1692

Act IXV

 Cake of the Day: Chai Coffee Cake with Ginger

A vicious crowd had turned the square into a brutal factory. Miloval pushed through the crowd and watched helplessly as Victoria was shackled, the heavy chains cut her skin, he could see dark drops of blood form on her wrists. She was lead to her demise in the pounding rain, and he ran alongside helplessly.

Rabid townspeople yelled hot profanities at her, spitting viciously. Victoria kept her head down, her long, red hair covering her face.

A grisly old woman picked up a large branch from the ground and hit his poor bride in the stomach. She screamed and fell to her knees in the pain, Miloval pushed through the mob to see her. A dark string of saliva and blood hung from her pale lips as men yanked her to her feet and dragged her to the gallows platform. One man laced the noose over her neck, another came in front of her, laughing at her, mocking her will to survive.

He raised his hand as the crowd cheered him on, and violently struck her cheek, spraying blood from her mouth. She looked up helplessly, to the dark wood, staring sadly at a small red cardinal sitting atop the gallows. Then, she turned her gaze to Miloval. She stared with a ghostly, sad, lifeless sonder as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Suddenly, a man pulled a lever on the side of the horrible machine, and Victoria fell as the cardinal flew away.

Miloval screamed, falling to his knees, cursing and crying. The brutal rain berating his face.

He didn't know how long he was there, but when he finally was calm enough to be aware of his surroundings, he saw that the crowd was gone, and Victoria was left hanging there.

Miloval sprinted to the gallows and cut the rope, Victoria's limp, cold corpse falling into his arms. He fell to his knees again, cradling his wife and silently  weeping into her stoic, cold, bloodied and bruised face.

"Victoria..." He stammered over his crying. "I'm so sorry, I- I..." He gripped her thin shoulders as tears fell to her dress.

"Victoria!!" Miloval screamed, throwing his head back and calling to the heavens.

"Father, why?! Why?!" He screamed, viciously calling on the god that let her die. His wife, and child, both dead...

Miloval sat completely still for a few minutes, cradling the corpse, then softly rocking himself. The emotion drained from his face, life from his eyes.

He stood stoically, carrying Victoria, and began to simply walk. He left the town, entering the forest. Passing trees and shrubberies awash in a vivid green from the rain, the quiet peace of the woods slowly began to disintegrate the hurt from Salem.

The smell of the forest filled his nose, the scent of flowers mixed with the tranquil aroma of rain replaced that of blood in his subconscious. Suddenly the corpse the was cradling became much lighter.

Eventually, he came to a small lake, rippling gently with the falling of rain. He stepped in quietly, and continued walking in the water. When he reached the center of the lake, the water had risen around his chest. He outstretched his arms, letting Victoria's body float peacefully in the clear waters. A little wind blew a few white petals into the water, some catching on the tranquil surface, others landing calmly in Victoria's long hair.

Miloval let her go then.

He watched as her body sank quietly the the algae ridden floor of the lake.

Gone.

~