The City of Angora: Chap 3 Hanged

Valorie took the necklace off from around her neck as she replayed what had happened at the celebration. Her cheeks blushed just enough to notice and she laid the necklace into a red, velvet box. A maid came into the room with sleeping clothes lying lightly on her pale hands. The girl bowed, black ringlets falling around her face. Valorie stared at her from the mirror as the girl straightened back up.

“Lay it on the bed and you may be excused,” Valorie said, looking down at her jewelry box. Valorie pushed her hair back and put a hair band in it to form a loose bun. She looked through the mirror at the girl who had begun laying the cotton dress on the bed. Valorie turned around to face the girl who looked at her and bowed, getting ready to leave.

“Wait…Do you know what happened to the man that came onto the dance floor?” Valorie questioned. The girl shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Valorie cut her off. “Will you fetch Andie for me? Tell him I want to know what he has done now.” With that the girl bowed her head and swiftly walked out the thick wooden doors.

Valorie waited a moment before walking out of the large bedroom and through the doors that led to the main chamber. She closed the doors behind her, walked to the oak table with papers scattered among it and sat down in a matching chair with thick cushioning.

It didn’t take long before Andie, the city’s main “sheriff”, to walk through her doors, escorted by the black haired maid and two strict-faced guards.

“You may go, Laureline, thank you for your service,” Valorie muttered, standing up from her seat. The girl bowed and walked out of the entrance, turning the corner. Valorie moved her gray eyes to the guards, who bowed and turned to leave, maintaining their stations at the door to wait for Andie.

The doors closed and Valorie looked at Andie. He was at least six foot two with a strong build and a sharp face. His eyes were dark as night, showing the demonic blood that flowed through his veins somewhere through his family line. He wore his typical uniform that consisted of a rough, gray shirt, almost hidden by a coat that traveled all the way down to the tops of his shoes of which were lace up boots. His pants were tucked into the shoes like a typical soldier’s and the sleeves of his black coat were rolled up to the top of his elbows, revealing tattoos of protection, swift movement and perfection. His hair was dark with highlights of red that only light brought out. A gun rested in a leather belt at his waist along with a knife.

Valorie looked into his deep eyes. “What did you do to that man?” She asked with intensity edging her voice. Andie didn’t flinch like everyone else did when she was mad. He stared back into her eyes.

“He rests with the rest of the criminals of the city. He is due to be hanged tomorrow morning for committing the crime of a possible attack to your highness, Queen Valorie,” Andie replied, showing no emotion. Valorie felt her anger rise and yet she knew that he had had every right to sentence the man for what he had done.

”You will release him first thing tomorrow morning before he is to be hanged, understood?” Valorie bellowed. “You are also to send him to me as soon as you release him.” Valorie saw Andie’s jaw begin to twitch, aching to refuse. Instead, Andie bowed, keeping his eyes set on Valorie’s and backed up to leave the room, but Valorie stopped him.

“I am to know of all crimes that are committed in my kingdom, Andie. Do not go against my rules again or you will pay the price by my own hand, understood?” Valorie asked rhetorically. She turned to leave the room just as he began to bow. She walked through the large doors that led to her bed chamber and closed them behind her without looking at Andie. She heard the doors open just as the click of her own doors snapped shut.

Valorie took her dress off and replaced it with the white, cotton dress that hung off of her body. Her mind kept racing through the events of the night. She laid herself onto the large, four post bed whose head board was decorated with elegant lines. The black shirted man’s face flashed into her mind before she began to dream.

 

 

That morning, Derrick watched the sun come up. It hit his swollen face and he squinted. Derrick remembered the last time he had been beaten that hard and recalled that it had been a few years prior. Derrick sat up in the cell and looked out of the bars.

“At least I got the chance to see her face,” Derrick mumbled. Then footfalls that sounded like dull thuds against the floor came toward his cell. Derrick stood up, ready to put up another fight. The man with the dark eyes and black hair came to the cell, accompanied by five other men that looked like the castle’s guards.

“Are you ready to die, Derrick?” The dark eyed man asked. Derrick could see the demon’s blood that flowed through his veins.

“I’ll kill you first,” Derrick threatened, standing tall. The man smiled and flicked his finger at the cell’s lock. Derrick heard it click and watched as the five guards moved into the cell. Derrick stood his ground, looking through his eyebrows at the men.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” the dark eyed man replied.

 

Valorie woke up and stretched in the large bed. The sunlight vented through the windows and the pale, sheer drapes, making the room appear bigger. Valorie rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Laureline,” Valorie called. Within seconds, Valorie heard the black headed girl approach the closed bedroom chamber doors.

