She runs the forefinger of her right
hand gently though the greying hair at his temples, with her right
she tilts his chin.
Her beautiful Fabien, his eyes swimming
in the pain of the knowledge that there are no words he can use to
send her on her journey with any comfort.
She smiles for him. She will be the
strong one if he can't. She craves to hear him tell her that he is
happy. But she knows he is not.
From an adjoining room comes the
laughter of a young girl. His new bride, selected for him so that
she may bear his heirs. Already she carries the first child.
Safyi stoops and plants a final, gentle
kiss on the lips of the man who was her husband. Their love will
never die but a barren wife is no use to the ruler of a country such
as theirs.
As they lead her to her final
destination she casts one last backward glance. He is no longer
there. He will not allow himself to witness her passing.
She kneels for the executioner and
places both hands protectively against the foetus that came too late.
I really liked this. My only wonder is why she's being executed for barrenness if she's with child? Still, excellent prose!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gruesome end to something she seemed so right for.
ReplyDeleteA very touching piece - but questions remain to be 'umpacked' in a continuation of the story?!
ReplyDeleteWhy does she still need to be 'put away' if she's finally producing an heir - or is Fabien not the father....? So many possibilities with this, Rosie! :-)
The answer is in the title... Too late she discovered she was with child..xx
ReplyDeleteI suppose that keeping her pregnancy a secret is her way of exacting revenge.
ReplyDeleteI like this, that last line really wraps everything up.
ReplyDelete