Sisters Of Sacrifice

4

After searching the streets, the bodies had been discovered. They were found within the church. The dim light that flickered through the colored windows brought the sickening image to life. They were stacked on top of each other like logs in a large pile, their bodies were limp, their eyes hollow, their mouths left hanging open as if they were still screaming. They were covered in gashes, torn apart, with missing limbs and chunks of themselves gone. Each and every one of them was lifeless, not a single person had survived.

Back at the castle, that same dreadful morning, the queen had been found dead as well. Dressed in a beautiful white dress that looked like snowfall, she laid on the floor looking cold and like a twisted child's doll. A bloodied note had been attached to her forehead by a black arrow that stuck out of her head.

The note was another message from the king of Aveeria, claiming credit for all the lives that had been lost that night. He said that he kept his promise and that our king should have listened to him when he said he should have let Lexque fall. It was much better to let a country fall apart, he said, than let it bleed out.

On the note was another proposition, a deal.

Aveeria would leave Lexque alone and let the present ruler continue ruling if it backed down. Lexque needed to break off ties with many of it's more powerful allies and weaken its armies. If Aveeria went to war, Lexque would provide it with supplies and soldiers. If Aveeria's population began to drop, Lexque had to officially become apart of Aveeria."

Tazanna stopped speaking, allowing herself to breath. My breath, however, was being held. This next part was the part that I could hardly stand to hear. It was what made our story our story, and what made me wish I could erase the past.

"And finally," she slowly began to speak again, "every blood moon, Lexque had to sacrifice four beautiful, perfect girls to Aveeria, to show the world that Aveeria was not a country to be underestimated or played with. More importantly, it sent a message that it was the most dominant country of them all, and held all of the power. It could make any country do anything, and they wanted the rest of the world to know that.

If the demands were not made, the king of Aveeria promised that what happened to the people on the night of the Bloodbath would happen to the rest of the country. Town by town, his armies would kill off every single person until it was just our king left, caged and alone with his own guilt.

Out of fear for his people, our king accepted the deal. He knew that the Aveerian king would keep his promise like he had kept his other one. He knew that if he tried to fight back, the citizens of Lexque would perish at his decision. His armies would not be powerful enough to win a war against Aveeria. They wouldn't even come close. He would not let more of his people die because he did not heed the warnings.

And so, a couple months later, the first sacrifice had been made. Four girls chosen for their beauty were given up to protect their country and their people. And sure enough, the king of Aveeria kept his promise. There were no more massacres, and no more threats.

And now, when those four girls, me and my sisters and our sisters that will come after us, give up our lives on the Day of the Ravens, we are giving up our lives for you and your safety, and for the protection of our country."

She scanned the crowd as they all applauded, her perfect demeanor never wavering. She gave a bow to the people, then a bow to our rulers, and then slowly backed away until her legs met the cold material of her mock-throne. Gracefully, she took her seat with a stiffening escape of a breath I didn't realize she was holding.

Melia, Rosean, and I all turned to look at her, giving her our best reassuring smiles. I reached out and took her smooth hand in my own. With all eyes upon us, I could not speak freely to her. I let my fake smile fall as I gave her hand a delicate squeeze, and hoped my eyes conveyed the words that I couldn't say.