Ascend

By: blue lady

Chapter One – My shield broke

            Pain. Anger. Sadness. Fear.  That was all I could feel right now.  I couldn't believe it, he was dead and this time it was real.  I saw the body myself, remembering how the bed sheets were soaked with blood.  The long, crooked gash across his throat was painfully obvious.  Tears begin to sting my eyes as words spoken at my Mom's funeral start returning to me.  He had held me close, with my face completely buried in his long white robes.  I can still remember the smell the mixture of my tears and his unique scent created.  He had bend over then and whispered quietly in my ear, I promise I will not let anyone take me away from you, my daughter.

            However, my pain quickly dissipated turning into a determination that burned in my heart when I heard the sounds of footsteps echoing in the hall outside.  I straightened in my seat and planted my eyes firmly on the majestic wooden doors in front of me with Uncle Christopher placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder as the doors slowly open.  I will make sure that Justice will be served and that the heartless murderer would be justly punished for the murder of a daughter's father.  I took in a deep breath getting ready to administer the justice speech of all justice speeches on the cold-hearted villain until he pales at the thought of his criminal deeds.  However, my breath caught in my throat and all the things I wanted to say seem to completely disappear from my mind at the sight before me.

            The body being dragged in was not a evil looking man, dressed in black; but a little boy, no more than twelve, sobbing uncontrollably, with fear clearly written all over his features.  However, I remembered my first impression of Hellmaster Phibrizzo and steeled myself against that slight waver in my emotions.  The boy was flung roughly on the ground and he stopped his sobbing momentarily to place his big blue eyes on me.  The doubt came back full force:

            "Are you sure you got the right person?"

            The guards nodded numbly, "Yes.  He was found hiding in the garden, with this."

The guard came forward to place a rusty old dagger at my feet.  I felt the blood drain from my face at the sight of the blade and what was still on it.  Dried into a color between red and rusty brown was blood, heavily encrusted around the dagger's blade.  I looked away from the dagger, a wave of nausea almost overwhelming me.  I recovered myself quickly before bending down and making eye contact with the child's big blue ones, I gently asked, "Is this true?"

            The boy immediately looked away, he simply revealed his small hands to me, palms up.  I felt the bile rushing out my throat, before I could stop it.  His little hands were completely covered with dried blood.

Uncle Christopher rushed to my side, putting both hands on my shoulders, as he worriedly studied my face, "Amelia…"

He then turned to the two guards, who were clearly disturbed by my reaction.

            "Take him away.  We'll deal with this later."

            The guards bowed quickly and dragged the little boy out the throne room.  Uncle Christopher then turned back to me and gave me a fatherly hug, reminding me how my father would also comfort me this way "Amelia…"

            "I'm okay, Uncle Christopher," I said giving him a smile. "With my burning heart of justice, I will stand strong and see him rightly punished."

            My speech sounded empty to me for strangely I had not meant it.  Just by looking into the young child's eyes, I knew there was more to my father's murder than meets the eye.  However, I guess my speech did not sound empty to Uncle Christopher as he smiled at me, looking relieved.

            "Well, I will get someone to clean up this mess while you go to bed.  Get a good sleep, tomorrow is a long day."

            I nodded and turned to leave, knowing that I would not get a second of sleep until I find out the truth about my father's murder.  I will discover the truth tonight.

            I can still hear the boy sniffling softly as I waited for the guard to unlock the cell door.  The boy looked up as if he just noticed we were there, I give him a little smile as I enter the cell and assured the guard that I would be all right by myself.  I sat down across from him on the cold stone ground, watching his eyes dart everywhere around the room except on me.

            "Why did you do it?"  My voice sounded eerily loud as it echoed across the room.

            "What do you mean?"

            "I know a boy your age wouldn't just one day wake up and decide to kill the Crown Prince of Seyruun.  Why did you do it?"  If I was in any other situation I would have laughed at what I just said, I sounded a lot like Lina-san just then.

            "I had to…"

            "You had to! What reason makes it so justifiable that you have to go and kill someone's else father!"

            "For my family!"

            "What?"

            "He offered a cure for my grandparents' illness in exchange for a little service."  The boy answered quietly, burying his head into his arms, "I agreed to it then the next thing I knew, I woke up with my hand covered with blood and a dagger in my hand."  The boy started crying uncontrollably again, as I tried to digest the information.

            "Did he cast some kind of spell on you?"

            "I don't know.  All I remember was agreeing to the offer and then I suddenly blacked out when he touched my forehead."

            Just what I thought, the boy had been controlled.  I watched as the boy continued to cry in front of me.

            "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean for this to happen.  Am I gonna die tomorrow?" The boy continued to cry, rubbing his hands furiously together. "And this stupid blood won't come off"

            "Here gave me those."  I gently grabbed his hands, as I quickly cast a cleansing spell, his bloodstained hands disappearing quickly as a pair of white little ones replaced them.

            "There, good as new." I gave the little boy a smile to reassure him, when I saw the boy's eyes getting watery again.  Then a sudden weight was felt on my chest as the boy suddenly hugged me.  I could feel the tears soaking my dress as I gently gathered him into my arms.  I promised myself, that tomorrow, true justice will be served and that this boy will not have to meet the same fate of those who had split blood on my home's white marble floors.

