"You are sure your memory is clear?" The Knight's back was turned to the tall woman sitting at the table. He gazed out the window at the moonlit land.
"Yes." The woman adjusted her shawl. "I am quite certain."
The Knight's voice was hushed. "They say you are never wrong."
"And they will use that." The lady's stoic purple eyes rose to the Knight. "You must be prepared, Knight Fakir."
He turned to her. "I am."
"Are you?" Those emotionless purple eyes didn't blink. "I saw the price of this insolence long ago. My visions do not change. They plan to call me as a witness."
"We will send you away, then. They will not find you."
The lady was silent then. The Knight waited for a reply, but she did not answer. He looked at her in puzzlement. "Lady Edel?"
"There is only one way for this to end," she whispered. A single tear caught the moonlight on her white face.
The Knight's back stiffened. Lady Edel had seen so many things, had had so many visions, that she never cried anymore. She'd become an emotionless vessel, her feelings lost in the tide of overwhelming pessimism. But now, for her to cry – it made the Knight feel hopeless once more.
"I am sorry. I cannot allow myself to be taken as a witness." Edel rose from her chair. "I have told what I know; I leave it up to you what you do with the knowledge."
"We can offer you protection."
"Not for long. The events coming cannot be halted. The future continues to fall into place, with only one path certain. There are those who would kill to claim me. I cannot allow it…" Her eyes became stoic once more. "I cannot allow it. I will not allow it."
The Lady made her way slowly to the doorway. As she reached for the doorknob, she paused and turned slightly back to the Knight. "I will do what I can to help you."
The Knight turned back to the window, his arms crossed behind him. He bit his lip; the stinging had returned to his eyes. Lady Edel had been their consultant for so long, and he had begun to think of her as a sort of guiding figure. She was someone to turn to for advice. A surrogate for his and Rue's own distant mother, who was long dead. And now… "Thank you, Lady Edel."
She left.
"Brother." The Princess spoke to him softly that evening as he set her plate before her. "I hear you spoke with Lady Edel today."
He tensed. "Yes."
The Princess smoothed her cloth napkin onto her lap. "What did you talk about?"
The Knight carefully poured her some tea. "About the vision she saw when we were young."
The Princess's hand halted inches from her mouth, her grip on the teacup tightening. "That? Why?"
"I just… wanted to be sure."
"Of what she saw?" The Princess took a long, shaking gulp of the tea. "We both know that by heart, though. When I was just three years old, and you five…" Rue's eyes got a far away look. "She came by our mother's request…"
Even then, the fact that Rue would inherit the throne hadn't needed to be said. Fakir had, after all, been illegitimate – conceived before the Queen had even been engaged to the King with some unnamed lover. It was widely speculated that the Head of the Royal Guard, who had died years ago in battle during a failed coupe and bore a striking resemblance to Fakir, was his father. But the Queen had to marry a royal, and so when Rue was born to the newly wed Queen and King, she became heir to the throne. Fakir wasn't miffed at all by that turn of events – it was really all he'd ever known. Instead, he trained and practiced and swore to become his sister's protector – her Knight. Fakir's gaze grew unfocused as well, remembering his childhood…
"…and she read our future. I can still see her expression – so blank, yet so focused… She's truly a mystifying woman." Rue set her teacup down, the wistful hint in her tone disappearing. "And she said that I would make a terrifying ruler…"
The Knight bent and refilled her teacup, letting his bangs fall over his face so his sister wouldn't see his darkening expression. He dreaded hearing her recount this part out loud.
"… and she said that I would die because of my actions as ruler." Rue blinked and turned away from the table. She mashed her lips together, then turned back to her dinner and lifted her fork.
Fakir could find nothing to say. There was nothing he could say, nothing he could do, to change any of it. Instead, he leaned silently against the wall and watched his sister eat. It was not proper for the Knight to eat with the Princess, but Rue finally looked up when she realized he would not join her. "Wouldn't you like something to eat?"
"No. I'm not hungry."
