Journey of the Half-Elf - Book 1

Chapter VII - The End

As Aeledwyn and Gaiagan, both bloodied and barely awake, were thoughtlessly dragged across the ground, they were met with endless stares by the many groups of peasants, servants and shackled Royals around them, all of whom were forced to attend the execution.
Had Guingeras perished in that explosion, his pitiless men would not have been ordered to bring any Elves still alive in the area, lowborn and highborn, to the main courtyard, where the stakes were being built.

The last of the Royals to be thrown to the ground was the beaten Princess herself. Her dark red lipgloss was spread all across her swollen lips, and her left eye was black and scored from an enthusiastic right hook. The gold earrings she had been wearing were both ripped straight out, leaving a bloody tear in each earlobe. Guinevere just laid there on her side, curled up into a ball, her braids broken, her wrists still bound behind her back.

"The Princess, what have they done?" One member of the uncomfortable crowd cried out upon seeing her broken face.

"This isn't right, this is wrong!"

"Stop this at once! You can't do this to them! Her Royal Highness cares deeply for us!" Others shouted at the soldiers, who immediately drew their swords to scare them into silence.

"You're not here to talk, you fucking filth! You're here to watch, and learn what happens when you stray from the path." One of the Elite soldiers yelled, moving his patterned blade across their frightened faces. "My Lord, they should hear your speech now." He suggested.

"Yes, Guingael, they should. It's time I put an end to this witch and her rotting mentor. But before that... yes, this crowd must hear what I have to say. They'll thank me for this once I'm done. Deal with any troublemakers." Guingeras responded, before commanding his Elite soldier.
"Yes, Lord." He instinctively replied, keeping his sword at the ready.

The heartless General stood before the two stakes, which the Queen and her mentor were now being bound to. While the uncaring soldiers did as they were told and laid dry branches around the bases, Guingeras began to make his speech.

"People of Guinvaera Manor. Lowborns, servants, Royals.
For 16 years, we have all suffered immensely due to the selfish and irresponsible actions of this vile woman, and this pathetic old man. For 16 years, we have been seen as fools by the rest of our Elven brethren, because we decided to keep a vile Halfbreed in OUR home.

Since we lost the Great War, and the humans laid claim to too many of our lands, each and every one of us has faced losses. But it is a fact that we, and we alone, have lost far more than any other family in the Great Isle, because we allowed this foolish woman to become Queen, and this old man to guide her. We allowed her to lie with a human man, and birth that wretched Halfbreed. We did nothing, but just sit and watch while our legacy crumbled. While the Guinvaera name lost its power.

Those gifts, that the rotten little girl got today, were only given out of pity. All those families are laughing at us. Since that Halfbreed was born, no new marriages have taken place. No other Elf families wish to add to ours. They've been mocking us for our deviance from the path.

And yes, it's OUR deviance, because the Queen has dragged us all down with her. All of us are just as responsible, because of her.

But I will bite my tongue NO longer.
This ends TONIGHT.
Both she, and the old man, shall burn till the very last bone in their body turns to ash. And the young, rotten Princess, will bear witness, as punishment for her crime of staining our bloodline, for her crime of existence in this world. And THEN, she shall die. Mark my words, she will die slowly and painfully."

Guingeras finished his pathetic speech; a number of heads in the crowd shook in disbelief and disgust, but many found themselves agreeing.

"Wake up, bitch." Guingael thrust his armored foot into her liver, immediately making her wake up with an agonising scream. As she opened her eyes to rapidly scan her surroundings, Guinevere looked up and saw her mother and Gaiagan. They were both visibly tortured and broken, mounted high up on stakes.
At that moment, the shattered Princess realised what was about to happen.