“Your crown is made of people’s bones and hunger.” she gasped out. Her hands bound and her body weak from captivity.

He smirked although his green eyes lacked any real joviality as he stood in front her cell. “Is that really the best you could come up with after three days? Should I leave you in here for longer?”

She chose not to dignify him with a response as she eyed him wearily, wondering if he was finally here to send her to her death.

She thought back to a few days prior. The failed coup. Just the thought of it is enough to bring tears to her eyes. That had been her one chance to overthrow the proverbial Mad Prince. Nobody would expect the Prince’s trusted advisor to orchestrate the toppling of his regime, or so she had thought. He was two steps ahead of her the whole time, quickly dispatching his royal guard and violently crushing any rebellion in sight.

The clang of the heavy iron lock roused her from her thoughts. He unlocked the cell door. The metal screech making her cringe. The sight of the Prince in his black and green finery contrasted with the dank, depressing, grayness of the dungeon. He approched her sitting form, his shadow movingly menacingly along the wall. She kept her eyes on the ground beneath her, counting the cracks in the stones. There was nothing left to say to him. No taunts, no appeals. Just dissapointed silence.

She couldn’t save the kingdom, she couldn’t keep her allies safe, and she certainly couldn’t change his ways, heavens know she tried. He was too far gone. Corrupted by his own greed.

“Get up,” he demanded, roughly lifting her when she did not comply. She balanced unsteadily on her legs, her arms straining and still bound behind her. “Is it finally execution day?” she asked half-jokingly.

He reached into his pocket, producing a small key and reached behind her to unlock her manacles. “You are not to be executed,” he stated plainly.

She stared at him in confusion, rubbing her raw wrists. “You’re letting me go?”

He tsked and looked at her with a rather patronizing expression. “I didn’t say that.”

“So what are you going to do with me?” she asked wearily.

“You will resume your duties,” he paused and added “with increased supervision of course.”

“Why?” she asked simply, her stare piercing his.

<abrupt ending because I ran out of steam! I will hopefully continue this idea in the future>