Day Before Death

In the darkness that would bring the day of the execution, hooded figured walked through the streets of the city. Most of them were fat. The soldiers watched them, bemused, having been told to set up watch in particulate parts of the city. If most of the peasant population were this fat, then how did they expect to fight the soldiers who were well-trained and faster?

What they did not know was that more than half of the people that passed were not fat at all. In fact, they were tiny, hiding weapons inside bundles and wraps of clothes that made them fat. 

Quil moved among these people, certain that the day was at hand—the day of reckoning for the crown. The peasants had endured enough injustice at their hands. After killing the king, the advisor would be next. 

The kingdom would be without a leader, then the peasants would kill every nobleman in sight, everyone with royalty in his or her lineage. He knew he could not stop his men from raping the women. He was not planning to.

He made his way into a house, waited for four other people to get into the house with him, then he shut the door.

"We have a problem on our hands," he informed the men with him in the house. The house was a little one. Very little space was left with all four of the men crammed in there with the furniture. Still, they were not the only ones. Some people were already there waiting for them. "The boy, Tum. He probably wanted to get us the sword even though all I asked for was the map."

A hush fell over the men.

"He's going to be executed tomorrow, my source in the palace says," Quil continued.

"We have to save him," one of the men said.

"And we will," Quil replied. "But he has fallen for the princess."

"Fallen for the princess?"

"He fell in love, like a young idiot."

"We have to rid him of that thought. There is no place for a love like theirs. Royalties only deal with royalties," one of the men who had his beard plaited into braids said.

"I suspect she must have betrayed him after finding out who he really was," Quil said. "Tomorrow, we strike."

**

Princess Meredith walked out of the dungeon and went in search of Aris. She doubted there was anyone who really knew what happened in the forest. Erin would be about spreading falsehood to save his own head. He was just as vile as Alphonso and the advisor. She wondered if the sneaky deputy had gotten to Aris. She hoped not.

Aris was not at her post when Meredith got there. The princess suspected that the female warrior had already retired for the night. She went towards her quarters and banged on the door.

At the second knock, the door was opened from the inside, and an angry-looking Aris stared at her. The anger in the guard's face quickly turned to a subservient expression. She bowed her head slightly.

"My lady," she muttered.

Aris was no longer in her combat wear, but she looked formidable nonetheless. Meredith found her eyes running over the captain's muscular arms.

"I fear I keep you from sleep," Meredith said, "but still the matter is urgent, otherwise I would not have come."

"Come in, my lady," Aris said, letting the princess through be fire she pulled the door shut.

The room was bare except for the mattress on the floor and the bag of clothes by the side. The captain lived like a Spartan, Meredith observed.

"The king plans to execute the prisoner," Meredith said.

"A traitor," Aris said. "His punishment is well-deserved.

The princess was shocked. She stared at Aris, speechless.

"You don't know this 'traitor' then. The king does not know it, but Sheer wants the crystal sword for himself. He sent soldiers after the man who now suffers in the dungeon, instructing them to cut down the king's guests once they laid their hands on the sword. Why do you think he did this?"

Three lines appeared on Aris's forehead as she thought about what the princess had said.

"How do you know this, my lady?"

"I was there. The bastard Alphonso shot and killed Buckle before the trolls came for them. His sister, Bonnie has the sword, and with it the command of all the trolls in the forest."

"It was not the prisoner?"

"The prisoner was captured by Sheer's soldiers of which Erin was among."

"So Sheer is working again the king and the king does not even know."

"I swear on all the gods that this is true. He fights the king standing beside him."

"We have to warn the king," Aris said.

"I already tried. He would not listen. His heart is completely poisoned, and he would do everything to fight the peasant in a war planned from the very beginning by his scheming advisor."

"To what end?"

"He wants the crown for himself."

"A traitor, a usurper."

"We must free the prisoner, with haste."

They dashed out of the room, but when they got to the dungeon, they realized that the guards had been tripled. There was no way they were going to pull off any rescue mission, the both of them.

They watched the mouth of the dungeon while tears appeared in Meredith's eyes.