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Description
I heard her voice from across the tavern. Hell, everyone heard her voice. Full and hearty, it wove through all the bodies with ease. Even if she lowered her tone, which she would never do in her ale-muddied state, I thought I would still hear her clearly. Not that I, or anyone else, cared.

I sat for a spell, soaking in how she formed her boisterous words. She didn't clip them or deny them the opportunity to grow into their full potential. You rarely heard voices that knew how to mold speech into its original shape nowadays. I fancied sitting by the hearth, mug in hand, just listening to her; it didn't sound like she planned to stop any time soon. A light smile crept over my lips.

After a time, the very voice I contentedly listened to abruptly changed, wrenching me to my senses. She managed to entrance me, a soldier, so easily, so simply. I let her. Yet, her enchantments, intentional or not, couldn't save her from a loose tongue, made more so by alcohol. No one seemed to notice save I, but no one received the training I had. Maybe not enough training. Frowning, I stood slowly. Her voice still swirled around me, and allure I no longer heeded. I wanted to, but I could no longer ignore the brash words she uttered. Everyone's captivation must have lulled her into a false sense of security. I had a feeling she knew her power.

I reluctantly made my way to the woman and from the edge of the surrounding throng and looked down at her unappealing form. I loved her voice so much yet barely stood to look upon her. Sighing, I broke through the group she surrounded herself with, people just as enthralled with her music as I. She didn't notice me. Grasping a gesturing hand, I held tight against her attempts to jerk free of my vice. Her jovial countenance quickly changed into one of irritation. The force of her voice exclaiming angrily nearly caused me to shrink away. Only the instinct drilled into me as a trainee let me stand my ground.

I shifted my unhappy gaze to hers, eliciting an abrupt halt in her vocalized train of thought. The choked sound and then silence broke my heart. Not even alcohol could prevent the severity of her situation from sinking in. She knew her crime. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish but no sound came out. If she just managed to loosen the cat's grip on her tongue for an instant it might have saved her. I would have let her go. As it stands, that did not occur.

With pain evident in my voice I announced, "The law indicated no one shall speak out against or speak poorly of our great King. Those caught breaking this law must be punished according to the severity of their crime according to the slander they spoke. For your harsh words, we shall take them away." I grimaced at my decree as though I hadn't given it. I hated myself for it. Pulling her arm behind her, I lead the silent, crying form to the city "justice" building. With each step, the pit in my stomach sank lower and I no longer saw the justice of serving under the King. With stilted speech I explained to the judge her situation and took my leave. It killed me to rid the world of her gift and I would not see my job through to the end. I walked away from my heart and my life, unsure what lay ahead.

Description
I heard her voice from across the tavern. Hell, everyone heard her voice. Full and hearty, it wove through all the bodies with ease. Even if she lowered her tone, which she would never do in her ale-muddied state, I thought I would still hear her clearly. Not that I, or anyone else, cared.

I sat for a spell, soaking in how she formed her boisterous words. She didn't clip them or deny them the opportunity to grow into their full potential. You rarely heard voices that knew how to mold speech into its original shape nowadays. I fancied sitting by the hearth, mug in hand, just listening to her; it didn't sound like she planned to stop any time soon. A light smile crept over my lips.

After a time, the very voice I contentedly listened to abruptly changed, wrenching me to my senses. She managed to entrance me, a soldier, so easily, so simply. I let her. Yet, her enchantments, intentional or not, couldn't save her from a loose tongue, made more so by alcohol. No one seemed to notice save I, but no one received the training I had. Maybe not enough training. Frowning, I stood slowly. Her voice still swirled around me, and allure I no longer heeded. I wanted to, but I could no longer ignore the brash words she uttered. Everyone's captivation must have lulled her into a false sense of security. I had a feeling she knew her power.

I reluctantly made my way to the woman and from the edge of the surrounding throng and looked down at her unappealing form. I loved her voice so much yet barely stood to look upon her. Sighing, I broke through the group she surrounded herself with, people just as enthralled with her music as I. She didn't notice me. Grasping a gesturing hand, I held tight against her attempts to jerk free of my vice. Her jovial countenance quickly changed into one of irritation. The force of her voice exclaiming angrily nearly caused me to shrink away. Only the instinct drilled into me as a trainee let me stand my ground.

I shifted my unhappy gaze to hers, eliciting an abrupt halt in her vocalized train of thought. The choked sound and then silence broke my heart. Not even alcohol could prevent the severity of her situation from sinking in. She knew her crime. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish but no sound came out. If she just managed to loosen the cat's grip on her tongue for an instant it might have saved her. I would have let her go. As it stands, that did not occur.

With pain evident in my voice I announced, "The law indicated no one shall speak out against or speak poorly of our great King. Those caught breaking this law must be punished according to the severity of their crime according to the slander they spoke. For your harsh words, we shall take them away." I grimaced at my decree as though I hadn't given it. I hated myself for it. Pulling her arm behind her, I lead the silent, crying form to the city "justice" building. With each step, the pit in my stomach sank lower and I no longer saw the justice of serving under the King. With stilted speech I explained to the judge her situation and took my leave. It killed me to rid the world of her gift and I would not see my job through to the end. I walked away from my heart and my life, unsure what lay ahead.