I felt sick watching my friends being whipped like slaves. I was certain they had come all this way just to see me.
“Hey! Stop whipping them! Can’t you see they are women?” I yelled, running toward them.
“My Queen, please leave this place immediately. This does not concern you,” the head guard said authoritatively. His tone nearly frightened me, but I had to be bold if I wanted to save my friends from that torture.
“If you whip them again, you will have to whip me too!” I shouted.
Everyone froze in shock.
Rosamund and Seren stared at me as if asking what I was doing, but I ignored their looks and stood my ground, already prepared to suffer alongside them.
“What are you doing here, Pearl?” the King’s cold voice came from behind me.
I cringed in fear and slowly turned to see him appro
