Memories

Ethan looked at the guard calmly and thought for a moment, the people of Esther City could know about Mia, so he had to think of something to say. He then put his hand on the guard’s shoulder and spoke calmly.

“Don't worry, do witch is getting ready for her trial tomorrow. She is with the minister as I have asked him to make arrangements for the trial at sunrise. Wait here dear guard, I will be back. Ethan then quickly opened the door to his room, and hurriedly stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He then scanned his room to spot something valuable. He saw a gold necklace hanging by one of the statues and quickly grabbed it. Ethan held the necklace tightly inside his fist as he whispered to the guard.

“Listen to me carefully, you will have to cover the other criminal in the dungeon completely in a huge cloth bag and tie him to the two pillars enacted to the gallows at the trial. You will do this before the sunrise is in Esther city tomorrow. Make sure his face is completely covered and his hands are tied behind his back. His feet should be the only body part showing.”

The guard looked at Ethan in disbelief. He then stammered, “But sir…”

Ethan then flashed the gold necklace at the guard’s eyes which were now sparkling. The guard quickly took the necklace from Ethan's hand and spoke excitedly,

“What the queen wishes.

The guard walked back quickly feeling happy about the gold necklace in his pocket. At sunrise, the people of Esther city were eagerly waiting at the public square. Some ladies in long gowns were chatting loudly and laughing. Everyone looked happy at the thought of the witch being crucified. The cross beam with the rope was tied around the criminal’s neck. As per Ethan's orders, the guard had secretly abducted the criminal from his cell. This was the same criminal who had stabbed the innocent man at the market and then tried to bribe the minister with money to get away with his crime.

Ethan wanted to serve justice to his kingdom and have that man hanged, as he had killed innocent lives multiple times and gotten away with it. Ethan had him covered in a huge cloth bag. His mouth was tied with cloth so no one could hear his screams and his hands were tied behind his back. Ethan stood before the crowd and spoke in a loud voice,

“Dear citizens of Esther City. Today we are gathered to witness the witch’s trial. As you can see, the witch is already tied to the Crosby and she will be crucified. Soon, the minister will pull the lever and kill the witch now,” Ethan said glaring towards the minister standing on his left.

The minister stepped towards the cross beam with so much enthusiasm. It seemed like he had waited all his life to kill the witch. Ethan glanced at the ground. Everyone was rejoicing and looking at the criminal impatiently. Some men and women were howling,

“Kill that witch, kill that demon!”

Some people were so happy that they were jumping. The minister pulled the level hard, hanging the criminal by his neck and doing his bit in the trial. The minister looked proud and had a huge grin on his face because he thought he had killed the witch. After the trial, people left the public square and went back to their everyday routine. Ethan got up from his iron chair and walked back to his room where Mia had been hiding all along.

Something about this story; the witch, the trial, and even the dungeons had seemed very familiar to him. It was as if Ethan was getting a Deja vu about the things happening around him. Mia sat behind the statues. She sat there motionless in fear if he was getting a day about the things happening around him. Ethan entered his room and saw Mia behind one of the tall statues. She sat and waited all day for Ethan to return.

As soon as she saw Ethan's face, she ran to him and asked, Ethan, how was the trial? Were the people convinced it was me?”

Mia looked at Ethan's pale face. He was looking rather weird as he sat on his bed and fell back into one of the pillows. Ethan had never witnessed death so closely. The trial scene with flashing before him time and again, and he looked fatigued with disappointment. But he had done the right thing. Ethan looked at Mia’s bright blue eyes that were curiously waiting for him to respond. Ethan nodded and then swallowed before he spoke.

“Mia, tell me, who was the king before me?”

Mia was confused. She closed her eyes and thought for a second. She then opened her ocean eyes with excitement and replied, “King Williams. He had ruled for seven years before someone poisoned his food because he had called off a witch’s trial. But why do you ask?”

Ethan looked at Mia, his green eyes twinkling and both his eyebrows raised. She continued to speak fervently,

“ After his death, his only true heir to the throne was King Ethan, Your Highness.”

Mia suddenly realized that she was speaking to the king. She then slowly got up and stood by his bed looking down. Ethan shot up from his bed as he heard Mia’s response. Something about that name was so familiar to him. William was a king in one of the stories his mother read to him at bedtime. Ethan started getting confused.

“Mia the witch. This is the story my mother read to me at bedtime. I am inside a book from my childhood. What was that book? The Witch of Esther City? That's right.”

Ethan's memories were coming back to him. His mother would read to him every night narrating stories of ancient kings and medieval emperors that lived during an era where witches and wizards were a common sight. In most of these stories, the witches and wizards were blamed for mishaps and killed mercilessly by kings that dwelled in materialistic pleasures of money and riches. Ethan shut his eyes tightly, trying to remember the story better.

“Wasn't it Prince William's, King William's. Oh my god. This means I am king William's only son.”

Mia looked at Ethan, her long brown hair shining, and her blue eyes with so much curiosity even looked pale with confusion as he sat there recollecting his memories. Ethan then looked at Mia and spoke slowly, “Mia, the people of this kingdom think you're dead. We must be extra careful now. You will have to change your appearance. Your long brown hair will be cut short, and you will be given fresh new clothes so that you don't look like a prisoner. I will tell everyone that you're my friend, and that you have come to visit me.”

He saw Mia’s smile disappear as he spoke. She touched her long tresses as it was something she admired about herself. She then understood why Ethan would say that and gave him a crooked smile. She spoke hesitantly, “Whatever the king wishes.”

She had lashed for some reason as she finished her sentence. Ethan looked at me and was still thinking about the trial. Suddenly allowed knock on Ethan's door and interrupted them.

“Sir, sir Ethan.”

It was the minister and he was shouting as he banged on the door continuously, “Sir, open the door. I have some serious news.”