“Yes, my queen?” Laureline answered.

“Come in,” Valorie replied. The dark headed girl came into the room with her head bowed.

“Where’s Andie? Has he come with the man?” Valorie asked, annoyed by the demonic guard. Valorie shook her head, a worried expression on her face. Valorie flicked her fingers for Laureline to go. Laureline bowed and backed out of the room. Once the door was closed, Valorie shot up from the bed.

She grabbed a pale yellow dress that fit to her body with thin straps to hold it up. The dress went down into three stacks of tucked under ruffles. The end of the dress had a thin layer of lace that slid along the floor when Valorie walked to the door and opened them. Her two inch tall heels clacked against the stone.

Maids were in the room and each bowed their head as she walked by. Valorie flashed her eyes at the maids.

“Two of you come,” Valorie said and started to the door. She opened both of the doors and the two guards immediately bowed their heads. Valorie walked past them and down the corridors, followed by a blonde maid with green eyes and a dark skinned maid that had blue eyes. The guards followed behind them.

Valorie walked down the large, marble stairs that led to the main entrance of the kingdom. Servants stopped and bowed heads as she walked by and out of the doors that two guards opened for her.

“My queen, where are you going?” Charlie, one of her advisors called, but Valorie didn’t turn around. She continued walking, anger running through her veins. Charlie chased after her accompanied by more servants, but Valorie turned around and glared at him. Charlie stopped, but didn’t seem too pleased.

The group marched onto the street and to the prison that was a building down from the kingdom. Valorie marched up the stairs and opened the doors with force that shot from her hands. The wood creaked open and revealed men and women that bowed before her. Valorie clacked through the building and into Andie’s main office.

Valorie flashed her eyes at the group and they backed off. She opened the door to the office and saw Andie sitting behind a large desk with papers spread out. A man stood by his side and bowed his head as did Andie, both wearing a face of shock. The man standing beside Andie backed away as Valorie approached Andie.

“My queen, I-” Andie started, but Valorie cut him off by calmly walking in front of him, grabbing a hold of  his throat with one hand. She felt his skin try and fight off her abilities, going into protection mode even if he wasn’t meaning to. The skin under her fingers prickled, but she kept a firm grip without flinching.

“You underestimate me, Andie. I thought I made my point clear,” Valorie said. His face started to turn blue under his tanned skin. He opened his mouth, but Valorie squeezed harder. The man, which was now standing in a corner, started shaking. Valorie looked at the man with a hard look.

“Leave,” Valorie said in a clear tone. The man bowed and walked out with wide eyes. Andie looked to watch the man go and then looked back at Valorie.

“You’re going to regret this, Andie,” Valorie said firmly. She let go and watched him fall to the ground choking up blood and saliva.

“My...queen…please,” Andie gasped while on his knees. Valorie looked down at him with a blank stare.

“I don’t take pity on fools, Andie,” Valorie replied. She grabbed a hold on Andie’s jacket, forcing him upward.  She could feel him start to shake as he continued to cough. Valorie pushed him away from her and he flew into the hallway.

“Make it a lesson to share with the rest of my employees,” Valorie said firmly as she looked at the small group, walking out of the doorway. They bowed their heads as Valorie bent down and picked up Andie. He coughed up more blood, but Valorie pulled him up. She clutched onto his collar, walking down the hallway to the hanging area. Applause could be heard from the crowd of people behind two metal doors.

Valorie opened the doors that led to the open area with the kingdom’s people surrounded by the wooden platform. Everyone turned their heads with wide eyes and began bowing their heads. The man from the night before stood on the platform with the rope around his neck.

He stood tall, but stared at Valorie with the same shocked expression as everyone else. The executor stepped back from the man as Valorie made her way through the crowd; the people separating to make a large pathway.

Valorie climbed the steps to the platform and pushed the choking Andie into the executor. A few gasps could be heard from the audience, but Valorie ignored them.

“I’ll trade you,” Valorie stated, walking over to the brown haired man. The black shirt that he had been wearing was replaced by a loose white shirt and his jeans were replaced by black pants. He didn’t wear any shoes, leaving his feet muddy. His face was beaten in and swollen, but his brown eyes stared at her in disbelief.

Valorie gently took the rope off of the man’s neck. The man stared at her with his un-swollen eye. Valorie pulled him by the arm, nodding to the executioner, and led the man down the stairs. The two guards that followed Valorie took a hold of the man’s arm and Valorie began walking back the way they had come, leaving Andie who had started yelling out her name.