Episode 9

Persephone

My hands were tied up to a large log which had two other logs holding it down to the ground at both side. Below me was the Everlasting flames. Just as its name implied,the fire never died down. That was not the only unique thing about the fire. Rather than the usual multicoloured flame,this one had a green flame.

Sweat trickled down from my forehead as perspiration took place. My vision blurred as I lifted my eyes from the beautiful fire and I noticed the crowd had grown even bigger that it was a few seconds ago. It seemed like all of Avalor was here to watch while I burned away. I was indeed honoured.

Amidst the crowd,I sighted Sir Thoth. Adrienne was not here with him...but I sighted Lady Agatha,his wife,who smirked at me.

I looked at Sir Thoth once again whose eyes had a sad look on them.

I arced a brow. He simply closed his eyes and nodded and relief washed over me. Eos was alright. If the flames below me would not take my life,I would like to see him. I missed him.

"For fleeing punishment..."

I looked up to see a woman in a black sickly gown and a black scarf on her head,holding a staff that had a few charms on it. She wore a necklace... a rope rather that had a skull on it. Her eyes were dark and harsh.

"...your punishment shall be increased. Strip her this very instant!" She shouted and a gasp escaped my lips. I knew I would surely die but I did not want a shameful one.

In a twinkle of an eyes,the woolen cloth Sir Thoth had given me for cover was ripped of my body from my back side. I jerked from where I hung. I would rather fall than have my clothes stripped.

The pain in my leg intensified as I had been ignoring it for a while now. The poison was spreading as aside from the nausea,I was feverish. That was still the least of my worries as my already shredded gown was peeled off my skin and it dropped into the flames that wasted no time in wiping out its existence.

I raised my gaze. They were all staring at me. Even the women. They just stared while I was being stripped. If someone had been in my place,I would have at least tried to stop it.

I could not see Sir Thoth anywhere. Perhaps he could not watch it.

The back of my corset was shredded and it came off,leaving me stark naked. Nausea set in again,making my vision blurry this time.

Perhaps, the poison would reach my heart before I would be casted into the flames. That way I would feel less guilt of not being able to fulfil my promise to my child.

I raised my eyes and I could not see anything clearly. My consciousness was slipping and it made me a bit relieved. I closed my eyes and I saw Eos crying. I could not bear the sadness in his eyes. I wanted to hug him one more time. Just once but that could not be attained.

I felt a small jerk in my stomach and I winced.

"I could not keep my promise child. I know I should not be but I am slightly relieved knowing that you will not have to face what I have. Or be called the child of a slut. Goodbye little one." I said to myself as a teardrop escaped my closed eyelids.

I opened my eyes one last time to see the hate of the people before my world went black.

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Teris

I forced the last piece of meat into my mouth as I did not have the appetite to eat. I refused to raise my gaze from my empty plate for I knew they were watching me. By they,I mean...Queen mother, the King,my father, Queen Elpida,my brother and the twenty royal consorts. These were times I missed Layna. She was much of a talker and she brought life to this dead castle.

The door to the dinning hall suddenly swung open and a man came running in. The guards followed and caught him before he reached the banquet.

"Please Sire,I request your audience Sire. It is a matter of someone's life Sire." He cried and I could swear I had never seen such pain in someone before.

"Leave him." I said and the two guards who held his arms let him go. In a jiffy,he rushed to my feet and touched it. I moved backwards as I did not find it right for a man that seemed older than my father to touch my feet.

"Sire...I do not know how to say this in the appropriate manner but Sire...they are about to execute her. Persey...she has never told a lie and if she says you took advantage of her then it is true."

He looked up and met my gaze. His words were rushed and very confusing and I found it very hard to comprehend what he was saying. Persey who?

"What nonsense!" Queen mother shouted and I raised my hand,gesturing her to keep quiet. Silence ensued afterwards and I looked down at the older man in confusion.

"I do not understand your words." I said softly. "What?" He asked and I began wondering if he could not hear properly or he was being disrespectful. "I did not hear you Sire. I have a problem with hearing. Could you speak a little louder please?" He begged. Hearing problem it was then.

"I do not understand your words." I said aloud. He frowned then his face lit up again.

"Persey...emm...not very tall...delicate features... golden eyes...walks about with a scarf..." Recognition hit me and guilt gnawed at me. The very eyes that haunted me everyday. I could see her almost everywhere with hate for me in her eyes.

I knelt in front of him and placed right hand on his shoulder. "What happened to her?"I asked softly but still audible.

" She is with child Sire."he said and I felt I did not hear correctly. "With child you said?" I repeated and the man nodded. I heard whispers from the consorts and I grew irritated instantly.

"Silence!" My voice boomed across the hall and none of them dared to utter another word.

"Sire...the keepers...they do not understand. They think she had an affair and they are about to end her life..." He paused and laid down on the floor before me.

"I am not her father Sire but she is a precious child to me. Persey never lies. If she says it is you,then it is you. She has never behaved characterless. Even now in the face of death,she did not reveal that it was your child when she was asked. Surely that is enough proof. All this old man asks is that you save that girl that is about to die for your misdeeds." Misdeeds. His words hit me hard.

"Such insolence! You must have a death wish for..."

"He is not wrong mother."I said and with that she gasped.

