A/N: Hello, everyone! I know that it's been awhile since I posted a story, but I finally got back my inspiration to write again, so thank you for your patience! Things will be a little different this time around. I won't be posting three chapters every week since chapter lengths will vary. Also due to more personal commitments, there might be a week where a chapter isn't posted. That being said, a chapter or a few will be posted each month. If anything changes, I'll notify you.
As for music, I'm also going to leave this to your discretion this time around. On prior stories, videos were getting removed from YouTube and finding replacements could be time consuming. And, I'd rather focus on creating new chapters for you since my writing time is more limited during the week now. Thank you for understanding.
Also, I have created a reddit account now. You can find the link on my account profile. I'll post when I'm updating the story on there as well, and I might post other news too. I'm going to give it a whirl and see how it goes. And with that, please enjoy the story.
The chains rattled. Step by step, they rattled again. They were heavy, and they were hot. Any hotter and they would begin to burn flesh. Sweat dripped down (F/n) (L/N)'s brow, and like soft rain drops, they hit the stone beneath her feet. Steam sounded from each drop, and her feet ... They burned. The flesh was raw. Her nerves kept sending signals for her to run, to get off the hot stone she was on, but she couldn't. She was shoved forward, and the chains weighed too much on her ankles.
Tears trickled down her cheeks. Somehow, she still had them after everything. Her ears picked up whisperings behind her. People who she knew for her whole life of twenty-two years talked about her with such wicked words. Traitor. Power hungry. Double parricide. She didn't even look back at them. No, her head hung down. Her thoughts offered no reprieve, only confusion and hurt.
So easily it seemed, she was cast aside and blamed for something so horrid. Back then, she didn't know what had happened. There were shouts, tears, looks of shock and so many whispers. Now, she had a faint idea of what had happened. She had been betrayed by someone close. (F/n) didn't know how it was managed, but her words fell upon deaf ears. It was too late. Her trial had been tampered with, and trust in her had vanished.
Briefly, she glanced up. Ahead was the end. There was no escape from this. Tears continued to fall from her (e/c) eyes. She wasn't even allowed the courtesy of water to quench her thirst. Her throat felt like it had sand in it, and words came out scratchy. Not that she spoke.
Her royal attire was cast aside, and she now wore grey rags that hung loosely from her shoulders. Nothing was beneath them. Her executioners only gave her the grace of keeping some of her dignity, nothing more. (H/c) hair was matted and resembled barely what they used to look like brushed. Once a princess, she walked now as a criminal, receiving the worst punishment possible.
The kingdom of Credel lost its king, King Avan, and queen, Queen Adela. She lost her parents. Her sister remained alive and blameless, and she only hoped that she wasn't involved with who she suspected was the true criminal. (F/n) loved her family, and she hoped that she'd get to see her parents soon. She'd be comforted in their arms in death.
Soon, the chains stopped. No more rattling. It grew silent. She took a heavy breath and looked down at her fate. Lava bubbled and popped. Heat was all around her, and her feet ached with pain. The lava wasn't even the worst of it. To find some solace in the present, she looked back.
So many faces that she knew. The heads of noble families who oversaw the royal court. Two of the kingdom's best knights: the head of the city guard and the head of the whole kingdom's guard. After them, there was the executioner, clad in black garb and face covered. She stared past them, to someone more important: her sister.
Princess Kendra met her sister's gaze. Light blonde hair was tied up in her usual bun, and her dark brown eyes were red from crying. She not only lost her parents, but she was losing her sister shortly. A black gown covered her form. Sweat decorated her, but she hardly noticed. The fabric was made light and airy for the occasion due to the heat of the place.
Slowly, she stepped forward to meet (F/n). The others made a path for her, but she stopped midway. She collapsed to her knees. (F/n) found no solace, only hurt. Her sister probably hated her, but Kendra was still shedding tears for her. Please, please let her not be a part of it. (F/n) despised the idea of her younger sister being part of something so heinous.