            The funny thing about funerals is that I never remember anything from them.  I remember walking down the streets, and being touched by how many town peoples had come out to honor my father.  I remember sitting in the chapel, watching my grandfather's frail body quiver from grief beside me.  I remember getting up to do the eulogy, however I cannot remember a word I said.  By the end of my speech though, I noticed that most of the audiences' eyes were glistening with tears.  Everything up until now seemed a blur with certain clear areas in between.  However, up until now I was not fighting for justice and for the life of an innocent young boy.

            "Let the boy go.  The boy had no intent to kill my father and was under influence when it happened.  This proves the boy is innocent."

            "Assassination is Assassination.  He must be punished for the crime he committed.  Because of those hands the Crown Prince of Seyruun is now cold and buried six feet under."  The councilman replied coldly.

            "I hope you meant no disrespect by that comment," I said glaring at the councilman. "However, I digress, how can you say that?  Where is your sense of justice?"

            "It is justice to follow the law and punish the man for your father's death."

            "That's the point, this isn't a truly evil villain we're talking about.  This is a young boy who has been used."  I practically yelled, why are they being so stubborn.

            As I stood amid the council, with old men arguing all around me, I began to figure out the reason for the council's sudden stubbornness.  Their obstinacy was not only caused by their respect for my father but by the fact that I was seventeen.  It was not only a battle over what was right, but also a battle of pride and even more power.  They hoped by winning this council, I would become disillusioned into believing I could not override them.  However, thanks to my constant adventuring with the realistic Dra-mata and the often-cynical Chimera, I was able to realize the councils' plan before it was too late.  I didn't want to do this, but for justice I will.  I raised my arm into the air letting the sunlight steaming through the skylight to catch the golden ring on my forefinger.  Immediately, silence reigned as the council members noticed the glint coming from my right hand.

             "Only true Seyruun royalty can wear Cepheid's Gift without being consumed by a sudden white conflagration.  I wear this to show proof that I am of royal blood, that I am the daughter of the late Crown Prince Philionel el de Seyruun.  Since my Uncle, Prince Christopher Wil Brogg has renounced the throne; I am the sole heir to my father's position.  Therefore, I rule that this boy is innocent of the assassination of my father, Crown Prince Philionel el de Seyruun.  For the boy was clearly under the influence of magic when the crime was committed.  This discussion is over."

            The councilmen murmured their protest quietly among themselves, knowing they could do nothing.  I made it clear to them that I knew the extent of my power as a Seyruun royal and I would not let them push me around.  They would have to be satisfied with the influence they had now.  As I stepped off the podium, the sound of a voice stopped me.

             "No, he will be punished," The voice spoke wearily. "He will be punished for the death of my son."

            I couldn't believe it, was it really him?  I turned toward the door and found my grandfather leaning on the doorframe for support.  However, the pure determination in his eyes, made his usually fragile appearance intimidating.

             "But, Grandfather this isn't just. The boy was-"

            My Grandfather raised a wither hand, commanding my silence.

             "Whether the boy did this on purpose or by accident, the boy has murdered."  My grandfather paused a little for breath, "Besides there must be some kind of repercussion, he was my son."

             "I know daddy would not sleep peacefully if he knew an innocent boy was being murdered for his sake.  I beseech you, Grand-"

             "Silence! You will mind your respect for your elders.  Under Seyruun law, villains are to be executed for any attempts against the throne.  My precious son's death will not be any different.  Tomorrow at sunrise, the man-."

             "That's the point! He's not a man but a child, unjustly accused for a crime he did not commit.  The boy is someone's else son as well, how can you-"

            I would have continued however, the cold glare from my Grandfather's usually warm blue eyes stopped me.

            "The assassin will be sentenced to death tomorrow at sunrise." My Grandfather started to walk away, but before disappearing behind the door he gave me one last look.

            "How could you, Amelia? Are you really my son's daughter?"

            At those words, I felt my whole body freeze over as I watch him limp out the room.  His words left me feeling cold with shame.  The decision was made and I could not do anything about it.

            The faint orange glow stemming through the cell window, signal the beginning of the next day.  The boy was now nodding off in my arms.  After spending a whole night crying, he had finally run out of tears.  All I could do was be there for him, give him some comfort before…I couldn't complete that thought.  The boy dug his head deeper in my embrace as the sound of footsteps and the jingling of keys was heard.  I lifted the boy's head up to face me, my two hands on either cheek as his big blue eyes stared clearly into mine.  I give him one more hug and a gentle kiss on his forehead, as I begin casting a potent sleeping spell on him.

            "This will make the pain disappear."  I whispered softly, as the boy's eyes begin to close.  The sound of his steady breathing signified the spell's completion, as I made some final adjustments.  When the boy wakes up, he will be ascending to heaven, flying among the many folds of Cepheid's majestic wings.  My father would undoubtedly be there waiting for him.

            "Princess-"

            I held up a hand to silence them as I walked through the open cell door.  I took one last look at the sleeping boy, quickly turning away as tears begin to form within my eyes.

            "Tell no one I was here."

            "Yes, Princess."

            With that I took a step forward and never looked back.

Author's Note

I hope people won't see this as OOC.  I basically drew up Amelia's reactions by watching Episode 7 and 8.  I noticed Amelia has an uncanny ability with understanding people.  Like when she knew Ashford, the dragon chef, had to have some other reason for helping them make dragon cuisine.  Also in Episode 8 I noticed, that Amelia was absolutely devastated by her father's death.  I also notice that because of Lina, Amelia was able to snap out of it.  Well, please read and review.  I really like to hear from you, I especially would enjoy constructive criticism.