Seamiakeo

The faint sound of chains could be heard as she was led up the stairs. Each step she took was followed by a mix of cheers and boos. Cheers for her soon to be demise and boos for her entire existence. Lifting her head, the cloth that was covering her head slid back slightly, allowing her deep blue, scaly snout to become visible and giving her a good look of the scene around her. From the back of the gathering crowd, she could hear a steadily growing roar, a roar of justice, a roar to give her what she deserved. Just as it seemed like the roar was reaching its pitch, a new voice cried out.

"Kill her! Kill that monster! She-she took my baby from me! She killed him in cold blood!" the voice of a hysteric mother echoed through the crowd-which only added fuel to the already building 'fire.'

Creeping from her throat, a new sound soon joined into the chaotic array of sounds-laughter. A deep, shiver inducing chuckle.

"Me? A monster?" She grinned from beneath her cloak, flashing the crowd with a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. "Then...what does that make you?" she chuckled again. "I kill people, I won't deny it...but I don't make a show out of it-" she taunted, only to be silenced with a swift, yank of the chains that bound her.

"Silence you vile creature! You dare taunt the very people you stole from?" the guard who led her up the stairs snarled, yanking the chains once more; as if for good measure. From beneath her cloak, she could see the guard’s face twist in disgust. Delightful!

"Taunting? Mee?" She responded, as if hurt. "I'm only stating the truth-" the chain was yanked once more.

"Silence!" she heard the guard snarl again. She could tell by his voice alone that he didn't wish to do the next part. Her 'final' wish. What would she say or ask for, the judges would make sure it wasn't anything monstrous...but at the same time-they couldn't turn it down. It was the law. All criminals facing execution got a final wish-no matter who they were. "My wish?" she asked, asking it for the guard.

"Such a hard decision." she pretended to pout before glancing out towards the crowd once more. Silently scanning, her deep, emerald green eyes slid and searched over every person and being there; he wasn't there. Neither of them was. Not that surprised her; she would have been more surprised if he was. Scanning the crowd one last time, she turned towards the guard and grinned before one sentence left her lips-a sentence that caused the once raging crowd to fall silent.

"Bring me Rynabenko, and his son. Bring me Rillet. I wish to see them one last time." She cooed--fully aware they couldn't turn it down. She had simply asked to 'see' them, that was all.

Slipping from his three-fingered grasp, his glass hit the floor with a loud clatter, spilling its contents across the hard, wooden surface. For a brief second he could feel the color draining from his face-leaving it a pale, white shade; whiter than a sheet.

"Re-repeat that." He swallowed for a moment, his throat suddenly dry and parched. "Rill..rillet, repeat what you said." he spoke again, causing a slight pain of despair to rise from his stomach. 'Rillet' was what everyone called him now, even he called him that...even though that wasn't his true name. Even though she had been the one who gave it to him. Like the last remnants of a curse, the name stuck. Brainwashed and drilled into his son's head until he could no longer recognize his own name. Frowning for a moment, Rynabenko felt another pain-one of sadness-as he watched his son fidget uncomfortable, as if aware of his father's own pain. A pain caused by his very name.

"She...She wishes to see us." Rillet mumbled out softly, fidgeting once more. "Sea-Seamiakeo...it was her final wish." he mumbled, looking away from his father, fully aware of the name he had just spoken as well as the taboo that followed. Rynabenko was silent. It was a long, heavy silence-the type you could cut with a knife. From deep inside his chest, he felt a hot, piercing anger. A boiling rage. One that would have spewed out violently if he didn't contain it within him. Curling his lip, Rynabenko let out a low growl as he gripped the couch-he was furious! 'See' them? She wanted to 'see' them?! How dare she! His growls which started to rise in volume were quickly silenced as he noticed Rillet stepping back, fearful of his father's anger. Releasing the arm of the couch, he took a deep breath before exhaling; allowing all the anger and rage to slowly fade, along with Rillet's fear.

"Forgive me Rillet, I didn't-"

"I know...I know dad." Rillet replied, his ears lowering slightly, while the fear was gone the guilt remained. Guilt caused by a name that shouldn't be spoken. A name that hadn't been spoken, not even thought or uttered-until now. Standing there silently, Rillet stared down his feet; still feeling bad about his father's reaction.

"When?"

"Huh?" the sound of his father's voice finally catching his attention.

