THE tiny head poking through the door's crack made me support my lazy chin. She had been peeking for the last minute since I told her to come in. But all she did was glance around the study, thinking that her presence might go undetected. Even though since that pair of tiny feet stood in front of the door, she's been found out.
The distance between the desk and the entrance was not too close but not too far; it was just that a tiny body with a limited field of vision might not be able to see it. I forgive because from behind the desk earlier, all I could see was the top of her head twitching.
"You come here, or I drag you."
The top of her head ran after closing the door. However, even though she had been standing in front of the work desk, her petite body remained invisible. Was it because she was standing too close to the table or because her body was too short, so all that could be seen was the top of Elora's yellow head?
"Dad called El?"
"I've been calling you since earlier. What are you doing?"
"That ...."
I like talking to yellow hair floating in the air. So I took a deep breath and said, "Come here." But the top of her head just turned left and right, so I couldn't help but speak again. "Walk to the side of the table."
A matching yellow dress with tiny boots and ribbons were the first things that met my eyes when I turned the chair to face each other. After two days of not having lunch together because of taking care of Petunia, Elora's cheeks started to swell up like bread. The body is slightly stocky; looks much better than before.
Put my right foot on top of my left, support my chin, then say, "You look like shit today."
"El misses Papa too!"
I smirked. "Where's Hamon?"
"She said she'd like El candy and chocolate pudding!" she said with a smile while raising both hands high.
As Elora finished her sentence, there was a knock on the work door. Hamon appeared holding a basket full of snacks and giant candies in his right hand. He bowed his head respectfully after closing the door. "Sorry for my delay, Your Majesty."
"What a coincidence you came." My attention returned to Elora, who was peeking from the glass window. "You want to see a show together?"
She turned her head. "Show?"
"Yes," I smirked. "It was a fascinating and interesting show."
Hamon and Elora walked one step behind, followed by a squad of knights consisting of 13 soldiers. We walked towards the execution ground, held in a particular field close to the prison. The area of the domain is 50 x 50 meters and divided into two zones: the public space and the execution area. Death row convicts will line up in the hallway that connects the prison building and the grounds.
Because it is open, anyone in Adenium is free to watch. Public areas are designed to surround the pitch; the circle is divided into two semicircles. The first semicircle was built on a higher foundation and was the special seat of imperial members and people of high status. At the same time, the other half circle is a place for workers and lower-class people.
There are only two seats reserved in the particular audience area. I asked it like that because this is a special show for Elora.
After Hamon sat her on a chair, I sat on the emperor's throne, followed by a squad of knights lining up behind. Up ahead, the execution equipment was ready. Sharp iron blades hung from wooden blocks connected by ropes. There is an arrangement of boards that are made like a stage. A concave-shaped iron will later be used to place a sinner's neck in the middle. So that when the rope connected to the ax is cut, the sharp edge of the iron cuts the channel precisely.
Four white officers who previously stood in the middle of the field bowed. One of them shouted, "THE DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLER OF THE EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER HAS BEEN PERFORMED."
I nodded.
The sound of a gong being beaten, followed by musical instruments, is a sign of calling people who will die beheaded today. The corners of my lips lifted when from a distance, the killer appeared from the hallway. He was still wearing the same clothes when Hamon caught him last night. His hands were tied behind his back while two soldiers escorted him on the left and right.
A gentle tug on the sleeve made me turn my head. "Um... Papa?" She looked nervous and glanced at the bottom of her dress several times. While Hamon, who was standing next to her, also wore an uncomfortable expression.
"Your Excellency ...."
"Give her chocolate pudding." Hamon glanced at Elora doubtfully, but I said again, "She likes that mushy food."
Until her favorite food was in hand, Elora still looked restless. Then exhaling slowly, my hand slowly stroked her head. "It's fine. Eat while watching that person beheaded."
The man had been standing in front of the execution tools. The two soldiers escorting him immediately fell back when the executioner took over. From a distance, I could see his body shaking. Then, when the officer pushed him forward, he fell to his knees.
"YOUR MAJESTY, THIS SERVANT BEGINS YOUR MERCY!"
Two officers immediately forced him to stand and dragged him up a wooden ladder. When he arrived on stage, the officer waiting for him immediately forced the man onto his stomach and positioned his neck on the concave iron.
The iron blade gleaming in the sun and the expression on his resigned face were an excellent combination that completed today's beautiful scenery.
"Um... Papa?"
Elora's soft call made me turn my head. Her right hand, next to my left hand, gripped my sleeve tightly. At the same time, her left hand is holding a chocolate pudding that she hasn't touched. Her lips opened then closed as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. All she did was look at me nervously and then lowered her head.
"Don't look away. You will regret it."
"Your Excellency." Hamon's low voice made me glance. "The Princess is petrified. Please think again, Your Highness."
"Don't worry. It will be a valuable experience." My attention returned to Elora. "Don't be afraid."
She straightened up; forced herself to keep looking ahead even though the chocolate pudding she was holding was also shaking. The tiny hand gripped my sleeve and didn't let go; instead, she strengthened her grip even more. I allowed Elora to give vent to my fears and return attention to the execution that was currently in progress.
The officer standing on the wooden platform gave a code to the officer standing near the rope pedestal. He nodded, received the code then his hand stretched out to cut the rope connecting the objects above. The incident passed very quickly. The tip of the ax that looks shiny in the sunlight falls due to the earth's gravitational force. With a constant speed, the object fell right into the assassin's throat.
Blood splashed onto almost all of the officers' clothes, standing on the wooden platform while the three other officers were sprayed in the front. The assassin's head fell the next second and rolled onto the ground. Blood from a wide-open neck wound seeped and dripped through the sidelines of the boards.
I smirked after the execution process was solemnly finished. Seeing the red liquid gush out splendidly like a fountain was refreshing. When I felt the grip on my sleeve loosen, I then glanced. Her chocolate pudding had fallen to the floor out of nowhere, her face was pale, and her whole body was trembling violently. The tiny fingers that were originally gripping my sleeves had turned a white color, like no blood flow.
She slowly turned her head and looked at me with a shaken gaze. Her lips opened slightly, but no sound came out. As if not caring about her condition, I asked, lifting the corners of my lips upwards, "Today's performance was great, wasn't it?"
But what sounded next was not an answer to my question but Papa's call, which was very low, almost in a whisper, before the body fell off the chair and became unconscious.[]