"Have you heard? Today is the Queen's trial."
"They said the King himself will be the one deciding on her punishment."
"What do you think will be her punishment?"
"She'll definitely be executed."
I should not be surprised when they say words travel fast. Especially inside the Palace where the walls have ears and the ceilings have eyes. The word about my trial had already spread like wildfire. How satisfying would it be if I could also use that wildfire to burn the tongues of those maids who were talking about my execution just now.
They were not exactly talking in hushed whispers, but they were not being loud either. It's like they wanted me to hear what they were saying but when they saw me passing by, they inclined their heads like meek puppies.
I followed the Knights who were escorting me to my doom. I thought we would be going to the courtroom but what's this? Why are we heading to the throne room?
The throne room, the room where Mikhail and I took each other's first time right after we won the Succession War. It was a night full of pleasure and lust as we made love on the very throne that had witnessed the bloody history of this Kingdom.
When the heavy doors opened, I was pulled in the middle of the room before I was made to kneel down.
Me? Kneeling down like this? How preposterous. Why am I the one kneeling down when all my life I've always been above everyone else in this very room?
"On this day, the trial of Queen Alessandra II of Elysian shall take…"
The voice of the old man faded in the background as my ears started to ring. I had never felt this much anger before. This anger that's making my blood boil, my ears ring and my vision darken.
I should have kept my head low, even when this gesture was a blow to my pride as Queen. But when I heard that familiar voice calling my name, I instinctively lifted my head to look at him.
"Aeris," he said. The name I had preferred to be called. Not Alessandra. Aeris, the name he called every night we are together, so full of love and adoration for his Queen. But now, his voice sounded empty. "As you kneel there, are you aware of the crimes you have committed?"
Crimes? What crimes? I don't know what he's talking about. I have never committed the crimes everyone was talking about.
"Intentional abortion."
Stop it, don't say that. I had never done such a thing. Whose mother in their right mind would intentionally abort a defenseless baby in their womb when the baby is not even a threat to my life. And even if it is, I would still choose to give birth to it.
"Killing a royal blood."
It's his own flesh and blood. A royal blood. But killing? Aside from his half-brothers whom we've both killed during the Succession War, I've never killed a royal blood.
"The punishment for intentional abortion is much lighter than the punishment for killing a royal blood. But in your case, you had intentionally aborted a baby with royal blood. So, your punishment…"
What is this bastard son of a bitch blabbering about? Mikhail, who put you on the very throne you were sitting on as you speak of a crime I had never committed?
Who does this man think he is?
"I, King Mikhail VII of Elysian, shall depose Aeris Alessandra Venatrix as Queen. And punish her in exile."
It was that day I swore to myself that I will kill Mikhail, even if it's the last thing I do in this lifetime. Just as I put him on that very throne he comfortably sits, I can pull him down from it.
The day I was exiled to that Villa, I knew it was only a front to have me executed in silence. So before that happens, I fled. I ran for days and nights, and lost count of how long had passed, until I arrived at the nearest territory outside of Elysian.
Whether it was by chance or by fate that I set foot on the enemy territory, I was sure of one thing. I will not be dying here until I kill Mikhail.
On the night I arrived at the border between Elysian and Obsidia, it was the Second Imperial Prince who found me.
Zion Obsidia, known for being cruel and vicious, the Bloodhound Prince of the Obsidian Empire, had professed his love for me, saying that he had loved me longer than I would have known.
But I do not need a Prince who will die for me. What I need is an Executioner who will kill for me.
"Then, I'll gladly be the dethroned Queen's Executioner."