"And to my people whom I have always loved, this is not farewell!" Queen Alessia said in front of a crowd of tormentors as she stood atop a wooden stage awaiting her execution. "My will is going to live on within my successor, she will guide you down the path of not only freedom but liberty! I deeply regret that it wasn't myself who led you to your fate and I apologize profusely,"
"This can't be happening, this can't be happening," Dawn repeated to herself as tears welled up in her eyes.
"My fellow tormentors, I enjoyed being your sun whilst the smog obstructed our view of the bright blue skies we once knew but now it's time for me to pass on the torch my father gave to me," Queen Alessia said as a golden arrow appeared above her head. Guards swarmed around her as they tried to contain the situation.
"No, no, no," Dawn said as she pushed through the crowd trying to get to the front row, she knew what was about to happen and she knew she needed to stop it. Within the crowd, tormentors young and old started to cry as Alessia gave her speech.
"Guards! Do not let her get away!" Myla, the executioner yelled.
"Dawn, I know you can hear me, I might be asking for too much but please don't be sad," Alessia said as a tear fell from her eye. "I enjoyed teaching you everything I know and everything a successor should know carrying this burden but what I loved most is watching you grow before my very eyes. I felt as though, you were the little sister I always wanted but never got and I felt like maybe you felt the same way,"
"Stop it, Alessia don't do it!" Kat screamed as she was being held back by the guards. "You don't have to do this, we can find a way out of this mess I promise you. Don't do this,"
"Kat, please look after Dawn and do the very best you can for her, she deserves the world and as of this moment I won't be able to provide that for her," Alessia said with a shakey voice as she looked up at the arrow above her head. As Dawn made it up to the front, Alessia made eye contact with her and smiled with her eyes closed. At that moment, the arrow came crashing down onto Alessia's head turning both her and the arrow into a bright sparkling yellow dust.
"No!" Dawn screamed as tears fell down her cheeks, she climbed up on the stage and tried to gather the dust into her arms. Kat broke past the guards and ran to Dawn trying to help her. "Get away from her! Don't touch her!" Dawn screamed at Kat as she cried over the dust. Kat held Dawn in her arms as Dawn held some of the dust. "Mom please, don't leave me I need you. You can't leave me, not by myself,"
That day was the darkest day for Tormentors, once again they had lost their sun.
A few weeks later...
"Dawn, how're you feeling today?" Kat asked as she stood in the doorway of Dawn's room.
"I don't know, I was sad then angry then hurt then betrayed I..." Dawn paused "I don't know how to feel anymore," Dawn said as she lay in bed on her side with dried tear tracks on her face.
"The people want to see you, Dawn," Kat said walking into the room.
"The people are in mourning, I don't think I can address them the same way Alessia could,"
"Alessia told me the same thing after her dad was executed," Kat said as she sat on the other side of the bed.
"How did she handle it?"
"You know Alessia, she always had a happy smile on her face, she said that since the people couldn't see the sun and Tormentors had lost their king, she would become the sun so she didn't have to become the next king," Kat said as she laughed. "it obviously didn't work because she became Queen of course but it was her determination to be the sun and give her people hope that despite the loss of a leader they could continue to live on and have brighter days,"
"Even with the smog?" Dawn asked.
"Especially with the smog," Kat said. "I went back to where everything happened and I got you something,"
"You didn't need to get me anything it's not like it's a special day or anything," Dawn said in a low voice.
"I think you'd really like it," Kay said trying to persuade her.
"Piss off, I don't want your stupid gift," Dawn said throwing the comforter over her head.
"It's not just my gift you know, Lucas wanted you to have it too," Kat said walking towards Dawn's bed.
"He did?" Dawn asked as she took the comforter off her head. Kat placed a small yellow box with white ribbon on Dawn's nightstand. "It's yellow," Dawn said with a sombre smile.
"Alessia would want you to have it too," Kat said with a small smile as she began to exit the room. "She'd also shoot you through the back with that arrow if she knew you were still in bed," Kat left the room.
Dawn picked up the yellow box gently and pulled the string, undoing the little white bow. She put the ribbon on her nightstand and took of the cover. Laying in the box was a necklace, a golden chain and a small bottle of sparkling yellow dust. Dawn felt tears welling up in her eyes again.
"Alessia…"
Novel Bin 