Rue could hear the bells ringing across the city. The crowd of nobles in the throne room began to file out of the room, shuffling quickly, speaking in excited voices. The energy was palpable. Their faces were happy – these people were giddy about the fact that their Prince was about to be hanged. How quickly the tides turned, how quickly people went from doubting Rue and Maia, to wanting their leader dead. Just minutes ago, they had believed in Adaranth, practically worshiped him, and now, they were ready to watch his neck snap.
Rue looked towards Maia, she smiled serenely, but she did not cheer as the crowd did. “We don’t have to watch him die,” Rue said. “If it would be too much.”
Maia shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It’s not like I ever loved him.”
“But he was your husband. On some level, it must be difficult.”
“I despised him,” Maia said, without any of her usual regality or elegance.
Rue nodded. “I understand.”
The pair followed behind the bloodthirsty mob, watching as more and more townspeople appeared, rushing towards the gallows. A flurry of guards dragged Adaranth through the streets, letting people spit and stomp on him. He didn’t stop yelling or swearing, even as he reached the gallows, his body already battered and bruised from torment. Even after everything he had just endured, Adaranth still wore a smirk. He was not going to die without making Rue hate him even more. She could clearly picture Abigast dying at the hand of that disgusting man. She wanted Adaranth to suffer.
Rue and Maia sat down on a platform in the town square, a place reserved for royalty. Maia sat in the spot Adaranth would have sat. She made sure he saw, and he pointed up at her, giving her an obscene gesture, as guards began to tie his wrists and bind his limbs so he wouldn’t be able to escape.
By now, it seemed that the entire city was here to witness the killing of their Prince. They shouted jeers and insults at Adaranth, crying for justice. Many held up paintings of those they had lost to the plague. “You’re a murderer,” many yelled. Adaranth watched, his eyes scanning over the mass of people. He had finally stopped speaking, instead just silently smirking at his citizens. His expression did not reveal any fear, even when the noose was tied.
“Kill him, kill him, kill him!” The crowd chanted. It was crazy how bloodthirsty they had become. Rue marveled at how quickly people could change, how fast they could go from innocent to calling for someone’s death. Human life was so very fragile, and yet these people treated it like it was nothing. In this case, in Adaranth’s case, that was true. His life was worth nothing. He deserved to die, but Rue thought of the countless murders that had been committed over the course of history. How many innocent people had died at the hands of others? Thane himself had killed innocent people too. Rue wondered how many people in this crowd would kill. Would they be violent if given the chance? Would they hang Adaranth themselves if given the opportunity?
A court official in elaborate robes stepped up to the hanging platform, standing in front of Adaranth. “Prince Adaranth is to be hanged for his numerous crimes, including being responsible for the plague and betraying his Kingdom…” The official continued to speak, listing as many crimes as he possibly could, while Rue’s mind began to wander away. She didn’t want to think about the many crimes the Prince had caused. She didn’t want to think of all of the victims the Prince had killed. The difference between Adaranth and Thane was that Adaranth killed without remorse. Thane had paid for his sins with the ultimate price. Thane had redeemed himself. Adaranth, though about to die, was not going to be redeemed. It was obvious he didn’t feel guilty. It was obvious he didn’t care for anyone but himself and he never would. He was inhumane and almost inhuman. What kind of human heart had no room for love, for compassion, for kindness?
Rue’s heart was heavy with sadness. She was glad that Adaranth was finally going to die, that justice was finally going to be served, but too much had already happened. The plague had claimed the lives of thousands. Thane was dead. Abigast was dead. Rue’s friends were not going to come back, they would not be waiting at home in Maplefrost. Rue was alone and lonely. Maia could become a friend, but she wasn’t the same as Thane or Abigast. She was not someone to go on adventures with. Rue thought of all the adventures Thane and Abigast had shared with her. In the brief time she had known Thane, they had done so much together. And they could have done so much more if not for Adaranth. It was unfair and wrong.
“How could you?” Adaranth screamed. “I am your Prince! I’ve done so much for this Kingdom, so much for you people! Why are you treating me like filth?!”
The court official gave Adaranth a smug look. “Done so much? What, so much evil? What good have you ever done for this Kingdom? We were fools to trust you, to believe in you. We let you get away with whatever you wanted. There was too much corruption in that castle, it’s about time we start getting rid of it.”
Adaranth laughed. “You were a part of the corruption too! So many of you were!” He pointed at the nobles standing in the crowd. “Up until today, you were on my side. And you still would be if I promised enough gold, isn’t that right?”
One of the nobles stepped up. “We may have fallen for money before, Adaranth, but that’s not enough now. You took our families away, you let them perish in the plague. That is unforgivable. There is no amount of gold in the world that could bring those people back. You don’t know what love is, you don’t know what it’s like to have someone ripped away from you. You don’t know what it’s like to suffer.” The noble began to turn away. “I wish you could know what it was like. I wish there were some punishment worse than this.” He disappeared back into the crowd, as people began to cheer for his words.
“Any final words?” The court official asked the Prince.
Adaranth swore at him.