His words sunk in. Then Rue let out a shaky laugh. "I can't blame you." Her fork clattered and shook against her plate, and she kept laughing. Fakir's blood became chilled as her laughter grew into one of near hysteria. He was about to start for her when there was an urgent knock at the door.
Rue's laughter slowly died, and she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin and composed herself, steadying her breath, before calling out. "Please come in."
The Knight came to stand at attention, as it was proper to do, next to the Princess in a protective stance. He quickly relaxed when he saw who it was – Commander Autor – then tensed back up just as quickly when he saw his expression. "What is it, Commander Autor?!"
Autor straightened and stared into the Princess and Knight's faces with some difficulty. He licked his lips, then spoke. "Lady Edel has committed suicide."
Rue's fork dropped onto her plate, and she gave a silent scream, her lips parting. Just as quickly, her hand came up to cover her mouth with the napkin.
Fakir's hand went to her shoulder. "What are you talking about?! I spoke to her not an hour ago!"
"It seems that, just minutes ago – " Autor's gaze dropped to the floor. "Lady Edel climbed to the top of the clock tower, and jumped. The doctors tried to resuscitate her, but… it was hopeless."
"I am sorry. I cannot allow myself to be taken as a witness. I have told what I know; I leave it up to you what you do with the knowledge."
Fakir swallowed and placed his other hand on Rue's shoulder.
"She's dead?" Rue murmured.
"I am afraid so, Your Majesty." Autor's voice was but a whisper.
Fakir's mind turned. First his love, now Lady Edel… He was reminded of the Pink Maiden's light-hearted smile, and Lady Edel's wise eyes… They're both gone. Both no longer of this Earth.
Several moments of slow silence passed.
"…She must be given a grand burial. Send out announcements at once. Tell everyone that an official week of mourning is in place for the death of Lady Edel." Rue's hands slowly twisted the napkin in her lap. "I'll see to the arrangements myself first thing tomorrow morning." Her eyes hardened, and her tone became icy. "And I want whoever was on watch at the clock tower thrown into the dungeons immediately. Their failure to keep the clock tower clear is an abomination."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Autor bowed. He made to leave, then halted and turned back to Fakir. "Sir, if there is something I could speak to you about…"
Fakir looked at Rue, who nodded at him.
Fakir followed Autor out of the room to the opposite end of the hall. Autor turned to him, his eyes full of an odd steel.
"I didn't think it proper to mention it to the Princess immediately after…." Autor took a deep breath. "What happened to Lady Edel. I was hoping you could pass it along to her, the Princess, when the shock isn't as fresh."
Fakir nodded. "I understand."
Autor's brow furrowed. "I'll get right to the heart of the matter. The situation with the White Kingdom has become dire. Negotiations are at a standstill."
The Knight's heart skipped a beat. "What are our options?"
"In all honesty? We have next to none left, Sir. The White Kingdom has 3 for every 2 of our soldiers. We can't out bluff them, and we can't overpower them. It might be time to consider… what our contingency plans are."
The Knight grit his teeth. "I shouldn't have let things get to this point. If I would've – "
"Sir?" The Commander's expression was questioning. "With all due respect, this was none of your doing."
The Knight's face became withdrawn. "But it was. I should've kept Rue in line…" I should've stood up to her. I could've halted her spiral into self-destruction.
"No one can keep her in line." Autor's expression softened. "Trust me on that. But there's another hitch that makes the idea of resistance seem almost impossible."
"And what's that?" How could things get any worse, any more hopeless, than they are now?!
"It's suspected that several hundred of our citizens are arming themselves with the White Kingdom."
Fakir was speechless.
"They are, and I quote, 'sick of the horrific treatment received at their ruler's hands,' and thus are starting a revolt of their own to assist the White Kingdom's plan for a coupe."
"They're insane!" Fakir hissed. "They're not even familiar with the White Kingdom. How do they know they will treat them any better?!"
"I didn't say it made sense. But, Fakir…" Autor's expression saddened. "What do you plan to do?"
