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Katie the Brave follows orders the best she can. So of course she hadn’t even paused until now. Just another order, a job to do for the betterment of the kingdom.
It’s hard to lie as glowing blue eyes stare trustingly into hers. The prince allay, child of her best friend, who has never committed an act of wrong in his life. The moon hangs low in the sky, a ticking clock on her decision. No, not a decision. That has already been made, hasn’t it?
“If I don’t do it I break my oath.” She tells him, as a sorry excuse of an apology. The child tilts his head before flying closer. He flutters around, wingtips brushing under her chin. Katie all but shoves him away. “This is bad, this is bad, this is so bad!”
Katie begins to pace in front of the stolen gold and the confused prince. What was the fro- the monarch thinking? Cherri would be devastated, and then Apo wouldn’t hesitate to raise her spear to the Blue Kingdom. The prince is one of the only things holding the two kingdoms together, taking him away now would drive them to violence!
Maybe that was a good thing in Frogue’s eyes. A reason to resume the war, ‘finish them off’ as Sausage would say. But with the Red Kingdom already so destroyed and just now recovering, any more strife-
It would ruin them. And the king could never do anything to harm the kingdom. Right?
“Are you even innocent, then?” Katie turns on her heel, scowling at the prince. “It’s like he said, so much conflict is happening, all over you. You’re going against the crown, you know that?” It shrinks back, those eyes now fearful but still staring at her.
A moment. Where her thoughts still and all she can do is stare back. Before she breaks, looking out the window. The moon has dipped below the horizon.
The king is right. The allay is only causing harm. If not for it the old monarchs would be on good terms, and the stupid gold would be on the statue where it belongs. Katie kicks at it half-heartedly with her foot. Someone would be back soon, to check on the valuables.
To protect and serve the crown, the kingdom. That’s all she’s doing. A job, an order.
The allay had finally gathered its courage and approached her again. Almost before she realizes, it’s hovering in front of her face, wiping at tears she didn’t know had formed. The red dye on his hands mix with the water, smearing on her cheeks. Again she shoves him away.
“I don’t know what to do!” She shouts, choking back a sob. “If I can’t make a decision now then what help am I on the battlefield? I’ve been given an order, and I’m not able to just do it! ”
Katie draws her sword. It trembles in her hands, to the point where she isn’t even surprised the prince isn’t scared.
What of Cherri? She had found this allay within the first week of her arrival. She cared for it deeply, Katie knows. When Cherri finds out it was she who had slain him…
Maybe she would understand. If Katie can just explain herself: that it was for the kingdom, she had no choice, the king knows he deserved it.
The sky begins to lighten, the first whispers of dawn tracing against the floorboards.
If she doesn’t act now she’ll be disobeying. She won’t be a real knight. She’ll be a coward, sticking her thoughts where they aren’t welcome and in decisions that aren’t hers. Acting against the betterment of the kingdom for personal ties.
The prince, the foolish, trusting prince, doesn’t see the first strike coming. She slashes him across the back, and he lets out a cry of anguish that Katie knows she will hear in her dreams for the rest of her life.
He begins to fly around the room, straining desperately against the lead tying him down. She strikes again, her aim true. He drops the red dye, and it scatters across the floor, mingling with drops from her sword.
Cherri would understand. She wished to train in the ways of a knight herself. To be brave. Katie just needs to find Cherri and explain herself. The princess would be upset, but then all would be forgiven. Like it never happened. Right?
The sun is beginning to peak above the horizon.
Katie hastens her strikes, the misses hurting just as much as the hits as the prince begs for mercy.
“I’m sorry,” Katie is unsure of how she is even hitting the allay, as leftover tears cloud her eyes. “I’m really sorry. Just please stop moving.” And he does. As Katie’s sword is already arching down, he stops his frantic flight.
The lead falls to the ground.
That was the day Katie the Brave became a murderer.