“So be it.” The official nodded, and a guard placed the noose around Adaranth’s neck. He looked up at Maia and Rue, and this time his expression revealed a loathing deeper than any Rue had ever seen. A cloth was placed over his head before he could speak, though Rue had a good idea of what he wanted to say. She looked away as the hanging occurred, flinching at the sound. “Is it over?” She asked Maia.
Maia nodded. “It’s over.”
“Good.” A wave of relief rushed over Rue, but it didn’t get rid of the sadness that still ached in her heart. After everything she had endured, nothing could really repair the pain. Yet, she was glad it was over. She was glad that now she could finally move on. Soon, she would be able to go back to Maplefrost, go back home and continue Abigast’s work, now as a fully- fledged wizard. She looked forward to that, despite the heartache.
“Let’s go back to the castle,” Maia said, standing up. The crowd had already begun to disperse, leaving as quickly as they had come. Within minutes, Adaranth’s body was whisked away. It would not receive a proper burial. It would be burned, and the ashes would be dumped along with sewage. Already, there was no evidence that the hanging of the most powerful person in Galbar had just taken place. Already, the furious crowd was moving on. Rue wondered how they could, how could they move on while she was still in so much pain, holding on to so much anger and hatred? These people had lost mothers, fathers, spouses, and children. She had lost her two best friends. If they could lose people and just move on, why couldn’t she?
“It’s going to be alright.”
Rue turned her head, expecting Maia, but Maia had already begun to walk towards the castle. A small child grasped Rue’s hand. “You look so sad,” he said.
“I am sad.”
“I lost my mommy,” the little boy said. “I’m glad that man is dead, he took her from me.”
“I lost people I loved too,” Rue replied.
“I’m still sad, but a little happier now. He can’t hurt anyone again.” Rue smiled. “You’re very strong.”
“You can be strong too.”
Rue nodded. “I will. Let’s both be.”
The boy squeezed her hand and then darted away, disa
ppearing into the street, leaving Rue alone in the town square. She slowly made her way back to the castle, trying to bury the pain, trying to forget about death and sorrow. It wasn’t easy though when she walked among a throng of people who had lost loved ones just the same. There was an abundance of sorrow in the world, and Rue didn’t think she would ever be able to truly escape.
Chapter 10
Rue slept that night under velvet blankets in a room adorned with silver and gold. It was too elaborate, too fancy for Rue’s simple tastes. She was used to Abigast’s messy house; there wasn’t any décor, just clutter. As much as Rue used to find it irritating, she found that she now missed it fiercely. The castle was not home, she could not stay here, not with all of the terrible experiences she had endured here. She had watched Abigast die in a room not unlike this one; the image of his body slumped against Adaranth’s bed, was still fresh in her mind. She didn’t want to think about Abigast, but he wouldn’t leave her mind. Every time she walked down these hallways, she thought of him, walking the same one's decades earlier, wanting nothing but to escape. This castle had been his prison, and right now, it felt like hers too.
But Maia had insisted she stay. The Princess pulled Rue into the doors of the castle as soon as Rue returned from the town square. “Let me show you to one of the guest chambers! It’s absolutely beautiful!” Maia’s smile was so bright, so genuine. Rue wondered how she could be that cheerful, just minutes after watching her husband be hanged. Of course, Rue knew it must be a relief. She knew Maia hated Adaranth more than anyone else in the Kingdom, she knew his death must have brought a satisfaction greater than anything, but it was still a hanging. Surely, watching a hanging had to be a distressing experience for someone besides Rue, yet the entire crowd in the town square, treated it like it was nothing.
Rue looked at the walls surrounding her. The room was spacious, yet she felt stifled like she was suffocating. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, and she found that her hair was matted and wet. She had awoken with nightmares numerous times in the past few hours. Images of Adaranth stabbing Abigast, images of Adaranth being hanged, Thane drinking the potion, the dead bodies piling up after the plague. So much death had taken place, and Rue couldn’t shake it from her mind.
She stood up and lit a candle, bathing the room in light. She looked in the mirror, seeing a very tired woman. Had she aged? She could swear there was a wrinkle that hadn’t been there before. This was too stressful. All of it. She needed to go home, go back to regular life, relax.
Rue stared at the mirror the rest of the night, waiting for time to pass, waiting for morning when she could leave this place.
Of course, things didn’t ever go the way Rue wanted them to. When the first sign of sunlight filtered in through the window, Rue snuffed the candle and began to pack up what few items she had. She put on one of the many outfits Maia had procured for her, and after momentarily admiring the stylish dress, Rue began to make her way towards Maia’s room. The plan was to say goodbye and thank the Princess for the short stay, but Rue quickly found that that wasn’t Maia’s plan.
“Oh good, you’re awake!” Maia said, immediately pulling the door open as soon as Rue knocked. The Princess was already dressed, looking just as elegant as always, unlike Rue with her disheveled, unkempt appearance and tired red eyes. “Would you like a cup of tea? Some biscuits? We can go down to the kitchen or have someone bring up some food if you’d like. I want you to feel at home here.”
Rue tried to smile. How did she say that she just wanted to go home? “Thank you, I’ll just have a cup of tea.”
“No food? You look like you need some energy, Rue.”
