Shackled Serenity

by Leon Logos

  “I didn’t know for sure!” she pleaded. “It was just a guess!”

  “She’ll be executed as well,” Viktor said to Garen. “That fine?”

  Serenity met his eyes for a full three seconds. They were inexpressive.

  “Nah, I’ll deal with her,” Garen decided. “Don’t worry about her. She won’t be a hindrance to us anymore.”

  “Suit yourself,” Viktor shrugged.

  “I KNEW IT!” Wilkens bellowed. “I KNEW IT!”

  “She’s a traitor, of course, she is!” Bastion growled, incensed, from under the steel door which had trapped him. He was struggling to escape.

  “Serenity, you’re going to pay!” Alistair hissed at her. “Just wait!”

  Dorian didn’t say anything. His mouth was shut.

  “Uncle Alistair,” Serenity stammered, voice breaking up. “I’m not—”

  “Everybody in the room, get out,” Viktor commanded. “My men! Start walking; we need space for our dear friends!”

  Viktor’s men nodded in unison, beginning to descend the tower. Their multiple footsteps echoed around the stairwell. She tried following the others, who were being prompted to move by being prodded with the barrels of rifles. She was one step out the door when Garen seized her by her jacket and pulled her back inside. Serenity released herself forcefully.

  “What’re you doing?!” she snapped.

  “Shut up,” Garen said, shooting her a dirty look. “What? You wanna follow your Aurelian friends to execution? If you wanna die so bad, go ahead. You don’t care about your wellbeing since you lied to Viktor.”

  “I didn’t lie!” she said exasperatedly. “I didn’t know! Not for sure!”

  “He asked for inferences, guesses, suggestions, anything!” Garen dismissed. “And you couldn’t give him even that.”

  “Whatever,” she muttered sullenly, not essaying to leave again.

  She knew Garen would keep her close from now on. Very close. And even if she tried to escape, it would not end well for her. Garen wouldn’t have any problem with dragging her around the residence in a chokehold. Or depending on how agitated he was, he’d even possibly break her leg.

  Nothing but footsteps were audible for the next five minutes, as the surviving Aurelians descended the tower, flanked by Viktor and his men. She looked up at Garen, waiting for him to exit the room. But Garen’s eyes had averted to the wall; the pedigree had arrested his attention. He approached it, but not without grabbing her arm. She didn’t struggle but was indignant at being treated like a dog on a leash. What was Garen going to do?

  “Is this a family tree?” he asked.

  “What does it look like?” she said ill-tempered. “Loosen your grip!”

  “How long has your name been there?” he asked, pointing at her name.

  “Since I was born,” she replied. “Seriously, you’re crushing my arm!”

  Garen slackened his grip but kept her tightly by him nonetheless. She saw him mouth her middle name, curiously, “Elizabeth.” Obviously, she had no middle name with the Carlisles. None of the brothers had middle names either. Serenity didn’t find it that much important. It was the surname that was really most important. To her, at least. First names were subsidiary.

  “Are you proud to be on here?” said Garen expressionlessly.

  The question caught her off guard. She wanted to say “yes,” out of spite, to express that she felt steadfast with the Aurelians and believed she belonged with them. But genuinely, she didn’t feel any pride. Not after today. The Aurelians now knew she was affiliated with the enemy, and that she had some sort of involvement in this whole mayhem. Serenity wondered if her actions were irrevocable and unforgivable. Could she ever redeem herself to Alistair? And the Council? Not that it mattered. They were about to be executed today. And she feared she couldn’t stop it. The sudden rift between her and the Aurelians could not be repaired. Alistair’s livid, disenchanted face as he realized what she had done was engraved in her memory. It didn’t matter that it was inadvertent. She led Viktor and his men right to them. They must’ve followed her without her noticing it. And this time, culpability for their deaths was entirely valid.

  “I don’t feel proud,” Serenity replied. “Maybe before. But not now.”

  “Good,” said Garen. “Try not to cry when you see them executed.”

