Scarlet

The Scarlet Cross We Bear

"You have been doing an exceptional job; for a princess." The Evil Queen's husky voice took Emma's attention away from her fried eggs; the very ones she had been pushing around her plate for the past twenty minutes. When she looked away from the mess she had made of them, her breath was taken by sunlight that surrounded the brunette in a golden aura, making her appear ethereal.

Her fork was abandoned next to her eggs. "Thank you," she murmured softly and averted her gaze when the Queen's own turned her way. The last time she had been caught staring – which was yesterday morning during breakfast - the older woman had quirked a brow and asked if she had something on her face. She couldn't answer and the quirk of the brunette's lips only had her face turning red.

As it did, now, when she noticed that same smile on the Queen's crimson lips after the chalice had parted from them. Nothing had been said on the matter, instead, she spoke of the morning's proceedings. "Are you prepared for the execution?"

"Yes." That was a lie. She had been given several days to prepare; or moreover, train. Exhausted was an understatement for what she had felt. Every muscle in her body ached, but she could feel the improvement; she could feel herself growing stronger.

"I can only hope so, princess. We are to head to the courtyard soon," she purred softly.

Emma could feel herself shrink when the Queen had spoken. Soon. She would have to take someone's life. How could she ever do such a thing? What little she had eaten was threatening to come up and the scent of what was left did not help.

The sorceress noticed this. "You look pale. You do not like the thought, do you?"

"Of course not," she managed to say, turning away from her plate.

"I will offer you a piece of advice; clear your mind, do not think of it, let yourself grow numb. Think of them as nothing more than an animal." Her words only seemed to grow the queasiness in her stomach. Think of them as an animal? Is this what the Evil Queen had done? Think of people as no more than a mere animal to slaughter?

The princess didn't get the chance to ask, nor had she planned to for fear her head would be rolling in the dirt, as they stood from the dining table and left to the courtyard where her life would no doubt be changed.

...

"You 'ave stolen from the Queen's carriage, a crime punishable by death," a deep voice rumbled.

Emma's attention was brought to a stringy young man with a mop of dirty brown hair as a bulky guard pushed him toward herself and the Evil Queen. He was the first prisoner of three, and telling by how young and desperate this boy was, it was only foretelling what she would have to face.

Her eyes went momentarily to the Queen to catch her reaction but her face was made of stone.

"Please, m'lady!"

"Your Grace," said the same bald man, knocking the young man to his knees with the flat of his blade.

"Please, Your Grace, I dinnit mean no harm! My mother – she's ill. Please, Your Grace... she will die..."

The Evil Queen seemed deaf to his pleas as she summoned the guard to bring him to the chopping block. She stood at the side of him, receiving a greatsword from her knight. The blonde swallowed thickly as the light reflected off the sharp piece of steel. This was, by far, the most tame of executions in which the dark witch had spoken of, but it still held a heavy message for the witnesses.

"Watch, princess, and learn. You are to take my place next."

The young man continued to plea, but the Queen silenced him as she brought the heavy sword down upon his neck, cutting clean his head from his shoulders. Blood sprayed the grass a terrible red and a warmth splattered her face, and, for a moment, that's all Emma could think about. She felt bile rise in her throat, and when the Queen turned to look at her, she was met with small droplets of crimson against olive.