The rejected crown

The pyre

Dawn broke with a pale, gray light, casting a somber glow over the town square, which buzzed with a dark energy. Villagers filled the space, eyes gleaming with fear and excitement as they crowded in closer, drawn by the promise of a spectacle. At the center, a looming pyre stood as a grim warning, its rough wood stacked high and awaiting the flame.

Princess Giovanna watched from a short distance, feeling the weight of the moment settle over her. Her heart ached, torn between her duty to the crown and the horror of what she was about to witness. She searched the crowd—some faces were familiar, friends and loyal subjects—and was struck by the reality that they, too, were complicit in the fever of fear stoked by her uncle Richard. She had failed them, failed Jane and her mother.

Jane's mother, bound and led to the pyre, bore herself with a dignified calm that only sharpened the tragedy. As Jane, her hands shackled, strained against the guards holding her back, her voice cut through the murmuring crowd.

"Mother! Please don't do this! Someone—help us!"

But the guards paid her no mind, their grip unyielding. The crowd surged forward, the shouts growing louder, urging the flames to ignite. Jane's heart raced as she watched her mother being brought closer to the towering pyre, the flames already crackling hungrily as the kindling was piled high.

Richard stood at the forefront, a triumphant figure, savoring the moment. He turned to the crowd, arms raised as if conducting an orchestra of chaos. "Let this be a lesson to all who would practice dark magic! Justice will be served!"

Giovanna's heart sank deeper at his words. "This is not justice!" she hissed under her breath, frustration boiling within her. "It's a massacre!"

As Jane's mother reached the base of the pyre, she turned to her daughter, her expression one of fierce love and courage. "Jane, remember that love is stronger than fear!" she shouted, her voice ringing out above the din. "I love you, my dear!"

Tears streamed down Jane's face as she struggled against her captors. "No! Please don't leave me!" she cried, her voice a desperate plea. "I need you!"

The flames erupted higher as the guards set the pyre alight, flames licking at the wooden beams with an insatiable hunger. Jane's mother was thrust onto the pyre, the heat radiating outward as the fire began to consume her.

"Mother!" Jane screamed, her heart shattering as she witnessed the horror unfolding before her. She could see the flames engulfing her mother, and a primal scream tore itself from her throat. The heat scorched her skin, but it was nothing compared to the agony of watching her mother burn.

Giovanna's heart raced, her mind racing with possibilities. She could no longer stand by and watch. With a determined stride, she pushed through the crowd, her voice rising above the chaos. "Stop! This is wrong! You cannot do this in my name!"

But the crowd was lost in their bloodlust, the flames casting flickering shadows on their faces, twisting their features into something grotesque. Jane's mother was engulfed now, her final words swallowed by the fire. The cries of the crowd mingled with the crackling flames, creating a hellish symphony that resonated deep within Jane's soul.

"No!" Jane sobbed, collapsing to her knees, her heart a hollow echo of despair. "Mother!"

And then, a movement caught her eye—Giovanna, rushing forward with purpose. "Let her go!" the princess commanded, her voice fierce and unwavering.

The guards hesitated, their loyalty to Richard clashing with the fear of the princess's wrath. "Your Highness, we must follow the law!" one of them stammered, glancing nervously at the encroaching flames.