Chapter 12: “Death Penalty”
Eleanora’s pov ~
I knew what was coming next, Cathain didn’t even need to say it.
It was all because of Rena. Her false testimony was the final hit.
It was my mistake in loving them; Cathain, Rena, this empire, this people.
I had given everything to them and it had turned to poison against me.
Was this always my destiny?
Was I fated to live and die as only a means to help the empire?
.....
They had their mighty leader now, their loving empress and a empire that became successful off my own hard work and dedication.
There was no room for me in the picture anymore.
I wasn’t needed anymore.
“I think the evidence here has weighed in an obvious result. Do you have anything to say in your defence, Eleanora?”
Cathain asked.
I cleared my mind and took a deep breath to calm myself.
There was no point in trying to dispute the allegations anymore, there was nothing I could do or say that would change their minds.
Maria was shaking her head and i knew what she was telling me to do.
If i escape using all my magic powers or choose to fight them, i can win.
But this will only prove me guilty, i will become a run away prisoner, who escaped her death penalty.
A true knight will never run away from the battlefield even if she have to die.
I won’t bow for mercy. I haven’t done anything wrong! I can’t run away. I will face my fate.
“I sincerely hope that Goddess smites you all for the murder of an innocent you are about to carry out.”
I said bitterly and there was no emotion in my face.
“There is nothing I can do anymore to prove myself not guilty against the pile stacks of false evidence you have brought forward, but deep down... I hope you all suffer.
When I am gone and you are alone, I hope I haunt you. I hope my face is what you see when you finally meet your demise. My only mistake was ever loving anyone.”
There was silence. No one spoke, no one moved.
I don’t think anyone had expected me to say something so intense.
They had probably assumed I was going to cry and beg for forgiveness from Jena like Rena had.
I refused to bow to that bitch though.
Take my head, but you’d have to cut my legs off before I’d ever be seen kneeling to her.
I turned to look at her and to my surprise, she looked straight back at me amused, a smirk on her face.
She looked at me as if she knew all along this would be the outcome. She looked at me as her true self for the first time.
I realised then that she had planned all of this from the start.
My miscarriages, living in that abandoned palace, isolation, Cathain, Rena, My dad... who knows what else.
She had pretended to be clueless so no one suspected her.
With a disgusting realisation, I wondered if she’d even killed her own unborn baby for the sake of my empress position.
Or was she never pregnant to start with his child? I prayed it was the latter.
The emperor cleared his throat bringing everyone’s attention back to him.
“Very well. Now, all who find Eleanora Dalton guilty of the murder of the empires heir, and for the intended harm to the queen, please stand up.”
It looked unanimous. I watched in horror as one after the other they all stood, their faces bearing down on me.
I checked the rows of members and my eyes caught someone who were staring at me intently.
The same crimson red hair, with black eyes.
He is no other then the Duke of south, who seldom came out. Alberto Dion Richardo.
Along with him, Marquis Roselia and Duke Heartz...They was also seated.
“Duke Heartz, Duke Richardo, Marquis Roselia?”
Cathain called their name, pointing out they was the only person not standing.
They looked indifferent, uncaring as to whether they was singled out or not.
“I don’t believe she did it. It seems like a possible frame job to me and most of the evidence was circumstantial at best,”
Marquis Roselia said, his voice unwavering and confident as always... Duke Heartz nodded in agreement with him.
“The former empress is right. I don’t wish to see her face haunt me by convicting her to this death. You might all be complacent but I will not sell my soul for the sake of popularity.”
Duke Richardo spoke with a grim face.
Cedrick Raven was also sitting at the first but under the duke Raven’s gaze, he stood up weakly from his seat without saying anything and kept staring at me guiltily.
Whispers of shocked remarks scattered through the crowd as everyone couldn’t believe someone didn’t find me guilty.
Cathain seemed angry that someone had d against the majority, though he tried to hide it well.
His voice tight as he proceed to speak,
“We hold the majority here to proceed. Please bring me the sword.”
He indicated to a random attendant to the side and they quickly began to unbox the sword.
The sword was mostly ornate and sharp as it was used on countless battlefields, which bought us victory over and over again.
The hilt comprised of several blue and white jewels and gold carvings made that sword look extraordinary beautiful and eye catching... but it also had countless people’s blood on it.
This is the sword i used to win countless battles as well the thirteen birthday gift from my father.
‘You are really cruel!’
He is going to kill me using my own sword! The sword that has my name engraved on it is going to kill it’s own master.
Now my sword would be blooded by my own blood.
Cathain grabbed my sword tightly and inspected it to ensure it was still sharp. The edge gleamed towards me as if begging to come closer, to greet it.
When he was satisfied with its condition he turned to me, his eyes as sharp as the sword.
This was it. This was the end. Everything had been for nothing.
What a bitter, sad life I had led. So empty, so lonely.
“You have been found guilty of the charges against you. The murder of the empire heir and harm to the queen.”
Cathain started.
“Therefore, with the power held within me, I, emperor of the Valentino empire, sentence you, Eleanora Dalton, former empress of the Valentino empire, to death.
Your sentence is to be carried out immediately.”
I didn’t want to be scared but I was.
As every step closer he took to me, the more I wanted to run.
So, he was really anxious to kill me immediately.
I wanted it more than anything. Why had I waited so long before trying to escape?
This man had been my death sentence long before now but I had been too blind to see it.
With shaky legs, I knelt before the wooden stump, where Maria was still grabbing my leg, telling me to run away.
Then a knight grabbed her and made her knelt beside me.
“Am sorry, Maria. You are going to die because of me.”
“N..No..My..Lady_” She couldn’t talk anymore as the knight beside her had already swinged his sword on her neck.
Her neck fall of infront of me as her open eyes and mouth kept staring at me.
.....
Looking at her, i got more courage.
Even if i survive, how will i live? Can i live despite knowing that the thousands years glory of our duchy was destroyed because of me?
Everyone in the duchy died and my father in prison because of me?
Can i give my child a good life as a murderer former empress?
The answer is clear... No, i can’t.
I didn’t need to be pushed or shoved, I willingly placed my head on the block and closed my eyes, waiting.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe, tears beginning to fall down my cheeks. Then i felt terrible stomach ache.
The baby in my belly had started to kick me hard.
Maybe it has sensed that his own father was going to kill us.
How naive I’d been.
I had built myself to be one of the smartest people in the empire, but in the end it seemed I was actually the densest.
I won every battle where i lost the main battle of my life. I protected this empire, but i failed to save myself and my babies, my dad, Maria, our duchy.
As I felt Cathain stood infront of me... I turned my body upside to face the celling instead of kneeling down and opened my eyes to look at him.
His red eyes had mixed feelings that i couldn’t understand and i don’t even want to understand them anymore.
I opened my mouth to speak as he raised his hands to behead me.
“I hate you, Cain. I will never forgive you for killing me and my child.”
Hearing my last words, his eyes widened in shock but it was too late to stop his hands.
I felt the air shift, the faintest sound of the sword swinging...
...and then there was darkness.