Fakir was silent. He was backed into a corner, and everyone knew it. He had sworn to protect the Princess, his little sister; he would fulfill that vow. She was the only person left that he cared about.
I will fulfill my vow. I will keep you safe, Rue.
"I need your support, Autor." Fakir's gaze burned into Autor's. "Are you with us?"
Autor's gaze flitted to the room where Rue remained. "Always."
Several tense minutes later, Fakir returned to the room where he'd left Rue. Glancing around the room, he began to panic – she was nowhere to be found.
Then he heard a quiet sob, and he slowly went around the table. She was slumped on the floor, dress skirting out around her. Her dark hair hid her face, but he didn't need to see it to know how she felt. He sat next to her and put his arm around her.
"She was like a mother," she finally hiccupped. "I can't believe she'd abandon us like this. How dare she?!"
"I know."
"I can't believe it. I'll never forgive her! Never!" Rue's sobs slowly subsided. She brushed her hair back and wiped her face dry. "What did Autor want?"
"He wanted to discuss our options."
"Options?"
The Knight helped the Princess to her feet. "You're aware that the White Kingdom has prepared to invade our kingdom?"
"Yes. Yes, I was aware of that," she snapped, straightening her skirt.
"Our negotiations have failed."
Rue's eyes grew wide. "What do we do now?"
"We have no other options. We're no match for their army. We must evacuate the city while we still can."
"Just the city?! We might as well evacuate the whole country if they're invading!"
"Autor told me that their forces have only gathered at the border just outside this city."
Rue stared into Fakir's face. "So they're only planning to sack the city?" The last rays of sunlight lit her eyes, but didn't warm the shock in them. "Then it is true. They're coming… just to kill me."
"I know this might not be the best time, but he told me something else that I think you need to hear. He said it would be useless to resist because –"
"Our own people are allying with their army."
Fakir was surprised. "How did you know?"
Rue smirked, a hint of her old insolence touching her lips. "I'm still the Princess, brother. I know all that goes on in the kingdom." She stood. "I will prepare myself for the surrender…"
"No, you will not." Fakir took her wrist. "I won't let you."
Rue's gaze settled on the sunset. "I'm about to lose my kingdom, and all I've ever known… I've nothing left to live for," she whispered.
"Are you delusional?! Look around! You're not even full grown yet! So what if you can't force a kingdom to slave away for you?! You can still live and be happy!" He took Rue's face in hands.
"Where will I go?! What will I do?! The whole country and the White Kingdom will search for me!"
Fakir released her. "I spoke to Autor. He'll help you escape."
Rue's face became colorless with rage. "I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!"
"LISTEN TO ME!" Fakir roared. The room fell still and silent. Rue's eyes, wide, searched his face.
"I swore…" Fakir's voice caught. "I swore I would protect you. My whole life you've been there, the only constant, the person I'm closest to… You're my sister, damn it! And I won't watch you die for this. That's foolishness!"
"And what you're proposing is any better?! Running won't help things! They'll come after me regardless…"
"…which is why I'm going to take the blame."
The silence seeped back in as Rue absorbed his words. Then she snapped.
She screamed and threw over the table. The dishes went flying, shattering and smashing on the wood floor. "NO! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT! I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE THE BLAME!"
"Autor is already preparing your transportation away. I won't let you die here."
Heaving, Rue glared at him. "How dare you! I am the Princess! I am supposed to stay with the castle, for better or worse!"
Fakir took Rue's hands. "You mean the world to me. And I will not watch you die."
Rue's face crinkled into tears once more. "You would force me to watch you die instead?"
"If it means keeping you safe. And besides, who said you have to watch?!"
The tears pooled in Rue's eyes until finally they overflowed. Exhausted, she sighed. "I don't understand, Fakir… I may be your sister, but I have ruined your land and stained your name. I forced you to kill the woman you love, and therefore also alienated you from your friend. So why is it now that you insist on taking my place?"
Fakir hugged her. "Don't you see, Rue? You're all I have left. And…"
You are the Princess, and I am the Knight.