“I haven’t had much of an appetite recently.”
Maia sighed. “That’s understandable, I’m sorry. I’m being too joyful, aren’t I?”
“No, no,” Rue said, “not at all. It’s good to see you happy. I wondered how you would feel after everything that just happened. I wondered if you could cope.”
Maia sat down on her bed. “I’m not weak, contrary to popular belief.”
“I wasn’t suggesting that!” Rue said. “I know you’re not weak, Maia.”
“I’ve been treated like a fragile statue or something all these years. Something to be tucked away in a safe corner, looked at, but never spoken to. And when people did speak to me, they insulted me. All of Adaranth’s lot, they treated me like everything bad was my fault. I couldn’t have children, therefore I was worthless, a waste of space. Adaranth couldn’t divorce me though, it would have made him look bad. He was all about being terrible while looking good. And for years, this castle was truly my prison.”
“Does it still feel that way?” Rue asked, wondering if Maia felt the same as she did.
Maia shrugged. “Yesterday, when I first walked through the door, after the hanging, I felt more free than I ever have. For once, I didn’t have to worry about what Adaranth would say or do to me. I didn’t have to think about what everyone else would say because they were his followers. Without their leader, they’d be too cowardly to show their faces around me again. For once, there was no one to be afraid of.
“When I woke up this morning though, I started to think about the future. Can I still be the Princess? An eventual queen? Adaranth’s father is still alive. He’s incredibly ill, I expect him to die any day now, there has to be a new leader. I’ve never understood politics. I’ve never been anything but a figurehead, a part of the image Adaranth so carefully sculpted. I can’t run a Kingdom, and it’s not like anyone would want me as their leader anyway.”
Rue sat next to her. “You have a kind heart, Maia. This Kingdom needs a leader with a heart. I don’t know when the last time it had one was.”
“It can’t be me,” Maia replied. “I want to go back to my own Kingdom. I haven’t seen my family or friends in such a long time, it was like I was kidnapped and held hostage her for all these years. Adaranth didn’t let me live my life, he didn’t let me enjoy it. I’m ready to start enjoying it now.”
“So are you happy?”
Maia smiled. “Despite everything, yes. Am I worried about the Kingdom’s future? Definitely. But I’m free, and that feels amazing. I am my own person, not Adaranth’s toy.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Rue said.
“Will you stay a few days?” Maia asked. “I know you’re probably eager to go home to Maplefrost, but I would appreciate the company. I don’t have any friends in the castle, and truthfully, I’m kind of scared to navigate this newfound freedom on my own.”
“Of course I’ll stay.” Rue realized that Maia did need her. The Princess may not have been weak, but she was inexperienced. She had suffered in isolation for such a long time that she didn’t know how to live a regular life. Rue would help her, after all, isn’t that what she’d do back in Maplefrost anyway? She wanted to devote her life to helping people and here was the perfect person in need of help. Suddenly, the castle didn’t quite feel like a prison. Abigast would have wanted her to stay and help.
The next few days passed surprisingly quickly, though the nights were long and every bit as awful as the first. Rue didn’t sleep very much, but she found that she began to look forward to daytime. She spent mornings drinking tea and munching on biscuits with Maia, then reading in the library, going on walks around the courtyard, even getting to know some of the maidservants. Some of the castle’s staff had left after Adaranth’s death, abandoning their posts, but most stayed, having hope that the corruption in the castle would disappear.
As Maia learned how to navigate her new independent role, Rue watched her grow stronger. Maia was very well capable of being a leader, and though Rue knew the Princess had no desire to rule Galbar, she was thankful for the newfound peace that had settled over the city and castle the past few days. For once, it seemed that there was no corruption. A black cloud had been lifted.
Finally, it came time for Rue to return home. Maplefrost and a messy house was waiting for her. She couldn’t wait to wa
lk through those doors again.
“You can come back anytime, Rue, you’re a friend to the castle,” Maia said. “Do you think you’ll be staying here then?” Rue asked.
Maia hesitated. “I don’t know. I’ve started to get used to this freedom, and I’m glad you helped me, but I don’t know if this is home. There’s a lot of bad memories here.”
“You can make good memories too.” Maia smiled. “I already have.”
“I’m glad to have you as a friend,” Rue said. “Losing Thane and Abigast has been difficult. Being here the past few days has been a comfort.”
“Go back home and get some rest now, Rue. I know you haven’t been sleeping well. Maybe sleeping in your own bed will help. I have nightmares sometimes too. I know they aren’t easy to deal with, but eventually, things will get better.”
“Thank you, Maia.” Rue hugged her friend, waved goodbye to some of the servants, and exited the castle, wondering if this would be the last time she’d see it. If she ever came back, she hoped it would be for a happy reunion between her and Maia, and not another crisis. Thane and Abigast had paid a high enough price; the peace had to last. Rue couldn’t bear it if something happened that made their sacrifices meaningless.
She began to walk down the road, taking in the sights of Slyfort one last time. The journey was uneventful. By this point, there were no bodies piled outside towns, no depressed faces. Life in Galbar had returned to normal, and people were beginning to mend and heal.
The Apprentice Page 6
