Chapter 51: For revenge
The foul smell had permeated everywhere in the depths of the cellar. This was the infamous palace dungeon. Numerous horror stories revolved around this dungeon. It was quite dark because of the absence of light, and the black walls made the interior even darker. A fire burned on a round pedestal hanging on the wall, futilely attempting to illuminate the surroundings, but it was unsuccessful. Ethan descended the stairs of the dungeon amid echoing footsteps. As he descended, the sounds of agonizing moans grew louder. The people in this dungeon were usually those who had committed major crimes. Therefore, Ethan continued down, disregarding the sounds. Finally, he reached the lowest floor where Cedric was holding. When he looked at Cedric from outside, he saw that there was nothing left of his former self. There was a weakened and debilitated Cedric. The person in front of him bore no resemblance to a king of a country; he resembled nothing more than a beggar.
Ethan asked the guard beside him to open the door, and the guard quickly pulled out the key and opened the door. Hearing the sounds, Cedric lifted his head to look at the approaching person. As Ethan approached Cedric, he noticed the scars on his body. Most likely, he had been tortured for months, and precautions had been taken to ensure he did not die from these tortures. But torturing someone for months without killing them had become a worse punishment than killing. Cedric's mental health was not good at all. Therefore, he desperately kissed Ethan's boots, thinking that the person coming would hurt him again.
"Please, my lord, I have told you everything I know. I even told you the location where I secretly hid a large amount of gold. Please, put an end to my suffering. Please, my lord, kill me," Cedric said as Ethan's boots lay beside him.
Ethan was pierced by the sight in front of him. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him if he ever fell into such a place. This man, who once slept in a bed filled with gold, had now turned into someone begging for death. "Lift him up and follow me," Ethan said to the guards beside him.
The guards removed Cedric's chains and lifted him by his arms. "Your wish will be granted, Cedric. You will finally find peace," Ethan said, turned around, and headed towards the stairs he had come down from. The only sound heard as they ascended the stairs were the painful cries of the tortured criminals.
When they finally emerged from the dark dungeon, they couldn't open their eyes for a while because of the sunlight. After getting used to the light, Ethan boarded the prepared carriage and set off towards the palace. The execution would take place in the square in front of the palace, and the crowd had already gathered there. They arrived at the square a few minutes later. The number of people gathered there was quite large, and the noise they made was quite loud.
"Death to the enemies! Death to Cedric!"
These voices echoed all over the square. Ethan climbed onto a high platform and addressed the crowd: "Dear people, today justice will be served. Cedric is a criminal who has caused great harm to our country, and he is ready to face his punishment. But remember, justice must exist not only in this world but also in the afterlife."
The crowd listened carefully to Ethan's words. Ethan continued, "Today, we celebrate not only the punishment of a criminal but also the triumph of justice. Cedric's punishment is an expression of our debt to our people." Ethan's words didn't need to have any meaning. Even if a duck had spoken to rally the crowd, the crowd would have still been excited in such a situation.
As a woman wearing a black cloak covering her entire body approached Cedric, the entire crowd fell silent, and only the gentle breeze could be heard. The woman drew the shiny sword at her waist and leaned towards Cedric's ear. "You were wrong, father. There is always room for revenge in life, and I will take my mother's revenge," Cedric trembled with astonishment at these words. He knew that Luna bore a grudge against him, but he had never taken it seriously.
As a child, Luna had told Cedric many times that she would kill him and avenge her mother, but Cedric had mocked the situation. After all, who could kill the mighty King Cedric? And would it be a weak little girl who would kill the mighty King Cedric? This had been a situation that had amused Cedric with laughter, but now, as he looked into the eyes of the girl in front of him, he understood everything. Luna had never joked, and her revenge had never been a joke. She was serious about this oath, and she had finally achieved what she wanted.
After a few seconds of silence, Luna pulled the sword from her waist and raised it into the air. As the sunlight hit the sword, it shone brightly and with a speed invisible to the naked eye; the sword came down on Cedric's head. Cedric's head fell to the ground and blood began to gush from his headless neck. The blood was so thick that Luna's dress changed color. After a few seconds of silence, the crowd started shouting again.
"Long live King Richard! Long live Prince Ethan! Long live the Great Asina Kingdom!"
Luna's revenge had been ruthless and definitive. With Cedric's headless body lying on the ground bathed in blood, Luna calmly shook her sword and descended to the ground before boarding the carriage. Ethan followed her, boarding the carriage as he observed Luna still hadn't removed her mask and cloak. Once inside, he closed the door. As the carriage began to move and the noise of the crowd subsided, Ethan heard Luna sobbing.
Quickly seating himself beside Luna, Ethan removed her mask. At that moment, he saw Luna's tear-streaked face, her hair disheveled. "Hey, it's okay. It's over," Ethan reassured Luna, wiping away her tears. Luna embraced Ethan, burying her face in his neck. "Ethan! I did it... Mom. now you can rest peacefully, Mother" she said, tears streaming down Ethan's shoulder.
Ethan shared Luna's pain, trying to console her. Luna's tears indicated a burden lifted with Cedric's death. Ethan held Luna tightly, offering her support and trying to assure her of his presence. As the carriage moved away from the square, Ethan and Luna sat silently, holding each other tightly, feeling that words were unnecessary; what they felt was too deep and complex to be expressed in words.
Their return to the palace was quiet and peaceful. Luna's pain would lessen over time, replaced by peace. With a warm smile, Ethan looked at Luna, knowing he would always be there to support her and make her feel safe. As they passed through the palace walls, Luna's face bore a slightly lighter smile, her sadness alleviated. Ethan was happy to be with her, determined to do everything in his power to ease her pain.