The Beginning of the Endless Escape

The shiny silver blade reflected my image, stained in dark red liquid patches. Dense drops dribbled off from the sword tip, still impaled in my Father’s torso. 

I could see my flabbergasted face on the cold steel, my barred eyes dry from the tears I versed. 

The sword traced its way back from the body, the wielder fuming a blazing glare at me. Red pupils burning with flames of tension and determination. I knew those eyes well, and they never meant harm to me or my family. 

Eyes different from mine, coming from the same blood. 

My brother’s eyes, bright and thin, deep scarlet pupils reflecting in the warm gold light. 

Percival’s determination. 

But I couldn’t be scared of him. He was my brother, my blood. There was something inside me that wouldn’t let me be scared of someone I knew well. 

“Didn’t I tell you to not go out?” Percival’s arm relaxed on his flank, the grip still strong around the sword’ shaft. 

I rushed to the King’ side, his body falling back as strength left him. He coughed, grasping for air. 

I held his back firmly, my hand pressing on his wound, warm fluid spreading on my skin. 

“Father! How...” I shook my head, looking first at his expression twisted in pain, his eyes barely open and then at Percival’ stoic face, no emotions coming through.  

I couldn’t process the fact that my brother could do this to our Father, out of nowhere. 

“Namiya dear, it’s alright...” Rylan softly rasped with his voice. 

“What do you mean alright?! Father...” He interrupted me by placing his hand on mine, giving a weak squeeze. 

He smiled at me. In the last moments of his life, he was able to smile at me. He was always like that. Every time he saw me, talked to me with his caring voice, he would be happy, the best parent figure I could ever get, and the King of the amazing kingdom of Nalilia. 

But then it came to me, that would be the last moment I would spend with him, and he would smile at me like any other day. Forget the betrayal, unkept promises and being pierced. He was isolating us with his smile, like what happened wasn’t real. 

If that was all a dream, then I wished it started at my Birthday. But if so, I wanted to wake up now.

“It’s alright...” 

I curled myself over his body, my eyes shut as I could feel his breath under me stop, his grip weakening. He was gone. So quick I wasn’t able to shed a tear, my lungs heavy and fast, the single physical reaction my body was having by the unexpected shock. 

I gently laid his lifeless corps on the floor, taking a long look at my hands, my skin and the night dress I loved, stained in sin, in a familiar red I could see every day in familiar eyes. I took deep breathes, my firm stare from my kneeled position up, to those blooded red pupils. 

Percival’s. 

“Mind me an explanation?” I whispered with few strengths left. I felt drained and my brain couldn’t process everything that was happening; I could blink and all would disappear. 

But that wasn’t the case. 

“I told you to not come out.” He firmly said, rotating the sword in his hands easily as he was playing with a wooden one from the training ground. 

“I never said I would do that.” I glared at him, in no position to stand up. 

He swooped his hair back but it quickly fell down. If he was tired, I couldn’t tell. 

“Nim... I know you want an explanation- Just-” 

“Just what? An explanation on why you killed Father? The King? Yes, please!”  

Like that would bring dad back. 

Or make Percival forgivable. 

“Who’s Father to you?” He asked, offering me a hand. I fisted mine around the fabric of my dress, holding his gaze. 

“Father gave me everything, he gave happiness and peace to our Kingdom and not only. Being a Princess and not being able to do all the severe jobs, leaving me to enjoy my life and not making it weigh on my status. He gave me the freedom I could never imagine.” 

He silently exhaled, his eyes averting for a moment. 

“You’ve always been so carefree and cheerful; you were the one bringing happiness at the palace and a good mood to everyone; neither me or Father wanted you to stop that.” 

“Then why?” I whimpered. I needed to know if something was hidden from me. I couldn’t care if I didn’t understand. 

“Father tried to patch up his past by treating the future in a way it wouldn’t suspect his failures. You are the proof he-”

But before he could finish, the sound of footsteps got our attentions. It was still far, but we both didn’t want anyone to see this. 

I finally took my brother’s hand, staining him with my touch. 

“Nim... I am not sorry for what I’ve done, but there is no time. Take my advice as an order: if you don’t want to move to Erule, run. Now.” 

“Where to? There is no place for me outside the palace.” 

He squeezed my hand familiarly, and leaned for a kiss on my forehead. He never was the type for physical affection.  

This was serious.  

I finally had my chance to change my future, and I had to listen to my brother. 

“Go.” Was his last word, when the steps became louder. Before I could think where to lead to or how to escape, Percival distanced from me, heading to the terrace’s doors. 

That was the input; I could climb to the side to reach my bedroom and hopefully take some things with me. The moon was high in the sky, meaning I had time before the maids would come to wake me up. Escaping from my window was the best decision.

Alright Namiya, time to act now. 

I rushed out the doors, shutting them behind me and gripping the stones hard. I took a deep breath, before leaping on the other side of the wall. 

Just like when we played and climbed trees when we were little.

As soon as I found myself on the other side, I could hear people entering the room where I left my brother. 

“Everything is going as planned, Your Majesty.”

Of course, he wouldn’t do it alone, he must have had other people on his side. 

And with Father’s death, Percival was now the new King.