Heir to the Empire

10. Judge, Jury, Executioner

"Gyf, where is he." she called out assertively to the sailors below deck.

No one seemed bothered by her feminine voice but responded to her command instantly. "Through there." a sea hand called out pointing towards a small door towards the front of the ship.

Before anyone would notice and question why she was there she briskly moved towards the door, pushing her way into the cramped room with both Gyf and Typa sat on stools peeling potatoes.

They both looked up, confused by the interruption, it wasn't until Gyf recognised Loldirr's shapely figure that he smiled and stood up with a small knife in his hand. Typa on the other hand turned pale as if he had seen a ghost looking down immediately towards the bucket of potatoes.

"Up for another round love? Want some of Gyf's seed to take to your castle?" his repulsive grin made worse by his tongue licking the top of his lips.

As the ship swayed from side to side Loldirr said nothing but carefully raised her hands to pull back her hood and remove the cloth covering her mouth. Despite the slight frown on her face, she seemed completely devoid of emotion.

Gyf continued to laugh towards Typa who continued to avoid eye contact. Turning towards Loldirr once more Gyf continued to goad her, "Gyf has a little present for that pretty mouth of yours wench."

With one swift motion, Loldirr flicked her wrist across Gyf's throat so quickly he barely even noticed until blood started to trickle from it. That trickle turned into a gush, and as he desperately held onto his throat to try and control the bleeding, he looked at Loldirr in fear knowing his life was about to end.

"I am no wench!" Loldirr responded calmly. "I am Loldirr of house Aex-Igh, I am the heir to the Isovine Empire." she said with a voice she could hardly recognise. A voice of confidence, assertiveness and belief in who she really was.

Gyf dropped to his knees into a pool of his own blood and despite all his efforts, blood continued to spurt out of the deep gash like a red fountain. Looking to Typa he tried to call for help but nothing exhaled from his mouth. Eventually, he fell to the floor losing all consciousness and entering an eternal slumber.

For Gyf it had felt like an age, in reality, it had only been seconds.

Loldirr's attention turned towards Typa.

"I'm sorry m'lady, I never wanted to hurt you, it's just you are so pretty and it gets lonely on the ship. I've never tried to do this before to anyone, I swear. Please m'lady, please show mercy." Typa fell on his knees, his breeches covered in his colleague's blood and begged Loldirr who stared at him and the lifeless Gyf.

"Gyf's fate was sealed two nights ago," Loldirr sighed "yet until this moment I could not decide whether you should share his fate or not." She glanced towards the pool of blood on the floor surrounding the repulsive lifeless body. "Tell me, why should I spare you?"

Typa just looked at her and shook his head. "I can not say m'lady, what I did was wrong and I deserve whatever you do to me."

The frown on Loldirr's face seemed to grow more fierce. "Close your eyes."

Tears started to roll down Typa's face as he did what he was instructed. His only thoughts were that whatever fate he was about to receive would not be too painful.

After a few seconds, he was starting to get impatient as the waiting became unbearable. He had accepted death and now he just wanted to embrace it.

As his breathing became more erratic he realised that it was all he could hear. Slowly opening his eyes he found he was in the room alone with the corpse of his colleague. Taking a deep breath, Typa smiled. "Thank you m'lady" he said knowing that she wouldn't hear it.

Walking back to the deck of the ship the view Loldirr was greeted with was breathtaking. Sat on bright beautiful white cliffs stood the huge city of Gryffinfall. The view gave her goosebumps as she looked towards the incredible architecture of marble buildings and walls all appearing to be focussing on the spire in the centre. Despite the trip still being approximately thirty minutes away everyone on deck had to shout loud otherwise to be drowned out by the roaring waterfall gushing from the thick walls and into the sea.

"The elves know how to build don't they?" Ethelston said as Loldirr joined him. Hearing his voice was hard but a welcome sound from the lack of conversation over the last few days.

Admiring the white marble, the golds and silvers embedded into the building with the greens and blues of assorted minerals Loldirr smiled. "This is unbelievable. How can something like that be built?"

Ethelston smiled with her before turning to the city again. "Human's dedicate their lives to dominance, Elves dedicate it to perfection." he responded "Don't expect our greeting to be as glamorous though. Elves generally despise outsiders." he sighed before continuing "Did you do what you needed?"

Loldirr's smile disappeared. "Yes."

Looking towards Loldirr once more Ethelston looked intently into her emerald green eyes. "Did you kill them both?"

Loldirr looked back horrified, "How did you?"

Returning his gaze towards the city again to control his seasickness Ethelston replied "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you but I'm aware with all that happened."

"One of them. I don't know if I should have kept my word and killed them both." Loldirr explained.

"Whether it was the right decision or not, only time will tell but the ability to show mercy is not something to ignore. Sometimes it is the harder route to take. Tell me, what did you feel when you killed the big one?" Ethelston asked.

Loldirr looked to the wooden floor. "Nothing. I felt anger for what he did to me but I found no satisfaction in what I offered him in return. It felt correct but not right or wrong. It felt necessary."

"Good." Ethelston responded. "I've met people who gain to much satisfaction from killing, I've met others who can't take a life when they should. Both of them are a big concern in places of leadership. Those who kill because they feel it to be a necessity tend to be people I'd rather follow."

"Have you executed someone before?" Loldirr asked with a glum look on her face.

"Many" he responded.

"Do you remember any of them?"

Turning towards her, Ethelston had no spark in his eyes, instead, they seemed dark with sorrow. "All of them."