His Fading Humanity

Chapter 8: Worse is Yet to Come

It wouldn't. It wouldn't indeed and she knew that.

No matter the situation, she knew she needed to control her rage, her hate, her disgust, and all her other emotions to an extent.

She needed to keep herself in control.

Because it was when she was alone did she release her beast.

Calm and composed she was to the public eye, but when she was alone, she became the storm within her mind and touched the salty water with her fingertips. The waves wound around her feet and ankles and the water splashed on her skin, soaking her clothes and making her robes become heavy. The wind would run through her hair and howl in her ears like a wolf, a wolf in despair and a wolf who was lost and yearning for the soul of another.

Even now, her heart throbbed in her chest when the very name of Kyros left her lips, and she wished to curse him to the heavens in which she bows to.

But now was not the time.

The process of Kyro's trial would be dragged out for several days and possibly even weeks. It was custom for any high crime individual to suffer for their deeds and be held accountable for the acts they committed. Only the worst of criminals were treated with such brutality, and they were only treated with such brutality when they were proven guilty.

Once convicted, the trials consisted of a series of public humiliation, torture, speeches of regret, and sometimes a combination of all three. The intensity varied on each individual's actions, but Kyros would surely suffer the highest punishment possible.

If the perpetrator was not dead by the week's end, they would be granted the death they craved.

Though the trials didn't happen very often due to the fear it instilled in the people, the queen knew that Kyro's trial would drag on for weeks. Her people wouldn't let a man who had destroyed a pack and go missing for ten years escape his life so easily.

The kingdom thirsted for Kyro's blood and that's what the queen would give them.

It's the least she could do, and her people deserved it.

She deserved it.

A knock sounded at her large, golden door and she approaching it slowly. Laying her hand on the cold, metal handle, she opened it and was met with her first in command, Kia.

Kia was a short, petite woman, but she packed power and authority. Her short, brown curly hair covered her ears and she had large, light brown eyes. Despite having darker skin, she had beautiful freckles that fanned over the bridge of her nose, which wasn't a common combination in her kingdom.

Though she was small, nobody dared to test her. She had proven herself worthy and the queen considered her to be her greatest comrade and looked to her for advice in times that called for it.

"I've got reports on the capture of Kyros, your majesty." She said.

The queen snickered and rolled her eyes. "You know better than to call me that, please, come in." She gestured Kia into her room and closed the door behind them when she entered.

The two comrades sat across from each other at a table placed in her room. The queen fidgeted with her hands and her feet bounced up and down against the ground.

Kia noticed this.

"Kyros has been captured, and he's been delivered to your prison. The soldiers were quite hostile to him and he is extremely weak at the moment. The guard had him whipped in his cell and he's unconscious now if you'd like to see him." Kia said.

The queen shook her head. "No, I want to see him when he's awake so I may question him. I wish to look him in the eyes and give him as much fear as he gave me and my people ten years ago."