HIS NEMESIS, HER SALVATION

CHAPTER TWO: CONDEMNED

AYDAE POV

Back when Stan brought me to live with him as his personal guard, I met the head maid of his household. She, like me, is a war slave and was sold to the Mikhail household at the age of eighteen. She treated me like royalty, and also loved and took care of me like I was her own child.

She never had a mate so she didn't have a child as royal slaves are forbidden from having mates or bearing offspring. She was probably more excited than I was just as a mother would, for my mating ceremony as she assisted with its preparations.

“Finally, a slave is getting married into the royal family. Miracles do happen and you have earned yours dear.” That's what she said to me as she and Kiera happily selected the dress I would wear for the ceremony.

She, unfortunately, had to join the Alpha and Stanley on their emergency journey yesterday and lost her life in the m******e that was reported, so I thought.

As the courtroom door opens, the only survivor walks in. Her hair is messy, her face is pale and downcast, probably from crying. Her right arm is in a sling. She has definitely gone through a lot. She survived. My stomach turns as she slowly looks up and meets my gaze.

We lock eyes, just for a second. She seems terrified…of me? Tears immediately stream from her eyes as she looks away. My eyes blur as emotions almost overwhelm me. I inhale deeply and blink severally to push them back. She's really hurt. What exactly happened out there?

“Samantha. Please make your way to the witness stand,” the council elder announces. She slowly walks up to the witness stand opposite where I stand. “You may sit, as you are still recovering.” She sits and avoids meeting my eyes.

“Do you recognise the person standing opposite to you, Samantha?” the council elder asks.

“Yes.” Her voice is shaky and almost a whisper. She sniffles. Yes, she has been crying.

“What's her name?”

“Aydae.”

“Now look at the item before you. That's your phone, right, Samantha?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Thank you.” A guard goes over to her stand and collects the item, then he returns it to the council table. The giant screen by the top on my left lights up and a large image comes up.

My eyes widen and a gasp leaves my lips. The whole courtroom gasps. How is this even possible? That's me, but definitely not me.

“Do you recognise the image on the screen, Samantha? And could you please tell us who it is?” the council elder asks.

There's a brief silence as Samantha slowly lifts up her face and meets my eyes. There's something else in her eyes aside from fear. It's disgust. Rage. Regret. Disbelief. A knot forms in my stomach as I have never seen her look at me with those eyes. She has always looked at me with love, she's literally my second mother. The silence is short but it seems like it lasted for a long time.

Shaking, Samantha finally responds. “Yes. That's Aydae. The perpetrator…”

A sharp ringing fills my ears and slowly swallows Samantha's voice. The world turns blurry and it seems like it is spinning faster. I can't even hear the beating of my own heart. I stagger backwards but I catch myself. I shake my head and blink my eyes. This can't be happening. The lady in the screen, whoever that is, looks, talks and walks like me, but is definitely not me.

As the world slowly becomes clear, and the ringing stops; Stanley's brother, Landon, also seated among the council members, stands from his seat. His eyes are red, he may have disliked his brother's choice in me but he loved him dearly.

He clears his throat. “After the testimony of the sole-survivor and the evidence brought forward, I sentence Aydae to death, for the death of Alpha Mikhail and my brother…Stanley Mikhail.” He chokes back tears as he mentions his brother.

Stanley. My chest heaves. I really wished I showed you more love than you did for me. Because if I did, these people won't dare to believe that I am capable of killing you. I should have announced my love for you from the rooftops. I should have competed with you on who introduces his partner to the rest of the world. I should have held your hand in public always and wear a broad smile that says, ‘he's mine and mine alone’. The tears betray me and spill down my cheeks.

“I did not kill him! I loved Stanley with all my whole being!” I scream at the top of my voice. The tears and shaky breaths made the words that come out of my mouth crack.

“I don't know who the f**k that person on the screen is but I know that's not me! And Samantha,” I turn to her with my eyes red from crying, “you know I could never hurt you…or him. You know that.”

“I thought I did,” she says softly as she looks me in the eyes. I suddenly feel as though an arrow has pierced through my chest. You thought you did?

“It turns out, I never did know you because you don't even know yourself.”

Yes. An arrow, right through my heart. Why do I feel like she's right? I don't even know myself and that's the truth.The strength in me vanishes, my knees wobble and I slump to the floor.

“Take her to the dungeon!” Landon commands. “She will be beheaded at dawn tomorrow.” The Palace guards violently pull me up from the ground. I don't even resist. I am dragged hurriedly through the crowd. Stones crash on my face which tears my skin and draws red fluid. Blood. I don't even care. Stan! You are the cause of this. Why did you have to die before me? Why?

I am taken to the cold, dark dungeon below the Palace and strung up with silver chains like an animal.

I have lost all strength. I am as good as dead. Samantha hates me now and Stanley is…gone. I exhale sharply as I call his name. My tears have dried up from crying.

I am definitely going to die come dawn tomorrow.

Hours crawl by. My throat is dry and my lips are parched. My death may come sooner from exhaustion than the beheading at dawn. The silver chains burn deeply into my skin. ‘Fight on?’ What's the point? I have gladly accepted my death. There's nothing to fight for.

I am sorry, Stan. I may have to join you sooner than you expected. I don't know how long I have been here but I guess it's almost midnight. Time crawls when you need it to be f*****g fast.

Muffled grunts!

I furrow my brows, still my body and listen carefully to the sound I just heard. Silence, but not for long.

Suddenly, I hear quiet noises, muffled grunts and choked screams. What the f**k is going on outside? And then, silence again.

The sounds of footsteps approaching get louder and my heart begins to pound. Who are they? Are they here to kill me? From the sounds of the footsteps, it's more than one person. The footsteps approach the door. I hear the security codes being punched in, then the door opens. Flood of flashlights fills the room. I quickly face down and shut my eyes to protect them from the lights.

Am I going to die? My heart keeps pounding.

“Ayd?”

My eyes forcefully open.