The Path of Exiles

I'm the golden child and you're nothing."

She felt a lump in her through, her breath catch, and suddenly felt like crying. First her father was taking what was rightfully hers away, but now her brother was taunting her about it! It wasn't fair. Why was he the favored child?

If his taunting had stopped at that, she might have let it go. But he stood there, repeating over and over again that she was nothing. That he was the golden child. She clamped her hands over her ears and yelled for him to stop, but he kept on doing it. She fell to the floor, crying, both in anger and hurt and he still would not stop. In fact, he teased her more, calling her a baby. A woman. And that it was the reason she would never rule. She was weak.

That was the last straw. She couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted him to stop! A raging fury rose up within her, and she felt it build. It rose to a point that she felt her whole body on fire. Suddenly there was a release and she slumped over in pain, and full of exhaustion. It took a moment, but her brother's screams broke through her delirium. What had she done?

"Drago!" She yelled as she crawled over to where his dying body now lay.

"Sorry. Love you." He whispered as the flames consumed him.

She once again began to cry. What had she done? Was she some kind of monster?

It was the sound of her mother's scream that broke through her self-pity. She turned her tear-streaked face to her mother, who stood shocked in the doorway. "What have you done?" Her mother's voice was hoarse. Disbelieving.

She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. What was she supposed to say? That she'd killed her own brother? She knew no matter how much she tried to justify it, she was a murderer and they'd never forgive her for it.

Her mother repeated once again, "What have you done to my son?" Darlenala tore herself away from the door. "Why? Why did you do this?" She grabbed her daughter's hand and yanked her out of the room, not even letting her speak.

Her mother dragged her down the hall to the stairs and then down the stairs to the first floor. They then proceeded to the Council Room, which lay not too far ahead.

When they entered, there was bewilderment on the faces of the council members and annoyance on her father's. Her mother threw her in the room and she landed face first on the ground.

"What is the meaning of this?" Dryanorel demanded.

Her mother's voice betrayed the pure hatred she probably felt at her own daughter, "She killed Drago for no reason."

Diarabeth turned her tear-streaked face towards her father, mother, and the stone-faced council, "I didn't! I didn't do it! It was an accident!"

"Liar! You were over his burning body. Your element is fire! I know you killed him! Why? Why?" Her mother screamed.

"I didn't. I was upset, he was teasing me about the fact I wasn't going to be the heir anymore. I overheard you talking!" She accused her father. His shock was evident on his face, but she didn't care. It was all over now. "I didn't do anything! It just happened."

Dryanorel's jaw dropped and stared at his daughter in shock, "How did you? Never mind how you found out. You will never be ruler of Telpethyn now. Never."

Dryanorel threw her in the magic containment chamber and sealed it shut.