"Off with their heads!" said the woman with a big crown on her head.

The weepings and screams of the crowd claimed mercy for the poor souls on the platform. Their feet and wrists were tied with cold iron chains, and their heads were covered with a dark cloth. The crowd knew these three innocent men, as they were farmers from the town, with families full of children. However, they had the bad fortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, in consequence, they were condemned to be arrested as thieves and murderers.

The crime was so vile and cruel that even the Queen of Lith had to intervene and punish them in person. Not caring to hear the pleading of the families and the calls for a thorough investigation, as it was obvious that they were framed, she didn't show any mercy and declared their immediate execution.

"Please, Queen, don't kill them!"

"Please!"

"They are innocent! Mercy!"

The beautiful red-haired Queen Anne Du Lith looked at the crowd below with those magnificent golden eyes of hers, but only despise and indifference was reflected.

"The punishment should be carried out tomorrow," she said as she stood without minding the cries from the people below anymore. "If any of you dares to make a single complaint, I will execute the whole family!"

The crowd went crazy with more cries and screams for mercy filling the entire plaza.

"Mercy!"

"Mercy!"

The people of Lith were asking for compassion and clemency, some of them were even kneeling with their heads hitting the ground, but the Queen never looked back. Not once, not ever.

"She is merciless."

"My husband! Please!"

"Dad!"

The laments from the crowd accompanied the Queen until she was far enough to hear them. Suddenly, the moment she was out, the crowd stopped screaming and some of them were even smiling and sharing knowing looks.

"…"

They started to move to their usual labors and homes as if nothing had happened. Some even waved their hands to the men on the platform and the guards only sighed without minding. They all knew what was going to happen later.

"Mom, why are we doing this?"

"Son, don't ask."

"But, what is going to happen to dad?"

"Don't worry."

"But the Queen, is she someone bad? Why is she doing this?"

"Sigh… son, sometimes people hide their true nature to protect their loved ones."

"I don't understand."

"Sigh… don't worry little one, come, we should go to the house and prepare, the knights will come tonight."

"But… what will happen to dad?"

"Don't worry, everything will be okay."

"How?"

"Just believe in your Queen."

***

The Queen had long gone to her castle to rest, without minding those lowly lives and their little cries.

When she was inside her chambers, she made her personal maid help her take out the magnificent crown adorning her hair. It was straining her neck, she never liked to use it, and she secretly tried to modify it into a lighter version, but someone caught her.

Then she set free her long braid and her beautiful soft hair came loose, covering part of her face.

"Get out."

She ordered with a deep and cruel voice, and the three maids in waiting quickly made their way out without looking back. Their faces were pale, as if something terrible would happen the next moment.

After the last one closed the door, the beautiful red-haired woman let out a chuckle. Then she walked to the window while still laughing. And just after a few seconds, the laugh became so maniac that anyone close to her would be completely paralyzed by the malevolence of the sound.

"Muahahahahaha!"

She was covering her stomach while laughing. Her hair couldn't cover her golden eyes going crazy.

"hahahahahaha…*cough* *cough*"

A strand of her hair entered her mouth and she started coughing.

"Dammit! I still don't get it. I should practice more."