*ANA*
"It's time," Mykhol leans down to meet me. I see him put on a sad smile as if he understands.
But I don't think he can. I don't think any of them will. All they see is a human who was caught.
They don't know her like I do.
They won't miss her laugh or her smiles or her- I have to stop myself there before I turn sick. A new wave of pain runs up my chest, beating hard into my heart.
I flinch but breathe. I quickly blink back the hot tears.
No, I won't cry. I refuse to.
It's the one thing I can still manage on my own today. I swallow before daring my eyes to look ahead to see the most difficult thing.
Uncle Charles was right when he said it would take a day to build. The scaffold looms over the courtyard with a sinister presence. Its shadow stretches out like a skeleton's hand, grasping for its next victim.
I hate it. I immediately want to strike it down as it is. I hope never to see it again. But that's only half of it.
It's seeing the person on top that cuts me the deepest.
As if she knew, Maddie looked up to catch my stare. I would expect her to be in fear or even glare at me in bitter anger. But what she does is worse.
Instead, a bruised smile forms on her face. Her warm eyes look after me without a drop of animosity. It's immediately unbearable.
I turn my head away. I can't look at her. I can't understand.
How? How can you still look at me like that? My eyes burn and blur with new tears. I have to force my eyes down to my hands.
How can you still look so kind?
I shudder and swallow as I clench the cold air. My fingers are starting to burn from the cold. Vaguely, they search out for what used to be so common. Her familiar touch.
Her hands were always warm. I remember allowing one tear to break free and slip down my cheek.
Warm and gentle. Everything about her was.
Even if it was all just an act. I still…
"Ana," Mykhol's voice pulls me back from my thoughts. His smile is still on, but his eyes don't stay. They wash over the crowd, noting the unease. People are starting to shift and whisper.
"Mykhol," Uncle Charles urges, noting the crowd as well. Aunt Funda fully frowns.
"What's taking so long?" She seems just as fidgety. "It's cold. Let's hurry this up."
Mykhol throws up his hand.
"I got this." Mykhol looks at them both before sighing under his breath as if annoyed by something. But whatever it is, he doesn't say.
Instead, his hands find mine.
"Anastasia," Mykhol curls his fingers around mine.
"You can't prolong this any longer."
Mykhol gently squeezes my fingers before releasing them. He steps back to look down at me. At this moment, I somehow feel even smaller despite sitting in my chair. My hair surrounds me like an untamed web. No one came to do my hair.
No one will for a while. I realize darkly. Now that Maddie will be,
I have to stop again as another tear breaks out and falls.
For once, I'm grateful for my hair; it shields the sight of my tears. No one below the platform will see that I am barely keeping them at bay. Save for Mykhol standing directly before me.
Mykhol's smile wavers a little at the corners as another quiet tear breaks out. He watches it fall before lifting his hand to rub it away.
"Come, Ana." Mykhol turns then to offer to take my hand once more.
I shudder with a look past him. Behind him is a sea of red and unfamiliar faces. Each stares after me coldly, waiting. Their blank stares stab deep into some unprotected place.
Wounded, I turn back to the platform. But there, I find just the same. Aunt Funda And Uncle are no more comforting. They stand near but seem just as far away as the crowd below. They are almost as unfamiliar as those below.
They are not there for me. No one is.
No, there is one. I turn to find Mykhol again, still waiting. His eyes are watching me intently, patient as ever.
I could almost smile, finding myself not completely alone. Almost.
I close my eyes and take his hand. Mykhol's fingers immediately encircled mine as if to reinforce me. I unconsciously feel relieved at the touch.
I need all the strength I can get.
"Thank you," I whisper, barely forming the words. Mykhol only smiles, but his fingers squeeze me.
"It's time." Mykhol goes, and I nod. But I can't bring myself to look up and see it. Instead, I lean into Mykhol just one more time.
I keep my eyes firmly on his hand, holding mine as my other slowly rises. I make the signal.
A low cracking of wood bending sounds when the Hangman pulls the crank. The wooden drop drops swing open with a deafening creak of the hinges. A rope snaps before someone begins to gasp.
My body trembles as I can't look up, but I can't push out the sounds. The choking and gasping of air is deafening in the now quiet courtyard. I clench Mykhol's hands tighter as it seems to go on forever.
I'm grateful when I notice the gasping start to quiet down. I still don't dare look up, but I give a shuddering sigh as the last gasps fall. It becomes silent shortly after.