  Cackle and Agno had not accompanied Garen and Viktor to the tower. Cackle was already gone, sent to retrieve Kyler from the farm and bring him to the outpost. She later found out that Cackle had two of Viktor’s men with him to expedite the process. Agno apparently had also gone to the outpost, beyond the property of the estate. He was checking up on Desmos, and would possibly bring him back.

  They were all gathered around the courtyard. Serenity sat on a sizeable rock, watching the Aurelians with misty eyes. Almost all of Viktor’s men were present, jeering and taunting at the Aurelians relentlessly. Some of them pretended to open their fire, raising their weapons and yelling “bang!” It engendered heartfelt resentment and self-condemnation as she observed Lily flinching each time the men did this, Lyla hugging her tightly. Tears were streaming out their eyes. The both of them knew what was about to happen. Sixto wasn’t crying. He was staring directly at her. She couldn’t see his face and couldn’t deduce what he was feeling, simply because she chose to ignore him. It was too difficult to look into his eyes. She didn’t have the courage.

  Several Councilmen yelled out pleas in terror, beseeching for mercy. Their desperate voices overlapped each other, but she gathered that they were offering bribes or great sums of money in exchange for their lives to be spared. Neither those things would work. Viktor planned to ransack and loot the entire residence anyway. Their voices were inaudible to the ears of the enemy. But not to her. It took everything in her dwindling supply of power to hold back tears. She contemplated why she was even present. There was no way she’d witness their executions. From the looks of it, execution by firing squad. Why am I here? Why aren’t I leaving?

  Something compelled her to stay. And she decided it was the opportunity to have a final word with her family. She rose to her feet and crossed over to them, jostling through the crowd. She was five yards from them when somebody grabbed her, holding her back. Garen again.

  “Just let me have some final words!” she entreated despairingly.

  “You’re making this worse for yourself,” said Garen. “Go inside and cover your ears. You’ll just be sadder if you go and say your goodbyes.”

  “Bullshit!” she yelled. “Why can’t you let me just this once?! I’m the one that led you to them in the first place. Right?”

  “As if you’re proud of it,” Garen scoffed. “Make it quick, because we’ll be starting soon. Once Agno and Cackle comes back. And be warned; I’m watching, and don’t even think that I’m not listening.”

  Garen pushed her forward. She heard objections from Viktor, and then Garen’s terse explanation. She ignored the both of them, proceeding first to Sixto. Dorian and Alistair refused to look at her. The other Councilmen, including Bastion, were assaulting her with curses and insults. Serenity knelt in front of Sixto, at last meeting his eyes which were myriad with emotions. Disillusion, anger, sorrow, disbelief, and bemusement.

  “I’m sorry,” she began, her eyes watery. “I-I didn’t want this to happen, Sixto… Please, don’t be angry with me—”

  “I’m not just angry with you,” Sixto spoke, voice trembling. “I can’t even list all feelings I’m experiencing right now. Were you with them the entire time? Did you help them plan this out?”

  “No,” she replied automatically. “I didn’t! They dragged me into it.”

  “Tell me the truth, I’m begging you,” Sixto pleaded. “Then what were you doing those nights you snuck out of bed? The night when Lyla caught you? And the nights after that? If there were any other nights.”

  “Visiting my brother,” she said honestly, obliging to his final request. “That was all. Yes, behind your back. I went back
to the jailhouse, through the tunnels. More than once. But that was it!”

  “You never listen,” he snarled, shaking his head. “And who’re these people that are about to kill us? Explain that!’

  “I don’t know for sure,” she said truthfully. “I really don’t. But my other brothers came with them. And no, I didn’t ask them to! They came for the two that were captured. I had nothing to do with it.”

  “But you led them to us,” he said quietly. “They followed you.”

  She opened her mouth but then closed it. She merely nodded, sniffling.

  “I hope you’re feeling really miserable right now,” he said coldly.

  “Look at my face…” she urged. “Tell me I’m not. Tell me.”

  “I have so many other questions,” said Sixto dejectedly, eyeing Garen warily, who was eavesdropping overtly. “But too little time.”

  “I get it…” she nodded again. “I just wanted to say…I loved it here, I swear to God. Thanks for being so nice with me. I’ve never—I’ve never had a better friend.”

