Zhanna looked at the sight before her from the podium where she stood. Every individual looked at her with disdain. The whole kingdom of Volkorod had gathered to witness her death by hanging. She was innocent! All right, not so innocent.
Her head was pushed into the loop created by the knotted rope and just before they could pull it tighter around her neck, she replayed the scenes that happened earlier that day.
---
An hour before noon, the party commenced. It was held in her husband's honour, Boris. He had been crowned King with his coronation date announced, everyone celebrated and Zhanna was the happiest. She knew how hard she had worked to help Boris achieve this title. She had helped Boris kill the people stopping him from inheriting the throne. She also went on dangerous journeys and performed various charity gatherings in Boris' name, giving everyone the notion that Boris was a leader who cared about the people's welfare.
Now, all her suffering wouldn't be in vain. When she becomes queen, she would make sure women were treated equally in marriage and do many other things for her kingdom. Her kingdom... she liked the sound of that.
"Darling," Tatianka said to Boris as she shoved Zhanna out of the way to meet him. Tatianka that whore that had been seducing her husband! Boris and Zhanna had been married for two years now, it was a beautiful and lovely one until Tatianka came along. Boris started heeding to Tatianka's stupid advances, spending less time with her and always arguing about Tatianka being better than her anytime they spoke. She didn't care about this marriage, she only wanted the throne. Even at that, she couldn't leave the marriage. That's how marriages were in Volkorod- You can't divorce, the wife must be submissive, the wife can never cheat on the man and so many unfavourable laws against the wife in every marriage in Volkorod.
Well, she'll bring them all to an end when she becomes queen. And she also won't forget to show Tatianka to her place!
For the rest of the party Zhanna avoided Boris and Tatianka, those disgusting duo. She danced and drank like there was no tomorrow. She was actually enjoying the party until the music was interrupted by a faint recording.
"You've been announced as king, Boris. Who would be your Queen?" Tatianka's recorded voice said in-between moans.
"(Swears in ecstasy) you obviously…" Boris' recorded voice said.
"Yes me, and not some bitch that calls herself your wife!"
Zhanna didn't listen further, she replayed the recording over and over in her head. Then slowly dropped to her knees, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, her face full with shock and disbelief.
Many women around pitied her, but they couldn't go against their husbands support. Their husbands were busy congratulating Boris on doing a good job at satisfying a woman in bed and they had to join and congratulate Tatianka on being chosen as the next Queen of Volkorod.
Tatianka's followers mocked Zhanna from where they stood. "Look at her, pathetic! Such a proud thing thinking that she'd be queen," One said.
"What made her think that she deserved the throne? She can't compare herself to Tatianka, she's way below Tatianka in everything," The other complemented.
"Do you think she'll start working as a maid with us?"
"Maybe," The maid continued and swept the trash closer to Zhanna "Stay where you belong" she said and everyone laughed along.
Boris had his back turned to her, he couldn't bear to see her teary face. Her tears always made him feel…guilty.
Zhanna suddenly felt angry. She had done a lot, bared a lot to get to this position, only to be treated like this and mocked publicly and what was she doing about this, crying? Slowly she raised her head and scanned the area, then she found him- Boris.
She walked towards him, anger evident on her face. All eyes were on her at that moment but she didn't look their way, it was either she didn't know or she didn't care. Someone tapped Boris to alert him of his wife coming towards him from behind.
Boris turned and before he could blink, his face was awarded a slap by Zhanna. He was about to rant but when he saw her tear stained face, his anger vanished.
"Boris how could you! You knew I wanted that position and you decided that your mistress was more worthy? Boris, what didn't I do to help you get to this position. I killed for you! I killed for you BORIS!! Oh, I was such an idiot to think you'll consider my actions and give me the position of the queen. What else should I have expected, after all fools belong with fools," Zhanna paused, she was now aware that all eyes were pinned on her. She hated too much attention…for reasons best known to her.
Boris just absorbed every word Zhanna spoke without replying. It was true he used her and dumped her, he felt guilty and wanted to apologize but then he paused, this was a witch here! (according to what Zhanna's stepmother told him). She deserved everything that he did to her and so much more.
"Hold up," Tatianka said out of the blue "Did you just say you killed people to enable Boris access the throne? By people, don't you mean people who prevented Boris from being king? People like…the former king! Zhanna, did you murder King Igor?"
Tatianka smirked, she had Zhanna right where she wanted her.
Zhanna turned pale. 'What kind of bad day is this? Maybe I'm dreaming (pinches herself and exclaims in realization of reality)"
---
That's how she got into this situation, and what started as a celebration turned into a death condemnation.
The rope had been tightened around her neck at this moment and Zhanna felt air leave her lungs. She was going to die soon. Well, that soon never came because 30 minutes past and Zhanna was still there, alive!
"I knew she was a witch!" Boris screamed from among the crowd, he started to walk to the podium with a black magician following him steadily from behind.
Everyone started talking, whispering and pointing hands.
Zhanna could bear any accusation except being accused to be a witch. It always triggered her anger, she didn't know why but she didn't like it. Many servants back at the castle in her hometown said she got cursed to die at 20 years because she was a witch and she hated it.
The people around her seemed oblivious of her struggle and continued whispering and pointing hands.
"Enough!" Zhanna screamed, "Shut up already!"
Everywhere was silent, quieter than a graveyard. Birds didn't chirp, babies didn't cry. Everyone and everything went quiet, not because they wanted to but because they were forced. There was a force preventing them from talking.
Zhanna thought everyone had obeyed her word and kept quiet, what she didn't know was that she was actually a witch and had just casted a spell on them.
"She is indeed a witch!" The black magician said, breaking the silence and the spell. Everyone started taking again and chanting 'Burn the witch!'
Boris took the magical spear from the black magician and pierced it into Zhanna's side, tearing her skin. Zhanna, who had never sustained an injury since she was born, felt her skin being torn and her bones being pierced. She blacked out, though not dead yet.
Zhanna was losing blood. "Quick, get the jar" Bois said to Tatianka, it had been all part of their plan. They had a deal with Zhanna's stepmother, who was a real witch, to get her Zhanna's blood in exchange for him being a very famous king. Tatianka just wanted to be connected to royal blood. So, she helped Boris in other to become queen.
They put the fresh blood into a jar and sealed it tight. "Mission accomplished," Tatianka whispered. Zhanna could see Boris thoughts, she didn't hear them- she saw them! His deal with her stepmother and how he would be a horrible and wicked king. One of the worst the world ever know. What pained her the most was that he made this deal with her stepmother 3 months after their marriage. He didn't even have any romantic feelings towards her and she believed he did, he sold her out with a smile- promising a witch her blood in other to be famous.
Oh the irony of life. Her that was so clever and thoughtful could not see the kind of monster she married- one who planned her death from the first day of their marriage.
"Oh Boris," She said inwardly, too weak to speak "Mark my words- I WILL PAY!"