Accused

I slowly blinked my eyes opened, ‘Where am I? What happened?’

It was so dark; I could barely see anything. I tried to move, only to realize that my feet and arms were chained up.

“W-What!?” panicking, I attempted to stretch out my wings, but they were bound too.

Struggling, my chains rattled and scraped against cold stone, creating a huge racket. The last thing I remember was going out with my team to investigate some rumors about the demon lord. It was said he was planning an attack and soon. Then, when we were on our way back, I vaguely remember that something pricked me in mid-flight. The next thing I knew, I was here.

“QUIT THE RUCKUS!!” I heard someone yell.

I screamed at him as loud as I could in a demanding voice, “WHERE AM I!?”

When he did not answer, I was about to shout again when I heard a door creak open. I heard some shuffling, and soon my vision was filled with light again. It took me a few moments to process what was going on around me. When it did. I was face to face with my brother.

“Brother!? Thank the goddess! Get me out of these-!?”

He glared menacingly at me. My elder brother seemed pissed.

“T-Titus…?”

He growled, “Don’t act so innocent, Gabriel. It’s your own fault you’re in here.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know VERY well!”

Titus then yanked me up by the collar. I choked as he grasped my neck with his hand. He nearly crushed my airpipes. Soon he scoffed as he let me go.

I inhaled the air around me quickly, ‘What is his problem? We’ve been close since we were kids. He would never hurt me….’

He turned his back on me, “You’re going to be judged by the queen soon. So pray for salvation for your soul because she may give you a punishment that is worse than death.”

“….”

“I’ll give you some time before we take you to the queen.”

(After some time)

I looked up as the door opened to what was most likely be my doom. Titus, along with a few other soldiers, were there. They unhooked my chains and unbounded me for a few moments. I could’ve run away, but I just wasn’t that type of angel. I would stand up to the queen to show that I’m not guilty. If I made a run for it now, it would only prove me guilty of whatever I had seemingly committed. Soon they chained a heavy ball to my ankle and constrained my wings so I could not fly away. The soldiers then led me down a long corridor.

Every step was agony as we walked. For me, it trailed along in slow motion. Every foot placed in front of the other meant uncertain doom. We soon arrived as we walked out into a huge coliseum. I noticed the queen, along with our king, sitting on top of a balcony overseeing everyone there.

I never liked the king. Ever since he married into the royal family, our queen and goddess haven’t been the same. She used to be everything you would think of a good ruler: and fair. I had the chance to meet her a few times before then, and she was kindhearted. But when she married the king, everything changed.

Bowing my head in respect to the queen, I let Titus and the others lead me to a podium in the center of the field. As soon as I got there, the queen rose from her seat.

“Let us begin.” she paused. “Gabriel Emmitt, today you are here to be judged for the murder of Princess Faith-!”

“WHAT!?”

She cleared her throat. I turned red in embarrassment for interrupting the queen. But she didn’t seem fazed by it as she continued her cold façade.

“What is your plea?”

I shouted, “NOT GUILTY! I didn’t even know of this occurrence till now!”

She raged, “you DARE go against me?! My daughter is dead because of you!”

This time, I wouldn’t stand down, “Then where’s your proof? I’ve done nothing wrong! I’ve served you and your kingdom for years! So why would I stop now!?”

The crowd was astonished at my courage to stand up to the queen. After that, they were shocked, silent.

“I don’t NEED proof to tell that you are guilty! My word is the law! You’ve disrespected me in front of my people and taken away my little faith!”

I bowed my head in a depressed state, “you’re only doing this because the king told you that I did. He has hated my guts since day one…. He wants me gone, and that’s all there is….”

She growled, “YOU INSOLENT FOOL!! YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY HUSBAND LIKE THAT!? HE IS KIND AND NURTURING, UNLIKE YOU!! YOU’RE GUILTY! GUARDS, HOLD HIM DOWN!!”

Soon I was tackled to the ground ruffly; my eyes widened as I looked at her enraged face. Then, looking over to the king, I could only feel hate for the man before me. Pure hate as he smiled down at me.

My eyes widened as she ordered, “CUT HIS WINGS OFF, JUST LIKE HE DID FAITH’S!”

They unchained me whilst still holding me down. Suddenly I felt something sharp against my right-wing. I looked over to Titus silently pleadingly at him as he stood off to the side. He said nothing. Instead, he looked away.

Tears and shock came to my eyes. My brother, my big brother who always sought to protect me, was now standing idly by doing nothing.

            The knife soon started to saw at my wing as I cried out in pain. I hurt so much!! My eyes dilated back.

I screamed bloody murder as whoever had the knife broke my wing bone in half. Suddenly they grabbed my wing. Barely able to feel it now, I couldn’t tell till it was too late. They yanked it out.

I screamed and screamed, but no one came. Soon my voice was left dry as I felt my body go numb and limp from all the pain. There was even blood on my face because I had coughed it up. But it wasn’t over yet.

The process soon started over with my left-wing. By the end of it, I had a bloody nose, too, as I thought I would fade away into nothing.

“No. I won’t let you die as she did. You’ll get something worse than death. I can promise you this. You’ll be turned over to the dark world and live the rest of your days there to become a DEMON. How does that sound, demon?”

The last thing I heard before blacking out was the Queen’s insane laughter as I hoped I would enlist in an endless sleep.