When the sun started to rise, I was finally untied from the chair. My arms and legs were asleep, and I was in a lot of pain.
The maids dragged me out of the room. I wasn’t given even a single sip of water and I was still wearing the well-worn servant’s clothes. My hair was in a mess and my face and hands were dirty.
Would I be given time to comb my hair and make myself presentable?
… No.
I was immediately taken to the central hall of this castle. This was the place where I first met the former emperor, the dowager empress, and Lucretius. This was also the place where I danced with Lucretius at the ball for the first time.
I never imagined I would be dragged back here as a prison to be executed.
The dowager empress was sitting on the throne confidently. Beside her were Marquis Galisia and her brother Marquis Toruka.
I didn’t see Princess Liliana anywhere. I heard she hurt herself yesterday. Was she hurt badly? I remembered her pale face from yesterday as the dowager empress forced the royal seal on her finger.
In front of the dowager empress were a man in a black mask and a wooden block.
It was a simple block with a faint red tinge. I assumed it was from the blood of past prisoners after they were executed. It had a small dimple where the neck was supposed to be placed. I even saw some marks made from an ax on the block.
It was a chilling sight.
The large man was holding a huge ax. The scary thing was that the cutting edge of the ax looked dull and cracked.
Blinding fear gripped me.
Cransia was in financial trouble, but I was sure we could afford a new ax.
‘Did she pick that ax on purpose?’
I remembered reading a history book when I was still in Korea. It would have been better if I didn’t remember it, but it was too late.
An experienced executioner with a sharp ax or sword could carry out the execution painlessly in a single swing. However, if an amateur executioner did it, or he used a dull weapon, it could take multiple swings to kill the prisoner. Often times, the family of the prisoner bribed the executioner for a swift death.
Seeing the dull and broken ax, I realized what the dowager empress ordered for me.
The servants handed me to the knights, who dragged me to the block.
I looked around to find a familiar face.
I didn’t see Lucretius anywhere.
The dowager empress watched me with a triumphant smile. She looked truly happy. I was able to keep calm until now, but as I saw the scene in front of me, I couldn’t anymore.
Logically, I knew if Lucretius came here, we would both die. If he didn’t come, it would be just me. I knew it would be better for it to be only me and not both of us.
But… I didn’t want to die!
Let go of me!
No matter how loudly I screamed, nothing changed. I tried to escape from their grasps, but the knights held me tight.
I could see that my death would be prolonged and painful.
The knights threw me onto the block and pushed my shoulders down. My chin hit the block hard, causing my eyes to become blurry.
When my eyes went back to normal, I was already positioned on the block and the executioner was standing near me.
N, no!
I tried to get away again, but it was useless. Two big men held me down as Marquis Toruka announced loudly.
The first wife of the emperor, Sa Bina le Cransia has committed treason against this kingdom. She murdered the former emperor Lucretius and attempted to take over the throne. Her sentence is execution by an ax!
The dowager empress looked around the room as if she was waiting for something. She was clearly looking for Lucretius.
Time passed and silence remained.
She turned toward me and laughed at me.
Do it!
I tried to twist my neck, so I could see. The executioner raised his dull broken ax, and I knew I wasn’t going to die in one swing.
I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want my life to be over like this in this strange world. I wanted to go home!
No, no that wasn’t it.
I didn’t want to go home. The only thing I could think of was one person.
I closed my eyes tight and thought of his name.
‘Luc!’
Stop.
A familiar voice rang throughout the hall. It felt like a stone being thrown in the middle of a calm lake. People started to murmur in shock.
I raised my head.
The man I missed the most was standing in the crowd.
‘Luc!’
The sun was still rising as it was very early in the morning.
The light shined on him, who was standing with his shoulders shaking painfully.
He was disguised as one of the knights. His outfit covered his whole body and face. Therefore he was not recognizable.
He took off his helmet and I couldn’t breathe. The face I most wanted to see in my last moment of life was right there.
His golden hair gleamed, and his green eyes stared at me. My eyes filled with tears and I started to cry silently.
Everyone around us remained motionless and quiet. They were in such a shock that they couldn’t move at all.
I felt the men holding me loosen their arms in surprise. My shoulders were no longer being pushed down hard, so I used all my strength to get free.
Then I called out his name and ran to him
Luc!
He had his arms open for me, so I jumped into his embrace.
Luc…
Hello, Bina.
He kept his promise he made before he left. It had been three days, and he really was back with me here.
His voice filled my ears. It was beautiful.
Luc.
I kept calling out his name. I feared if I didn’t keep calling him, he would disappear from my arms like a bubble.
Thankfully, he didn’t vanish, and he answered patiently.
Yes, Bina.
Luc…
Yes, I’m here.
Luc!
I won’t disappear, so don’t worry.
Lu… c…
As I cried out his name over and over again, he hugged me tighter and replied,
My Bina.
His warmth and scent were comforting.
I cried out loud angrily,
Why did you come?!
I promised, didn’t I? I said I would return to you.
He did and he kept his promise despite the immense danger he would face.
He held my face and smiled at me as I cried. He then kissed me.
A desperate breathless kiss…
I forgot where I was and kissed him back passionately. I wanted to feel him and only him. I kissed him as if it was my last kiss.
