being threatened.
The walk into the village was uninteresting, nothing but a straight path surrounded by tall trees, it almost seemed like they'd been planted to hide this path. I always took the beaten track when I was on this kind of errand, it was less conspicuous, and took less time, I could quite easily slip into the village unnoticed and wait for my victim to wander close enough for me to catch so to speak. However this was different, today's orders were very specific, I was to be seen today. Another one of Rin's ideas of 'making and example' of this man. I chewed anxiously on my bottom lip as I wandered into the village, off the hidden track out into the open. There weren't many people around, and it took a while for anyone to notice me, but as I walked further into the village where there were more workers people stopped as stared at me, muttering things about the boy who brought death. Yes they knew who I was. I stared awkwardly out the ground, inwardly praying no one would attempt to harm me, I could see why they would, I only brought them ill news. I could feel the gravel underneath my foot as if I wasn't wearing boots at all, like I could feel them glaring at me with pure hatred even though I couldn't see them.
As I neared my target's house I gripped the handle of my sword more tightly once again, feeling the patterns engraved into its handle. I'd never understand why you would want pattern on a weapon, just because it has beauty engraved into it, doesn't make the deeds committed with it any less ugly. I noticed little about my surroundings, only that the houses here seemed slightly more cared for than the dilapidated ones on the outskirts, perhaps of people who had died of starvation, or even at my own hands. I saw my victim standing outside of this house, he busy hauling some large sacks on to an old rickety cart, presumably filled with items he would sell to make a living. I kept walking, stopping outside of the small fence waiting for him to notice me. Judging by the way the fence looked it had been made by the man in front of me; the same could be said for the cart. I noticed the blue sky, how odd the sky should be so clear when I was to commit such a terrible sin against a man who I believed had only been trying to help feed his family, as well as others who were starving at this difficult time.
The man stopped lifting the heavy sacks, standing up and wiping sweat from his brow with his arm, only then did he notice me, it took him a moment to register who I was, and why I was obviously trying to get his attention. Realisation dawned on him, and he stared at me frowning. It was time to act like my twin, think as she did. I shut my eyes for a moment, allowing myself to feel anger toward him, he'd stolen from Rin, my Rin, he was plotting against her, trying to bring her down. My twin whom I had promised to protect forever, even if it involved becoming evil, she was my only family. She was all I needed. The man still stood completely still, possibly trying to decide what was best, to confront me or run. I wouldn't give him the option. I advanced toward him, at first he didn't move, didn't even flinch, then I raised my sword. I lifted it to his throat, pressing it against it, letting its sharp point create a small cut on his neck. I watched as a small trickle of blood slid down his neck. He raised his hands, fingers spread out in surrender.
"You will come with me" I ordered, I practically whispered this, hoping he hadn't noticed I was so young. I was surprised that none of my victims had attempted to attack me yet, I wasn't tall, or skilled at hiding the youth in my voice, it wasn't difficult to tell I was only a boy. However like all of the others his expression turned sombre all too suddenly, he nodded, not daring to speak now. Still wielding the sword in defence I walked around him and pointed the sword into his back, forcing him to walk into the centre of the village. People stood watching, a crowd had formed. I was scared now, there were so many of them, it was only a matter of time before I was attacked.
My heart pounded loudly in my ears. Needless to say I was terrified. I waited for a few moments, completely still just as my hostage was. I sighed, I was shaking with fear.
"Stealing from Princess Rin, is a crime punishable by death" I began, never having spoken to anyone I hadn't been murdering before, well at least not while donning my mysterious attire. I gulped before continuing. They were all silent.
"Treason against Princess Rin is a crime punishable by death" I continued, wanting to get to my final point and live to see my twin again. I didn't want to rush what I had to say, I wanted them all to know that Rin was their Princess, and that they must obey her, however fear was consuming me rapidly, I would have to hurry along.
