She closed her eyes and took in a whiff of the wheat field around her. Having the sword in her hand made her feel like she has finally achieved something she yearned for a long time.
[But what is this upsetting feeling in my heart?]
And followed by that came the sinking feeling in her heart. She felt her chest feeling heavy and her ears started to feel stuffy.
'You are not needed anymore... You've lost your purpose!'
It was the same sneering voice she heard over and over again. The arrogance and mockery in that voice made her skin crawl.
[How can he think that lowly of me?]
And then came a crushing pain in her heart. Her heart hurt so much, she thought death was a better alternative to that pain.
[No! I will live!]
She opened her eyes.
[Guess I am back!]
With the shovel in her hand, she was digging. Lucy was behind her, throwing the mud out of the hole they are digging.
She wasn't even thinking about what she was doing as she was in deep thoughts. The ground was a bit easy to dig since it rained some time ago and even then, her hands hurt a lot.
[Why do I have such scrawny, useless hands?]
"Lucy, do you know who the Rose Knight is?" she whispered as Lucy came to collect the basket she filled with dirt. There were loud noises everywhere and she didn't mind that. She wanted to clarify this doubt first.
Lucy's face paled and in the moonlight, she looked like she has seen a ghost.
"Shh!" she shushed her, and her face filled with exasperation.
"Have you gone mad? What are you talking about this time?" Lucy gritted her teeth. Looking around, she tried to act natural but Felixa could hear her teeth chatter and her hands were trembling.
[Ah, right... Why are we digging?]
Felixa looked around to see everyone in her household digging; even her father and all the servants and maids. And at the distance was a platform that was getting fixed and it seemed to be the execution stage.
Although it is night, there were a lot of people from the city who came to watch. They were peculiarly happy to see the execution of the Zemfir family and were screaming in joy.
[By golly! Are we digging our own graves? I should not be letting my guard down like this!]
Only then she tried to access Wispy's memory when she blanked out.
While she was talking to her father, an announcer came and gave a decree in the name of the Lethusian Emperor that they all are getting executed for treason. And they are brought out and were asked to dig their graves when the stage is set.
[Oh, Wispy! What should I do? Each time I blank out leaving you in charge of the body, you end up in terrible situations. But this time... It's death! And I cannot die!]
"Keep your head low and keep on digging!" she heard a harsh voice and she turned to look in that direction.
He seemed to be the supervisor and he had a long whip in his hand. Felixa gulped.
[Why am I getting into trouble after trouble? I must find a way to escape.]
She looked around carefully while pretending to be digging. She didn't want to be hit by the supervisor. She doesn't like pain.
To her left were many armed soldiers and they were inside a fence with the people surrounding them outside the fence. To her right, were the others digging with her. To her front was the execution stage that was set. The only way to escape was to her back where there was a gate that led somewhere.
Felixa sighed looking at the long journey she has to take to be freed of this terrible situation. She has to pass through everyone digging without causing suspicion, jump out of the hole, get past the armed soldiers, jump out of the gate... all the while avoiding possible arrows...
[Ugh! Can I even run with this frail body? The clothes weigh more than this body! And they are dirty... I loved this gown. But now... Ah, right! My escape... Is there another way?]
As she was contemplating her next move, she failed to notice the pair of amber eyes trained on her every move.
"My liege, Horatio, the former King of Deberia, asked that nothing changes in Deberia except for the leadership. He didn't want his people to suffer and the trade to get affected just-" Julius paused as he saw Maximus not even listening to him.
Ah, so that girl is his "bride"? She's pretty.
His liege – The Brute, disappeared in lightning saying that he's going to see his bride. He wondered who that woman who made his liege leave in such a hurry, is. He rode here out of curiosity after finishing his talks.
And what does he find here?
His liege had asked his bride to dig her own grave!
Has he lost his marbles? He was dropped on his head as a child more than once by his mother. Was that a factor?
Maximus closed his eyes out of disappointment unable to watch that petite figure with her head bowed. She is not a sheep, is she?
{Leave her alone, boy!}
He heard a majestic roar with a trace of familiarity and opened his eyes.
'Ah, Kefir... Pleasant meeting you again,' Maximus spoke using his mind to the beast now in the form of a white cat that was standing in front of him.
Only those with the highest level of magic can see the beast in its transformed form and they can communicate in the spiritual plane.
His original form... Everyone can see it and too bad he cannot get back to his original form. Or can he?
{Stay away!}
It was a command this time.
'Keep her away from me then,' Maximus smirked making the cat turn angry.
Maximus wondered what the cat will do and observed it. It walked around trying to grab her attention.
Felixa racked her brain. She didn't know how potent her magical power is and if it would be enough to help her escape. She tried to turn herself into water but it seems like that is not possible.
[I should learn what I can and can't do. For that, I have to survive first.]
Other than fighting her way out, she couldn't figure out a way to save herself. And that made her angry.
[Who is this Brute? Is he here? He calls for his "bride" and then he wants to kill her? He might be a Brute, but how can he treat his bride this way?]
Standing up straight, she looked around. The area to her left was well-lit and he figured the men standing there should be the Brute's men.
[Is the Brute here too?]
"Bow your head," Lucy pulled her by the sleeves. "And shush!"
"You're already marked for death and why are you still bowing your head?" She didn't whisper and looked around with her back straight.
Maximus' lips curved hearing what she said. Among the big horde of people bowing and digging, she stood straight as her blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight.
There she is... The one I used to know!
Julius looked to his side and saw the smile on his Liege's face.
He's gone mad, hasn't he? There is no other explanation!