She was meant to serve the king.
She had no place.
No importance.
No story.
Simply taste the King's food for poison and leave.
But the King's infatuation with her was more than anything normal.
He wanted more than to stare
Just a little taste
A lit...
Thayne was right to have his suspicions. I didn't invite him to court just for pleasantries; it was so he could see Anna in action. What a deceiving little nymph she was.
Today was the funeral of the blessed pope. I had only 4 days to decree it. 3 to prepare the arrangements. That meant Anna would arrive in her best attire. Grieving the pope as if she were his own widow. Thé show would soon commence and Thayne was here to watch it.
As the mourners filed into the cathedral, the hushed whispers and the sound of shuffling feet filled the space. The stained glass windows cast a rainbow of colors over the pews, and the flickering candles on the altar offered a somber glow.Every dignitary and official from Spain and Europe had gathered to come witness the affair.
They took their seats in the front row, along with several others. The air was thick with grief and sorrow, and the silence was only broken by the occasional cough or sniffle.
The cathedral was quiet, except for the somber melody of the organ playing in the background. Mourners sat solemnly in their seats, tissues in hand, as they listened to the eulogy being given by the priest. It was a scene of sadness and reflection, a time for people to come together to pay their respects and say goodbye their beloved pope.
Fools. All of them. I thought to myself, impatient for the whole affair to end. They cried for a man who would never know their names.
As the service began, the priest walked to the front of the altar and began to speak.
"We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of the ever so righteous Benedict. He was a man ordained by God," he said solemnly. "Hw was a kind and generous soul who touched the lives of many." The priest's words were met with nods of agreement and murmurs of assent from the crowd. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the diplomacy of it all. Thayne caught my sigh but ignored it. He was on his best behavior.
Suddenly, the doors at the back of the cathedral burst open with a loud bang, startling everyone. And that's when a woman dressed in a dark red dress stormed in, her heels clacking loudly on the marble floor.
It was Anna. Of course it was her.
The mourners turned to look at her, their expressions a mix of shock and anger. The priest paused, looking at the woman with a mixture of concern and bewilderment.
The mourners watched as the woman made her way up to the front of the cathedral, her heels clacking loudly with every step. She stood in front of the casket, staring down at the Pope. Thayne's jaw clenched as he saw her enter in. Even he looked confused.
Anna choked back sobs as she began to speak but before a word could escape her lip, she Collapsed on top of the casket and sobbed. Her handmaidens and servants tried to lead her away but she waved the off. She was unmovable.
The people had pity on her which meant her childish display of sorrow was working. She looked up at me from the corner of her eye and smirked, still hiding beneath her veil. She stood and bowed her head to the people for her intrusion and was gently led away.
Poor lady. Such devotion to the pope! Her spirit must be touched. Blessed be her soul!
The murmurs of the crowd were in unison. Pity her! Pity Anna!? She was the very one who killed him! That sneaky temptress!
After a few moments, Anna composed herself and walked out of the cathedral, leaving the mourners to continue with the service in silence. It was a disruption, but one that left many with a deeper understanding of the complexities of respect and loss.
Author Note It doesn't get better from here 😭😭
Me after using Chat GPT to write 75% of this 1 page chapter
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