Chapter 2: Crime Upon Crime
I stilled. I know that voice. I had heard this voice many times, in my dreams, in my fantasies. In my daydream, it would always sound warm, coaxing, and intimate.
But it was all in my wildest fantasies as ice-cold reality slap me. What I would always get is this cold, emotionless tone and a barrage of insults coming at me. But still, I crave to hear his voice every day.
Those indifferent eyes that seem to want to freeze me death bore at me. My heart that always yearned his love and affection beat fiercely when I see his handsome face, "Dain. You've finally come!"
I wanted to crawl to him but the blade on my neck prevented me from doing so. I hissed in pain when it nicked my neck and blood well from the wound. "Dain please, forgive me. It was all my idea. My family does not know anything about my plan. It was all me, please, don't kill father and mother. Please, don't kill them. I will bear all the charges so please let them go."
I crawled and crawled, I didn't mind the pain of having my neck sliced inch by inch as I neared him, until I reached his spotless boots, I took hold of it and kissed the tips multiple times as a sign of my surrender and to beg for leniency for my parents.
Mud stained my lips but I didn't care if I could save my family from being killed I will every muddy boot in this plaza.
Dain looked at me from above, pure disdain in his striking face.
"Dain," a soft melodious voice was carried by the gust of wind. I whip my head and saw the woman I had hated the moment our eyes met on the Bellmore's grand hall.
Dain's eyes softened, gone was the earlier viciousness in his face. He raised his hand to receive the woman, to hold her hand intimately, "My Empress. Why have you come? This filthy thing is not for you to see, it would contaminate your pure soul."
I knew I'm the filthy thing that Dain talked about and shame colored my face. Of course, he will shield his beloved Empress from a black-hearted woman like me.
She is the woman who Dain cherishes the most, the woman he protected from me, from my devious schemes. I had hated her until my heart turned black but today there was no hate, there's only hope in my heart.
She had always been the good one, the angel in everyone's eyes. She would surely help me if I beg her. Even if it's shameless of me I will still beg her to save my parents.
"Elspeth! Elspeth, please. Mother and Father had nothing to do with the assassination. It was all me. Please, I beg you. You're the only one who could talk sense to Dain, he always listens to you. If you want me dead, I'll gladly kill myself. Just tell Dain to not involve my parents in this, please."
"Silence! Who are you to dare negotiate with the Empress? Kill yourself? Even your pathetic life isn't worthy of the mud on her boots." Dain roared, he kicked me in the face with the boot I had kissed.
I was disoriented for a short period of time, my head spinning and face aching the heavy blow. I collected myself and kneeled in front of them again.
The pride and haughtiness of the former Hestia Bellmore were gone. The only thing that is left is the burning need to protect those who are alive. She had to at least save her Father and Mother.
I want to bow and knock my head on the floor to show my sincerity but the blade on my neck pressed firmly and warm blood stained my dress.
"Dain, stop," Elspeth said and Dain did so, lowering his sword on his side, his chest heaving from so much restraint.
Under normal circumstances, I would have been insanely jealous of Elspeth's uniqueness in Dain's heart. But now I only wish for her to help me.
Elspeth came forward and stood beside Dain. The crown in her head gave her the right to stand toe to toe with him. I looked at both of them and thought they were truly a match made in heaven.
"Lady Bellmore, I know we have some things that we could not agree to, whether it was the principles we live by or the morality we choose to follow. With every clash of our thoughts, I had never wished for your death. We love the same man, and even if he had chosen you over me, I would still gladly respect the Emperor's choice with all my heart."
Hot tears fall from my face and I hung my head in remorse, "I'm aware now of my wrongdoings. I will never try to get between the two of you from now on, Your Highness. My only wish is for you to save my family."
"Lady Bellmore, your family being sentenced to death isn't only because of the assassination attempt on me. It has been found out that your family is planning to stage a coup d'état. This crime is enough to kill all your kinsmen. But the heart of the Emperor is truly benevolent, this crime was not made public for the sake of the Bellmore's significant aid in establishing the Emperor's Kingdom."
