Only moments later, the palace guards entered, harshly tearing Lady Severa away from her.
The gruesome tableau of the execution was etched into Elder Criyca's memory like a never-ending nightmare.
The day had dawned heavy with a profound sense of foreboding. The entire kingdom seemed to hold its breath as the somber procession led Lady Severa to her grim fate.
Criyca, though heartbroken and burdened, accompanied her dear friend on this heart-wrenching journey.
As the morning sun bathed the execution grounds in an eerie golden hue, the gathered spectators, from the common folk to the noble elite, observed in a mix of fascination, revulsion, and even sympathy.
The atmosphere was fraught with tension, and the undercurrent of anger at the queen's decree simmered.
Elder Criyca clung to the belief that Lady Severa's sacrifice had to be for a greater purpose.
