Tori shook her head, "I want to have a very meaningful conversation with this person."
Rowan nodded with understanding dawning upon him, "Just call my name. I am just here at the door, my lady."
Tori nodded and went inside the metal door. The creaking noise of the metals crashing disturbed every criminal in the cells. Each criminal has one cell allocated to them. Tori didn't flinch from the protruded smell, nor did she stop when some criminal's arms tried to reach her. She kept on walking until she reached the holding cell for the criminals who were sentenced to die.
There were only two criminals inside this part of the prison cell. The one to her right where a kneeling and chained man was tied, and to her left where a haggard-looking Mia was curled up. The man heard Tori's arrival, unlike Mia. His bright blue-green eyes stared at her, and she didn't give a shit at all.
"What a sight. It seems that your beloved master abandoned you," Tori's mocking voice echoed in the prison cell.
Mia spun her gaze towards Tori, who already discarded her hood. "You pretentious bitch!"
Mia dashed to the bars and tried to grab Tori, but the latter just stayed still while watching Mia with contempt. Mia's flailing arms were only an inch away from Tori's face. Tori didn't miss the details that compared to the original Victoria, Mia still has her nails and tongue.
"You planned this all along, haven't you? Everything from the start was all your schemes!" Mia's glare never faltered as she tried her earnest to reach Tori, who was just grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"You have dug your own grave a long time ago, Mia. And trust me, what you experienced now was nothing to what happened to her."
"Lady Sabina will get me out of here and that time I'll expose to everyone how fake you are!"
Tori grinned like the devil from what Mia said. She took out her present for Mia, "You have a pretty little sister. She looked exactly like you. Tell me what should I do to her should her beloved sister irritate the pretentious ole me?"
Dread and anger flashed in Mia's eyes when she realized the gravity of what Tori's words meant. Tori enjoyed the mental torment she saw in Mia as the latter kneeled on the floor with a defeated cry. "Please, my sister is never part of this. She's innocent."
Ha! Innocent! Tori leaned towards the bar and crouched to level Mia. "Did you also think about that when you sentenced her to die?"
"What are you talking about? I did nothing! This was the first time I tried to kill you!" Frantic and doubtful eyes locked with flaring red eyes.
"Shush. Choose, Mia. Your beloved little sister or your beloved little master? Choose wisely. Time is ticking, dear."
Tears falling from her eyes, Mia looked at her and mirrored her answer to Tori's question. "What do you want me to do?"
Tori didn't know that she could grin wider. "I want your tongue and your nails as my trophy. Remove it using this." Tori showed the equipment to the frightened Mia.
Tears and sweat mixed, Mia finally submitted as she kneeled in front of Tori. "Please don't. I beg you, please. I am, I am sorry. Please spare me! Please!"
Did you beg like this, Victoria?
"You are so keen on keeping your tongue. Your sister has an uncanny resemblance to you." Tori turned to leave Mia.
"I'll do it! I'll do it just so please spare her!"
Tori wickedly smiled before turning back towards Mia, "Now do it."
Feel what the original Victoria felt.
CLAD IN her simplest dress, Tori joined her father and half-sister in the carriage. Today was the day to execute Mia. Initially, the Duke did not want them to watch since it was unnecessary. But Tori did not want to miss the opportunity to watch her wretched sister's face as the guillotine's blade would kiss her servant's neck. She wanted to see the wench and her servant together. She wanted Mia to hope and snatch it away from her.
Tori couldn't forget the face of the noble-looking Sabina from her dream. She couldn't forget how Mia stood proudly before the original Victoria.
How ironic that our roles will be reversed later.
The three of them kept silent as the carriage trudged towards the capital's plaza. Tori was just watching the scenery beyond their carriage windows while Sabina was just looking down on her lap. The Duke, on the other hand, had his eyes closed as if telling her daughters that he didn't like to start a conversation with them.
By now, the rumors spread by Lily and Marchioness Susana must have escalated to their target maximum damage to Sabina's reputation. With their coming-of-age ceremony almost coming, it would be very hard for Sabina to get a sponsor, especially from Marchioness Susana of House Zoliel. But Tori was still observing the Duchess of Castaña Duchy, who has yet to give Tori an answer to her birthday party's invitation.
Elisa's sick desire for the crown prince might help me with this situation. For now, I'll watch your moves, dearest sister.
