Burn

“Treason! He is accusing me of Treason!” Wynn growled from behind bars holding her prisoner. “How dare he!”

“Your Royal Highness, I understand that you are upset- “

“I am not upset, I am furious!” Wynn cut off the poor maid bringing her a meal. A meal and slipped up words revealing the accusation. “What exactly did the king say?” She put more effort into relaxing her words as to not terrify her maid.

“He said that you were a threat to the safety and stability of the kingdom.” Wynn’s face had gone from one of fury to one the maid could not read.

“You are dismissed.” Wynn had dropped to the floor, causing dust to fly up around her.

“But- “

“I said you are dismissed!” Wynn lifted her head and locked eyes with the maid. They were glowing just as the embers of fire did. The maid did not need to hear it again, as she fled the dungeon with no hesitation as if she feared for her life. Wynn watched her leave before closing her eyes and sighing out of disappointment.

“Stupid magic,” she mumbled to herself as she brought her knees into her chest. After she was left alone, she could feel her emotions break over in the same fashion as a dam. Sudden and violently. Her anger had been released already, but her sadness had yet to be spent.

Wynn had always hated crying. Her Grandfather told them all that ‘crying is a sign of weakness,’ but the King wasn’t here there with her, so she cried her heart out.

*****

Wynn woke to the sound, something banging along the bars of her cell. “Rise Prisoner.”

She spat out profanity as she brought herself up to her feet, taking a moment to wipe off the dust covering her lower body. “I have a name, you know.” She looked her Grandfather eye to eye and gave the best glare she was capable of. “What do I owe the please?”

“Lay off the attitude, you are in enough trouble as it is.” Wynn scoffed at him as she walked as close as the chains around her legs allowed.

“Why are you even here? I’m pretty sure you aren’t here to spend quality time with me.” The King’s eyes gave off daggers, but his stance did not change.

“I am here to inform you that your execution will take place tomorrow morning.”

“You are seriously just jumping right to my execution? I don’t get a trial!?” Wynn thought she had spent her anger, but her so-called Grandfather was just building it back up.

“The usage of magic within the kingdom means for immediate Treason, so there is no reason for a trial. You are guilty of using magic, and you will pay the price.” She could feel her eyes start to blaze up again, hands forming fists by her side.

“I used healing magic! If it wasn’t for me, my uncle would have been dead!” He leaned closer towards the bars and a sadistic smile formed across his face.

“There are no exceptions to the law.” Wynn couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“You’re the King of the Kingdom! You made exceptions when my uncle damaged kingdom property while he was drinking in public. That’s two crimes at once, and you pardoned it without hesitation.” He was ignoring her words as he strutted away from the cell. Wynn couldn’t let him get away that easy.

“You aren’t doing this for the better of the kingdom! You are only doing this because you don’t like me!” That caused him to stop in his steps. He turned back and just laughed at her.

“You are right; you saw through me. Your Mother stopped being my daughter the day she got herself pregnant with a commoner. I knew nothing good would come of it, and you are the proof that I was right. I was waiting for you to mess up, and your little healing show gave me the perfect opportunity to get rid of both of you.”

Wynn felt her heart drop. “The both of us? What do you mean?” She could feel her hands heat up, and it was getting harder for her to keep it under control.

“Didn’t you know? When monsters like you get executed, so do their Mothers. Everyone knows that magic comes from the womb.” He let out one last wicked cackle before finally left the room, leaving Wynn to digest his final words.

“They are going to kill my mother?” Wynn’s voice was not shaking, coming out in a bear whisper. This is where the line was drawn. “No one is going to hurt my Mother.” She raised her hands and released the clenched fist to reveal small flames.

“He thinks I’m only capable of healing magic,” Wynn muttered to herself. For the first time in a couple of days, she let a smile lay across her mouth. “He is going to learn the truth the hard way.”

*****

Wynn could hear the sound of chants from angry citizens coming from all around her. The sounds were becoming overwhelming, but she couldn’t let it distract her from concentration on her plan. If she was going to pull off what she had envisioned in her mind, she would need all the energy and focus she could muster.

The soldier leads her up a pair of stairs and towards the platform. It didn’t look the same way as the hangman games she had played with her cousins. Wynn was pulled from her thoughts and memories of the game after hearing a heart-sickening scream.

“Please don’t do this! She did nothing wrong! She is only a child.” The screams and desperation were coming from the mouth of her Mother. It caused physical pain within her stomach to look at her Mother and accept the fact that she was the one that put them into this position.

“No!” Her mind screamed that out. Wynn couldn’t afford to feel guilty at this moment. If she wanted to save her Mother, she needed to focus. Looking at her Mother made it difficult. 

They placed her Mother on the spot next to her. Wynn could clearly see all of the emotion on her face. Tears streaming down, cheeks and forehead wrinkled from her crying. Her Mother was choking on her words, trying to say how she loved her daughter.

“I love you too,” was the only thing Wynn could say. She knew she needed to act before she lost her emotional composure. She craved revenge, and no one deserved it more than her Grandfather.

And how do you hurt a king? You destroy the whole kingdom.

The executioner came towards her with a rope, and she used the opportunity to act. Moving quicker than she ever had before, she grabbed hold of the rope while it was still in his hands and set it aflame. She took advantage of the surprised executioner and used her shoulder to shove him off the platform.

“Away with all of you!” Wynn conjured a ball of fire between her chained hands and threw it onto the platform. The chains melted away to nothing and all the soldiers were forced to jump off the platform, leaving Wynn and her Mother alone inside the circle of flames. Satisfied with her work so far, she turned towards the seating of the Royal family.

“I have to say, I’m a little disappointed.” Wynn raised her voice so her Grandfather could hear every single one of her venom-filled words. “You were going to kill my Mother and me, and you didn’t expect me to put up a bigger fight.”

Wynn felt all her pent up anger towards her Grandfather flow through her hands. It builds up into most massive balls of flame that’s she had ever attempted to generate before. Satisfied with the power within the palms of her hand, she mimicked her Grandfather’s wicked laugh as she threw them both onto opposite sides of the platform. Wynn felt immense satisfaction from the look of pure horror that was now plastered onto his face. He watched the grass catch ablaze and spread faster he could comprehend.

“What have you done!” The King’s voice was booming, but Wynn could still hear the fear and desperation that laid underneath.

“I did exactly what you deserve,” Wynn said in a surprisingly calm voice. It was easier for her to feel relaxed once it was she who was the overpowering one. “That fire will burn and burn until there is nothing left in this worthless kingdom for it to burn.”

While this was fun for Wynn, she got an idea that brought the sadistic smile to her face. “I think you should have a closer feel of your future!” With that, she generated a smaller flame and threw it right at her Grandfather’s seat, causing him to scramble out as he watched it burn up.

Wynn wanted to stay and watch the once-powerful man crumble to nothing. Still, she needed to get her Mother to safety before the King came to his senses and called for his archers.

Quickly she went to her Mother’s side and held her close as she closed her eyes and focused. A small patch of fire ceased to burn, and a tunnel opened into the ground. Before anyone knew it, the two now criminals had escaped the kingdom that was now burning to the ground.