My whole body trembled as those words fell on my ears. Insurgency? No, it can't be my family has been supportive of the Emperor, The Bellmore dukedom had always been part of the Royal faction. We are the biggest backer of the Emperor. It was unthinkable for us to overthrow something our family wholeheartedly support.
"Dain, no Emperor, my family is not guilty of such crime. I can attest to that, Your Highness. Believe me, this is only a trick used by the noble faction to cut off one of your biggest supporters. I beg you to please properly investigate this matter, your Highness."
"Hah! Believe? Do you think I will believe the words of a criminal?" the Emperor said, looking down at me with unveiled disgust and hatred.
"Then I will use my life to attest my family's innocence in this matter but please let my parents go." I turned my body towards Elspeth and knock my head to the ground. "Spare my parents, I beg you, Empress."
Elspeth sigh deeply, "Lady Hestia, I can't help you on this even if I want to."
I knocked my head on the floor, again and again, to beseech her, "Then please beg the Emperor for me, Your Highness. That is all I wish before I live this plane."
"The Empress can't help you and I also can't help you," Dain said, his tone cold and indifferent.
Cold sweat run down from my back as their words penetrate my mind, I slowly unbend my body and looked at both of them. Dain still in his imposing physique and Elspeth with her eyes downcast.
"What do you mean?" I asked quietly. Please, please, please don't.
"Your parents are already dead. They drank poison on their own accord after confessing to the crimes of staging an insurgency."
White noise entered my ears, it felt like I was underwater and could not hear the things they were speaking about. Then denial set in, "No, no they are not dead. Father and Mother are not dead, you're lying to me. They are not dead!" I wailed, my heart cracking to bits and pieces.
"Lady Bellmore, your parents are gone, they had confessed and paid for their crimes. In return, they asked that you would be spared and through the benevolence of the Emperor, their last dying wish will be granted. A carriage had been readied, it will take you to the furthest nunnery of the kingdom. You will live there and repent for your crimes until death." Elspeth said, the look on her eyes somewhat complicated.
All the fire and hope in my heart slowly died. I felt my heart gradually hollowed out until nothing is left but an endless void. Father, Mother they are gone. They have left, they left me all alone in this cold, unfeeling place.
My brothers, not one of them remains. So what am I here for? I look up to Dain and was greeted by his feral eyes full of disgust and loathing.
An urge to laugh bitterly bubbled up inside of me. No one wants me here, I'm the devil that everybody wants to kill, I'm a monster in the eyes of my beloved so why stay if I'm not wanted?
Slowly as though my hand had its mind I grasped the sword on Dain's hand. Its blades digging on my palms, blood soon drip and drip but I can't feel the pain, it was like I was numb. I raised it until its tip is on my chest, right at the center of my heart.
Elspeth was alarmed, "Lady Bellmore, what are you doing?!" she wanted to move forward but her body was blocked by a hand.
Dain, the man he loved remained silent and studied me with apathy.
"Emperor, Empress, I deeply regret harming both of you. I'm sorry for getting between your love for each other. I was blinded by my greed and obsession. And now, it's too late, I had put my family in this tragedy and they are all gone."
"Thank you for your benevolence, your Highness but I don't want to go to the nunnery. I want to follow my family where ever they are right now and ask for their forgiveness. So please allow this lowly one's last request." I said to Dain, my mind hadn't been this clear for a long time. It felt like the black fogs had been lifted and the weight on my chest is gone.
When I looked at him this time my heart hadn't made any ripples. It disappeared, the deep feelings I cultivated for this man had bled out from my chest until nothing is left but emptiness.
Dane looked at her, his face devoid of any emotion and finally said, "As you wish."
The sword in his hand pierced my heart, inch by inch it dug to my chest. I wait for the pain to come but only numbness came forth. Why can't I feel any pain? Is this heaven's blessing or is it a curse?
A sound of a blade leaving a flesh could be heard. With a practiced flick, the blood on it was whisked and splashed to the wooden floor. A heavy thud followed its wake and a body of a twenty-five-year-old woman could be seen lying on the platform, her chest pierced and bleeding, eyes wide open
She lay under the somber sky until her last dying breath.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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