Voyage of the Villainess

Chapter 23 – Execution

A messenger falcon landed on one of the window sills of one of Taleba's eight tribes, the White Fox Tribe. A lovely woman with silver hair that shimmered like the glittering stars at night and crystal clear silver slit eyes looked out the window, where a bird was constantly beating the glass with its beak. Her two soft cuddly white fox ears twitched with each sound it made on her window.

She rose gracefully from her seat at her table, which was piled high with paperwork. She moved smoothly towards her window, her three white tails behind her back fluttering with each step.

Her pearly white skin hands with polished long red fingernails touched the lock of her window and opened it. 

'A messenger falcon?' She thought as she saw the small letter tied with a white ribbon on its leg. Once she gently got the letter from the bird, it disappeared and turned into dust. 

'Oh. That is interesting. A messenger bird made of illusion.. It seems the sender doesn't want my reply for it to disappear like that.' A smile formed on the red glossy lips of the fox lady. "Now, I'm curious about this mysterious letter even more."

She gracefully opened the letter with her seemingly delicate hands.

As she started reading the letter, her expression first was placid. Then her brows started to furrow. And now rage completely filled her eyes.

"Silca!" The beautiful lady's face became completely distorted.

"Mistress, I'm here." A young half fox boy entered. He twitched when he saw how enraged he looked at his Lord right now. In fact, this is the first time he saw his master looked so enraged like this.

"Prepare the wyverns and all my troops now. We will march towards Orealles right away." The beautiful lady ordered as the letter in her hands burnt.

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"Please, have mercy on us!" All the nobles and knights that were serving Duke Taleba in the main city of Orealles were dragged in the city plaza. There was a huge stage that was set up and they were pushed up there. Their hands were tied with chains that nullified their use of magic. The previous slaves that took over the city were everywhere with weapons at hand.

The civilians and merchants in the city gathered below the stage. They were looking at the fallen nobles and knights of Taleba. The fall of the duke of Taleba in the city spread like a wildfire causing distress to the citizens. Many flee out of the city but those who choose to stay were here in the main city plaza. 

A young woman with orange hair and almond eyes walked upward the stage. All the prisoners she has glared at her.  But that's the only thing they could do. For if they speak, the said woman's people that were surrounding them might kill them in an instant.

"Citizens of Taleba." Iris began to speak as she stared at the large crowd that gathered in the middle of the city. She was no longer wearing her tattered clothes, but instead, she was wearing a long silvery dress. Her posture looked dignified for some reason. Anyone who didn't know that she was a previous slave would think that she was of noble birth too. Her cold almond eyes peered at anyone who was looking at her now. They couldn't handle her piercing gaze and immediately averted their eyes away from her.

"I am Iris, leader of the new Taleba. I stand here in front of you to set an example that those who will defy me will suffer the same consequences as all of these people." Iris said as she looked at the people. The people remained silent, afraid to utter a single word.  Iris continued her words when she saw that the crowd remained silent.

"The dukedom of Taleba will remain as it is. From its commercial to daily activities but the only difference is, the slaves that were fighting from the Octagon Colleseum will all be released and any form of slavery will be completely be abolished here.  Second, we will make the Dukedom of Taleba an independent state from the empire."

With that words, all the people's expressions were now seriously filled with dread. 'The slaves in the Octagon will be released? Are all the slaves their criminals?"

'Not only that but the woman who identified herself as Iris said ambiguous words such as being an independent state from the empire. Is she a fool? Does she not know what she is saying? Going against the empire means she wanted to start a war. And not only that, but anyone who tried to raise war against the empire will be surely completely obliterated.

The last Ge-Zo War. Both the kingdom of Gendever and Zolas disappeared on the map because they went against the Empire of Hacien! They were the perfect last example to not go against the empire at all costs.

Iris saw the complete worry and fear in the citizens in front of her. But she didn't care. For her, they were simply all characters of her book. This world's fate is for her to decide now. All the people here were now at the mercy of her hands. And the whole world too.

"That's all I have to say," Iris said then turned towards her prisoners. "Begin the execution." With that cold remark from her, all the people on the stage started to cower in fear. They pleaded and cry but Iris completely disregarded it as she went down the stage. Her eyes held an implacable coldness without an ounce of compassion or kindness.

