The Crazy Tyrant Wants To Kill Me

2

As I descended down the cobble path,  I suddenly heard a frightened cry of warning: "The Emperor!"

Without giving me a second to react, the vibrant town broke into an uproar of panic.  The raucous children began wailing in fear as their mothers scooped them up into their arms. People shoved past me, shrieking, slamming me against others. I couldn't see anything, caught between the sea of fleeing people. Someone elbowed me in the ribs, knocking the air out of my lungs as I was flung against the brick walls, gasping for breath.

Someone's foot caught onto my shoe, accidently stealing the puckering leather boot in their flight.

When I had finally caught my breath, everyone was gone, taking shelter in either shops or booths, leaving me standing alone on the deserted road. 

What? What happened? My eyes focused on the grand, ornate carriage trundling towards me, heralded by a small retinue of guards on horseback. The carriage was adorned with the emblem of royalty, glistening in the sunlight.

Even without knowing what danger- how much danger I was in, I scrambled towards the nearest store, pounding against the locked door as the carriage drew near.

Uneasy faces glanced back at me from behind the glass door as I rattled the door knob. 

"Please, let me in," I begged. A spark of hope flickered inside of me as a woman in a vintage sundress hesitantly reached for the handle, but it died as quickly when a man pulled her back, his face twisting into a scowl. 

"Please." I could hear the carriage skidding to a stop behind me. I didn't dare look behind as my sweaty palms twisted the door knob for the last time. "Please." My voice cracked.

I saw the approaching reflection of two guards from the glass window, marching towards me. 

"No, stop, what are you doing?!"

The faces inside the shop mirrored my horrified expression as the guards clamped a pair of rusting metal handcuff over my wrists, hauling me towards the carriage. I was shoved inside, a rag stuffed into my mouth.

"Where are you taking me?!" My voice came out muffled, falling on unsmpyathetic ears. 

Since when did emperors send soldiers to abduct innocent villagers? What were they going to do to me? What happened during these five years when I was gone? Why-what, this wasn't normal!

My heart hammered in my chest as the vehicle started down a different road. I had just woken up from a coma, alone and lost. Instead of getting escorted to my past home, unpacking my belongings and exploring the building, I'm getting arrested? For no reason? 

Around twenty minutes later, the carriage came to a pause. A opulent resident towered over me, sending a shiver slithering down my spine. Where was this? The royal mansion?

A guard grabbed me, giving me a hard shove through the opened gates.

I didn't have time to admire the carefully trimmed bushes, the furnished, sleek stone pathways, the polished windows that gleamed in the sunlight... I could only focus on the burning sensation of the rusty metal handcuffs rubbing against my raw wrists. 

"Hurry up," he grunted.

I forced myself to calm down. Surely they couldn't hurt me. It was illegal; against the law to murder innocent villagers. You can't just break the law. I did nothing. 

"You can't hurt me," I declared, my voice quivering. I stared hard at his face, holding my breath, praying he would agree. Even a faint nod of impatience would be enough to calm my pounding heart.

"Don't act stupid. You clearly agreed to be the sacrifice of this month."

Excuse me, what? What sacrifice?  "Sacrifice for what?" 

"The sacrifice for the empress." 

I was at a loss for words when he hauled me up a wooden stage. A crowd of people was gathered below the stage, both nobles and commoners, whispering as they eyed me with evident pity.

I almost fainted when I saw the guillotine towering over me, ready to devour me any moment.

My vision dotted with black, my heart dropping. There was no way I wasn't going to get beheaded. No way.