I run through the crystal hallways, my footsteps echoing loudly against the floor. My long tattered cape flowing behind me as I try to escape the castle. I managed to knock a guard out and get the keys. I turn the corner and stop and pull myself back as a group of guards run through the halls. Most likely going the the gates around the castle. I panic when I hear echoing footsteps from all around me. I look behind me and start running away from a group of guards but stop when another group comes from the other end of the hall. I look around the corner and freeze. The guards close in and I tense. Two guards from either side take my arms and kick me in the back of my knees. Forcing me to fall to the floor with a hard crack. I bite my lip to hold back a yelp when my knees hit the floor. I struggle to get out of the guards grip but freeze when Queen Amelia walks through the guards. She walks up to me and grabs my chin gently. She forces me to look at her and she says "You've been a very naughty girl, Cassie." Her cold hard stare pierces through my eyes. I yank my head out of her grasp and look at the floor. "Very, very naughty." she says again. I see my reflection in the crystal glass. I look away from my reflection. The person so different from who I used to be stared back at me and I couldn't bare it. A rush of brushing fabric grabs my attention. I look up and to my horror I see my brother. He struggles against the guards dragging him across the floor. "No! Please leave him alone!" I yell out. The Queen looks at me.
"I cant just let you go unpunished for escaping your prison? Now that would be silly!" She says in her cold voice. I glare at her.
"Now you can either look at me differently and I will only cut off his leg or you know not look at me differently and well-" She drags her fingers across her neck in a killing motion. My eyes go wide. "What'll it be?" she asks. I look at my brother helpless kneeling on the floor like me. He shakes his head. I know what he wants me to do but I not sure I'm strong enough to. I look at my reflection in the floor again. My brother has been there for me even when I changed into this monster. He's the one who convinced me that being a monster wasn't my choice, wasn't my fault. That the Queen made me this way. And when I denied her she threw me in the dungeon. Then I escaped and now this. I have to choose between working for the Queen and betraying my people or my brothers life. I look up at brother again and he give me a tight smile. And mouths "Do it....I love you." I feel the tears in my eyes and I look back up at the Queen. Anger clearly in my eyes and she clicks her tongue "Wrong choice." she says and makes a hand signal with her hand and the guard behind my brother Draws his sword and time slows. I see the Queens smiling face and my brothers tears falling to the floor. In just one second the sword goes through his chest and he falls to the floor. I yell and pulling out of the guards grasp. I grab for my brother but all I can manage to get is his necklace before the guards grab me again. I kick and punch and scream. I look at the Queen glaring and she smiles at me. Feasting on my pain. "Wrong choice." she says again. I pull towards her and try and get free so I can kill her. "Put her back in the dungeons, no food for her for 2 days." she says to her guards. I struggle the whole way. Until the guards finally push me into a cell. Before they can close the door I pull a guard and push them as hard as I can into the cell wall. I grab their dagger from its sheath and hold it to his neck. I lock eyes with him and realize he is the same age as me. I blink and press the dagger to his neck drawing a little blood. His eyes move around the room in panic. I feel a cool sharp tip of metal on my back and hear the second guard say " Drop the dagger and move to the wall." I stare at the boy, tears still rolling down my face. I press the dagger up to his neck one more time to make my point clear and drop the dagger and back to the wall with my hands up. The boy grabs the dagger quickly and backs out of the cell. The second guard moves slowly out of the cell. Keeping the sword pointed at me and locks the cell door. I lean against a wall and slowly bring my knees to my chest. I stare at my brother's necklace. Tracing the intricate designs of a dragon breathing fire. I put it on and hide my face in my hood so no one can see the tears role down my face. I learned to cry quietly ever since the Queen made me do her dirty work. She would complain saying he champion shouldn't cry. Her champion should be a strong woman no crying allowed. But I always thought people who cry are brave, it shows that they have empathy, that they are human.