Lady Vice , Servant Virtue

Long ago, in a far away place, where the lands were divided, there lay a kingdom with a fierce and bloody reputation. It was said that any who dared to face this unholy force of nature was stricken down with a vicious blow. Their armies were vast and strong, their people well-trained and armed to the teeth. Even the terrain seemed hostile, with vast and shadowed forests holding unknown beasts. And the ruler of this darkened and oppressive land was a violent and selfish girl, aged only fourteen years under the grace of God; Julchen Beilschmidt, princess of the house of Prussia.
Julchen was a beauty even in her young age. Her silver hair fell long down her back, shimmering in the soft light of her many candelabras, pale skin contrasting against her dark midnight blue dress that fell in waves of fabric around her slender form. Her most striking feature by far, however, was her gleaming claret eyes, which shone like polished garnets when she was happy and froze to bloodstained orbs of ice when she was not. She sat in her cage-like palace, upon a throne like no other, gazing over the many pieces of expensive furniture that littered it. She found no joy in them often, but she lusted for more, to have anything she deemed as hers. The sounds of the revolvers echoed through her halls, and she heaved a sigh. The time was nearing.
By her side, she had only one truly loyal servant, one who's likeness to herself gave them away for what they truly were; twins. How, you may ask, did her brother come to be her servant? Well, it stemmed from the same event that the corruption of the queen had; a warm sunny day, when they were but five years of age.

~~In the past~~ January 18th 1415, fifth birthday of the heirs of Prussia
In the field outside a magnificent palace, a set of twins played in the grass, unknowing and unaware that their very lives were about to change. They watched the clouds roll by over their heads as their parents and elders made plans for them.
“We will take the boy away,” said a councilman. “He must be trained in the art of service if he is ever to be of use to his future queen.”
“Very well,” the current queen agreed. “The King and I shall teach the girl how to rule this land. She must never be seen as weak, and allowing this bond with her brother to grow will only weaken her.” The king nodded from his place by his wife's side. In his heart, he knew that it was wrong to separate his children, but both his attendants had made excellent points. His daughter would rule one day, and a ruler must never show a weakness. She would be watched and judged every minute of every day, her servants swearing loyalty to her face and spreading dissent and betrayal behind her back. Her brother would be her only loyal servant, trained to be unfailing and devoted, no matter what his sister may ask of him.
They watched the children play until the sun began to fade from the sky, when they called the young ones to their side.
“Say goodbye to your brother, Julchen. He is going away for a long time. He must be trained,” their mother ordered in a harsh tone, no love or regret in her voice. Julchen, teary-eyed and afraid, hugged her brother tight and refused to leave his side. The sight broke her father's heart, but his wife had spoken. A manservant came to take Gilbert from his family and led him to the carriage. Julchen and Gilbert both fought as hard as they possibly could, but in the end they were but children. As Gilbert was forcibly dragged from his only home, his last sights were of Julchen's face contorted in sorrow and rage, with tears pouring down her cheeks.
As her heart broke, Julchen promised that one day they would be together again. The grip the maid had on her was tight, and her mother's disapproving glare burned the back of her head with its intensity, but her eyes turned cold for the first time as she watched his carriage vanish into the night.
The next nine years went very differently for each twin. Gilbert was trained to be his queen's most loyal servant; every wish she had he was to grant without fail. He was taught to be strict with his emotions but not to eradicate them. The same could not be said for Julchen. The once sweet and tender girl had turned cold and cruel. Not by any choice of her own, but through the teachings of her mother and the council. Show no emotion, no attachment, they taught her. You are a queen. You will give no mercy and take no quarter. You will take what you desire and claim it as yours. These were the lessons beaten into her until there was nothing left of the Julchen that was kind. Her only solace through those painful years was her beautiful shire horse, Josephine. She held the creature closer to her heart than her own mother.

A week before the twins' fourteenth birthday, tragedy struck the kingdom. The king had finally fallen, his long term illness having carried him to the Plutonian shores silently in the night. The queen, in her grief and true love for the king, followed swiftly after with poison on her lips. They were laid to rest within a day, and preparations were made for Julchen's ascension to the throne.

Lonely and somewhat afraid, it was with a heavy heart and a broken mind that the young fourteen-year-old child became Queen Julchen Beilschmidt, ruler of the lands of Prussia. It was also the day that her brother finally came home. Upon her first sight of him, she quickly rushed to him, embracing him and crying on his shoulder, a small part of her old self coming back to life from only his reappearance in her life. She smiled at him, something she hadn't done since she was a child, and pulled back to get a better look at his face.
Gilbert swore then that he would sin, kill and fight to the end for that beautiful smile.

~~Present~~
A weary Julchen spilled her wine onto her floor as her brother pulled her from her throne and tossed her his spare clothing.
“Change into meine clothes, schwester. You must leave zhe palace at vonce. Don't stop, don't talk to anyvone, und don't look back. Don't vorry. Ve are twins, alike in every vay. No vone vill ever know you got avay,” Gilbert said, slipping into one of her dresses. She changed quickly, too stunned to argue, and he pushed her from the room into a secret passage way. As she fled, the sounds of her own countrymen breaking into the room echoed behind her, and she couldn't help but to recall what had started this in the first place.