  Sixto fortunately recognized the sincerity in her words. He opened his arms, prompting for an embrace. She hugged him harder than she had hugged anyone else in her life. They embraced for what seemed like ages. After half-a-minute they let go. Sixto put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  “You witch!” Lyla shrieked deliriously, through tears. “You deserve to die! Not us! You! You, you, you, you!”“

  Serenity!” Lily cried, wailing and sobbing harder than anyone else.

  It broke Serenity’s heart, seeing her so petrified.

  “H-help us! W-w-why?”

  She tried to hug Lily too but was denied by Lyla who slapped her across the face. Serenity drew herself back, clutching her cheek. She wasn’t shocked. Neither was she offended. She deserved a million more of those.

  “Lyla, this is my last chance,” Serenity said somberly. “Please, just tell me. Why do you hate me? I just need to know.”

  “You wanna know why?” Lyla sobbed. “I’ll tell you why! Your demon of a father is the reason my mother is gone! He’s your father!”

  Serenity stared, feeling like a complete, utter idiot. Viktor had literally told her back in Alistair’s chamber that Alistair’s wife had died the same night her parents were killed. So, she and Lyla had one thing in common: both of them had parents that were murdered by Gunther. She understood Lyla’s reasoning, but wasn’t sure if it was rational. Serenity’s parents had perished as well. She was misplacing the blame. As far as Lyla was concerned, her and Gunther (who should’ve been more culpable) were the same. She put herself in Lyla’s perspective. Lyla must’ve despised her every time she saw her, because it reminded her that she was motherless.

  “He killed my parents too, remember?” Serenity implored, determined in reconciling with her cousin. “It’s not my fault. Please, I don’t want you to go thinking bad of me. And I never considered Gunther my father!”

  “We’re the ones being killed,” Lyla rebuffed, letting her tears flow openly. “Killed because of you! I hope you rot in Hell!”

  Serenity turned to Sixto for assistance. But Sixto merely looked at her, resigned, denoting that there was nothing he could do. Lyla’s opinion on her was unwavering. Her abhorrence was resolute. Serenity couldn’t even hate Lyla back. It was just pity and sorrow she felt for her. The poor girl had accepted her fate and was about to be killed. She was only fifteen.

  “Lily?” Serenity murmured. “You hate me too…?”

  Lily sniffled, shaking her head vigorously. She didn’t seem to realize what Lyla said about her mother’s death. Nor did she not seem to be aware that Serenity was the one to blame, unwillingly causing their capture. Though, Serenity wasn’t inclined in telling her. There was no making peace with Lyla. She was beyond reason. But Lily was an entirely different case; Lily was someone Serenity veritably considered a sibling—the little sibling, or sister, she never had. From the many nights they spent together watching movies and conversing, or the radiant days they relished perambulating the property. These memories were indelible. She turned her head, looking back at the deriding crowd—the heartless maniacs that were exuberant to murder innocent lives.

  Furiously, she stormed vehemently up to Viktor.

  “Why the sour face?” he asked smugly.

  “Imprison them instead,” she requested; more like demanded.

  “I don’t take prisoners,” he said flatly. “Shoo.”

  “Then spare them!” she tried.

  “You expect me to listen to you?” Viktor smirked.

  She took a deep breath, accepting the challenge of the task ahead: convincing Viktor to spare the lives of the enemy.

  “At least let the kids live! The young ones!” she negotiated.

  “I’m sorry, what’s in it for me?” Viktor said, looking at her as if she was some ludicrous customer, demanding the president of the company on the phone to meet their selfish needs.

  “You need something in exchange for sparing the life of a child?” she said, appalled. “What kind of a man are you?!”

  “Serenity!” Garen barked, perhaps telling her to shut up.

  “A business man,” Viktor said, jabbing his thumb at himself. “I don’t think you realize how lucky you are. You belong with them. The only reason you’re not being executed right now is because of your relationship with the Carlisle brothers.”

  “Look at them!” she implored desperately. “They’re kids!”

  “I don’t get it,” Viktor gawked at her, dazed. “Why are you interceding for them? Are you a Carlisle or an Aurelian? Make up your mind!”

