"It's time," Kira said to Ellena when she came to her cell, following some knights that were ordered by the court to take Ellena for her punishment.
"Time?" Ellena's face beamed. Her face and limbs looked bony because she had lost a lot of weight in the past year. All her beauty was gone and if people didn't know who she was, they would not believe that she was a noblewoman. Her voice croaked. She couldn't hide her happiness. "Is it really time?"
Kira scoffed and nodded. "Yeah. Get out!"
"What month is this?" Ellena took her scarf from the floor and wrapped it around her back. She noticed the knights wore extra coats which meant the temperature outside must be really low. "Is it cold outside?"
Her cell was located on the basement floor of a stone building. It had always been cold all year long. So, she didn't know how was the temperature outside, unless she saw the outfit worn by the prison guards who came to deliver food every day for her.
If their outfit was thin and light, she concluded it was summer because it was quite hot outside, and if they wore extra layers like today, it meant the world outside this prison was cold.
"What do you think?" Kira raised an eyebrow.
Ellena bit her lip. "Can I get a coat? This scarf is barely enough to tackle the wind…"
"No," Kira replied coldly. "It's up to you though. I have convinced the king to change your punishment from rotting here in jail for the rest of your life into forty years of forced labor in the countryside. I told him keeping you here only wastes the state's resources and he agreed with me."
She narrowed her eyes dangerously and continued her words. "If you prefer this cold cell for the rest of your life, I will go now and tell the king that it is easier to just keep you here."
Ellena's body instantly shrank and she shook her head vigorously. The thought of staying in this terrible and cold cell another day frightened her so much that she no longer cared about the cold.
She didn't know where she got the strength, but suddenly she could walk briskly out of the cell and wait for Kira outside.
"I-I am ready…" She said with trembling lips. She knew she was a resilient woman and had strong willpower. She had survived prison for one year because she wanted to get her revenge. She wanted to make her father pay for abandoning her when she needed him the most.
While the king was away for a year, Duke Preston should have been able to bribe some people to let Ellena go, but he didn't. In fact, he decided to wash his hands off of her and left her to rot in prison, by herself.
Actually, when it came to revenge, Ellena also wanted to get her revenge against Emmelyn and Mars. However, she realized in her condition now, it was close to impossible to do anything to hurt the couple. They were now the most powerful people in this kingdom.
Ellena would never be able to do anything to them because they were surrounded by so many knights and king's guards, and the security measure around the monarchs must be really strict.
Heck, she couldn't even dream of doing something to their child, that ugly little daughter of theirs.
Ellena knew how to pick her battle. If working together with this pirate princess could get her freedom and the opportunity to hurt her father and his wife… Ellena would take it.
Once she was free and started a new life, far away from Draec, she would think about what to do. If she could someday get the opportunity to come back to Draec for revenge, she might take that opportunity. However, it was low in her priority.
"Good," Kira smiled faintly. "Follow me."
The four knights who were sent by the court to pick up Ellena and bring her to the town center knew that they had to listen to Kira. So, they let her lead the way.
When they arrived outside the prison building, Ellena bore the cold wind and the bone-chilling temperature with only her thin dress and scarf. She bit her lip so hard that blood trickled from it.
Dammit. From the scenery around her, Ellena could tell that this was already the end of autumn. Perhaps, they would soon enter winter and snow would fall. No wonder the temperature was really low.
She gritted her teeth when she realized that she had been locked up for a year. It's been such a long time and it had felt like forever, but she didn't really know how long it had been, until she was let out today.
The hatred she felt for her father filled her chest to the brim.
Just you wait… she whispered to herself. For what you did to me, you will pay back tenfold.
I hate you, father.
I hate you so much.
"Get on this wagon!" Kira ordered Ellena. She tilted her chin toward a small wagon, parked in front of the building. "We will parade you to the town center so everyone can know your crime. This will serve as a warning to other people who might be stupid enough to go against the crown."
Ellena thought her tears were already dry and she couldn't shed anymore after she cried so much in the first months of her incarceration. However, now, seeing the open wagon and hearing Kira's order, she couldn't help but cry despondently.
