Chapter 10: The Prince's Playthings

"Reya!" I hissed, shaking my brother's shoulders, "Get up!"

As soon as he displayed the slightest sign of waking up, I lifted him to his feet and dragged him out of the forest area as the clattering of hooves became louder. I watched as four people riding horses came down into the village. Three of them wore helmets and armour, looking in their thirties, and the fourth looked about my age, with hair that was a dark red, the colour of blood. He had a black cloak draped over him.

"Who's that?" Reya whispered as we joined the masses that surrounded them.

"I don't know," I muttered as the man raised a palm in the air. Everybody got down on their knees.

Not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble, I pulled Reya down onto his knees with me. We kept our heads down for a few seconds.

"N-Note," Reya stuttered, nudging me in the side, "The red-headed guy's staring at us..."

"Shh!" I hissed. I heard the man clap twice. Everyone rose to their feet.

"Today's name has been chosen!" The man announced. The crowd began clamouring.

"Prince Enzer!" A woman pushed through the masses and approached the young man's horse. Her eyes were brimming with tears, "If it's my son, please spare him! I beg you, he's all that I have left!"

"So that guy's a prince?" Reya and I stepped back, "The son of King Vana?"

"Yes," I was surprised to hear a young woman speak up. She was standing in front of us, not looking quite as worried and panicked as the rest of the crowd, "Prince Enzer is King Vana's son. He comes here every week."

"Why?" I asked.

The woman smiled. "You'll see."

"Silence!" Prince Enzer boomed, "The name chosen is Samuel Hend."

Whispers polluted the population like spirits lingering in a graveyard.

"Where is he?"

"Get him over here!"

"I don't want to die!"

I heard a gruff sound of anger, a sort of groan, as a group of men dragged another man through the crowds against his will. They brought him to the prince and held him there.

I squinted. The man looked extremely familiar.

"Hey, isn't that the guy from yesterday?" I hissed, tugging Reya's sleeve. He looked at the man.

"Yeah...what are they going to do to him?"

"You are Samuel Hend?" Prince Enzer eyed the man carefully. Samuel looked at the prisoners around him and then reluctantly nodded.

I watched as Enzer threw his cloak off. It fell to the ground with a dull thump. The prince leapt off of his horse and slashed Samuel's throat. Blood flew heavenward and rained down on the crowds. I took a step back as voices began to wail and scream.