The Prince's new shadow
Prince Kota, tired of his father's ruthless execution practices, takes a stand to save a lowly slave. This is the short prequel to the series "The Prince and Cervix".
The Princes' new shadow
The prince sat motionless in his throne as the next group below was brought onto the wooden stage. The young lion grimaced watching the scared faces march up in front of the cheering crowd like sheep to the slaughter. He could never understand why his father made examples out of such petty offenders and despised him for it. The cold air fixed with the scent of fear and uncertainty burned at his nose making it hard to breathe. A tall speckled cougar marched up the stairs. Around his old neck, a rope slipped through the holes of a wooden slab, with the word "Treason" carved into it. Unlike the rest of the shivering group, he proudly walked to the trap door nodding to the hooded executioner, who turned looking up at the king. The king petted his lap dog once more before placing him on his large floor pillow and rising to his feet. The crowd below fell silent as the king leaned onto the railing. He issued his one word decree booming loudly through the arena.
"Death".
The prince watched as the hooded badger placed the noose around his neck tightening it snugly before watching for the king's signal. The crowd yelled out, a mix of cheering and cries of disbelief, as the rhino rested a hoof on the wooden lever. The king smiled the same cold smile he did every time before he raised his paw high into the air. The prince turned away as the king gave the signal and the trap door opened. In a blink of an eye the cougar disspeared below.
His father's spectacle continued on like that for some time after until only three of the king's victims stood shaking in their chains before "Death's ladder". The king was thoroughly pleased watching the co executioner down below removing the lifeless bodies out of the view of the crowd. It was so clear for everyone to see the prince wondered why anyone would want to get caught breaking the king's rules. The king was too busy playing with his lap dog to see the next poor soul to be pushed up the stairs. A young looking black Labrador with "Thief" carved in his slab. The prince looked over at the smiling king and mumbled casually "Is father that bored?" The king snorted looking down at his son.
"Speak Kota," the king demanded.
"You can clearly tell he's a slave. I thought we didn't execute dog's,"he said pointing to the king's lap toy.
"Breaking my rules means death. Mine knows better," the king snapped hugging his dog fondly.
Prince Kota watched the shaking black dog pulled up the stairs whimpering and whining the whole way. The ropes his paws were bound with did little to cover where the chains had rubbed away his wrist fur. The lab fought with the rhino as the noose was pulled down to go over his neck.
"Father please! I can't watch this. Its cruel," he pleaded as the lion stood once again.
The king crossed his paws over his red and black robes shaking his head as the crowd fell silent waiting for his final decree. His son stared at him fiercely, eyes begging for his father to reconsider as the king surveyed the crowd. He watched the dog give up hope as the rope tightened securely around his neck.
"No, I'm taking that slave," the prince yelled getting up and jumping over the railing.
The prince dropped the few feet to the platform and landed nimbly. He fixed his robe and straitened the small crown on his short red mane before moving forward. He marched down the wooden stage amidst the whispers of the crowd eyeing them as he moved. They were completely motionless watching the prince climb the stairs of "Death's ladder". He stepped onto the platform with all eyes on him as he passed the executioner. He stopped in front of the roped dog and patted him on the head.
"I won't let you die today. I promise," he whispered before turning to face his father.
The prince's heart shattered when he spotted the king above him, paw raised high above his head. He heard the click and the snap of the trap door behind him as the rhino pulled the lever. He was too stunned to move. The cold smile penetrated him freezing his soul to the core. His red eyes stripping him of hope, punishing him for his defiance. Was this what the others felt before they dropped. He shook himself free of the gaze turning quickly to yell at the rhino for following the order, but stopped short as the crowd went wild.
The rhino was peering through the trap door holding a small length of what was supposed to be attached to the noose. Kota scrambled to his knees sticking his head through the platform. Down below the dog lay next to the co executioner, wiggling faintly, the remaining length of the noose still around his neck. Forgetting all sense of royal appearance, the prince threw off his crown, and dove in dropping next to the lab.
The co executioner stared dumbly as the dog chocked for air around the tightened noose. Kota rushed over extending a claw severing the rope from his neck allowing the dog to gasp like a fish out of water. The prince slit the ropes around his wrists as the dog's breaths became less radical. It curled up rubbing its neck whimpering softly placing his head in the prince's lap. The prince patted his head softly as the crowd cheered.
The king's fun was over now that the people had circled under the platform praising the young lion for his kindness. He couldn't possibly take another life after fate intervined and stood up to leave. "Long live Prince Kota," rang out bouncing through the arena flooding into the city streets. The king signaled to his guards to take away the last two prisoners before reaching and grabbing up his lap dog. He glared down at his son before turning swiftly, robes flowing behind him, back to the castle.
Kota smiled wiping his brow looking down at the dog. "I told you I wouldn't let you die today".
The Prince's new shadow
A Drunken wolf Production