She knew what it meant to be paraded to the public as punishment for her crimes. Even though Kira promised that Ellena would be 'kidnapped' by her men and then set free, still, Ellena had to go through the first punishment, which was being paraded publicly.
It was the worst punishment the crown could give to someone from the noble families because they would be embarrassed beyond measure, and the peasants who watch the processions would take that as an opportunity to insult and harass the noblemen without consequence.
Ellena once witnessed how a viscount who was accused of cheating the crown from tax was given this punishment many years ago. People insulted him with many disgusting names, they kicked him, punched him, and threw dirt and feces on him.
She could imagine, once she got on that wagon and went to the town center… those smelly dirty peasants would be so happy to torture her.
Ellena had never felt so defeated in her life.
Before all this happened, she was a beautiful, wealthy, and respectable lady. She was even best friends with the crown prince and two of the most famous generals in Draec. Her life was so good, and many women envied her position.
However, look at her now. She was so pitiful. Gone was all the beauty she had, also the friendship she had built for two decades with Mars, Gewen, and Edgar.
Back then, she was not acknowledged as Duke Preston's legitimate daughter, but she enjoyed a life of luxury just like any other ladies from noble families.
She was educated, well dressed, and well-spoken. She had so much stored in life for her.
Now, she had nothing. No family, no friends, and nothing to her name.
Ellena cupped her face with both hands and wailed. She would have still had all of those if only she didn't follow her greed to have the crown prince to herself.
When she returned from Thessalis' home and found out Mars' curse had been broken and he even already married another woman, Ellena should have known her place and stepped back.
She should have let Mars be happy with the woman of his choice because, obviously, he was in love with that woman.
Later on, Ellena also found out that they were going to have a baby. It showed that she really had no place in his life. She should have found her happiness somewhere else.
Now, she regretted all the bad choices she made in the past. Even if she and Mars could not continue their friendship because she loved him and it would be so painful to see him happy with another woman, Ellena should have stayed away and didn't bother them.
But no… she was too greedy and she followed her impulse. She had become so wicked, just like Thessalis Morelli, the witch she hated so much.
Ellena couldn't even recognize herself anymore. She had done unthinkable crimes. She even tried to kill Queen Elara who had been so kind to her, just to frame Emmelyn.
Her hatred for Emmelyn Rosehill had blinded her and hurt people she actually loved.
She didn't deserve Mars Strongmoor. What kind of woman could say she loved a man if she hurt his mother?
If only Ellena didn't make all the wrong choices… she would not be in this situation now. Even if Mars no longer wanted to be her friend, at least Gewen and Edgar would keep their friendship with her.
Ellena could have still enjoyed a good and pampered life, as a noblewoman, who would someday inherit her father's wealth.
However, there was no use crying over spilled milk. She had made her bed and now she had to lie on it.
Ellena sobbed uncontrollably when Kira pulled her roughly and tossed her onto the wagon.
"Get on!" Kira scolded her harshly. "Stop with that crocodile tears."
Ellena hugged her knees and continued crying when the coachman started driving the wagon toward the town center where thousands of people were waiting. Kira and the four knights followed from behind.
.
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From Missrealitybites:
Ahhh… now Ellena regretted her choices. Tsk. It's far too late. I hope many peasants will throw dirt and feces to her face when she got to the town center. XD
I know I've only been publishing 1 long chapter per day now, because I am really not feeling well (plus I am ending one book this month – I hope. It's "Finding Stardust". So, I have to focus there in the meantime.)
I will try to publish more from tomorrow for The Cursed Prince since I want to meet the win-win target (20k privilege unlocks by end of the month so you can get a 12% rebate for your coin spending on this book. We are now at 12.5k unlocks.) Crossing fingers!
PS: Thank you, Harriet, for sending a dragon to "The Cursed Prince" earlier today. Ah, you are so kind. ^^
PPS: The chibis for Mars, Emmelyn, Gewen, and Kira are finished!! You can see them in the comments.
