The Other Side of the Mask 12 Chapter 12: Everything's a Lie

I could tell TianYu's staring at me. Someone as pure as her doesn't know this type of pain. I don't look in her eyes. I could probably tell she hates me. The knights lock cuffs around my wrists and walk me out of the room. I don't look back, scared to see everyone's expressions. The knights walk me down, down, down. We arrive at a smelly, half-rusted cage. They push me in on the ground and leave. Tears keep dripping down my face.

"I'm disappointed in you."

I look up and see the knight that's XiaoLong's friend. I ignore him and look down at the ground.

I think about a half hour passed before they stopped. I holed up in a corner of the cell and put my head down. What have I done. Not only have I spelled my own doom, but also my family. Mayor Chun is definitely not going to spare them after this. I think more and more, until I fall asleep.

I technically was half asleep, as I could hear the conversations outside.

"What?! This girl poisoned the prince? How dare she!"

"I know right?"

I hear the Queen's voice, "What?! You can't get the antidote?!"

"I-i'm sorry it's in the mountains and we need time to make it."

"Search the whole nation; we need an antidote for my son!... and make sure this lass dies a painful death."

More silence…

"It's a miracle that your son is alive right now. Most die in an hour."

A loud clang wakes me up. My head aches as the guards pull me out. I am put on a cross, to get burned to death in front of public eyes. I glance around in a blur and recognize my parents' figures. The rope around my hands were loosely tied, and Mayor Chun was behind my parents, smiling, or at least I think. He probably found a way to get out or something… Damn him! I would grit my teeth if I could, but I think I was out for almost a day without eating.

Suddenly, the trumpets sound and they announce the Royal family. I take that chance and break the ropes. I untie the ropes around my legs, and run!

I run, run, run, using all that I was taught by XiaoLong. I swear I probably ripped some muscles as the adrenaline filled through me. I grabbed both my parents and jumped out of the fifth floor courtyard and into the forest. I surprisingly land safely and lean myself against a tree.

A slap came across my face. My cheek stings as I look up. My parents' faces were full of hate and anger.

"How dare you take us out just like that! We're going to die now! Because of you!"

"You ungrateful child! If you're going to die, die yourself! Don't take us with you!"

"W-what are you talking about?"

"You were never our child in the beginning anyways."

My eyes blur as they leave and report to the guards that I was lying on the ground. My dress is ripped and torn, my face and muscles are ruined. What am I doing? I've lost everything. I've lost everything. Who am I? My heart pains even more than I've ever experienced before. I might as well be better off dead. The knights drag me all the way into the palace and force me to kneel before the Royal family. I could feel the burning hatred all over my body, from the eyes of the Kingdom. Two knights place their swords at my neck.

Chapter end