I am in hell right now. I don't think this situation could get any worse. The whole palace is surrounded by people rioting. They all want to kill me. My mother's life is in the line if I don't toughen up and take all the blame the people have been putting on me. My heart is breaking. And to make it worse, the love of my life is getting married to the person who killed my father. I hunch over myself, sitting on the edge of my dirty cell bed, elbows on knees and head on hands. I ponder over America's words to me. Fight for Illea… There isn't really much I can do, is there? Me not being able to do anything is the exact reason why I am here, in this position, listening to the news reports about the killings and burnings that I supposedly ordered.

I jump at the successive raps on the metal doors. "Ready for your speech, Princey? Boss wants you buffed and polished for your speech." the guard on the other side yells. I stand resigned to my fate.

"I want peace. We all want peace. Stop this resistance and let us all work together for a better Illea." I recite in the most monotonic voice I can muster. I look beyond the teleprompter. I see the usual set where the Reports were usually shot. The seats for the girls of the selection are off to the side. A special platform is installed closer the place of my family for the Elite. And then there's the seat specially made for the one girl that would be my Queen, a seat made for America. The thought, the mere memory, of America awakens me. It gives me hope. I feel impulsive, inspired and charged. I know I'll pay for this dearly. But right now, I really don't have much to lose.

"The one you're looking for, the one who needs to pay is not me. I am a puppet in a grander scheme. He presents himself as your hero but he's not. Look deep within yourselves and ask "who am i fighting for?" I can see the guards around me start to panic because I went out of script but they all know that cutting off the telecast would just confirm what I have already said. This is the only chance I have. I might as well take it.

"Look around you. The ones killing your families are not palace guards. Those are the rebels that claim to be on your side. Those are the rebels that only want to overthrow the royal family and rule Illea themselves. There is nothing noble in the cause they fight for. Open your eyes a-"

My surroundings turned all black and I see that the broadcast has been cut off. "JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" I recognize Shalom's voice instantly and I don't even bother to hide the smirk in my face as I turn to him. He glares at me intensely and it wouldn't take a genius to see that he is absolutely livid.

"Just putting the truth out there." I answer confidently, though inside I'm anything but. I know I'll pay for this. I hope I'll pay for this because if I won't, that means my mother will. Goodness, what have I done? Did I just put my mother's life in even more danger? The realization must have shown on my face because Shalom starts to walk towards me with a calm face.

"Realize what you did boy? You forgot the tiny fact that your mother's life was on the line? Consider her dead."

No, he cannot kill my mother. He cannot kill both my parents. I won't let him. "NOOOO. Don't ever touch her or I swear you'll pay for it." I scream at him, though I know it's futile.

I just took the worst beating in my life. I can't move. I figure I have broken bones and purple bruises all over my body. I think my face may be unrecognizable since it's so swollen and sore. I hear sobs to my left. I strain my neck to look but even the littlest movement shoots acute pain across my entire body. Still, with uneven breaths and great efforts, I look and see my mother in the bed beside me. I reckon I look like her. She's also beaten up bad. Her hands that were once so soft to touch are now scarred and wounded.

An involuntary sob escapes me as I imagine the pain my mother is suffering through because of me. My mouth and throat is so dry, I wonder how long I was out. I must have been knocked out for days. But regardless, I still fight to speak, to get the words of guilt out. "Mom, I am so so sorry. I didn't think they'd hurt you too. I couldn't imagine them following through and being that evil. I didn't expect the worst to happen. I am so sorry. Mother, I'm so so sorry." She continues to sob and cry but she can't talk because of the tube connected to her mouth. She looks so beaten up. I keep on saying sorry over and over again and I know that it will never be enough to make up for what she must have gone through because of me. I see her close her eyes and she gives me a faint but unmistakable nod.

And then, she stills. Everything stills. The nurses rush in, the machines keep beeping but she stays still.

Hey readers. I know it has been forever since I last updated and I don't really expect a lot of you to keep reading my story. But if you want to and you're still waiting for the continuation of this story, I feel like I owe it to you to also keep writing and give you a complete story. I hope you still enjoyed this even though it's been a sad chapter.

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