The Death Penalty
2006 Words
(Zehra POV)
It's been two days since Hella got her powers.
What changed?
Well, as expected everything, including my fiancé changed.
After I ran out of the room, I expected him to at least follow me. But he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t attempt to at least have the decency to come and see me.
Things like this make me wonder what a lie everything I had was.
My life turned upside down. The high society men and woman shifted their focus on my sister while the guards and even the villagers looked at me with pity.
I hated it. I hated it but I didn’t show a single ounce of being lowered. I kept my head raised high and even showed support and happiness for my sister.
Today, we have a grant banquet arranged by the royal family themselves to honor the chosen one. It will also be a banquet that will denounce me of my title as crown princess.
How easily everyone is able to change everything!
“I don’t like this” my nanny voiced as I looked at her through my mirror. She was by my side always, trying to make me feel better. Her eyes were red from crying. She knew even though I was acting strong I was broken inside and I was glad to have her by my side.
“I am fine. Once this is over, we will go on a long vacation on the East Coast like we planned” I smiled wide as she smiled back at me.
I looked in the mirror, all dressed up for my sister’s banquet. I wore a rather simple but elegant gown, my crown, unlike other times, was loosely kept on my head to remove it easily.
When I reached the banquet hall, everyone was already present. My parents wanted to accompany me but due to the royal family's order, had to accompany them and my sister.
When I reached the hall, everyone turned silent. Like always I held my elegance, bowing and greeting everyone before walking down the stairs. But unlike last time, there was no one to greet me at the bottom of the stairs. My fiancé…. No my soon to be ex fiancé was standing in the corner, his eyes refusing to meet mine.
The Royal family did not waste time in starting the ceremony. They wanted to do everything quickly to get me out of their heads. How nice of them.
From being the most amazing in laws to the worst people you met in your entire life. For one part, I was relieved I got to know their true form.
I was really surprised at how amazing they were at making stories. The queen talked about how my sister and my fiancé were the ones who were truly in love and how his son hated that he had to marry the sister (that is me) and how destiny had played a truly great way in making Hella the chosen one in addition to that they made me give an early prepared speech as well.
“I am glad things turned out like this” I smiled though my heart felt bitter. “I knew how much in love my sister and our crown prince were in. It pains me every time we had to act like a couple when in reality it was breaking my sister’s heart. Things turned out well and I am glad it did.”
Tears were threatening to fill my eyes, so I gulped down half of the prepared speech ending it quickly.
The whole crowd went into discussion. Everyone was talking about how obvious it was. Starting from the first dance during the alliance with the dragon kingdom to the threesome dates we had,
For some reason hearing those discussions was like a stab to my chest. It was like I was realizing how stupid I must look in front of everyone.
My sister and ex fiancé was called to the stage. I ground my teeth as I kneel in front of the king.
“Thank you for your service,” the king said as he took the crown from my head. I silently stood up and walked to the side as my sister kneeled.
The whole process went by in a blur. I just stared at the scene in front of me. I watched as Killian brought out a ring and went on one knee.
Proposal?
I bit my cheeks so hard that I felt the metallic taste of my blood. How can he just do something like that? Is what we have nothing?
How naïve I was…
I snuck out of the party that night. I didn’t want to stay there any longer. I walked to the royal garden knowing this would be the last time I come here. I had always loved this place and I was even permitted to take care of it.
Now everything is lost. I will no longer be able to enter this place, now that I lost my title.
“Zehra” a familiar voice called as I turned and looked at the crown prince. My face grew dark on seeing him.
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Zehra, please don’t be mad. You know I love y-“
“Your Highness, mind your words. You are engaged to my sister and I no longer have anything to talk to you”
“Don’t say like that! I do love you! I snuck out of the party to see you! Doesn’t that prove my love?”
I didn’t reply to his questions. I could only look at him as if he was crazy. What the hell is he saying?
“Zehra” he grabbed hold of my hand, startling me. “I love you”
“Your Highness, let go of me” I shouted but he got me off guard as he pulled me towards him, locking his lips with mine.
Out of response I punched him in the face, making him groan and let go of me.