  “I’m one of them!” she asserted, through gritted teeth. “By blood and by bond! I hate the name ‘Carlisle’! It sickens me!”

  “You heard that, Garen?” Viktor snorted. “She admitted it!”

  “Nothing’s changed, she always expresses how she hates us,” Garen replied unconcernedly. “It’s normal.”

  “If you’re one of them, then you’ll die too,” Viktor said decisively. “Unless you wanna get slaughtered, get out of my face. I’ll give you some credit, kid; not many have the guts to accost me like that. You’re feisty.”

  “I’m just begging for you to show mercy,” she supplicated. “I get it; some of them you can kill, I know I can’t stop you. But what about those kids? They’ve done absolutely nothing wrong!”

  “You are annoyingly persistent,” Viktor sucked his teeth. “Garen! Get her off of my ass before I throw her in with that lot.”

  “No, no!” she screamed, as Garen grabbed her and dragged her away.

  “Who is in charge here?!” Alistair’s voice hollered.

  “I am,” Viktor responded immediately. “Finally speaking, eh?”

  “I offer a proposal to you,” he said, looking Viktor directly in the eye; there was no fear, no intimidation present in Alistair’s countenance.

  “It better be good,” Viktor said, folding his arms and moving closer. “Let’s discuss negotiations. What are you willing to offer me?”

  “I understand you’re set on executing us,” Alistair said slowly. “But spare the lives of my children; they are not of the Council. Do this, and I will grant to you the full extent of our prosperity. The location of all of our riches. Much more than what you will find here.”

  “Hmmmm,” Viktor said, tempted, his eyes lighting up in interest. “A tantalizing offer. Actually, a great one. Now, where is this money?”

  “In a vault, on the premises,” Alistair replied. “I will tell you more when I’m certain you will fulfill your end of the bargain.”

  Viktor beckoned at Alistair’s children. Lily, Lyla, Sixto, and Destiny. They hesitated at first but proceeded at their father’s approval. Sixto ran over to Destiny, helping her up and moving her, her arm around his neck. They came to the enemy side. Serenity walked up to them, whispering for them to stay behind her, even though she knew she couldn’t really protect them.

  “What will you do with them after?�
� Dorian narrowed his eyes.

  “I don’t know,” Viktor shrugged candidly.

  “I’ll take care of them!” Serenity assured. “I promise!”

  “They’re not my problem,” said Viktor indifferently. “I’ll tell you that as much. The Carlisles can take them, it doesn’t matter to me.”

  “Hell no we won’t,” Garen said disapprovingly.

  “You won’t have to,” Serenity said scornfully.

  “I have one more condition,” said Alistair.

  “Make it quick,” Viktor said irritably.

  “Ensure Serenity dies with us,” said Alistair, giving her a black look.

  She stared wide-eyed at Alistair. And then back at Viktor. It wasn’t looking good for her. Viktor stroked his chin, thinking deeply about it. She didn’t know why. Viktor didn’t care about her one bit. He turned to Garen.

  “You mind if she dies?” he asked.

  Serenity looked up at Garen apprehensively. It was impossible to predict what his answer would be. She discerned nothing from his facial expression. Garen remained silent for a considerable amount of time, gazing down at her poker-faced. He turned back to Alistair.

  “Before we finalize this deal,” he said noncommittally, “how about he shows us the money first? That way, we know he’s not lying.”

  “Works with me,” said Viktor. “Get up, you!”

  Alistair rose to his feet, ushering Dorian to accompany him.

  “Nope, just you!” Viktor shook his head.

  “Hey, what’s going on? What did I miss?” Cackled asked eagerly, sprinting into the courtyard with two others.

  He stopped next to Garen and Serenity, scrutinizing the Councilmen.

  “Yo, is that them?” he said. “We found them?”

  “Of course,” said Viktor. “And we’re about to publicly execute them.”

  “Nice!” Cackle said fervently. “When do we start?”

  “Soon,” said Viktor. “All right, your kids are coming with me. Got it?”

  “Why?” Alistair asked.

  “Because if you’re lying, I’ll kill them right in front of you,” said Viktor blatantly. “And I’ll do it slowly and cruelly.”