Post making contest: easier mode

She was dead. And I was holding the gun.

Nobody would believe I hadn't done it. I wouldn't have believed I hadn't done it, if I hadn't seen the real killer with my own eyes.

Not that it made a difference. Even if I didn't look like a murder, no one would believe a story like that. What I saw - what I saw them do - that was nothing short of impossible.

And yet, it had happened.

I had to calm down. There was more at stake here than the matter of my innocence, my failure as a bodyguard, or the assassin's strange abilities. This was no random attack - she had been killed for a reason, and I knew all too well what that reason was.

The negotiations with her home country.

She might have lived here for most of her life, but she knew the language, the customs. She knew it better than anyone. She was our best chance at overcoming their resistance, at avoiding the war.

And I, assigned by the Crown to protect her, had murdered her in cold blood. My own apparent guilt was nothing compared to the ambassador's inevitable conclusion. It would indict our entire kingdom, and ruin whatever chance we had at peace.

In the immediate term, I had only one choice. I had to give myself up. There was a small chance that I could shoulder the blame alone, and spare my nation. My personal suffering was nothing if it could save our people from a long, bloody war.

And yet, whoever was behind this would no doubt consider that a minor setback. They would strike again, rendering my sacrifice futile. Whatever happened to me, I had to do what I could to ensure someone would pick up their trail.

The crowd had turned towards me after the gunshot. They feared what I would do next.

I thought very carefully about what I would say.

Passes rule 2, and I'll say this is a definite rule 4 pass. Which is, in the end, my own dang fault, but whatever.

She was dead. And I was holding the gun.

Nobody would believe I hadn't done it. I wouldn't have believed I hadn't done it, if I hadn't seen the real killer with my own eyes.

Not that it made a difference. Even if I didn't look like a murder, no one would believe a story like that. What I saw - what I saw them do - that was nothing short of impossible.

And yet, it had happened.

I had to calm down. There was more at stake here than the matter of my innocence, my failure as a bodyguard, or the assassin's strange abilities. This was no random attack - she had been killed for a reason, and I knew all too well what that reason was.

The negotiations with her home country.

She might have lived here for most of her life, but she knew the language, the customs. She knew it better than anyone. She was our best chance at overcoming their resistance, at avoiding the war.

And I, assigned by the Crown to protect her, had murdered her in cold blood. My own apparent guilt was nothing compared to the ambassador's inevitable conclusion. It would indict our entire kingdom, and ruin whatever chance we had at peace.

In the immediate term, I had only one choice. I had to give myself up. There was a small chance that I could shoulder the blame alone, and spare my nation. My personal suffering was nothing if it could save our people from a long, bloody war.

And yet, whoever was behind this would no doubt consider that a minor setback. They would strike again, rendering my sacrifice futile. Whatever happened to me, I had to do what I could to ensure someone would pick up their trail.

The crowd had turned towards me after the gunshot. They feared what I would do next.

I thought very carefully about what I would say.

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SpoilerThis is a collaborative adventure between me and Chwoka. We'll be alternating updates.

Also passes rules 2 and 4.