Lottocracy: intro
Raucous laughter erupted in the guestroom.
Arianna stared at the fine workmanship of the door, gilded with gold flowers arranged in spiral patterns. Her father was on the other side, entertaining the other generals, talking amongst themselves, talking about treason. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, her father entertained guests all the time, it was even expected of him as an aristocrat and as a general of high standing within the Lottocracy.
She felt the smooth, cool, teak pistol-grip of the single-shot pistol that had been left in her room in a plain wooden box lined in velvet. It brought her no comfort, not for what she had to do. The note, hidden in the bodice of her dress between her breasts, was uncomfortable. Nothing could be less comfortable or more painful than the content of the letter that had come with the box.
My father is a traitor! Her mind supplied hatefully as she remembered the contents of the letter: "General Matthes is a traitor, he plots treason against the Lottocracy. In this box is a pistol and one round that you might accomplish what must be done." Paper was illegal save for its use the the Lottery control board and the holographic seal was made with some long forgotten art, one that no one had been able to replicate, so it was official. If she didn't do it, it'd be treason. If she did, she'd be a pariah amongst aristocratic social circles. Sure, the average aristocrat might make commiserating noises about her loss but she'd just present an unpleasant reminder that the lottery control board existed.
She cocked the hammer with a heavy sigh.
A servant bearing a tray gasped.
Arianna almost jumped out of her skin. She examined the woman as she regained her composer.
The servant had mousy brown hair, round, fearful eyes, and the profile of a boy. Make-up gave away the servant's gender, a girl. The tray in her hands trembled a bit, the tea and cakes bouncing around the tray alarmingly.
"What's your name, girl?" Arianna asked gently.
Girl? Arianna felt wry amusement, she was seventeen, and here she was calling someone else a girl. It was ridiculous but it felt as if she'd done a lot of growing up in the last few hours.
The girl stared at her.
Arianna arched an eyebrow at her.
"Rhyushan." She muttered, avoiding Arianna's eyes.
"Is that tray for the guests my father is entertaining?" She asked gently, observing he girl closely.
Rhyushan nodded, meeting Arianna's eyes with her own.
Rhyushan's eyes were unique, one was green, the other gray her face was plain but wasn't unattractive, if she filled out she'd have no end of suitors.
"I'm not going to hold you up, I'll go in with you since I need to talk to my father." Arianna forced tried to smile.
The flash of fear across Rhyushan's eyes told her that she'd failed.
"Go." She said gently, gesturing to the door.
She'd made her decision. Her father had made his.
Rhyushan opened the door and everyone glanced at the girl as she stepped in with the tray, dismissing her instantly, Arianna was in the door before anyone had looked again. Her father sat, his back to the door, uncharacteristically relaxed. General Rogers, the man sitting across from her father saw her first, he began to rise but she already had the pistol up and pointed at her father's head.
Her father began to rise and she pulled the trigger.
Arianna stared at the fine workmanship of the door, gilded with gold flowers arranged in spiral patterns. Her father was on the other side, entertaining the other generals, talking amongst themselves, talking about treason. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, her father entertained guests all the time, it was even expected of him as an aristocrat and as a general of high standing within the Lottocracy.
She felt the smooth, cool, teak pistol-grip of the single-shot pistol that had been left in her room in a plain wooden box lined in velvet. It brought her no comfort, not for what she had to do. The note, hidden in the bodice of her dress between her breasts, was uncomfortable. Nothing could be less comfortable or more painful than the content of the letter that had come with the box.
My father is a traitor! Her mind supplied hatefully as she remembered the contents of the letter: "General Matthes is a traitor, he plots treason against the Lottocracy. In this box is a pistol and one round that you might accomplish what must be done." Paper was illegal save for its use the the Lottery control board and the holographic seal was made with some long forgotten art, one that no one had been able to replicate, so it was official. If she didn't do it, it'd be treason. If she did, she'd be a pariah amongst aristocratic social circles. Sure, the average aristocrat might make commiserating noises about her loss but she'd just present an unpleasant reminder that the lottery control board existed.
She cocked the hammer with a heavy sigh.
A servant bearing a tray gasped.
Arianna almost jumped out of her skin. She examined the woman as she regained her composer.
The servant had mousy brown hair, round, fearful eyes, and the profile of a boy. Make-up gave away the servant's gender, a girl. The tray in her hands trembled a bit, the tea and cakes bouncing around the tray alarmingly.
"What's your name, girl?" Arianna asked gently.
Girl? Arianna felt wry amusement, she was seventeen, and here she was calling someone else a girl. It was ridiculous but it felt as if she'd done a lot of growing up in the last few hours.
The girl stared at her.
Arianna arched an eyebrow at her.
"Rhyushan." She muttered, avoiding Arianna's eyes.
"Is that tray for the guests my father is entertaining?" She asked gently, observing he girl closely.
Rhyushan nodded, meeting Arianna's eyes with her own.
Rhyushan's eyes were unique, one was green, the other gray her face was plain but wasn't unattractive, if she filled out she'd have no end of suitors.
"I'm not going to hold you up, I'll go in with you since I need to talk to my father." Arianna forced tried to smile.
The flash of fear across Rhyushan's eyes told her that she'd failed.
"Go." She said gently, gesturing to the door.
She'd made her decision. Her father had made his.
Rhyushan opened the door and everyone glanced at the girl as she stepped in with the tray, dismissing her instantly, Arianna was in the door before anyone had looked again. Her father sat, his back to the door, uncharacteristically relaxed. General Rogers, the man sitting across from her father saw her first, he began to rise but she already had the pistol up and pointed at her father's head.
Her father began to rise and she pulled the trigger.