The Emperor's Bride

{Punishment That Suits The Crime}

We need to go back to earlier that day before the entire fiasco. Anastasia laid on her bed staring at the ceiling. "My lady, you can't just lay there doing nothing. It isn't healthy" Hannah said.

"What's the point? I'm not feeling motivated to do anything" Anastasia said. "How about you go for a walk?" Hannah suggested.

"Meh... Don't bother" Anastasia said. Hannah sighs in defeat. Anastasia agreed to join her for picnic with snowflake in her hands. When the picnic was over, Anastasia gladly returned to her room but Hannah had other plans.

"I know it's against the rules but how about we go outside the castle for some fresh air" Hannah said. Anastasia sat up abruptly.

"I never would have imagined you as the type that breaks the rules" Anastasia said. Hannah rolls her eyes. "Are you in or out?"

Some minutes later Anastasia found herself outside the castle. Please don't ask how she left, all you need to know is that Hannah has her way of getting things done.

In the market, Anastasia was able to get a lot of things. See a lot of places, meet new faces. Anastasia and Hannah had the time of their lives but eventually they returned back to the castle before anyone realize they were gone.

Now back to the present, Anastasia sat quietly not understanding what was going on. All she remembered was Hannah dressing her up in a hurry and begging Anastasia to attend the meeting that was important to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, we have a witness who wants to testify" Zain said. Azriel waved his hand lazily. A maid came out, she went down on her knees. "Your Majesty I was forced to do it..." She said.

"By who?" Luke asked. "By lady Guinevere" the maid said. Gasp filled the room, Anastasia who had no idea what her real name was, just sat down blinking blankly when everyone stared at her.

Guards walked up to Anastasia. "Wait... Wait you mean me?" Anastasia asked as she was taken to meet the maid. The court was filled with murmurs but was silent the moment Azriel raised his hand.

"How is that even possible? I have no idea who this bitch is... I've never seen you in my entire existence" Anastasia said. "You dare deny your involvement in this" Lady Vivian said.

"Let's hear from her accomplice" Hayward said. "Your Majesty, lady Guinevere gave me a cup of tea to deliver to lady Luna" The maid said. "Hold up, let me get this straight.... I gave you a cup of tea? How is that possible if I wasn't in the...."

Anastasia remembers Hannah begging her not to tell anyone about their trip outside the castle. Anastasia sighs. "I went for a picnic with my maid so how am I tied somehow to this issue? You can ask my handmaiden if I'm lying"

"A maid would do anything to defend their masters" Lady Vivian said. "I didn't do anything.... Why won't you believe me?" Anastasia asked. "Because there are witnesses that confessed you threatened them if they didn't do it" Luke said.

"Hmmm I see.... So nothing I say would be justified as the truth" Anastasia said to herself. "I'm afraid so" Luke replied. "Very well... What shall be my punishment?" Anastasia asked.

"My lady please don't do this... Don't sacrifice your innocence" Hannah said. "No one is willing to believe me... Don't worry, I'm use to always taking the blame" Anastasia said. Jasmine scoffs. "Please this act of yours isn't going to work on anybody" Jasmine said.

"Guinevere would be locked up in the dungeon, she would be kept there without food or water for two days" Azriel said. "Your Majesty if I may.... The punishment doesn't justify the crime. She made an attempt to kill someone... In the laws of the land requires the accused must be hanged" Lady Vivian said.

"Lady Vivian that punishment doesn't suit the crime. Guinevere might be innocent, what if this was just a misunderstanding?" Rose asked.

"Misunderstanding? There are people here who says she threatened them. Why do I have a feeling that the emperor is getting soft when it comes to making the right decisions" Vivian said.

Azriel folds his hands into a fist. "Don't get funny ideas Vivian. You have no right to make assumptions concerning how I handle matters. Do not get too bold or else there would be consequences" Azriel said calmly. "My apologies your Majesty" Lady Vivian said.

"My decision still remains... Guinevere would be locked up in a dungeon without food or water for two days" Azriel said. Anastasia was dragged to the dungeon.

Hannah refused to leave Anastasia for a second but Lady Vivian ordered her to leave. "You think you can hurt my niece and get away with it" Lady Vivian said to Anastasia.

Anastasia struggled to breathe as they whipped her countless times. "You think you have the slightest chance of winning over the emperor then you must be more stupid than I thought" Lady Vivian said.

The next day Hannah brought new clothes for Anastasia to change into by the order of lady Vivian. "What did they do to you?" Hannah asked in worry.

Anastasia crawled up to the gate, she sat beside it. "I had a dream again... Would you like to hear it?" Anastasia asked. Hannah agreed regardless.

"I saw the emperor in my dream... It was the first time I had ever seen him. He attended dinner with people who looked familiar. I remember I was the one who prepared the meals they ate. When the emperor finished with his meal he went outside, that was how we bumped into each other" Anastasia ran her fingers acrossed her hairs.

"I begged him to help me.. God I begged him. . I held his legs and asked him to take me with him, that I didn't mind working for him in his castle as a maid..... But he felt disgusted, he looked at me like I was an eyesore" Anastasia laughs but it was hallow.

"He ordered his men to beat me up for touching him with my filthy hands. I remember that was how my parents gave me the mark on my back... They said I wasn't worth saving. I remember wishing for death, I tried poisoning myself but I wake up each time regardless of how many times I tried" Anastasia said.

"I know you're innocent" Hannah said. "Of course I am.. wasn't I with you the entire time" Anastasia said with a weak smile. "I don't get it, why are they insisting that you threatened them?" Hannah asked.

"Beats me" Anastasia replied with a shrug. "I promise to find the culprit" Hannah said. "You don't need to stress yourself... I am use to taking the blame for something I didn't do" Anastasia said. "Anastasia.. I am not going to watch you be killed for something you didn't do" Hannah said.

"Hannah you need to understand that I am not the real owner of this body. The owner longs for death... I only want to grant her wish" Anastasia said.

"The owner isn't occupying the body because you are?... Doesn't that mean you are in control? Doesn't that mean you get to choose weather you grant her wish? Doesn't that also mean you might as well give this life a shot? It's not an accident that you are here and I believe you already know that by now" Hannah said.

Anastasia laughs softly. "You are a handful... Just when I had finally made my decision, you have given me a reason to rethink" Anastasia said. "Because like it or not, real or fake I will always support you no matter what" Hannah said as she holds Anastasia's hand.