There is a saying in our kingdom that a woman's unfaithfulness can only be cleaned with her blood. It is up to the husband to decide the mode of death for his unfaithful partner. This was the only babaric rule our kingdom had besides that women were free to work and even become warriors as long as their partners agreed to it, of course.
I am a woman who also suffered the fate of an unfaithful woman. Though, i was named an unfaithful woman after my step-sister and step-brothers framed me. They asked me to visit our home under the pretense that they missed having me around, and they were ready to apologize for all the damage they had done to my reputation in the capital. Out of the goodness of my heart, i gave them a chance and went home. Our parents were out for the evening, it was just us the step-sibilings, we ate, laughed and drank. I should have known that my drink was the only one with a special ingredient, a sleeping pill. They drugged me, but i was too happy and naive to care, i was happy that my step-sibilings were finally coming around, and they had accepted me.
Sigh, i was a fool. After the drug took effect, i fell asleep and woke up next to a homeless man. For real, he looked like a beggar when i compared him to my charismatic husband. I had a throhbing headache and possibly the greatest hangover. I looked around and saw that i was in my bedroom and I was in my undergarments next to him. When i woke up he smiled and me and said, " duchess you are indeed a wild one like the rumors say, look at all these signs of love (scratches on his body) you inflicted on me." I almost gagged at the smell and sound of his voice
While gathering myself to refute his disgusting accusations, i heard voices in the corridor outside my room. My maid was preventing the Duke, my husband, from entering my room. He forced his way through with my step- sister and oldest step-brother closely behind him, apologizing for my disgraceful behavior.
He came straight at me and pulled and literally dragged me out of the bed. I was still recovering from the shock when he lifted me and walked towards the window, and tossed me outside. My room was on the fourth floor, and that height was enough to break bones and damage vital organs, i was probably not going to survive this.
I looked up to see his eyes full of visciousness and hatred. Behind him, my step-sister was looking at me with a gloating smile. When i landed, i heard cracks from my bones radiating all over my body. I felt a sharp pain shooting through my body, and i wanted to scream from the pain, but i could not. Instead of my screams of agony, i heard my step-sister's shocked scream and when i looked up she pretended to be distressed as my step-brother hugged her shielding her eyes from what i presume to be my bloodied body.
I also closed my eyes as i imagined how horrifying i must be looking right now. A lot of emotions coursed throigh me, rage, sadness, bitterness but in the end i resigned because he did what he thought he had to do based on the evidence they gave him, i was an adulter to him.
With my eyes closed, i could hear footsteps coming towards me. It was my husband, my murderer. I did not have the energy to do or say anything in my defense in that instance because i was going to die anyway.
But then a little cute figure popped up in my mind, and i prayed that he would not see me in this state. My little step-son was the only reason i stayed in this marriage, i felt sorry for him because he needed a mother's care and love. I immediately opened my mouth and said, " p-please take care of little JayJay."
Looking at me with nothing but hatred, he said, " You think you have the right to say that?!"
"P-please...." i begged him
" i do not have the time to listen to your nonsense. I came to confirm that you are dead or at least close to, " he said coldly, and though i expected my own death, it still hurt to hear him say that.
" Do not speak about my son. Keep his name out of your mouth. " he said
I remained silent.
But he continued talking, " Why did you do that? You have everything! Your family even asked for mercy and requested i use my sword on you instead. But,
using my sword would have only tainted it with your blood, and i would have to throw a good sword away." He was mad and very ruthless with his words, so i chose silence again.
In the end, when he started walking away, i used the little energy i had left and grasped his cloak.
"I-I never betrayed you, R-Ryan." I whispered. It was a struggle to keep my eyes.
" I was faithful. You can call me many things, but i-i am not an adulter a-and i-its up to you i-if y-y-you b-believe m-me o-or n-not. I whispered that sentence with great trouble.
He stopped briefly and looked at me with the same eyes. He did not believe me. I coughed blood, like a lot of blood. He did not spare me another glance and left. I did not master the courage to say anything else, so i lay there.
My head was fuzzy. I was getting light headed, i could feel it was close to the end. However, I wanted to let my husband know that though our marriage was a loveless one marred by distrust and secrets, I never cheated on him. They framed me, and because of the little faith he had in me, he believed them and killed me. If there is a chance that i may survive this or perhaps...