The carriage stopped when they arrived. Tori looked outside her window just to be flooded by an unwanted sense of familiarity as she watched the commoners loiter like insects in the capital's plaza. She unknowingly clenched her fists. The Duke was the first one to step out of the carriage to guide Sabina and Tori down.
With Tori in turmoil with the dreaded place, she put on a façade of a weak and benevolent woman. The way she slowly walked with elegance and teary eyes as clutched her handkerchief, every commoner spoke of sympathy for her.
"How can someone attempt to kill that kind-looking lady?"
"I heard from the servants of the Rozenreff Duchy that Lady Victoria is so kind to them."
"What a poor soul."
The whispers and murmurs continued. The Duke thought Tori was distressed because of the prying eyes of the common folks, but what he didn't know was that his eldest daughter's actions were all for a show to strengthen Tori's appeal to the masses.
The Duke gently aided his two daughters as they maneuvered to the stage where the guillotine awaited the executioner. Tori's memories of the original Victoria resurfaced again.
Glancing at the people on the stage already, Tori recognized Marquess Zoliel immediately.
So you are here just for the show and the added fame, huh? Just wait, Marquess. Your reckoning will also come.
"The criminal has arrived," the royal knight announced. Tori was just like watching the same dreaded movie all over again. But this time, instead of the original Victoria being dragged by the royal knight, it was Mia.
Blood oozing from Mia's lips, nails from both fingers and toes were missing, and her piss and blood mixed.
Feel the pain you helped to give to the original Victoria, you wretched fool.
All those times, Tori was just watching Mia's suffering with elated contempt. They presented the moment that the criminal in front of them on the stage, Tori tried her hardest to suppress her glee. The look of pure horror etched on Mia's eyes as she looked at Tori was satisfying for the latter. Gone was the proud look that Tori saw in Mia when she visited her in the prison cell. On the other hand, Tori could see the flash of pure relief when Sabina realized that Mia's tongue was cut off.
Perhaps that's the reason you were so anxious earlier, huh? Worry not, dearest sister.
The executioner started announcing Mia's crime, "For the attempt in murdering the heir apparent of the Ducal House of Rozenref, Victoria Rozenref. I hereby proclaimed the criminal's execution by the guillotine, Mia Ongin!"
The crowd erupted when Mia got dragged by her hair towards the awaiting guillotine.
"It's best to leave now. The scene can be quite disturbing if we stayed." The Duke faced them, his two daughters. He genuinely thought that they couldn't stand the sight of blood.
If you only knew. I watched Mia cut her tongue off. And I watched your real daughter's head roll to the ground, father.
"Yes, father." Sabina, the ever-obedient daughter, immediately affirmed the Duke.
No. You must not leave, dearest sister. You have to see the fate of your servant. You must watch your future.
"I want to stay, father. I want to see and watch her dead to comfort myself that she won't be back."
The Duke fell silent when he saw the conviction in his eldest daughter's eyes. Tori knew that the Duke would try to let Sabina go. After all, in the original plot of the series, he protected Sabina's eyes. But she would not let him protect her the second time around.
"Father, sister, please stay with me. I'm scared to be here alone. You will stay here with me, right?" Teary eyes confronted the Duke and Sabina. The latter could not refuse not when the common folks were just watching them. Should they leave, it would only strengthen the rumors that Sabina truly wished to kill Victoria. The Duke also realized Sabina's dilemma, so he interfered.
"If you wish that Victoria then we will all stay."
"Thank you, father."
The Duke turned to his knights to discuss their safety arrangement after they leave, leaving Tori alone with Sabina in the stage's corner.
In a low voice, Tori spoke to Sabina. Whispered words that only the two of them could hear, Tori who was only looking ahead spoke without glancing towards Sabina."Won't you thank me, dearest sister?"
Sabina did the same with Tori. She answered the latter without even looking back at her. "For what? For executing the innocent Mia?" Words laced with venom flowed from Sabina's lips.
"Oh, she was far from innocent. What I meant was the gift I sent you earlier this morning." Tori finally glanced at Sabina, who was dumbfounded by what she said, so she continued.
"The gift was painted with my favorite color, ruby red. You loved it, didn't you? After all, it was your favorite spy's beloved tongue and nails. Oh, I worked hard for that gift, dearest sister."