Running up to her was the last person present. Felin, the head royal healer, knelt beside her and rested his hands gently on her. His black locks hid his expression from (F/n). He whispered something to Kendra, and they steadily stood together.
With a slow nod, Kendra gave the signal to the executioner. (F/n) tensed. She watched the man approach her, freshly sharpened sword in hand. Her lips trembled. Never had she witnessed an execution of someone before who received this particular punishment. It rarely happened since it was saved only for the worst criminals. There had been those who were sentenced to it in her life, but her parents had given her the bliss of not witnessing it.
(F/n), as awful as it sounded, wished that she had. That way, maybe, she'd know that it wouldn't be so bad, that pain wouldn't last. Rather, her imagination went wild, and her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
Standing behind her, the executioner pushed her onto her knees. There was no way that she wouldn't die of blood loss first. She'd be dead before she hit the flames; she hoped for that so that she could be spared from some pain.
Before the grisly event proceeded any more, Kendra stepped forward. The executioner stopped. (F/n) looked at her sister. "Kendra, I ..."
"Stop." She let tears fall from her dark brown optics. Kendra knelt to her sister's level. Moving her lips close to (F/n)'s left ear, she whispered, "We did it."
Everything froze. While the others thought that Princess Kendra was simply confirming that she couldn't forgive her sister, the once heir to the throne, (F/n) knew the truth. A sob escaped her, and her world shattered. Why hadn't she seen it? How could someone she loved so dearly wish something so horrible onto her?
Once more, Kendra signaled to the executioner. Her vision grew hazy. She couldn't think, and she didn't even have time to grieve properly for her parents. Those she loved murdered for nothing but power.
Despite the heat around her, she felt cold. She didn't even register that she was being moved once more until her arms were rested on hot metal. Cries escaped her lips. It wasn't even over, but it hurt. Next were her legs.
Screams sounded next. Blood splattered. Pain pounded throughout her. It hurt so, so much. She couldn't register anything but the pain. Darkness greeted her before pain came back. How was she not dead yet? She'd bleed out in seconds, so why wasn't she dead. Her (e/c) eyes looked at the blade. It had been heated in a small fire next to them. (F/n) had noticed it earlier but had only thought it odd to be in such a hot place already. Now, she knew its purpose.
Her wounds were cauterized. And then, her eyes fell on her body. The first part was completed. Arms were gone; legs were gone. Eyes looked on with ranges of emotions, but she only recalled her sister's words. Her lips parted to speak, but she was lifted above the fire, and she gulped instead. Why couldn't she have died from the amputations?
Limbs were removed so that there was no chance of the criminal grabbing onto something. And, she knew that there was no chance. Everything hurt, but more pain awaited her. Before her lips parted again, she felt herself tossed before she began to fall. They turned away and walked out of the volcano.
No more could she look at the husk of what was left of her. Never did she dream of this happening to her. With her eyes closed, though, she missed a vital image, but she felt herself stop. Below her, she heard something heavy drop. Then, the scent of mixed berries touched her nose. A sigh escaped her lips, and she lost consciousness.
Up above, those who attended the attempted execution were gone. They left through the side opening in the volcano and made their way back towards the city. It was customary to leave right after the criminal was thrown into fire. Only death awaited them; there was no escape. No one felt the need to watch, and those who wanted to didn't want to seem odd.
It was quiet, except for the sound of the lava at the bottom. Then, another sound entered the space. A brown cloak covered the individual as he cradled the broken princess. A heavy frown graced his lips. As his feet touched the top of the path, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"They will get what they deserve, my queen," he whispered. He held her close and checked the outside before he ventured into it. Credel no longer could be a home to them. He needed to take her elsewhere, but she needed to be tended to quickly. So, they'd have to stay for some time in a hidden place in Credel, a place he had ready. No one would be looking for her; however, they might start to search for him. The stay would have to be fast, yet he'd need to remain as cautious as he could.
And even if she was believed to be dead, her face was recognizable. Thankfully, his only was known well to those in his trade and to those in the castle. That gave him some advantage. With swiftness, he went further into the wilderness, taking the path opposite of the others.