A CHOICE

Bit of publicity for Bro today …I love this story!

A CHOICE
by Cameron Lawton

“YOU!”

The disguise no longer fools him once I throw the hood back.

“You’ll get yourself killed you bloody fool.”

He is across the prison cell in a second, despite the leg-irons and gripping me tightly to him, pressing his mouth to mine, his stubble grazing my chin.

“You think it won’t kill me? Being forced to watch tomorrow?”

I’m in control, the prince, commanding, not letting him take the lead as he usually does.

He looks into my eyes and nods.

“Yes, His Majesty will insist.”

“Father won’t win, not this time. I’ve seen it before, I know what they’ll do to you; so don’t say anything noble about suffering it for me. I’m the Crown Prince, they can’t touch me. But I won’t watch you take half an hour to die. Please, hold me, just hold me.”

He folds me in his arms and I slide the dagger expertly between his ribs. Whatever else I am, I was trained to kill. My lover’s eyes open wide and fix mine as he slumps against me. I’m good; he’s dead before he knows it’s happening.

Gently lowering him to the floor, I lie beside him, draping his arm around my shoulder until we’re together, as we were in his bed when we could, when we dared. Taking the small bottle of poison, I turn my head to press a kiss on his forehead and whisper.

“Just wait for me, beloved. A few more minutes and we’ll be together, forever, beyond all this nonsense. Just wait …” I pause, a moment of fear stopping my hand until I re-live the public executions of “our sort” that I’ve had to witness in the past….. I drink.

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