I brought the man to his feet with his shoulders. " Come. Show me."I said very audibly.

"Sire. I do not consent to this." Queen Elpida said behind me. I frowned and turned to face her.

"What rubbish did you just spit out? Are the ears on your head just for show? Did you not hear any of that?" I asked already fuming.

"Sire,you have a reputation to maintain and as your Queen, I have to help you maintain it. Taking advantage of a maiden will not do good to your image. It will arouse bad talks and I assure you it will not end well. Leave it Sire. Let fate decide."

Her words angered me and it was all I could do to walk over there and strangle her. I maintained my poise although my anger was not entirely hidden.

"Fate already decided. I see you care so much for me so yes. Prepare her chambers. I am bringing the mother of my child home. " I said and something flashed in her eyes. Something I could not care less about.

"Queen Elpida is right. Do not go there." I heard father say. I chose to ignore his comments for if I did not,I would spend the whole day talking to him about his mistresses.

"Get the horses!" I shouted and the guards scrammed out. "Come." I said to the old man and he smiled.

I had my entourage follow me in case I encountered a problem. The old man was on a horse like myself and by the looks of how he handled the horse,the was a noble. Not a high one though. His clothes and the way he spoke said so.

We reached the outskirts of the village in no time considering the speed at with we rode. I did not fail to notice that not a single soul was on the streets while I rode. Whenever the Keeper's will was taking place,the villagers would normally be present at it. It was said to be a control measure. If they saw what was happening to the offender,they would surely not repeat the same mistake.

Offender...So Persephone was her name. It was strange. I had heard names like Halkyone, Gorgophone...which were given to men--faeries in my bed time stories that wrecked havoc on the lands but, Persephone? It was a cruel name to give a child but nonetheless... there was a certain beauty I found in it. Per-se-phone.

I could see a huge crowd some distance away as we rode and there she was in the center of it all,hanging from a log of wood,unclad. Anger surged and I whipped my horse harder and it doubled its pace.

"Cut the ropes!" Someone shouted and a man went behind her unmoving body and directed an axe at the rope.

"Stop!" I shouted but I was late as the axe landed on the rope, tearing it into two and releasing her from the cruel hold of the log.

I grabbed the rope I always had around the saddle,twirled it in the air as I rode towards the well of flames. I threw it towards her falling body and it captured her hands. I tugged on it to ensure it was firm.

"Pull her out!" I shouted at the Knights behind me and they moved forward with their horses,taking hold of the rope in my hand. It did not take much effort to pull her out and when she came up slowly,I unmounted my horse,grabbed a cloth from a villager's hold and ran up to her. Orien attempted to untied the rope from her hands before I shouted, "No. Leave her." I said and Orien moved out of the way.

I wrapped the cloth around her and scooped her unmoving body into my arms. She appeared to have passed out. She was burning up also. Perhaps a fever of some sort.

"Your Majesty,leave her be. Our will must be fulfilled. She has committed an unforgivable crime." I looked up to see the head keeper glaring at me angrily and clutching her staff more tightly. Then whispering started from the people. The one thing I disliked was side talks in my presence.

"Silence!" I barked and they became silent. My glare moved to the head keeper who likewise held her glare.

"The only one committing the mistake is you and if you go any further with this, you will incur my wrath." I said angrily. I did know about the Keeper's will but striping a woman naked in front of no less than a thousand villagers was not in the books. Regardless of what she has done,a woman is a woman and should not be reduced to anything less than what she is.

"Why do you take her side Sire? You do not know what she has done. She has had an affair and gotten herself pregnant with a bastard..."

"Silence. No child of mine will be called a bastard!" I said too quickly to think it through and by the time I realized,the whole village was asking questions.

"Child of yours Sire?" The head Keeper asked baffled. I did not know what to say. Telling the truth would cost my throne and my self respect would be gone. Plus,I wanted... I really wanted to have a child to call mine. I did not want my child to be ashamed of me either. I looked away from her and at Orien who always had a solution to everything.

His eyes were blank at first and then I saw the look I had hoped for. His eyes lit up very quickly.

"She is His Majesty's consort. She was the dowager queen's choice. It was not official for peasants could not be consorts but the queen chose her. So yes. She is with his Majesty's child." Orien lied with the most serious look I had ever seen on his face. How he was able to come up with such thoughts within seconds was remarkable. I only hoped they bought it.

One gaze at their faces and I was convinced they bought it. The head keeper fell to her knees instantly. "Forgive me Sire. I almost killed your heir. Punish me Sire. Punish me." She pleaded but her right hand still remained clutched her staff tightly. The hard look in her eyes contradicted her words. I gave Orien a wary look and looked at her. Orien understood and nodded. I gave her a curt nod and watched her fake me a smile. I stood slowly holding Persephone carefully and I turned my back my right to leave.

"The Keeper's will must be done!" She screamed somewhere behind me,causing me to snap my head to the right as she headed towards us with the sharp edge of the staff aiming at Persephone. For some reason,I feared for Persephone's life. Perhaps it was my child's life I was worried for.

Before she buried the staff into Persephone's tightly covered head,Orien stopped her by burying his sword into her chest. There were screams and gasps from the crowd as the head Keeper fell went still. Her listless eyes staring at me.

I walked away from her and craddled Persephone tighter to my chest. "I'm here now." I whispered.

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