The boy with light brown hair and light red eyes appeared in a dimly lit room. The only source of light was moonlight from the window of the wall perpendicular to the wall he was pressed up against. The wall he was pressed up against he was suspended a few inches above the ground by a hand, squeezing his throat.
The hand squeezing his throat was the left hand of a girl who looked like she was in her mid teens. She had long light brown hair that was brushed over to the left and went about halfway down her back. The girl wore silver armor with a gold trim around the edge. The armor also had gold on the center of the chest plate. She had a sword strapped to her back that leaned to her left side. She smiled cruelly as she looked at the boy and said. "You saw, didn't you?" She squeezed his neck harder as she said. "You were trying to tell Father's new Guardian." She chuckled cruelly as she said mockingly. "Help. Help me." She stared at the boy with disappointment and said. "How pathetic, Brother."
The boy with light brown hair and light red eyes whimpered as he struggled to speak. "S-Sister... it hurts..." He grabbed the girl, Ismene's, left hand with both of his hands as he tried to weaken the grip she had on his neck.
An angry expression appeared on Ismene's face as she said. "It hurts?" She pulled her right fist back and said. "Then what about this?" Her right fist struck the boy's chest.
The boy with light brown hair coughed as Ismene's fist struck his chest. But he then struggled to take in any air because her left hand was still squeezing his neck. He began to gasp for air, and his face started turning purple.
Ismene looked at the boy struggling to breathe and had an annoyed expression on her face as she said. "You're such a disappointment." She threw him at the other wall. The wall with the window where the moonlight was shining through.
The boy with light brown hair flew into the wall. He felt an intense pain in his back. He then fell and hit the floor beneath him on his left side. His body hurt everywhere. His chest, his back, his left side, and especially his neck. It all hurt.
Ismene walked toward the boy as she said. "Aren't you supposed to be better than me? Didn't Father choose you because he doesn't want me to replace him? He so badly wants you to be him. It is honestly disgusting. A second Menelaos. How revolting."
The boy thought as he lay on the ground. "She is comparing me with 'him'?! We aren't the same! I hate 'him'! I'm nothing like 'him'!"
Footsteps rushing outside of the room could be heard.
The boy with light brown hair perked up as he heard the footsteps and thought. "Huh? Who is that?"
There was a knock that resounded three times from the door.
The boy with light brown hair looked at the door and thought. "Did someone come to check up on her?"
A muffled voice spoke through the door. "My lady, is everything alright in there? It sounds like you're breaking stuff again."
The boy with light brown hair thought. "If I call out to them I-" He opened his mouth to speak.
Ismene slammed her right foot into the back of the boy's head. His face smashed into the ground.
The muffled voice said. "What was that?! I'm coming in!"
Ismene smiled cruelly as she said to the door. "There is no need. I was just testing my strength."
The muffled voice said. "Again? You get me worried over nothing, my lady."
Footsteps could be heard walking away.
Ismene frowned as she looked down at the boy she was crushing with her right foot and said. "You really are so pathetic." She moved her right foot back and forth as she squished the boy's head angrily. Between you, me, and the monster. You're the weakest, pathetic, and most disappointing one. You as King? What a joke. Even the monster would be a better King than you."
The boy with light brown hair struggled to lift his head up as he thought. "What did she just call him?!" Anger coursed through his veins as he began to lift Ismene's foot up. He struggled to speak as he lifted Ismene's foot up, and he said. "D-Don't call him that..!"
Ismene said with surprise. "Huh? You can still move?"
The boy with light brown hair continued to lift the girl's right foot off of his head as he said. "Don't call him a monster!
Ismene had a confused expression on her face as she said. "You're defending him?!"
The boy with light brown hair knocked the girl's right foot off of his head, as he said angrily. "He isn't a monster! He just refuses to die!"
Ismene kicked the boy in the face with her right foot. The boy crashed into the wall with the window.
Ismene had an annoyed expression on her face as she said. "I thought you felt inferior to him... But it seems more like you admire him..."
The boy with light brown hair said. "Admire?" He spit blood onto the ground and said. "I don't admire, Brother. I'm just the only one who actually cares about him."
Ismene mumbled. "You care about him?" She smiled cruelly as she looked down at the boy and said. "Then let's make a deal."
The boy had a confused expression on his face as his entire body ached in pain. "A deal?"
Ismene smirked cruelly as she said. "That's right. If you don't tell anyone what happened here today and listen to whatever I tell you to do, then I will get rid of both Father and Mother. I will even ensure Little Brother will reach the Naming Ceremony."
The boy thought with surprise. "She wants to get rid of both Mother and 'him'?!" He whimpered as he said. "W-Why are you trying to kill Mother? She isn't like 'him'! She treats us all kindly!"
Ismene laughed sadistically. Her laughter echoed across the room, and she then said. "She treats us all kindly? She only treats you and Little Brother kindly. But you two are her children, after all. I'm nothing but a firstborn child who will seize the throne unless she gets rid of me. She doesn't care about me! I'm just an enemy to her!" An irritated expression appeared on her face as she said. "Two obstacles who I'm meant to succeed trying to prevent me from trying to succeed them. How annoying." She smiled cruelly and said. "So I'll set things right." She looked at the boy and began to walk toward him. She said as she walked toward the boy. "So you agree to the deal, don't you?"
The boy with light brown hair struggled to speak as fear began to well up in his body as he watched Ismene walk toward him. He stuttered as he said. "I-I d-"
Ismene grabbed the boy with light brown hair by his neck and lifted him up the wall until he was suspended in the air a few inches above the ground. She smiled cruelly as she stared intensely at the boy and said. "You didn't think you actually had a choice, did you? You're so foolish. Why would I give you the chance to expose me before I get rid of Father and Mother?" She said sternly. "You will not tell anyone what happened today, or you will end up like that Guardian I let you see earlier."
The boy with light brown hair had a look of surprise on his face as he thought. "She let me see it?!"
Ismene laughed sadistically as she squeezed his neck harder and said. "Did you think that was a coincidence? I know what times you suddenly wake up and wander the halls. I know which specific halls you wander too. I chose that location on purpose!" She smiled cruelly and said. "But, I won't just kill you. I'll also kill Little Brother over and over again until he can no longer 'refuse to die'. He can't refuse death forever! Even he has a limit."
The boy with light brown hair thought with shock. "Brother has a limit to how many times he can refuse death? What if he is already at his limit? Does that mean the next time he dies, he could die permanently." He looked at Ismene and opened his mouth to speak. He said with tears in his eyes. "I-I'll do the deal! I don't want Brother to die anymore!"
Ismene smirked and said. "Looks like you're not completely disappointing after all." She released her grip on the boy's neck.
The boy fell onto his feet. He looked up at Ismene.
Ismene smirked and gestured to do the door as she said. "You can leave. I'll give you your first orders next week, the day before the Naming Ceremony. I won't be getting rid of Mother and Father yet. I won't get rid of them both until a very important day.
The boy with light brown hair thought with relief. "I can leave?" He looked at the door and began to walk toward it. He walked across the entire room until he reached the door.
When the boy reached the door, Ismene said. "And just so you know, I'm not acting alone. Grandfather and his Guardians are siding with me. Nobody in this Kingdom is powerful enough to take on one of Grandfather's Guardians."
*****
Minimus thought as he looked at Ismene. "She said she was getting rid of both at the same time! So that means she is getting rid of 'him' next!" He had a confused expression on his face as he thought. "But wait... where is 'he'?!"