One of the noblemen began to tremble as a sword was now pointed at his neck. He closed his eyes as his executioner rose its sword to the air. But then before the sword could severe his head…

"My, my. Quite the show we have here."

A creature trampled over the executioner. A huge bird, no a huge black wyvern stepped on the executioner making him unable to move. Almost all the people there, look in awe at the woman who was riding at the top of the monster that arrived suddenly.

'Is that Lady Diana! The current tribe leader of the fox tribe!' They thought as they watched the elegant lady jumped over the ground. 'It's really true that her beauty could be said out of this world!' But not only her came around, the people were shocked when they saw the other tribe's leaders walked or landed in different areas.

"Where is the leader of this rebellion?" Diana said as her jewel-like silver eyes shone dangerously. She then turned to Iris. "That must be you right?"

Iris looked at her with an unfazed expression. Though inside her, she was a bit surprised. She didn't expect that the leader of the eight tribes would arrive here. But this might well be better too. Since they were all gathered here, she might as well convince them to her side. Since she knew everything single about them.

"Yes, I'm Iris and the leader of the newly founded state of Taleba." Iris said with an unreadable tone from her voice.

"To what do I owe the honor to have the prese…" Before Iris could finish her words, a silver dagger flew right next to her left cheek creating a small cut on it.

"You insolent being. I will make sure that you shouldn't have dared to crossed paths with us." Lady Diana said with coldness in her voice. Iris looked at the other leaders of the other tribes. All their eyes held anger particularly directed at her.

Now Iris felt confusion at the sudden animosity directed at her. But there was something she was sure of now. Base on their looks, it is completely impossible to make them into her ally seeing those killing intent directly at her right now.

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Extra Scene:

The night before the execution in the main plaza of Orealles and in a certain dorm…

Malaya glanced at the papers in front of her. A wicked grin formed from her angel-like face.

'This should do it.' Malaya said. "If what I'm dealing with is the same transmigrator like me and who probably read the contents of the book, then these lovely letters could completely trigger all the leaders of the eight tribes."

"Milady!" Malaya turned towards Dorris and Rein who appeared behind her.

"We have secured Duke Taleba. Though he was sleeping right now." Rein said with politeness as he bowed. Malaya's grin only grew wide hearing Rein's words.

"Great. I will see him shortly when he wakes up. But before that, Rein will you help me send these letters to each of the leaders of the eight tribes?" Malaya asked as she looked at Rein's azure eyes.

"What does the letter contains Milady?" Rein asked as he eyed Malaya with suspicion. Seeing her wide grin that didn't leave her face since they arrived here, made him became more dubious of those letters.

"You don't need to know if you still value your life Rein," Malaya said nonchalantly as she started to roll the papers carefully.

Rein's hazel eyes squirmed. "You know that I won't heed to anything that will harm you, My Lady. And giving suspicious letters to the leaders of the eight tribes…"

Malaya put her index finger near Rein's mouth to silence him. Then she stepped a few backs away with her hands folded on her back. She was now in front of her window, where the moonlight reflected from her back. Her long dark ocean blue hair shimmered as her aquamarine eyes looked both at Dorris and Rein with playfulness. Her distinct beautiful features for being pure blood of the Marina family indeed stood out, making the two a bit entranced.

"It's all according to my plan," Malaya said with a smile. "The eight tribes with those letters will be the ones to end this revolution. So will you please send those to them Rein?" Malaya gave a side glance to the letters on the table. "And make sure that they will not know that it is us who send those letters alright?"

Malaya saw that Rein was still a bit skeptical of her.

"You said it yourself, Rein. As a daughter of another duchy, directly involving myself in this revolution will be too risky not only for me but for the dukedom of Marina. So might as well, have other people directly fix this mess while I move the strings behind the shadows." Malaya added. Then she turned back looking at the quiet place outside her window.

Her thoughts flew over a distant memory in her past life when she was still Carolle.

"Ms. Torress how did you even know these things about the eight tribes when they aren't even mentioned in the book and you're not even the author?"

Carolle's teacher smiled, but the short saddened. The quick hurt look that crossed her face did not escape from Carolle's observant eyes though.

"To be honest, the author of this book is a close friend of mine. As she was continuing writing this, she frequently told me about so many things with this book."

Malaya put the memory back in her mind again. Without turning her back to Rein and Dorris, she spoke.

"This revolution, it is sudden but let's not prolong this any longer."

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