Chapter 8 - Facing Death (3)

Each step Claire took hastened the time of her peace, her death. Every time the chains around her hand made a sound, it reminded her of her pitiful state, an invisible bind surrounding her whole body.

Her eyes blurred, most of her strength had already left her body. The fact that her family had abandoned her made her stomach burn with weakness.

Looking on the ground to avoid the hateful gaze, she forced her feet to step forward, one step at a time to her death.

Rising her head, she sees each unknown face that will be the witness of her death, every face filled with malice and contempt that is stabbed into her heart, as if she's something that doesn't deserve to live.

Each whisper adds water to the fire inside her heart, diminishing every passion of her to escape from the destined death.

"So she's the traitor?"

"What an unkempt noble, no wonder she led the rebels."

"You have no shame!"

"Die rebels!"

Claire's lips trembled, she couldn't bring herself to refute those accusations. She knows whatever she says will not change the prince's decision.

In those eyes, she is the undisputed traitor of this kingdom.

'Rebel must die.'

The Duke's words resounded in her mind. Far before her debut, when she is still a young teenage girl, the Duke already said that to her.

'Ah … why would I remember my father's words at that time now.'

She stumbles upon several rocks as she walks to the gallows, she almost falls several times yet the guard has no care as he keeps tugging her chains forward.

"Kh–!?" Claire groaned.

'I don't even know what those rebels look like,' She thought while walking empty eyed.

'Even right now, I can't recall meeting any of these people, I barely know other nobles. How could they instantly believe that I'm a rebel?' 

She knows she is innocent, yet she couldn't even defend herself, the frustration is eating her away. Even with the abundance of wealth, she never held any party or gathering.

"You traitor!" one of the bystanders screamed as he threw a rock towards her.

The rock hit her shoulder, scratching her skin, Claire let out a small groan as the rock hit her. The wound made her bleed a little bit. Even as she was shocked, the guard kept tugging at her chains.

Yet, she only flinched a little from the pain, she is already numb to the physical and mental pain. All that she wanted is for everything to end. Another bystander threw a rock again, this time hitting her forehead, yet she didn't even flinch and kept walking as the fresh blood dyed her forehead red.

"It hurts …," she weakly mumbled, closing her eyes.

Claire's gaze shifted to the person who had just thrown the stone, a young man around her age. The young man stared at Claire with hatred, but when their eyes met, something strange happened.

She saw the sudden fear appear in the young man's eyes. His face turned pale and without any warning, he turned and ran away—leaving the people confused.

"Oi!? What's wrong with you!?" shouted one of the people who had fallen down after being hit by the young man while he ran. However, the young man didn't care and continued running as if he was being chased by something scary.

'....'

Claire could only look towards the running guy with an empty eye.

'What is he doing? What a weird person.' She tried thinking about the reason for the guy's panic but couldn't think of anything.

"Move!!!"

The knight beside Claire lashed out a whip right across her left cheek. Claire groaned, while the bystanders cheered and applauded.

'Ah… is this what prisoners who are about to be executed feel?'

"Move, traitor!"

The knight pulled the chain around Claire tightly. Claire forcefully moves her feet to follow them to the execution ground.

He then dragged Claire with the chain to climb onto the execution board, making Claire have to kneel in front of the executioner who was already ready with his axe.

More and more people gathered around the square, crowding around the execution board that had been prepared, her last place in this world. Their gazes were no longer only full of hatred, but also bloodlust. Seeing Claire who would soon die, it was like a circus show for them.

The executioner stood in front of Claire holding a large axe with his cold and heartless gaze, his expression telling that seeing blood and death is normal for him.

"The traitor of Etrill, Claire Waltz, will be publicly executed as the Crown Prince had commanded. May her sins be washed by her blood!" 

His voice was like a death sentence for Claire. However, she was too tired to feel fear. Only emptiness remains inside her.

Claire closed her eyes, trying to accept her cruel fate calmly.

Besides, she had sensed the presence of the Duke and Vincent. They were standing in a special place where nobles gathered according to their rank.

Vincent looked uneasy. He glanced at his father worriedly, trying to find a way to speak.

"Father, Claire is not guilty! She's not a traitor. She never even joined any political gathering!" Vincent pleaded towards his cold faced father. "How can she do all of these if she never even leaves the Duchy? We must find the real reason!" 

However, the Duke just shook his head. His gaze remained straight ahead, not interested in listening to his son's argument.

"The Crown Prince had spoken. He knows more than we ever do," He said, pausing with each word. "We must believe him, Vincent."

"But, Father–" He tried to reassure his father again.

"Enough! She's been guilty ever since she was born! We have no reason to not believe the Crown Prince, Vincent!"

The Duke's tone changed to a firm one, while Vincent, who heard the Duke's rebuke, could only grit his teeth. 

Something was odd about the Crown Prince's accusations against his younger sister, because he knew that for 17 years he had been with his younger sister, she would never do something like that.

'It is not possible for Claire to be the head of the rebels in Etrill, I doubt she even understands any politics, she never even joined any gathering.'

His lovely sister, well-groomed wavy white hair, beautiful ruby ​​red eyes, so innocent that he was reluctant to let people dirty him. 

He was convinced that Claire was innocent, but the Duke kept denying it. Around them, the nobles kept whispering, expressing various opinions about Claire and what was happening.

'Why are these bastards being so loud today?' Vincent thought.

It was unusual for aristocrats to be so noisy when an execution was taking place, especially a noble execution.

Vincent looked towards the royal family's special seat. The King was sitting watching the execution of an influential noble's son, while in the Crown Prince's seat…

'Where is the Crown Prince?'

He couldn't see any trace from the cold and arrogant prince.

"Weird, he is the one who sent the verdict onto her, where is he? The Crown Prince should be here to witness her death," Said one of the nobles behind Vincent.

"Who knows what the Crown Prince is thinking, whatever he does, it would be for the future of Etrill" Another noble answered.

Meanwhile, Claire was dragged by chains to climb onto the execution board, making her kneel before the executioner who was already ready with his axe. The sound of crows could be heard clearly around the execution spot, the lifeless gaze from the crows she now felt.

However, the moment she knelt down, the atmosphere became silent. Claire lifted her face, looking around her.

"W– what–"

Her body suddenly froze. The people no longer looked like humans, but more like indistinct shadows. As if cheering for their deaths, the place instantly turned into a sea of ​​blood flowing between their feet.

'A–Am I dead already? Hallucination?' Claire thought, her heartbeat slowly getting faster and faster.

Claire's eyes widened as she watched the sea of ​​blood that was expanding. All the colors of life slowly changed to be replaced by bright red, as if the world was being filled with a sea of ​​blood, every living being crushed into a mush of blood.

Claire didn't know if it was real or just a delusion caused by her fear, but she felt something strange inside her—something strong and dark.

[Shhh ... my queen, you are not alone.]

Deg.

Her heart stopped, her whole body froze, her vision spinning.

Claire immediately looked up to see the sky which had also turned blood red. One thing that caught her attention the most was the large red full moon right above her head.

'A sound?!'

"What are you looking at, bow in front of the king, traitor!"

The executioner immediately covered Claire's head with a black cloth. At that moment, the crows' sounds became louder and noisier. The situation felt very tense. 

Was the Crown Prince's choice right?

"Need some help, traitors?"