THE MAD KING AND HIS GUARD

Dark. Cold. Hunger. Pain.

That's how the beautiful woman in the red dress who sat in the corner of the cell felt. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were clenched – she was praying.

TAP TAP TAP

There was the sound of approaching footsteps.

Hearing that, she smiled.

"Finally, you came, Rion." Her eyes opened. She gazed calmly at the man standing outside the prison cell. The beautiful woman rose from the floor and walked over to the man. For five seconds, her clear brown eyes met with those hazel eyes that threw her a piercing gaze. She smiled and spoke with her sweet voice. "Have you regretted what you did? It's okay, I forgive you."

She smiled widely, her eyes sparkling. However, those two beautiful things disappeared in an instant when she heard him speak coldly.

"Lucas has been executed. Tomorrow is your turn."

Her eyes widened, and her bones seemed to tremble at the man's shocking words.

"W-what…? Y-you really did it…? Why?" Her voice trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her chest tightened. She froze, staring at the cold face of the grey-haired man in front of her.

"You know exactly why," he replied curtly.

"What did you do, Rion?! Lucas is innocent."

"You're right. He's innocent. It was my fault for loving you and trusting him."

"So you believe that Lucas and I betrayed you?" She stared intently at the face in front of her. That face seemed to have no trace of emotion at all. Five seconds later, the man still did not give any answer.

"I understand." She realized it was futile to change his mind.

"Say your final wish."

Those brown eyes stared deeply into the pair of hazel eyes, that had always looked at her with love and warmth. Now those hazel eyes really had nothing but hatred in them.

"I... I have two requests," she said quietly.

"Every death row inmate only receives one."

"I know, but do you remember when we got married, you gifted me with three wishes? I already used two, meaning I still have one left."

"Say it."

***

On a cloudy morning, people gathered in the town square to witness a great event that was about to go down: the king would execute his queen.

The news that the king sentenced the queen to death had been shaking the palace and its surroundings since the past week. The uproar got more intense when, last night, the king said that he would behead the queen with his own hands.

On the execution altar, he, the man with hazel eyes and sturdy body, was unmoved, looking at the crowd below with an expression that was hard to decipher. The wind at a height ruffled his long grey hair.

[For my first request, I want you to be my executioner tomorrow.]

The sentence was repeated in his head. No one knew that at this moment, his entire body was covered in a cold sweat that even the tips of his fingers turned pale.

"Traitor! Traitor, booo!"

"You traitor!"

The screams from the crowd below snapped him out of his thoughts. Now his eyes were focused on a woman in a red dress who was led to the altar by a brown-haired knight and a soldier in uniform.

"Your Majesty… Please, have mercy on the queen. We beg you... Please… spare her life....!!"

"No!! Traitors must be punished!"