Go Home

You think and think and think. No matter how much you think, you can't agree to follow Akina. You sigh, "I'm sorry Akina. I....I can't go with you."

Akina grits her teeth and looks at you with annoyance, "Look, Anna. Your father and brother are dead. They're gone. That...thing on the throne is neither your brother, nor an ally to you. You're walking right into her hands!"

You get annoyed at her sudden change of tone, "You don't know that! When you woke me up last night. You told me that my father was dead and my brother was likely going to be dead. You have no way of knowing if that's what actually happened! For all you know, my mother was stopped and it really is my brother on the throne."

"That's..."She hesitates, "we can't risk that. If your brother is dead. That means you're the rightful Queen. She's not going to just let you go back to your normal life. You'll be her toy for the rest of her life!"

You stomp your foot down, "I'm going home. You're not stopping me."

"Fine! I'm heading for the hills. This kingdom's going to burn and it's going to be all your fault!" She storms off down the road away from the capital.

You mutter a few choice words under your breath and begin your trip back to the capital.

A few quiet hours pass before you arrive at the castle gates. The gates immediately open and a squad of four guards quickly move to intercept you. Two of them grab your arms roughly and pull you inside. You gasp in surprise, "H-Hey! I'm the King's sister! Unhand me!"

You hear one of the guards mutter, "Yeah right, you're a fucking traitor."

Your eyes widen in shock, "W-What did you call me!"

"You'll know soon enough when you speak to the king." they drag you into the palace and stop just long enough to put heavy manacles on your wrists and legs before dragging you into the throne room. the whole room goes quiet as you're dragged before the throne and **** down on your knees. You look up to see Donmal sitting on the throne, seething in irritation.

Despite the rage on his face, his voice is cold and stable, "Sister. Why did you do it?"

You look at him in confusion, "Do what?"

King Donmal clenches his throne with his hands. "You. Helped. Her. The woman who murdered our father."

You gasp, "No I...The Decree said-"

He sighs, "The Decree said that you were kidnapped. That was simply a front to coerce you to return. To make you think that we didn't know, but we know. You helped the assassin Akina escape the castle. You helped her get away!"

You turn to the rest of the court, hoping to get a sympathetic eye, "Please! You have to believe me" You desperately look around, tears streaming in your eyes, "Akina came to my room. She woke me up. She told me that we had to escape."

King Donmal's voice rings behind you, "Escape from what?"

"Escape...The assassin." You inspect the throne room looking desperately for your mother.

"And who do you think the assassin was?" King Donmal states smugly. Your eyes don't see her anywhere, Your mother. Your heart sinks. Akina was right. Rage like you've never felt before wells up in you. You turn towards your 'brother' with a glare in your eyes, "We were escaping from you! You sultry witch!" you storm up the first couple of steps up to the throne, but the guards quickly pin you down, "Get out of my brother's body!"

Donmal stands and looks down on you, his arms crossed. "You leave me **** in the matter. You have failed to convince me of your innocence. I sentence you to spend your days in the dungeon. Until I find a more fitting punishment for your crimes." He then turns his back on you.

You shout and struggle against the guards as they drag you off. All the way out of the throne room you shout your innocence. The guards drag you down into the darkest area of the castle. The corridors become lit by torches rather than sunlight and the walls and floor become damp. This was the first sign that you were in the dungeon. You continue to struggle against the guards as they open a rusty cell door and throw you in. You quickly get up and run at the gate, slamming into it as they shut it. You hit the gate with your hands a few times, causing an audible rattle before you collapse to the floor. Cursing your poor decisions.

You look around. The only thing in the cell is a rotted cot and a bucket. there's no privacy. Outside your cell and a short ways down the hall is a pair of guards playing cards, or at least they were. Now they're eyeing you curiously. Their new prisoner.