Old Leather carried me over his shoulder, down a flight of stairs, into a stone basement. It was cold, and I was scared, but mostly I was impressed with the man's upper body strength. He carried me like I weighed nothing and when the woman in there told him to toss me in the corner, he didn't even grunt. I may as well have been a damp rag.

"Thank you, Michael," the woman said.

"You need me for anything else?" he asked.

"I can take it from here."

"In that case, I'm gonna fix up the lights."

Lights? Christmas was months away.

He ascended the stairs, then closed the door behind him. Both the sound of the door shutting and the lock clicking into place reverberated throughout the room.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you as an adult," the woman said. She extended her hand. "It's been so long since I've been here. The last time we met, you were just a baby. I'm Professor Cheryl Zu of Oxford."

I shook her hand, unsure of what to make of the situation. "Nice to meet you?"

"I understand our meeting is perhaps not under the best of circumstances, all things considered, but I want you to know, despite the situation, I have nothing but respect for you and love for this country."

She didn't seem very threatening at all. "You're the one who’s been trying to kill me?"

"Oh, heavens, I wish there was another way. I really do. I assure you it's not personal. Far from it."

I repeated the question. "You're trying to kill me?"

"I am going to kill you, yes," she said, in the same tone she'd use to order a cup of tea. "I will ensure it's as painless as possible. One bullet, right in the head. And I need you to know it will save many lives, in the end. Not to mention your country. Isn't it worth dying for your country?"

Kurt was willing to do it, though I thought it was an odd thing for a country to ask of its citizens.

"I feel I owe you an explanation. Perhaps if you understand why it needs to be done, it’ll be easier for you."

I doubted there was any way to sugarcoat, "I'm going to kill you," but I was willing to listen. I didn't have anywhere else to be.

"First off, do you know who I am?"

"We just met, you're Cheryl Zu."

"Of Oxford, yes. Specializing in Aldonian history. That's my job, but it's not who I am. Who I am is the rightful heir to the throne, at least from one version of history. I am the descendent of King Jules IV."

King Jules IV. If there's one thing I was taught in school, it was my country's history. Jules IV was the leader of West Aldonia during the end of our civil war. As part of the treaty ending the war, he agreed to a coin flip to decide the country's future lineage. He lost, and Queen Juliet's daughter Helena took control of the joint country after their passing.

"Imagine that," Cheryl said. "If the wind had just been a little bit different that day, or the coin had been flipped just a bit harder or lighter, I would be queen today."

"You're talking about a coin flip from five-hundred years ago," I said.

"Yes, funny how such a small event can make such a big difference. You're aware of the nature of Aldonian currency around that time, are you not? The coins were unfairly weighted. It should have been my lineage that took the throne. And it's not until today that it matters. Aldonia's success is solely based on its isolation. Hitler couldn't move his troops in during World War II. He tried organizing an air strike, but by that time, the American forces made it in to Germany and the plan never saw the light of day."

"Yes," I said. "And before that, Stalin declared us part of the Soviet Union and even drew the maps that way, but my family never actually governed Aldonia as a soviet state."

"Of course, of course you know your country's history," she said. "How silly of me to imply otherwise. But the world is changing now. It's much smaller. A country can bomb you from anywhere in the world. If Aldonia remains peaceful, it will be conquered. It's too easy a target."

"You're forgetting one thing," I said. "Nobody has any beef with us. Nobody wants to fight us. We're small and don't have any major resources."

"Maybe they don't tell you everything," she said. "You have Lake Lilac."

Lake Lilac was a freshwater lake in the middle of the country, formed in the middle of a large crater. It was nice for fishing and very pretty, but that was about it. "Yes, we have a large lake."

"It's not just a large lake," Cheryl said. "It happens to be the largest source of drinking water in the Eastern region. And as droughts intensify, it's going to be increasingly important. Whoever controls the water controls the region."

She wasn't even making sense. "So why kill me?"

"I need to show your country that they're not as safe as they think they are. I'll make it look like it was done by Leitberg."

The Federal Republic of Leitberg was the neighboring country west of Aldonia. They didn't have the best record when it came to human rights. Nobody would question it if they heard they were responsible for a political assassination.

"It needs to be done publicly, in front of millions so there's no confusion. Aldonia needs to have no other choice but to defend themselves, build up their army, and declare to the world that we are not to be trifled with."

"Wait," I said. "If it needs to be done publicly, why were the other guys trying to kill me?"

She shook her head. "They were trying to capture you. I gave them strict orders not to kill you. And then Michael had to put actual bullets in his gun to 'make it more real'. Idiot."

"So you're killing me to start a war?" I asked.

"I'm killing you to prevent a larger war. And, in the process, reclaim the lineage."

"What do you mean?" I asked. None of this was making sense to me. What was in it for her?

"You really don't know who I am. Who do you think your mother calls when she needs political advice? The world-renowned expert on Aldonia, Oxford professor, Dr. Cheryl Zu. Who do you think told her there would be an attack on your life? Who do you think suggested sending in the bodyguard?"

She smiled.

"He wasn't here to protect you. He was here so I could find you. Remind me to thank him when I get a chance."

"Has it ever occurred to you," I asked. "That you're evil. Killing me? I could understand that. Plenty of people would support that. Inciting war between two countries at relative peace with each other? Do you know how many people you'll kill?"

"Many, but Aldonia will survive."

"If Aldonia has to resort to violence, then it's already gone. They won't do it. My mother won't do it."

"No," Cheryl said. "I will. She won't know what to do, so will enact article thirty-five."

Replacing the head of the monarchy in times of emergency.

"She's going to put me in charge. Odd how the constitution offers a clear path to replace the monarchy, but not an obvious path to restore it."

She probably knew the Aldonian constitution better than my mother. She studied it. She probably knew the country's history better than I did. She devoted her professional life to understanding it. What she was saying all sounded ridiculous to me, but I didn't know enough to argue with it. She had an answer for everything.

"I see I haven't convinced you," she said. "No matter. The plan doesn't require your active participation. Your role just requires you sit down and die. I do hope you'll trust me on this, though. Your death will save thousands of lives as well as ensure the future of Aldonia."

"In name only. A violent Aldonia is not Aldonia."

"A non-violent Aldonia will not survive. At any rate, let's get things started," she said. "Michael?"

Michael unlocked the door at the top of the stairs and stuck his head in.

"Yes, majesty?"

"Ooh, I do like the sound of that. Are we ready?"

"The lighting's not done."

"Oh for God's sake, Michael, it just needs to be bright enough to see."

"I don't want his face washed out."

Cheryl sighed. "Excuse me a moment. Please make yourself comfortable down here. Let me take a look," she said as she ascended the stairs and left through the door. It closed behind her and I was left alone in the basement. I curled up against the wall and allowed my thoughts to take hold.

I wasn't a tough guy. I was afraid. I couldn't accept the fact that I was going to die. Not tonight. It wasn't the death that frightened me, it was the idea that I’d never get to give Kurt a proper goodbye. And it was my fault. If I’d just let him do his job, I wouldn't be here right now. If I hadn't been so cocky.

I imagined him out there, somewhere, mad at me. Even if he wanted to come rescue me, he'd have no way to find me. I was out in the middle of nowhere, with only a few minutes to live. Part of me wished they’d just get it over with. I could stand a bullet in the head. I couldn't stand waiting for it to happen.