My eyes open when someone hits the bars of the cell I'm in. It's the guard. He steps back. Then I hear light footsteps approaching. I don't even know when I slept. I sit up and I wait as they get closer.

I straighten my dress and I try to manage my hair even though I'm sure it won't help then I sit up straight. It is light outside. It means its another day. The day of my trial and execution. Shepherd is not leaving my execution to chance.

He wants to do it all by law so he can be justified when he finally kills me otherwise, he may have many unhappy officials and citizens. It really grazes him the wrong way that people like me. He hates it almost as much as he hates my person.

Who but my own mother-in-law stands before me. She is in an all-black ensemble. She has mourner's clothes on. A black dress with a black head scarf where all her brown hair is stuffed, and she even has all-black jewelry on.

"Mother." I mock. I don't know why but I think since I'm dying anyway, maybe I can finally also be honest with her.

"I am not a mother to harlots, you filth." She says.

"But I thought I was your chosen, Sarah." I fake hurt and hold my chest.

She scoffs. "You have no shame. No shame at all." She spits inside my cell, but it doesn't reach me.

"If its anyone who should have any shame, Sarah, it's you."

"Pray tell, wench."

"If you had just accepted that your son liked getting fed cock we wouldn't be here."

She gasps in shock and anger. Her eyes dart to the guards here but they don't flinch. "You are lying on my son. What does that benefit you? Is it your plan to get free?"

"You knew it all, but you chose me to be his bride. You've never told me why." I ignore her fake shock. I have limited time to live, and I don't have time for lies or pretense.

She doesn't answer me but the loathing she has directed my way rivals that of Shepherd. But I don't flinch.

"I could have married another man who would have loved me. I suffered five long years because of you but you want to speak to me about shame?"

She doesn't say anything still.

"You tortured me for years with your son and he even sent his lover to kill me, and I barely escaped death. When I finally found peace, you people dragged me back for more suffering, but you want to speak to me about shame?" my heart rate picks up.

"I was happy with Igor, I had peace. But because of you I am here, and I am about to lose my life and those of my children. All because of you." I whisper the last part. My voice can barely come out because of the emotions fighting air for space in my throat.

She doesn't react this time, but she just stares at me. Her face falls a little after some time. Then she turns away and leaves just as I almost see something akin to empathy on her features.

But none of that matters anymore. What is done is already done. And I'm not sure I would change the past. Being married to Shepherd led me to Igor. And as bad a life I had with Shepherd but the bliss I experienced with Igor more than covers it.

Igor's love repaired me in ways I never could have thought were possible. I lean back to the wall, and I brush my stomach. I remember the last day we had that was truly peaceful. That morning I woke up needy for his touch and he stayed with me and tended to my needs.

He never once shamed me for being needy or being clingy, but he just gave me everything I needed without reservation or question.

I close my eyes as I try to remember how his touch felt. My skin hums low remembering his purrs. They were always my favorite thing. I don't know how he did it, but it would travel to my own body, and they always soothed me.

My love. My orc. Father of my children.

If I never see you again. May life grant you peace and may you have health and love for a thousand years. What you did for me is beyond what I can say. I will love you in the next life and the next one too.

My eyes fly open when a throat clears. I find my stepmother and father outside this time. She is dressed elegantly as always, and her face is full of anger. But my father looks devastated, and he is holding a small case on his left.

"Come to also tell me your disappointments?" I can't help the bitterness in my voice. Although I am looking at my stepmother, my words are directed to my father. My father who fed me to wolves and who has constantly stood by as I was abused. All so he and his wife can maintain their place in society.

I think about the stark contrast between him and Igor. Although I have never experienced Igor as a father when our children are born, but he would never sell our children for his personal gain. He would never choose his personal comforts over mine and our children's safety and happiness.

I didn't see much of what was wrong with my father's actions until I met Igor. I just thought all fathers were like that, but they aren't. My father simply has never cared enough about me. He loves everything better than he loves me.

I am his child, but I think he even loves his wife more than me or my brother. He chose to walk away seeing my bruised face instead of hurting what was hurting me or speaking up for me at all. On the list of people I should hate, I see now that I should add my father there too.

"You are unremorseful. Don't you care about what you've done to us?" My stepmother says in disdain.

"Why when you and father have never cared what happens to me?"

My father's eyes focus on me, like what I just said offends him. But like usual, he says nothing. Absolutely nothing as my stepmother gasps.

"You have always been an ungrateful child. Your father sacrificed a lot for you. To get you where you are. All for you to breed with...a beast." She spits.

"His name is Igor. And he's an orc." I say evenly.