“How dare you!” I growled my eyes filled with tears. I felt like I wanted to kill him!
“Ze-zehra.. I am sorry. I didn’t mean to. I had no other choice. I would lose my crown if I didn’t accept her. Zehra, think of our people. We are doing this for our people. For their happiness and prosperity. We don’t need to be separated. Just…. Just be in a secret relationship”
“I rather die than be your mistress, Your Highness crown prince” I spat out like it was some kind of poison before turning around. “Thank you for showing your true self before we got married”
I walked ahead, my head held high. I didn’t want to show how weak I was feeling. My legs were shaking, and my heart was beating fast. At that moment I just wanted to run away as far as possible.
I didn’t go back to the ball room. Instead, I decided to take shelter in one of the private guest rooms. There were no guards, which was weird, but I didn’t mind. I was glad there was no one to sympathize with me.
I fell on the sofa feeling tired and miserable. How did things turn out like this? All because Hella became the chosen one?
No, I must not think like that. It's not Hella’s fault she became the chosen one. It was the people’s fault for assuming that I was the chosen one, just because of my eyes. Hell, even I thought the same.
The door to my room suddenly opened, making me sit up surprised.
“Whose there?” I asked but my eyes widened as I saw my sister.
“Hella?” I called confused. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t answer me. She only started to slowly approach me, her eyes suddenly starting to fill with tears.
“You kissed him,” she said making my eyes widen.
I went silent as she kept on staring at me. I had mixed emotions.
I felt guilty when she said that but at the same time, I was angry. She was the one who stole my fiancé and now she is crying?
“He kissed me” I kept my pose straight as I replied. I shouldn’t be feeling guilty when in this situation, I am nothing but the victim.
“Sister, I know you are jealous of what is happening. But you shouldn’t go and kiss him like that”
Her words got me off guard. Was I jealous? Well, maybe but I didn’t kiss him. I didn’t do anything wrong this time. I kept silent, pretending to be ok when each second made my heart sink.
“I am not that desperate. I am still the same person irrespective of the title or not”
“That is true” she chuckled, her face turning dark. “Even after I was recognized as the chosen one, everyone’s attention is towards you. Oh, poor Zehra. How miserable…. She is so kind just letting everything go for her sister. Urgh…. Makes me sick”
“What are you saying, Hella”
Her face was filled with anger and she stared at me in disgust. I have never seen her like this. It was like I was seeing a dangerous stranger in front of me.
The air around me suddenly felt dense. I started to sense the same feeling I felt when I first saw Hella after she got her powers.
“Urgh” I groaned falling on my knees. The feeling got more intense and it was starting to make me nauseous. It was getting hard to breathe.
“You know what, sister? I hate you. I hate you so much. You were the center of attention and even after everything that happened, you still are. But now I am going to put an end to it.”
In one quick instant, she took the glass vase on the table before slamming it on her head.
I screamed at her behavior, blood starting to drown her forehead. Even through the pain, she laughed making me feel terrified.
“H-hella” I called as she smiled. She took out a small knife from the drawer before slicing her arm. I ran to her and grabbed the knife wanting to stop this nonsense but then she screamed. Before I could even react, Hella’s maid came running in.
I dropped the knife as she screamed for help although she looked happier than worried.
It didn’t take long for me to realize this was a planned trap.
In about a second, people started to run into the room. They gasped on seeing the scene and the maid explained how she heard Hella screaming and ran inside to see me trying to stab her.
I tried to argue I was innocent but it seemed like no one was listening to me.
“What the hell!” the queen came in running before going to my sister. “Cease the evil sister!” she ordered as the guards ran towards me.
“I didn’t do it! Please! I swear I am innocent!” I cried but no one listened. I ran to my father trying to explain but I was stopped midway as the guards pulled me down.
"My queen, please listen to me" I turned to her but I paused as I saw a sly smile on her face. It didn't take me long to realize she was also part of the plan. At that moment I knew my fate was already written by them. The people I trusted all my life.
“Wait. There must be some kind of a mistake. She would never do that” my father tried to argue but he was left a blind eye.
Soon I was charged with an attempt to murder of the crown princess and was thrown into prison.
- Writer