"When? When does she wish to see us?" Rynabenko asked after a few minutes. He could have easily decided not to go, decided to condemn her to her own fate without hearing what she had to say...but that wasn't him. Even if she didn't have anything important to say to him, the chance that he'd miss her final words; words specially for them would haunt him. So he wouldn't.

"Uh.." Rillet paused for a moment. "she...didn't specify, but I'm guessing sometime before her execution."

"Which is?"

"...Friday? I believe?" Rillet replied. "at noon." Rynabenko nodded, they didn't give them much time, but he was sure they could make it. He had to make it, he just had to. Then, would he be free from her torment for the last time.

Hot and stifling, the lack of circulation within the rickety wooden shack was almost unbearable. Thick, wooden beams seemed to be swiftly thrown together-into a ramshackle, slanted, mess of a shack. Oh well, looks were never important when the build started and they certainly weren't now. Despite an open window and a running fan, each breath was just as unbearable as when he first came in. Thick and heavy, each breath seemed to burn its way down his throat--leaving behind a dry, and disgusting aftertaste. The room was torture, and he wasn't even the intended 'victim'; she was. What about her? Glancing over, Rynabenko felt his long ears fold against his head. She was smiling. Here he was suffering and she was smiling; finding enjoyment in it, no doubt.

While he was sweltering in the heat under his thick, short course brindle colored fur, she was not. Her dark blue, smooch scales seemed to thrive in the heat. Shimmering under the faintly flickering lights, her dark blue scales were broken up by several small rows of light blue feathers which ran along both of her arms. Running from just below her wrists to just past her elbow, the short feathers, which were definitely not long enough for flight, gently splayed out from her arms-soft brushing against the top of the table any time she moved.

Tipping each feather was a much deeper, darker blue-giving them a similar appearance to the feathers seen on blue jays. Flashing with eagerness, her bright golden amber eyes eagerly took him in the moment he stepped into the shack.

"Oh Benii~ it's been so loong." Seamiakeo cooed from the other side of the table, dragging out her vowels, just as she did in his memories, sending a shiver through him-causing his fur to stand on end.

"Don't call me that! No one's allowed to call me that-especially after what you've done." Rynabenko snarled.

"What I did?" Seamiakeo cooed out innocently. "What ever could you possibly mean?" she asked, flashing him a sharp toothed grin. Balling his fists, Rynabenako's fur bristled. His temper quickly rose,threatening to burst.

"Yes! What you've done!" he snarled, baring his sharp fangs; an unusual trait for his kind, but then again, his mom was unusual as well. "You attacked my mother, traumatized my wife, brainwashed my son and...a..and." his voice trailed off for a moment.

"You..you stole my dau--her from us! You stole her! Yuno has never forgiven me for that...you tore us apart! You ruined everything!" he snarled, slamming his fists down on the table.

Everything. Everything had fallen apart the moment Seamiakeo appeared in his life and every moment from then on-why would this be any different??

"Stole her?" Seamiakeo repeated, sounding quite confused.

"Yes! Don't play coy with me Seamiakeo, you know who I'm talking about-"

“I'm afraid I don't." Seamiakeo cut him off. "I never stole anyone from you, I just...influenced them." a deep chuckle rolling from her throat. "But steeal from you? Neever." she scoffed, as if insulted.

Gripping the table, Rynabenko could feel his claws digging into the wood. How dare she deny what she had done. His daughter, his only daughter! Her life was stolen by her--and she denies it.

"Besides who would I steal, certainly not your wife. There was only Rillet and...oh! Oh my!" Rynabenko shuddered for a moment as what sounded like a giggle reached his ears.

"You mean he never told you? Oh my my." Seamiakeo giggled again, flashing him another sharp toothed grin. "My dear sweet sweet Beni, if you're referring to who I think you are; I suggest you talk to Rillet."

"Don't bring him into this!"

"Oh but Beni...he's already in this." she cooed. "Now...ask Rillet, ask him about your dear, sweet Ruby~ and then come back, we don't have much time left after all." she cooed. "Come back and catch up with me, Me, maybe you'll learn the truth about eeverything."

"What?"

“You heard me, now run along and do bring Rillet next time."

Gritting his teeth, a low growl rose from Rynabenko's throat as his patience-what little he had-reached its breaking point.

"YOU-" he roared, only to be grabbed and dragged out by the guards.

