Selene and I

"You are what!?!" my brother, Simon, sounded absolutely confused. 1

"What's so confusing about it?" I asked as my lady-in-waiting, Selene, helped me dress behind a curtain. 2

"Will you come out from back there so I can talk to you!" Simon demanded. I came out, looking absolutely stunning. My long brown hair was done in a bun on the back of my head. My dress was made of luxurious cream satin. The bodice itself was a hunter green with roses embroidered all over it. 3

"I just don't understand why you would want to do that." Selene put on my pearl droplet earrings and diamond studded crown. "Kat, you worked so hard to become a Royal." 4

"My mind is made up Simon. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish preparing to meet my husband." Simon gave an exasperated sigh and stomped off. 5

"Will you be needing anything else, milady?" asked Selene, unusually quiet. 6

"Actually I need you to help me change. I've decided to wear the gown I wore to my coronation." As Selene helped me to don the immensely expensive and elegant gown I remembered the chance I was taking by doing what I was about to do. Selene, her beautiful red hair pinned up above the dress I had given to her, was silent. She normally hummed through her work, but today she said nothing. 7

"Selene, do not be worried about what is going to happen when I go to my husband. But please, I beg of you, answer this one question for me." she stood up in anticipation. "Selene, if I am to succeed, would you come with me like I asked last night. Answer honestly, I won't hold it against you." I said. 8

"Madam..." she paused, "I will answer that question after you see His Majesty, King Denton." I frowned slightly, I was risking disfavor with my husband and she couldn't even answer my question! "In that case, would you go and request an audience from the King for me?" Selene bobbed a curtsy and left without another word. 9

A few minutes later, I was approaching the large oak doors to my husband's office with Selene by my side. As the doors opened, my eyes rested on Denton, my husband, the King. Denton was a strongly built man, his muscles were well defined and his height added to his overall intimidating image. "You wanted to see me, darling?" he asked, standing up to greet me. Selene bobbed and then left.10

"Don't you think this gown looks stunning on me?" I asked, Denton chuckled and said that yes, it did but what did I really want. I took a deep breath and started to say the speech I had been preparing ever since I had laid eyes on Selene. "Darling. I've come to ask, or rather to tell you, that I want to leave you." In an instant, Denton changed from my husband to the King. 11

"Why? Haven't I given you all you asked for? Loved you more then any other man could?" 12

"Darling, it isn't that you haven't provided for me..."13

"Then how is it that you have the gall to tell me that you want to break off our marriage?" 14

"I...I... I have found love elsewhere." 15

"With who?" he demanded, "My brother? The Captain of the guards? WHO!?!" he shouted, slamming his fist on his desk. 16

"No. I have found love with... a lady." I said the last phrase very slowly, almost to convince myself. 17

"You mean to tell me that I have married a sodomite!?!" he asked. I realized that my plight had failed. "Who is it? Which one of the ladies? Tell me!" he grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently. I shook my head, the one thing I was sure about was that I had to protect Selene. 18

"Tell me you traitor!" he said, slapping me hard across the face. I fell to the ground but once again shook my head. 19

"I will not tell you." I said, my voice slightly shaky from fear; I had seen my husband in a rage before. 20

"Your punishment will be considerably more severe if you keep this information to yourself." 21

"I know." The King pulled me up, none too gently, by the wrists. 22

"You know what awaits you tomorrow." he said, "I must make it clear that you will receive no mercy from me." I nodded. "Your punishment starts now." he grabbed my crown from my head and threw it on the ground. Next he tore the pearls from my ears, causing them to bleed. He paused and briefly looked at me with tender eyes. "Are you sure about this?" I nodded, "Very well." He tore my dress from my body, leaving me in nothing but my slip. "Guards! Take this wretch to the dungeon." Two guards entered the room, tied my ankles and wrists together and dragged me away. Selene was still waiting at the doorway so I called to her, "You must answer my question. Come and see me so that I can get my answer." Selene nodded, "I will." 23

