THE DUTCHESS OF WHINGSIRE

CHAPTER5

"I have no reason. I didn't want to do it at all, so I have no reason," Sherry responded with closed eyes, tears streaming down her face. She didn't want to watch Camille's expression morph, but she especially didn't want to see that little bit of care or concern disappear from her gaze. Unfortunately, though she didn't see it, she still felt it. Camille's gaze became as cold as the Pacific Ocean the night the Titanic sank. She stared at Sherolanda like she was just the corpse of a dead animal. "You have no reason, huh? In that case, you can just pay for your sins at the stake. Burn like the witch that you are."

Sherry's lips trembled horribly. Her bound limbs shook intensely. She took a few steps before tripping over her own two feet, her blue and purple eyes were glazed over by tears, becoming horribly unfocused. "Drag her up," Camille instructed in a cold tone. "We need to get back to town before dark. Everyone will be excited to watch a witch burn", her smile sent shivers down the backs of everyone present.

"Are you okay?" Yuri mouthed to Sherry when no one was paying attention. Sherry shook her head. No, she was not okay. She was tired of always being "okay". Even as she watched her world crumble, she was still "okay." To be honest, it was starting to get annoying. "How about you?" she mouthed back. Yuri also shook his head, he really was not okay. Today started as a completely ordinary day for him. He had even gotten his pay, finally! He even planned to go to a jewelry shop and buy something pretty for both Sherry and his little sister, Lorelie. Then, BAM!!! Like lightning on a clear day, he received the horrible news of Sherry's "witchery". After that, it seemed like one strike of lightning after another hit his heart dead center, roasting it to a crisp. So, yeah, he was also NOT okay.

The journey back to the village was probably the worst trip he ever took in his life, even worse than when he followed his master to his organ harvesting site. Yuri snuck a peak at Sherry, but her face was obstructed by her curly red hair. Plus, she kept her head down, only letting out heart-wrenching sobs once in a while. She hadn't stopped crying since Camille asked her that question. He wasn't sure of the contents, since Camille's voice was too low, but he could guess it from Sherry's reply. It probably had to do with what happened five years ago. His heart felt stuffy just thinking about it.

This village hadn't always been their home. Both families had moved here after... that night. When Sherry wiped out almost an entire village in the deep of the night. Camille despised him because she believed that he could only care for Sherry because he hadn't lost anything. But she was wrong. He had lost two things that night. He had lost his best friend. And his angel.

Victor was the kindest person he ever knew, always smiling and helping everyone he knew, even if they weren't in need. Even on that night, when everyone was just trying to look out for themselves, there he stood, like a sore thumb, still trying to help. He never disdained Yuri for his lack of talent, and treated him as his equal in every way. They became true companions. That's why it hurt so much to see him change. When Victor got tested at the Magician Corp, everyone realized just how gifted he was. He had a talent of 5stars out of 7, which was a ranking of how innately talented someone is when it comes to practicing magic, with 1star being the lowest and 7stars being the highest. Not only was his aptitude brilliant, his innate magic set was extremely powerful too. An elemental, not just any elemental, but he had to be a lightning elemental too. It was like he was always telling the world, "If I must be something, I must be the best." Three years older than him, he was Camille's twin, and his role model, he could still remember parading his name all through their old village. He was a star, literally. Destined to glow among the top in society, but he had to leave early.

Sometimes at night, Yuri wondered if there was a chance it was better that way. Rosaline had always been a deceptive witch, it had always been clear to all. And she didn't mind manipulating her son for his talents if it meant she could climb the social ladder. He remembered how Victor had started to change, subtle at first, but soon he changed from someone who loved people whole heatedly to someone that would think of benefits before helping. It was unbearable. He knew he should have stayed at his side, but he didn't want to watch the change first hand. Then that night came, Sherry's seventh birthday. It was supposed to be a happy day, her smile was purer than ever before. No one would ever understand what triggered the change. At midnight, chaos ensued. Black fire, impossible to put out, spread everywhere in an instant. That night she crushed people without even touching them, except one. That night reminded him of why he followed Victor like a shadow for so long.