Waving her fingers at him as he was dragged out the door, Seamiakeo let out a slight chuckle as she watched the door slammed behind him. A chuckle that was quickly followed by an eerie grin that slowly spread across her face; a grin that made the current guard shiver. “Did you see how he reacted? Just the mention of our dear son and he gets soo upset.” She cooed, placing her hand against her cheek with a soft sigh.

“Oh my dear sweet, sweet Beni~ Never ever change.” She cooed out playfully, the corner of her lips lifting up a bit more as she giggled, squirming in her seat like an excited school girl.

“Oh Beni~ One day…one day you’ll be mine.”

Gritting his teeth, Rynabenko let out a low snarl, kicking at the dirt as he struggled to control his temper.

"The hell I'll bring Rillet!" he roared out. That was the last thing he would do--even if...it would give him answers about Ruby. Besides, she could be lying. He wouldn't put it past her. She was a manipulative bitch after all.

Rillet silently watched as Rynabenko stormed off, the subject of their conversation kept to the steadily growing shadows. Stepping out from the bushes that lined the edge of the empty field which the shack resided in.

Rillet knew they had to be talking about him, about what he did; about Ruby. Turning his attention to the door, Rillet could feel his body quivering; they were returning. The memories, the fear, the guilt!

"No..no!" Rillet shook his head, he needed to do this. He needed answers; he needed to know 'she' was okay. But at the same time-she was in there. The cause of all the guilt, and fear which had tormented him all these years. He just couldn't bring himself to-

"Are you going to stand there all day?" a voice called out from inside the room.

"Do come in~ don't worry~ I won't bite." the voice cooed out again. A familiar voice-her voice. "Come in~ come in~ we have sooo much to catch up on, after all."

Folding back against his head, Rillet's ears lowered in fear as his throat tightened. He couldn't move...he couldn't bring himself to run away-nor go closer. He just stood there; stuck. The last time Rillet saw Ruby, he was six; twenty years had passed.

Twenty years without answers. Answers he needed. Answers he would do anything for; if he could only convince his body to move. He remembered the day like it was yesterday. Although, there were some days he wished he couldn't.

The air was bitter that night, as a light dusting of snow coated the ground. It was supposed to be a night of celebration; however instead, it turned into anything but. Rillet was at home, watching his little sister, Ruby, and waiting for his parents to return from shopping. Ruby had always been a sweet baby. Always giggling; rarely cried unless something happened or she needed something.

She must have picked up on it, sensed the feelings of ill intent creeping in their direction. Whatever the reason, Ruby was incredibly fussy that night.

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Author's Comments:

Seamiakeo has been one of my oldest characters. Someone whose story I have rewritten multiple times, never really seeming to land on the correct version of it. Originally much darker, the story followed Seamiakeo as she reigned terror and warped the world as she wished-with no concrete ending in sight. With each rewrite, I added new characters to help with her growth. To help give her more depth than just a mindless tyrant who did whatever she wished.

Unfortunately that didn’t seem to help much either, something was still missing no matter how many characters I added.

So i decided to start over, this time trying from Seamiakeo at a younger age, perhaps it would build to something new. But that story unfortunately never got very far than a few paragraphs as I ran into the issue of being able to write her as a child at all. Unfortunately that story was eventually lost when my computer died. And with no backup, left me to take a break from the story all together.

I needed a break from the constant stopping and restarting, I needed to give myself time to come up with a better way to rewrite the story.

Which lead to this version, this one taking place after Seamiakeo’s capture and leading to her possible demise. A story simply starts with a twisted character’s final wish. Leading the story through the past and what eventually led to Seamiakeo’s twisted personality. However, I find myself stuck once more as I end up with an issue; this time it's how I want the story to end. Originally I had a plan, an idea of what would happen to Seamiakeo but at the same time, she’s been one of my oldest characters and the thought of ending her story is hard for me. On top of that, I cannot decide if she should atone or perish, which makes deciding on an ending that fits her incredibly difficult for me.

The other issue I seem to be having is the character that’s supposed to be the main starting point of this, “Ruby” as I named her, was a character I created much later than the rest of the character. Unfortunately due to that, I do not know her well. Which leads me to grasping at straws at how to write her or more importantly, how she’ll affect the story itself.

Perhaps I will try to rewrite the story again, I do really like the beginning of it. I like the atmosphere and how it builds and I liked the direction it was going in. So maybe I can start over from that point and make it work once I decide Seamiakeo's fate.