PARADE

CHAPTER 1: PARADE

****FIVE MONTHS LATER****

ERALINE

Immediately I was dragged out from the dungeon, I winced. The light was too bright and disorienting. I could hear whispers from the nearby crowd. I opened my eyes and saw that i was in the market, where different traders paused what they were doing. I could see the hatred in their eyes, eyes filled with scorn and disgust, eyes filled with anger too great, I almost felt the dagger-like eyes stabbing me.

“Move." One of the guards said pushing me roughly as i stumbled and fell, giving them the incentive to start throwing dirt and rubbish at me.

“Get out of here! One yelled throwing me some rotten mashed potatoes which landed splat on my face, staining me and blurring my vision.

“Murderer! You deserve to be hanged, another yelled throwing his own dumps at me. Like that, the crowd increased with the refuse thrown at me, with the yelling and screaming.

Some pushed me down roughly, or some hit her with heavy objects leaning me bruised. As i cried out in pains, the crowd took delight in it and laughed some more. The guards did nothing but to tug at my chains to keep me moving. Apparently if i lived or died, meant nothing to them, i then understood what the king meant, when he said if i survived it. I tried to look forward and willed herself not to break down in front of the people.

'Don’t let them see, conceal, don’t feel.'I said in her mind, over and over again, as they pulled me along roughly, down the main road.

People were throwing things at me with so much force, that it stung, leaving a bruise from the impact. Many of the little children were encouraged by the adults, possibly their parents to pick up stones and make me their shooting target

I was on the verge of screaming, shouting, lamenting. I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I be punished. I am innocent, but I clamped my lips shut, as I controlled my tears. I was already blinded by the tears, coupled with the trash that they had been throwing at me, so I couldn’t see, anything. Only feel and hear the hatred of the people, wishing they could kill me.

"Where are you taking her?" I could hear the deep brash voices of the people, mostly men. The soldiers stopped in their tracks and I stopped too. How did I know that? It was because nobody was pulling at my chains again.

"We are taking her to the stables." Dan, I think, replied.

"No! kill her, let us kill her, ourselves. She doesn’t deserve to live, she is a southerner. She needs to die." The voices said, getting stronger and stronger until, it became a loud chant.

Kill her, kill her, kill her! They chanted as I feared for my safety. I knew it. This was how I was going to die. This king’s words kept on floating back to me……

“Get the guards in here and drag her out to the public, where the people of the Northern Isles, shall feast their eyes on her and do whatever they want to her. If she survives it, before she gets to the main gates, throw her into the stables and leave her to rot, there, till I say otherwise.”

“Keyword…survives. When they are determined to kill me, how the hell was I going to survive this.” I said inwardly. The guards haven’t said anything, maybe they were still contemplating if they should heed to their people’s request or if they should take me to the stables, to rot. Either way I was going to die, just that the former option meant that I was dying sooner than later.

Suddenly, all noises ceased, and everywhere became quiet as a graveyard. My hair stood on its ends, as I started having goosebumps all over my body. Without seeing or being told, I knew that the king has entered the market and he is close. Probably watching me as I speak. I waited along with the people of the Northern Isles to hear what he had to say. Would he save me? Or would he throw me to them. My stomach churned at the thought of being saved, it was never going to happen, I will never forget the look that he gave me in, the dungeons.

Just then I heard him speak. “Citizens of Northern Isles, tell me what you want? He said, his voice, loud and clear, that I am certain, it reached every nook and cranny of the market.

There was still silence as one voice said in the distance.

“Kill her!

Murmurs started as the voices became louder, until they started chanting again.

“Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Everyone started chanting, stamping their foot also, to make it more rhythmic.

“Silence! Dan yelled as everyone kept quiet, waiting for their king to give the final command.

“Well, Dan…. He paused as my breath became more hitched and my heart started racing more than normal. This was the moment, if I decide to live or die.

“You heard the people, of the Northern Isles. They want her dead, they want her to account for the sins of her family. So we are going to grant them, their wishes.

“Oh no! my heart sank as the weight of his words in the dungeons hit me with so much impact.

“Get the guards in here and drag her out to the public, where the people of the Northern Isles, shall feast their eyes on her and do whatever they want to her. If she survives it, before she gets to the main gates, throw her into the stables and leave her to rot, there, till I say otherwise.”

He wanted me dead at all cost.

“Throw her to the people and let them have their way with her. He commanded as everyone cheered before the stampede started.