When it mattered most, he stood up again. That one time — No, that last time, he was a star. A strike of lightning, and a sacrifice. He stood right there but couldn't do anything to change the results of that night. But he did see something. Something that gave him hope, a c***k in Sherolanda's cold expression, a single tear that slipped down her face as she murdered her hero in cold blood.

At that instant, he knew. It wasn't her, she wasn't in control! That's why he stayed. The incidents of that night probably only benefited him, even if he didn't want to admit it. Victor would forever remain a saint in his heart, his eternal beacon in a world of darkness. Though he would never say the words out loud, if the alternative was watching Victor get twisted by his mother into an unrecognizable monster, it was better for him to watch him die.

He glanced back at Sherry, 'She's not a witch,' he thought, 'She's just dead inside'. He snuck a glance at Camille, 'And she's not evil,' he sighed. 'She's just missing half her soul.' So, yeah, he lost two things that night. A best friend, Camille, who lost the kind part of her soul and is actively trying to get it back through revenge. And an angel, Sherry, who gave up her entire soul to a world that doesn't value it, hoping to pay for her sins. If only both of them could realize that what they lost they would never get back, that their approach would never work. Sometimes it's better to move on than dwell in the past, especially if the past is particularly heart-wrenching.

Feeling all those disgusted gazes on her, Sherry could feel past and present overlapping again. Some people shoot her such a look once, they died. She had just been fading to the other side, when something heavy and pointy slammed into the side of her head. The pain seemed to have exploded from nowhere, she raised her hands shakingly to touch the side of her head. The sight of the red blood on her fingertips made her already unstable vision blurrier. That one brave person seemed to empower the rest to follow their example. Soon Sherry was drowned in a rain of stones. What was this?! Were they planning to stone her to death?! What happened to the traditional "Burn her at the stake" execution she was promised?

The young men leading her to the execution ground only reacted to this unscheduled beating when one of their men was hit by a stray rock. Yuri looked at her with an apologetic gaze. She avoided his gaze. She wasn't actually willing to believe Camille's words, but it did seem to make sense. Why else would he stay by her side? She was a demon after all. If he wanted to take her blood to sell or whatever, she would happily oblige, but it was still.... At least that way one of them could gain from her existence that way. But even though she thought in that way... she didn't want to believe it. She couldn't even believe it. Why was she even considering it? Wouldn't that mean her only source of light was a lie all along?

They were dumped unceremoniously on their buttocks. The stake was prepared just as tradition expected. "Camille, will you really kill your sister?" Yuri finally spoke out loud again. Both Camille and Sherry turned to look at him. Sherry was shocked, things had already come to this point, yet he still spoke up for her. She had considered this game over, but clearly he hadn't. All the suspicions Camille's words had built seemed to melt away. "Thank you," she mumbled under her breath. Of course, no one had heard her.

Camille looked at Yuri with her "cold as the pacific eyes", and smiled. It was unnervingly creepy and Yuri felt goosebumps crawl up his arms. "You're worried about being lonely, aren't you?" Her voice was filled with a manic hatred, but also a hint of despair. "Don't worry, I won't let that happen. I'll burn you first. Won't that be great for you? You won't have to see her expression of utmost pain in the face of complete death, but you'll still meet in hell. Together forever."

"What makes you think you can murder my servant?!" a sleazy voice boomed from within the crowd. Lord Lugard had his bodyguards shove the commoners who came out for a show out of the way till he reached the platform where the stake had been set up. Camille rolled her eyes at the appearance of the greasy fat pig. "What a rude young lady!!! Who do you think you are? Talking about killing my servant so boldly? The village chief isnt even here yet, and you think you can make the decisions? How foolish" Lord Lugard's contemptious tone should have made her angry, made her lose her senses. But it seemed to have an opposite effect, instead of loosing her marbles, she seemed to have found quite a few. She placed her hand on her chest, where she felt her rapidly beating heart beat. She had been ignoring the pain. She popped a medicinal pill in her mouth and chewed, how foolish indeed. "You there" she pointed out a young man who seemed to be here for the fun, "Go call the village chief. Tell him we caught the witch and her accomplice" she ordered. "Let him be the judge. Does the witch's protector deserve to die to?" Sherry and Yuri shivered as her gaze passed over them. She bowed respectfully to Lord Lugard, though she would much rather stew him in a pot, "Please wait patiently for the Chief's verdict, Sire".