"This man has committed both of these crimes, so now in return, I must take his life" I declared, lifting the sword now, ready to deal a deadly blow that would kill him quickly so that they would not have to watch him die slowly. There were women and children here, but still I thrust the sword toward him. I was certain I had him, however he did something completely unexpected, he moved swiftly away from me, grabbing a spear someone has thrown him, I had not noticed who.
"No, I won't let you take my life!" He cried, running at me with the sharpened spear, if that were to hit me in the right place it would be fatal. I panicked, my worst nightmare, he was fighting back, he was a man, I just a boy.
I darted out of the way, consumed with anger and fear; I used my small size to my advantage, as he ran toward me I ducked under his arm, forcing my elbow into his gut as hard as I possibly could. I'm going to die. That was all I could think. The man cried out in pain, apparently my attack had been effective. I was so surprised I hadn't noticed he'd regained his composure, and had his hand lifted high in the air. He brought his fist down HARD on the back of my head, completely taken aback, I screamed in pain, feeling pain ripple through my entire skull. The force was so much I fell to the ground, landing on my sword. I let out another scream of agony and my leg was caught was cut by the blade. I felt the warmth of my own blood seep through the fabric of my clothes. It was sickening. My head span, my head throbbed painfully. I could feel the cut in my leg throbbing intensely. I knew I had to get up or I was dead. I though of Rin she needed me. This gave me strength, I saw the man advancing toward me again, I didn't have time to stand and move, so instead I pulled the sword out from beneath me and held it in front of me defensively. Thankfully it worked, he was strong and pushed against my sword with his own weapon, the hood began to slip and he saw my face as I looked hatefully up at him. He looked genuinely shocked, and I suddenly realised that he wasn't pushing so forcefully against my sword now, I used all of my strength to pull myself up and shove him back away from me. Now I knew I had to finish it, he'd seen me. He whispered something inaudible, frankly I didn't care what he'd said, I attempted to run at him again, however slowed to somewhat of an amble against my will; however he had completely let his guard down now.
"Princess Rin?" He asked in disbelief, loud enough for others to hear, I could hear whispering amongst the people gathered around us. Now this I had not been expecting, I wouldn't let them think I was Rin, she was no murderer, I would not let them give her such a title.
"No!" I shouted, as ridiculous as it may sound I tried to make my voice sound deeper, more manly so they would know I was not Rin.
"No I'm not Rin!" I pulled the hood further over my face, thankfully no one else had seen. "I'm her servant" I said simply, feebly. Would they really believe that? Regaining my composure once again, I lurched toward the stunned man, using my good leg to slide beneath his legs and trip him up. It worked, and he fell to the ground, dropping his spear, I grabbed this and through it aside, hoping no one else would have the sense to pick it up.
"No you are Rin" He stared up at me defiantly. Consumed by rage I screamed, dropping my sword and beating him with my own hands and legs. I had never been overtaken by such a rage before, and I seemed to gain strength I would never normally have, my throbbing head and leg both stopped hurting as I swung my fists at his face again and again, filled with rage.
"I'M NOT RIN HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A MURDERER SHE'S INNOCENT I'M NOT RIN!" I screamed at him. If he answered me I didn't hear him. I didn't hear anything. I could feel his blood on my hands. Cold dry blood. Still I kept attacking him in hysterics. I finally tired myself out, and instead reached for the sword once again. I towered above him no as he kneeled on the floor, bruised and bleeding, he stared up at me, his expression showed pity. I didn't need his pity. He was as exhausted as I was from the assault, so now my composure regained I held the sword to his throat once more.
"I'm her twin" I whispered in a voice only audible to him. His eyes widened, hadn't he know she had a twin? I didn't care, I grinned down at him in a way I'd never done before, smug, proud for what I was doing. I finally delivered the fatal blow, and he was dead within minutes. I replaced the sword in the belt around my waist, not looking to anyone in the crowd I turned, and walked back the same way I'd come. As I limped away heard a young woman's voice screaming for her father. Meiko.
