Aftermath

My dearest Kor,

The king called us all together, including that dratted advisor Nightwing. If it wasn't for him I might be home with you now, instead of penning these words, but what's done is done. I hope you can forgive me for what I've done to you, to Kumo.
My brother was shocked when I told him that I'd had an affair with the woman we had hired to tend to you during your difficult pregnancy with Kumo, let alone that I had been aware that it had resulted in a pregnancy. I visited the babe once or twice when she and Kumo were toddlers, but after that just sent money every now and again on her birthday to ensure she would be well taken care of. I didn't want to... to worry you, darling... you had had such a difficult labor, and you were... you were happy, for the first time in a long, long time, when you beheld your son. After so much trying, I couldn't put a damper on your joy.

Lamda... he looks so grown-up, doesn't he? Remember when he was a rambunctious little kid they sent to me for training? Sometimes he gets a look in his eyes and I fear for him.
Nightwing, of course, insisted that any lessening of the punishment would result in judicial anarchy; that we couldn't reduce all four sentences or there'd be talk of bribes; and lastly, that I was a traitor who deserved to be locked up along with them. He also recommended the deaths be slow and... painful. He didn't used to be this bloodthirsty, but something about war made him eager to become the king's dungeonmaster in addition to his advisor and his right-hand man.

I don't trust him, either.


The king admitted that I would need to be punished, but considered perhaps torture as a punishment for the youths, rather than death. Of course, the leader, the one they wanted to put on the throne, had to be killed, but the other three...

Then my nephew said the words that ring in my ears as I pen this note to you, the words that wrenched my heart in a way I didn't think possible.

"Have Uncle carry out the sentence on Theta, to prove where his true loyalties lie."

The King agreed. The sentence would be reduced to 50 hours of torture for high treason on each of the two girls and the blue boy- on my daughter, by my own hand!- and death for the leader.