~~In the past~~ September 20th 1424
Julchen, in her infinite boredom, was wandering the gardens closest to the town when she spied a young man with dark chocolate brown hair and bright violet eyes walking down the paths to the market. He was handsome to her eyes, with his bright smile and an odd little curl of hair that spouted from his head. She grew quite fond of him and decided that he was to be hers. A distant bell toll sounded, and she beamed happily.
“It's tea time,” she said with a giggle, rushing indoors, ignoring the march of people who had just been called back to their harsh jobs and meager food supplies.
Inside, she sipped tea as she watched a pair of dancers in her grand hallway, once again bored. Just as the duo was going into a dip, a commotion arose at the door. Interested, Julchen placed her cup on the small table at her side and waited. It was not long before the doors burst open, and a young woman stormed up to the throne, her braided ash blonde hair swinging behind her.
“Adelheid, so nice to see you again,” Julchen said, her voice painfully sweet as she addressed the Swiss lady mercenary. Said girl gave a small growl and stood straight, revealing the small knife tucked into her belt.
“Your Majesty, I implore you. Lessen the work hours and send out food to your people. We are starving trying to pay your ridiculous taxes,” the blonde said. Julchen only glared as the smile slipped from her lips.
“My dear Adelheid, I care not for your petty needs. After all, if you are hard put to find funds, zhen you must pull them from zhose beneath you. Any of my people who attempt to bring me down in zhe end do nothing but pull zhe wrinkles from my gown as they fall,” Julchen said, the frost in her voice chilling the young woman before her to the core.
“But your Majesty,” the Swiss girl began to protest.
“ADELHEID!” Julchen cut in, her voice sharp and loud, “Who am I, child?”
“You are Queen Julchen.”
“Vhen I say something or give an order, vhat should be your response?”
“We should bow and do only as you wish.”
“If I vish to enslave every soul in my country...?”
“...then that is your right, your Highness.”
“I'm glad zhat you understand. Now, bow to me!”
Adelheid gave a deep bow, anger clouding her mint-green eyes, and was escorted out by the royal guard. Julchen retreated to her private sitting room and called forth her brother. He arrived in haste and knelt at her feet.
“Yes, my Lady?” he said, awaiting her orders.
“I saw zhe Austrian prince again today. He looked so handsome in zhe bright morning light. But my heart is pained by something. He vas vith his companion again. A young voman vith long brown hair and warm peridot green eyes. I believe she is zhe Hungarian Princess. I had once thought ve could be friends, but now brother...now, I vant you to make sure zhe kingdom of Hungary is very badly stirred. Kill zhe girl who dares to steal my Roderick’s heart!” Julchen ordered, her eyes cold and sad.
“Yes, my Queen. It vill be done,” Gilbert said, his voice not betraying his emotions. He left the room, hearing his sister begin to weep, and hid his dagger in his belt. Her wishes would be granted.

~~ Present~~
Julchen heard the bells ringing as she made her escape through the streets of her once great kingdom. No one questioned her as she weaved through the crowds, but the toll of the bells spelled the end to her one great joy; her brother. The voices around her told of the execution that was to happen three hours after noon. Resolute, she hid and made her way closer to the gallows, hoping to see her dear brother one last time before the end. She wished now she had never given him that command.

~~~ In the past: two weeks earlier~~
Julchen was sipping lightly at her Chai tea when her dear brother returned from his mission, his arms covered in the blows of her foes. His eyes were dead, and she felt something she had thought long dead stir within her. Guilt slowly began to poison her, not for the death of the girl but the obvious hurt it caused her brother. Maybe he didn't have the temperament for killing innocents. She resolved next time to have one of her soldiers do it instead. She hugged him tightly, whispering her thanks for his deed and giving him a bright smile. He gave a small nod of his head and continued on with his duties, seemingly back to normal. Her armed forces that had accompanied him to the Kingdom of Hungary were sent to their barracks to recover and rest.
The other nations of the world were outraged by the Kingdom of Prussia and their actions. Roderick Edelstein, Prince of Austria, was leading a plan to attack the Kingdom. They had murdered his beloved Elizabeta, and he would make them pay for it. The kingdoms had offered him food and weapons, but they had refused to outright attack the evil lands. It had been no deterrent, for the moment they had reached the borders, his army had been joined by the very people of the lands prepared to revolt, all of them led by a mercenary in red, with ash blonde hair and fire in her eyes. The two forces joined and marched their way through every city, taking down guards and gathering more people to fight against Julchen, until the day they reached the Queen's castle and breached the walls.

~~Present~~
Julchen, disguised as her brother, raced from her hiding place on swift feet, the echoing bells filling her with dread. Every step was another order she wished she'd never given, each corner turned was another edict she wished she'd never gave. One hour now, only one more until the end of everything. Panic filled her as she ran faster, begging to please,please see her brother one last time, just one more. The people around her, the people she had once ruled with an iron will, were excited for her death. All around her were relieved smiles and cheers. Not a single tear to be seen, not a single citizen she could see would be sad for her death. Within the hour, she made her way to the front of the crowds and waited, sad and heartbroken to know that her precious brother was to fall for her sins.
When the bells chimed three, she looked up to see her brother marched out to the guillotine like the lowliest of creatures. Her eyes widened as the reality of the situation crashed down around her. This was all her fault. Every moment of her short life had led to this very moment; every selfish edict, order and tantrum had brought her to this point in time. This moment in time when the only thing she truly held dear was seconds away from death.
She could only stare into his eyes as a river of sorrow fell from her own. She choked down a scream as he said her favorite words to the crowd, a perfect replica of her own cruel grin so out of place on his pale lips. With a deafening ring of finality, the blade fell and her twin was no more. Grief built in her heart and soul, and as the cheers of thousands rang into the air, one single soul cried out to the Heavens in agony and regret, unheard and unknown.
“Queen Julchen is dead! The Daughter of Evil is gone forever more” was the cry of every citizen in the kingdom the day that the world ended for a tiny little princess of only age fourteen.