"Is this really the fate you choose? Why didn't you terminate this pregnancy? Shepherd would have forgiven you. And we wouldn't be disgraced." She carries on.

I chuckle.

"You think all of this is a joke? Can't you even see how serious this is. Are you mad? Is that what that beast did to you. Did he make you mad? Or its those abominations you are carrying?"

I stand up. "My children are not abominations, and I will not have you address my family that way!"

She looks taken aback but she plants herself where she is. Ready with an answer.

"Elizabeth, that's enough." My father finally speaks.

I shake my head to him. The loathing I feel right now burns me hot.

"You are a failure, father." His eyes sharpen to me, and my gaze gets obstructed by the hot tears. "You failed me as your child. You sold me to a monster. No wonder mom left you. You are worse than Shepherd and you are worse than the fates who gave me this life. And I hope life rewards you with everything you gave to me. Every time you stood by as I was abused so you can keep your power. May you live long and suffer as I have."

I don't turn from him, and he says nothing. He drops the case he had in front of my cell.

"Let's go, Elizabeth." He says and him and his wife leave, but not before my stepmother gives me one last look of disdain and says, "Wear the clothes and at least don't embarrass us as you die, you ungrateful child."

I don't move from where I'm standing. I stand there until my feet hurt and I need to sit down.

I don't touch the case. I remain in my clothes. And after breakfast time, Shamus is back with the royal guard. They chain my hands and neck, and they escort me outside.

I find waiting carriages for a parade lining the palace vast grounds. So, I am not going to court. Makes sense if my charges are breeding with someone outside my marriage. Shepherd wanted to make sure I am embarrassed to the maximum. He has been dying for this public execution.

I am locked in a cage like they locked Igor. I sit down and I wait for them to move. Shepherd comes out with his entourage. He wears black like it's a funeral, and so is everyone in his tow. He spares me no looks.

Not everyone is wearing black, however. He mounts a horse, a black horse and Shamus walks after him and they pull my cage, and it is after Shamus. The parade is slow as Shepherd leads it. There is no songs and it really feels like a funeral.

I know I should be terrified, and I have imagined this moment many time the past month, but I didn't imagine I'd be...calm.

I think there is a security in knowing I'm dying for my truth. That I lived my truth and I loved. In those seven months I had my whole life. Igor gave me life. He gave me life and he gave it to me abundantly. I have joy in that. I have peace in that.

The soldiers carrying my cage sneer at me from time to time and they whisper insults like, 'whore,' 'filth,' 'witch.'

I stay silent because theirs are not mouths I would ever accept an insult. I feel the crowd before I see them when the palace gates open. Shepherd silences them when they start getting rowdy and they let us pass. Multitudes follow on my sides and behind as we head to the town center. Where all public trials and executions happen.

We come up to the large platform where the council are waiting. The judge is at the platform, but the rest of the council is seated. They will have front seating to my death. How lucky they must be, I think to myself.

I am carried up the stairs in the cage and all the towns' people gather behind the seating of the council. I am let out of the cage, but they don't remove the chains in my hands and neck.

The soldier pulls me to the middle of the platform between the judge and Shamus. Shepherd dismounts the horse, and he approaches the platform slowly.

His gaze only on me and I see the glee behind his eyes.

He stands next to me, and he holds my chain in his hands and he yanks me, so I hunch.

I hear the pleased murmurs. I lift my gaze, however. If I am dying, then I want them all to see my face and I want to see all of them too. If I am reborn, may I remember all my traitors.

"Citizens of the Gango kingdom!" he starts. "It is with great sadness and shame that today must even happen." He pauses. "As all of you know my wife disappeared 9 months ago and she reappeared less than a month ago. It is with great shame and disgust that she was found to be living with the beast you all have seen many times."

Horrified murmurs and gasps rise.

"In this time, she was gone, she bred with a beast we now know is an orc. A non-human creature." He lets those words settle. There is a pause in the crowd before they start roaring.

They call for my head.

"As my father passed the law, the payment of breeding is death. But I lay it to you, what shall your disgraced queen's punishment be for breeding with a beast?"

The crowd goes mad and the chant, 'death, death, death, death, death...' rings.

The judge steps forward and Shamus raises his hand, and they settle, but barely.

"The judgment shall be d—"

"Ah!" a loud scream followed by six horses come running towards the center. They run like they just got loose from a stable. But that is not the interesting part. It is what they are pulling. Each horse pulls four dead bodies of disembodied soldiers.

"Ah!" Another scream then another scream ring and then people start running like they see something.

My heart almost leaps forth when I see a vision of terror in black armor with spiked shoulders – looking like death personified.

Igor.

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