It's over. I close my eyes and breathe a little more, grounded. It's over.
I swallow, feeling suddenly so tired.
It's over now.
"Look at that." Someone, meanwhile, from the crowd whispers.
"She doesn't even cry."
"Didn't they say she was close with the human?"
"Apparently not."
"How disturbing."
"What do you expect?" Someone laughs.
"She's of mixed blood."
"How heartless."
"Thank god Lord Mykhol is here." Someone exclaims, lifting her voice.
"He saved us."
"Indeed!" Another joins in.
"If it wasn't for him-"
"Thank god for Lord Mykhol." The cheers start to grow louder.
"We are saved that Lord Mykhol is here."
"Who knows what would have happened if he wasn't."
"If only he could be…." The last voice cuts off short as if someone covers their mouth. A slight hush follows.
I stiffen, feeling their stares. My hands tighten on Mykhol's hand. It helps hide the trembling going up my body.
I'm sure Mykhol must notice because he leans in.
"It's over." Mykhol goes, and I breathe. I lower my eyes back to the ground. I don't want to look any further than that.
I don't want to see her.
"See to it; she's taken care of." My voice rasps. Mykhol takes the lead for me to motion back to the hangman to cut her down. The sound of meat thudding hard to the floor makes my stomach turn.
I have to swallow down an urge to vomit.
"I will," Mykhol promises, and I feel his fingers. They rub little circles over the top of my hand. It's odd, but it helps distract me from my stomach.
"Mykhol," I start, but it seems like he already knows what I want.
"Of course."
Mykhol bends down to pick me up. Behind us, I can hear the crowd gasp. I flinch, realizing how this might look.
"Mykhol, maybe I-"
"Just hold on to me." Mykhol's words silenced me, and I suddenly don't have the strength to protest. I don't have much strength to care either about caring about them.
I'm just tired.
"Take me inside," I whisper and close my eyes. The whispers follow behind us as we move.
I'm certain there will be strange rumors again tomorrow.
But for now, I can't think about it. I can't think about anything.
I don't want to.
I'm just tired.
*Alexander*
"I'm sorry, my lord." The young scout lowered his head with regret. His face was in genuine remorse.
Alexander waved, and the soldier bowed out. When the door closed, Alexander rubbed his eyes.
"This is a great loss, your Majesty. Agent Bustlier will be missed." Johan spoke in a tone.
"She was one of our best."
"She knew the risks."
"Still, this is a mighty blow, Johan. Maddie is gone. I have no one. I have no direct connection to my daughter again."
"She might still write, my lord." Johan countered, but Alexander shook his head.
"It's been weeks of silence, Johan. And with Maddie gone-"
Already, in his head, he could see the little bastard smiling. Little Ana was now all alone and defenseless, far from his protection.
Again, he could see that little rotten smile. How that teen, Mykhol, must have been gloating now.
I should have shoved my sword through his neck. Slimy little-
"My King?" Johan gave a pointed look to his fists. Alexander laughed slightly and relaxed.
"Madeline had quite the family, as I recall." Alexander found his voice.
"Make sure they are compensated heavily. It's what she'd want."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Johan bowed.
Alexander went back to the window. He saw the beautiful sky. The birds were chirping with glee.
But he felt drained. His eyes were cast on the future—Ana's future.
That boy is only going to grow more influential now. And Ana will have no one to watch her interests. She will be a sitting duck.
If only I could get her back to court. Alexander thought and stole a look over to her portrait.
"If only you were here. Then, you would know what to do."
Empress Parsul smiled back sadly but said nothing. Would say nothing, no matter how much Alexander wished and hoped she would.
"Hah," Alexander lowered his head and turned back to the window. His eyes began to unfocus over the grass before noticing a shape move. It wasn't a shape.
It was Nicoli. The boy was on yet another aimless walk into the maze.
He does that a lot now. Alexander noted. Perhaps, like Ana, Nicoli, too, had been affected by that morning's events. He was certainly quieter.
"Hah," Alexander sighed again, feeling more helpless. Both his children were suffering, and he was clueless to help either.
"Maybe I should go down and-" But watching him scamper about the melty snow brought up a thought.
"It's been some time since my son has practiced his letters, hasn't it." Alexander broke into a small smile.
"My lord?" Johan raised a brow before catching on.
"Yes, it has." He agreed, sharing his smile. Alexander nodded, seeing the answer at last.
With that, Alexander moved out of the room with a new purpose.