The guards dragged me in shame through the palace grounds to the dungeon. Once we arrived they, literally threw me into the cell. "So the Queen finally fell from her perch." said the jail keeper when they left. He came into my cell and put the ropes that bound my wrists on a hook in the ceiling. Then he stripped me of my slip and replaced it with an old grain sack.24

"Welcome to the real world." came a voice from the hall. My heart leaped when I saw Selene coming. "I've come to answer your question, Madam Katrina." 25

"So would you have come with me if I had succeeded? Would you have loved me, as I love you, for all time?" 26

Selene shook her head, "To be honest with you Kat, you were too naive to realize what you were getting into. All you cared about were clothes and jewelry. You never took the time to find a real reason to leave the King, you never realized the suffering that takes place to produce the finery you wear once then toss out like molded bread. In other words, I would not have come with you. To you, loving me would have been a fun excursion. Nothing more. I give you my sympathies Kat. Now farewell." Selene turned and left without waiting for a reply from me. 27

As I hung from the hook, my shoulders aching from the pain, I realized the consequences of what was considered a treasonous act: punishment and then death. King Denton decided on punishments and manners of death and he had said he would not spare me at all... I took a deep breath and started to cry. 28

"Oh, your majesty, shall I get you a royal handkerchief?" mocked the jail keeper, "Your day won't be too bad tomorrow. You're only going to die." his cruel laughter rang in my ears until morning. 29

The next morning I was taken by the jail keeper to what was referred to as "The Belly of the Bloodhound." The Belly was little more than an elevated wooden platform with a beam above it. My throne, from the throne room, was now on the platform. As I was dragged along to the platform thousands of people gathered to watch my execution. The jailer sat me in my throne and forced me to look at the throng of people. I saw Simon and my parents, whose faces were all stained with tears, in the back. 30

After what seemed like an eternity, the King finally strode up the stairs. To others he would seem handsome, but I only wanted Selene. He grabbed me from the throne and tied my hands to a long rope which he threw over the beam and used to suspend me in the air. 31

Denton explained what I had done: I loved a woman and by saying I loved him, had committed treason by lying to him. "You know what must be done." he said, "Call the cadence!" The crowd gave a series of strong shouts that sounded like a slow march, setting the beat for my punishment. "100 lashes." said Denton once the pace was set.32

I wanted to be strong and not make a sound, but nothing could have prepared me for the searing pain that tore through my back. Each time the experienced jailer struck, a scream would escape my lips. As the blood seeped down I thought about what Selene had said and realized that she had been right. I had been vain; while I knew the names of the best dressmakers, I didn't even know the regions of my own kingdom. The jailer gave me a lash across the face and paused for a moment, signaling that it was half over. 33

I took deep, shuddering breaths, felt the blood trickling from my back and down my legs in mandala-like patterns, forming pools below my feet. 34

The jailer started again and once more my screams filled the air. Had I really loved Selene? I asked myself, in between lashes. I realized that I had and found comfort in the fact that I had told at least one truth and was not suffering for something I hadn't believed in. I tuned back into the world, felt the whip tearing at my flesh, carving a history into my skin, heard the crowd jeering at me. I was in too much pain to care, I would have cried but there were already tears of blood falling down. 35

Finally it was over. 36

Denton took his sword and cut the ropes that held me a good 6 feet above the platform. I collapsed at his feet, bloody, broken and waiting for death. The jailer dragged me to the center of the platform and beat me until I raised myself into a kneeling position facing the crowd. The King put his sword against the back of my neck.37

"Any last words?" he asked. 38

"My husband, I am going to leave you. For I have found love in a woman." I said weakly. The jailer gave me lashes across the face and chest and Denton said, "Very well." He took his sword and stabbed me in the stomach. The jailer suspended me once again as an example for others and left me there to die. 39

****40

That was the day I died. I found out later that Selene was given the same 100 lashes I was, but was not killed. I wanted to apologize Selene, for what I put you through. However, I also wanted to thank you. I have found a woman who loves me, and I have opened my eyes to the suffering you told me about. Thank you for being the first to tell me.41

The Angel By Your Side,42

Kat