I Will Not Stand Down | Teen Ink

I Will Not Stand Down

October 5, 2015
By larisenpai BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
larisenpai BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
If you don't let go, you'll never learn to fly.
-Larissa Henry


All of those in the kingdom must follow the King's law.

If you defy against them, you will be faced with death penalty.

The law is:

1. You must follow your family's life job and continue it

2. If you're selected to be arranged to marry someone, you must obey the arrangement

3. You must follow the King's orders

4. You must not steal, or kill

5. You must not sing or say any of the banned songs and poems

6. If you break the law, you are faced with death penalty

"Linnette Kaitlynn Beatrix! You will marry Tye, and that is final. Remember the King's law!" My mother, Carole, ordered. I groaned.

"But Mum, the only reason you want me to marry him is for his riches! I don't love him, and I don't want to marry him!" I said back to her. The next thing I know, she slapped me, making my cheek sting.

"You will listen or the King will have to put the death penalty on you." She said. I groaned and turned and walked away.

"Linnette get back here!" My mother yelled. I ignored her and started walking away from our cottage.

"I just wish I could be free....that I could go off battling enemies and dragons like the soldiers. But females must be the ones who does housework. And the arranged marriage? I don't want to be married to a stranger just because of his riches." I mumbled to myself as I passed people on the crowded streets of our Kingdom Assarah. I sighed and stopped at a market. I took out the little coins I had and chose out a slice of bread. I paid for it then ate it as I walked down the road.

"I just want to be free....the King's law isn't fair." I said a bit loud. I heard people look my way and I clamped my hand on my mouth and started walking faster. I hurried to my secret place I go to when I want to be alone. I looked behind me and sighed in relief. No one was chasing me down because of what I said.

I climbed up the tree in my secret place, making sure not to rip my green and black ragged dress anymore. My mother always complained of the rips and tears in my dresses. She told me not to go climbing trees anymore but I still do in secret. I just make sure not to rip my dress.

I sat up on the branch and sighed.

"I wish I could leave, and go be free." I said. I heard a twig snap nearby. I ignored it thinking it was the furry white animals that love to hop around. I started humming a song I heard from a boy who disappeared a few years ago. I never found out the lyrics or title, but I knew the tune.

I heard another twig snap then I saw a figure running away. I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Who was that?" I aksed myself out loud. I shrugged and hopped down form the branch. I landed on the dirt ground and stood up. I brushed off the dirt from my dress and started to head home. I took a shortcut and was at my cottage. I went inside and my mother looked over at me.

"Linnette...." She started off. I sighed.

"Mum, I'll think about it." I said.

"No, you have to." She said. I looked straight into her eyes.

"I don't have to do anything." I said.

"Linnette, you know that you are defying against the King's law when you don't obey to the arrangements." She said.

"I don't care, it's just a stupid law! I should have my own freedom! I should be able to marry who I want to marry and go off where I want to go. I should be allowed to fight and not have to stay just because I'm female. It isn't fair! The King's law isn't fair." I yelled. Her eyes widened.

"Linnette....don't say that super loud, people could've heard." My other said.

"I don't care." I said.

"If the King finds out-" I cut her off.

"I'll be put on death penalty, I know. And I don't care. I will not follow the law because it's unfair. I will not let some stupid King control me." I said.

Just then the door was slammed open and soldiers came in. How in the Kingdom of Assarah did they get here fast?

"Where is Linnette Kaitlynn Beatrix?" The main soldier asked with a booming voice. I stood in front of my mother.

"I am Linnette, what do you want?" I asked, using the least kindest tone there is.

"You are coming with us." He boomed, grabbing my arms. I struggled against his grip and bit his arm, making him shove me down. He forcefully tied my wrists.

"No! Don't take her!" My mother shouted.

"Someone caught her talking bad about the King's law, and someone caught her humming a banned song." The soldier said, pulling me up and walking out of my cottage. They walked me through the streets, where everyone stared at us. We walked up the streets to the castle.

The shoved me forward into a room where the king was.

"Linnette Kaitlynn Beatrix, I suppose." The king said.

"Yes, now what do you want?" I spat.

"I have been reported that you have broke 4 laws. With that, you must be punished for your crime." The king said. "But, if you admit to your crimes and go back to not breaking the law, we will forget your crimes and give you a last chance. You have to see, we never do that, but you are a bright young girl, and we can see that you just want a change. But if you follow the law from now on we can let you off."

"No." I said.

"Excuse me?" The king asked in disbelief.

"No, I won't follow your stupid unfair law." I said.

"Well then Linnette, we will have to punish you for your crimes." The king said. "But, this is the last chance, if you want to live then follow the law."

"Never, I will not stand down. I will never follow your law. I will rebel against it for as long as I live." I said.

"Well then, you are trialed with death penalty. You will be hanged tomorrow afternoon." The king said. "Take her to the dungeon."

The prisoners dragged me out of the room and brought me to the dungeons and threw me in.

"You made the wrong choice." The main one said before they left.

***

The next afternoon the soldiers came back and grabbed me from my dungeon chamber. They walked me outside and down to the center of the Kingdom where the hanging took place.

I was brought onto a platform and they tied a noose around my neck. The king stood in front of everyone who gathered.

"Today is the hanging of Linnette Kaitlynn Beatrix, who defied and rebelled against my law. She is sentenced to death penalty and will be hanged. She did not listen to my law and she broke several of them, and so she must now be punished." The king said. He the looked at me.

"Any last words Linnette?" He asked with a ugly smirk on his face.

"Yes, your law is unfair and stupid. If you all stand together you can change it, you can make the King fall and start over. You must not let him rule your life. You need freedom. It is stupid to be hanged for wanting freedom, and that is my reason. That's all I have to say. But like I said, I will not stand down. I chose to rebel until my death." I said. The king signaled to the executioner to pull the lever that drops the floor under me.

He pulled it and I felt the ground under me drop. The rope gripped my neck, making my breathing tubes cut off. I gasped from lack of air.

I saw the crowd start to move and I heard them shouting. They pulled at the king.

"We will not stand down!" They yelled.

And then my vision faded as my heart stopped.


The author's comments:

This was for a short story contest on a website claled Wattpad, i wrote it last year. I have not edited it since the las time.


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