"Well, We Were Born to Die..."
the end will justify the means
The following day, I rose early in the morning. I had not slept very soundly that night. I had not gotten the chance to tell Elton about what I had learned, because he was out all night traveling with the Prince in the next village over, where the prince's old father lived. I didn't know exactly what they were doing, but I assumed it was something to do with the wedding preparations.
I washed my face and pulled on my light grey smock as fast as I could, and ran down to Elton's quarters. I was relieved to find him there sitting on his cot. He had just woken up.
"Elton! Elton! Listen to me! Something terrible is going on!" I practically screamed at him.
"Ah! Victoria! You scared me! What is it? What's wrong?" He got up and rushed to my side. I quickly, but carefully related the events of last night and everything I had overheard to him. When I had finished, he was just standing there, looking at me with his eyes wide. I knew he was having a hard time believing this.
"A-are you sure? Maybe you misunderstood . . . Surely the prince would know . . . I realize you love the prince, but . . . , " he trailed away in thought. I was more than frustrated with his response.
"Elton! Don't you believe me? Don't you understand? Alexandria doesn't love the prince! She's just using him! Her and her mother! I did not misunderstand anything! It's perfectly clear what's going on!" I was yelling. I couldn't understand why Elton was doubting me.
"Alright! Alright! Calm down! But even if you're right, there's not much you can do about the situation. After all, you are only a guest in this castle. I don't think the prince would believe you if you told him," he said, shaking his head.
"I know. He would never listen to me. He's too much in love with her. That's why you have to help me! We have to think of something. We have to get rid of her!"
"Get rid of her? Well, if the only solution to this problem is getting rid of her, then that's not too hard," he responded with a knew look in his eyes; a look I didn't recognize.
"W-what do you mean? I just meant, we needed to get her out of the picture. Out of the way of the prince so she doesn't hurt him," I was nervous about what Elton was implying.
"Getting rid of her entirely if far less complicated than trying to get her to leave. Easier too. I know a man . . . an apothecary who I have fairly good relations with, who could assist me in acquiring some potion . . . that is, if you really wanted to get rid of Alexandria. After we had the poison, it would be simple business slipping it into her evening tea." He wasn't looking me in the eye.
"I don't know about that . . . Then she would be dead forever?" Elton nodded.
"Then she couldn't hurt anyone anymore, " He tried to justify his suggestion.
"I've never killed anyone before. Although, I don't see any other way to save the prince . . . " Elton looked up at me.
"Then you want to do it?" I nodded. "Good. Tonight after dark we can go out to the apothecary's house." He noticed how uncertain I was. I tended to wear my emotions very clearly on my face. "Don't worry. This is the right decision." I closed my eyes and nodded once.
"Yes. I know it is."
I washed my face and pulled on my light grey smock as fast as I could, and ran down to Elton's quarters. I was relieved to find him there sitting on his cot. He had just woken up.
"Elton! Elton! Listen to me! Something terrible is going on!" I practically screamed at him.
"Ah! Victoria! You scared me! What is it? What's wrong?" He got up and rushed to my side. I quickly, but carefully related the events of last night and everything I had overheard to him. When I had finished, he was just standing there, looking at me with his eyes wide. I knew he was having a hard time believing this.
"A-are you sure? Maybe you misunderstood . . . Surely the prince would know . . . I realize you love the prince, but . . . , " he trailed away in thought. I was more than frustrated with his response.
"Elton! Don't you believe me? Don't you understand? Alexandria doesn't love the prince! She's just using him! Her and her mother! I did not misunderstand anything! It's perfectly clear what's going on!" I was yelling. I couldn't understand why Elton was doubting me.
"Alright! Alright! Calm down! But even if you're right, there's not much you can do about the situation. After all, you are only a guest in this castle. I don't think the prince would believe you if you told him," he said, shaking his head.
"I know. He would never listen to me. He's too much in love with her. That's why you have to help me! We have to think of something. We have to get rid of her!"
"Get rid of her? Well, if the only solution to this problem is getting rid of her, then that's not too hard," he responded with a knew look in his eyes; a look I didn't recognize.
"W-what do you mean? I just meant, we needed to get her out of the picture. Out of the way of the prince so she doesn't hurt him," I was nervous about what Elton was implying.
"Getting rid of her entirely if far less complicated than trying to get her to leave. Easier too. I know a man . . . an apothecary who I have fairly good relations with, who could assist me in acquiring some potion . . . that is, if you really wanted to get rid of Alexandria. After we had the poison, it would be simple business slipping it into her evening tea." He wasn't looking me in the eye.
"I don't know about that . . . Then she would be dead forever?" Elton nodded.
"Then she couldn't hurt anyone anymore, " He tried to justify his suggestion.
"I've never killed anyone before. Although, I don't see any other way to save the prince . . . " Elton looked up at me.
"Then you want to do it?" I nodded. "Good. Tonight after dark we can go out to the apothecary's house." He noticed how uncertain I was. I tended to wear my emotions very clearly on my face. "Don't worry. This is the right decision." I closed my eyes and nodded once.
"Yes. I know it is."