Cheering isn't what most people would like to hear when they're about to die.
Most people would like to see sobbing faces, family and friends in agony over you having to leave them oh so soon.
But, alas, I was getting pushed to the stage.
I looked to the crowd.
A few familiar faces, but mostly strangers shouted at my face about how this was what I deserved.
Maybe it was.
I looked up at him. He was sitting in a makeshift throne, in his best sunday wear.
Meanwhile I was wearing a plain white dress, not befitting of a so-called duchess.
I looked around a bit more.
One of the knights who was holding the masses away from me lost his helmet, revealing a head of red, flaming locks.
I turned away from him.
I had finally reached the guillotine.
The crowd quieted down, as the man who ruined my life stood up.
"Any last words, Antoinette Crawford?" He was smiling.
He was probably happy that now he could flirt with her without me interfering.
I sighed. "I wish the poison would've worked."
The smile fell off his face, and I was forcefully pushed downward.
"Citizens of Dominizia! Today we are here to witness the execution of a woman I had once considered the love of my life! But oh, how things have changed. After attempting to poison me, and trying to harm my friends, she is overdue for a punishment!" His voice somehow sweeped over the entire crowd.
The air seemed to be forced out of me as they closed the wooden pillory.
I raised my gaze again, and suddenly, I was face to face with someone familiar.
"Stop this! Please! Antoinette didn't do anything wrong! It was a misunderstanding!!!" But, Madeleine's soft voice wasn't heard by the prince and the screaming crowd.
I looked up at him, who was staring at Madeleine, as if everything else didn't matter.
I couldn't help but smile.
The one person supporting me was the one who should be hating me most of all.
And my fucking executioner couldn't even spare me a second glance, because god forbid he looked away from the "love of his life".
It was truly a bad joke of some kind.
The blade was pulled higher and higher, and Madeleine's pleads only grew more desperate.
It tried to mouth an apology toward her.
Maybe I should've been nicer to her.
This wasn't her fault after all, it was mine.
And then, the blade was released.
And the last thing that I saw were red droplets staining Madeleine's white hair.
And then, all was quiet.
And dark.
And.... damp?
And then, the sound of rain.
I opened my eyes.
I wasn't bound anymore.
I reached to my neck.
Not cut, or injured in any way.
And, I was standing in front of a coffin, and an open grave.
There were other people around, all clad in black and talking amongst themselves.
And when I read the writing on the tombstone, I realized where I was.
This was the funeral of my grandfather, which happened eleven years ago.
And that meant that...
I whirled around, to see my father and mother, who seemed shaken up.
They were startled when they saw me running toward them.
"Antoine? What are you-"
But before my father could finish his sentence, I had enveloped him in a hug.
As much as I could hug him with the arms of a puny ten-year-old.
I hadn't even realized I was crying when he started wiping my tears.
"Papa... I'm sorry. For everything."
My dad just rubbed my back, confused.
"What are you apologizing for? You didn't break anything did you?"
"Hush darling. She must be shaken up." My mother gave my father a light smack on the head.
He smiled fondly at her, before somehow effortlessly picking me up.
"I'll bring you to your room. You seem like you need to rest." He carried me away.
And while I looked over his shoulder at the coffin, I only had one thought.
It was too early for me to end up in one of those.