Queen Amelia allowed us to have playing cards to keep us entertained in the many hours we are spending inside the rooms we are being held captive in. June and Cheleste are in here again with Pierce and I are we are having an intense game of Tafl.

Pierce has a grin of a winner on his face and he dramatically raises his card but before he can dramatically put the card down, the door that leads into the hall opens suddenly. All of us freeze in our current positions and crane our necks towards the door to see who is there.

Orien and the two men she is always with stand there.

“June, we need to speak to you immediately,” Orien says.

“What is this about?” June asks.

Orien ignores her question, “You need to come with us.”

“Wait, can my friends come with?”

“There is no need for them to come with. Come along now.”

June stands up suddenly. “No, please, I want to stick with my friends. Whatever you can say to me, you can also say to them.” June gives a pleading look and her innocent eyes start to sparkle. “Please,” she whispers.

Orien sighs while she drops her head to the floor. She, then, looks behind her and send the guards away, saying that she can handle whatever happens. Orien and the two men step fully into the room and close the door behind them. The two men part and stand on each side of Orien as she takes a seat.

“June, I’m afraid we have bad news for you. You might want to sit down for this,” Orien speaks quietly.

There is nothing good that can come from a Magnificent telling you bad news personally to you instead of sending a messenger to rely the news.

June slowly lowers herself back to the ground, giving Pierce a scared look. Her eyes show a child you has seen a gazelle being mauled by a lion. She looks back at Orien in confusion. I join in with confusion because what could have possibly happened in less than twenty-four hours that would be so devastating?

“June, your father, he’s-” Orien begins. She opens her mouth in attempt to start over but nothing comes out. Her head hangs low after giving up.

“He’s what? Did he get hurt? Is he okay? Will he make it?” June asks frantically.

“I’m afraid what Queen Orien is failing to say, is that your father is dead. We are so sorry for your loss, June,” the man with the dark long hair and beard says.

“My father is… what?” June squeaks out.

“He’s dead,” the man with the dark long hair and beard repeats.

“No,” June whispers, “No, no, no, no, no! I refuse to believe he’s dead!”

June screams right when Pierce grabs her from the side and hugs her. Cheleste and I are frozen in place still, figuring out what is happening. Pierce turns June around and carefully lays her head on her shoulder. Her face opens as a silent scream comes out of her mouth.

Tears start to flow down my cheeks as well. I didn’t know June’s father well at all but for the last couple of weeks he has saved our lives more than once. This is the first time I’m seeing my best friend heart broken and my heart is shattering along with hers.

Stolen story; please report.

“I’m so sorry, June. Losing a parent is never easy. If you have any questions, we are more than willing to answer them,” Orien says in a calm voice. Her eyes are glassy and her face is contorted as if she is trying to hold back her own tears. “How did he… where did he… what happened?” June got out in between breaths.

“He died during his shift today,” Orien says.

“He was supposed to be home. He doesn’t work today. Maybe it wasn’t him. He could be home safe and sound,” June’s voice fills with hope.

I can see a puzzled expression on Orien’s face and the gears turning in her mind when she puts pieces together. “I’m sorry but your father was here and he is no longer with us. He caught me in the training room and shot me with a arrow. I didn’t advance on him at the time, thinking it was a mistake. He then tried to get me to turn to Darkness. I’m sorry, again, June, your father was a follower of Darkness. We unfortunately had to terminate him.”

“Turned to Darkness? No, my father would never turn to Darkness. You have the wrong guy. It wasn’t my father.”

“I promise you, we do not have the wrong guy. Your father is no longer here.”

“Who… you killed him?”

“I did,” the man with the long dark hair and beard steps in.

“You… killed him? You killed my father? Your Highness, isn’t that punishable?” June stands up again.

“It is not punishable if he was a follower of Darkness. We killed him for the safety of the world and to better the kingdom,” Orien says.

“Better the kingdom? You killed my father! You are Darkness himself,” June spits out.

Orien flinches as if June physicality slapped her on the face.

“I hate you,” June says quietly.

“June, we are-” Orien begins.

“Sorry, yeah, yeah. That doesn’t bring my father back to life. I hate you. I hate you so much!”

My ears muffle what is said next because Orien looks heart broken. One of my best friends is heart broken. I don’t know who to pay attention to at the moment.

Before I can get my thoughts together, Orien stands up from the chair and slowly walks out of room. June continues to yell at her and even lunges at her a little. Pierce, luckily, catches June before she can get too far and just cradles her. Rocking her back and forth as her tears start to flow down her cheeks again.

Once the door closes and we are all alone again, Cheleste and I jump of from the ground and run over to Pierce and June. We all move Pierce’s bed, Pierce still holding June and Cheleste and I sitting on the other end. Cheleste reaches her hand up and starts to rub June’s shoulder.

“June, we are so sorry, is there anything we can do?” I ask.

We are all silent, waiting for June to answer and once she gets her composure a little bit together, she looks directly into my eyes with pure hatred. “Never, ever, fall in love with her.”