The day Viviene Claude was executed was a rainy day. It had been declared as a public holiday, and no one was allowed to go to work in any of the levels. Her execution was slated to be held in the general market, in front of the level one citizens, and personally supervised by the president. To the citizens on other levels, it was televised and was mandated to watch.
As Viviene approached the platform with the hangman's noose, Valerya was still enthralled by her beauty. She had apparently been allowed to apply makeup, and it was flawless. She wore a long, flowy white dress. Her hair fell in long, wavy curls down her back. There was a little white lily on her hair. She would make a beautiful ghost.
The executioner extended his hand to her, his usual expressionless face scrunched with pity. He had always been a fan of her and decided to be kind to her to the very end. As she was helped to the platform, she turned to face the crowd.
Her children and estranged husband were on their right knees on the ground. Their left eyes were sealed shut, and their left limbs hung loosely at their sides. Their left legs were bent at an unnatural angle. They were shivering in the rain due to their unhealed injuries.
Viviene closed her tear-filled eyes and she made a very different figure from the enraged woman at the hearing two days ago. The rain masked her tears, but she held her head high as she began to sob more loudly.
"Do you have something to say?" the executioner asked.
"I do. The only crime I committed was falling in love. I gave my heart to a person who did not deserve it. He ruined my life, and everything about me as well. He stomped on my heart and dragged my reputation through the mud. So I have to say this: I curse the day I met Davys! I wished he died when he was born, and I never had to endure this cruel, despicable end!" the crowd was shocked, but they did nothing. These were the words of a dying woman.
"I hope he dies a miserable death. I know, and I know he knows, that I had nothing to do with the president's death. But I am the scapegoat because he's too cowardly to find the culprit himself. He wants to shift the blame on me, even though I am innocent. I want to let him know that I would haunt him forever. I would be in his dreams, and in his nightmares," she declared as she looked up at Davys, who watched silently from the observation throne.
Valerya felt sorry for her powerful words but knew Viviene was not all innocent. Even if she didn't kill the previous president, she did make several attempts at Davys's life. And a single attempt was treason on its own.
"Say your final words," the executioner proclaimed loudly. It was the law. Every convicted prisoner was to say the words of the empire.
"Siakes diadem osmore friyam requiem," she sobbed as she shivered.
The noose was placed around her neck and the switch was pulled down. The tiles beneath her feet gave way and her neck snapped immediately. She looked like a broken puppet on a string. Valerya thought Viviene had peed on herself.
She looked at the observation throne and caught Davys's eye. He looked like he was about to cry, but stood up and quickly went inside. Minutes later, he was driven back to the palace.
When Valerya finally came into the presidential palace, she saw Davys in the lounge, taking a Shirley.
"Mr. President…," she began.
"It's still Davys to you," he replied.
Calling him Davys seemed weird to her, for he did not seem like the Davys she had gotten used to. Mr. President was more appropriate. Still, she obliged.
"Davys. I came to tell you that I'm leaving. My work here is done. There is no need to pretend anymore, neither is there a need to protect you. You have the empire's security at your arsenal."
"When do you intend to leave?" he asked.
"Right now. I'll get my bags, and my sister's too. Thank you for everything, Davys."
He stood up and walked briskly to her. He held her face with both hands and whispered, "I don't want you to leave, Valerya. You're all I have," he whispered.
"Please let go of me," she said weakly.
"I don't want to. Please stay with me, Valerya. I need you." Valerya felt herself weakening, but she knew she had to stand her ground. He was not the person she knew, and she knew that if she stayed with him, she would lose herself too.
He let go of her and took out an envelope on the desk. "Here," he said as he handed it to her.
"What is it?"
"Your promotion letter. If not for you, I'd probably be dead. There is no greater service. You have been promoted to second maestro, and you are in charge of all the palace's security."
Valerya was so stunned, that she dropped the envelope to the floor.
"I don't underst…," she began.
"You don't need to. You more than deserve it. You have done more for me than half the security in the palace anyway. You have won my loyalty and the loyalty of the empire. And I know you would defend it to your last breath," he said.
It had been years since Valerya cried, but she felt tears running down her cheeks. She felt so honoured and so grateful. She couldn't thank him enough. She ran towards him and gave him a big hug.
"Thank you," she repeated.
"You're welcome," he replied as he closed his eyes.
After a moment, they broke the hug and he cleared his throat. "One more thing, Sebastian has also been promoted to second maestro, because without him, I would still be in fear for my life. The shooter would have still been out there, and the former president's murderer would not have been brought to justice. He would be in charge of the ex-president's security. Even though he's braindead, he's still on life support till he dies naturally. It would be Sebastian's job to ensure not even an ant touches him."
"Why Sebastian? For your father's security? It means he would live here with us."
"Because I've seen the way he looks at you. I believe in keeping your enemies close," he replied as he looked her dead in the eyes.