I DO NOT OWN THE SELECTION SERIES. SHOUT OUT TO AVA NAVA, ABIZEAU, NIKT WANZY, AND RUBY CASABLANCA FOR CREATING THESE CHARACTERS.
Royal Courtyard. Schreave Palace. Province of Angeles.
The next day, Crown Princess Melody Schreave rose from her slumber and was instantly filled with dread. This was the day that Yesenia Avalos would be beheaded while Theodore Madden and Ranamaya Bhattachan would be flogged. She had no desire to witness the horrid spectacle, but her father had made it abundantly clear to the princess that she and the remaining 6 elite selected were going to witness the state sponsored punishment whether they wished to or not. Nanny Alma arrived to help the servants prepare Melody to be seen in public. It took about half an hour give or take to prepare the princess of Illèa, but once she was ready, Melody found herself prim and proper and wearing a grey dress. She didn't want to wear a bright color because this was not a celebration.
Once she was ready, she joined her mother and father as they proceeded to exit the palace and enter the courtyard. There was a large platform set up with a large wooden block for Yesenia to lay her head on and a whipping post for the lovers. The spectators had been allowed to enter first and they were mainly silent. The royal family had a special viewing center set up as the elites joined them. Melody could pick out Noah Addington amongst them. She needed to talk to him about what had occurred between them, but she knew that this was neither the time nor the place.
"Here they come!" One commoner shouted as the royal guards led the prisoners forward. Yesenia, Teddy, and Rana were all walking in a straight line. They all wore the same thing: a white t shirt and grey sweatpants. They were given no shoes as a means to extend their torture. At first, all was quiet, but everyone knew that it would only take one spark to set the crowd off.
"Cunts!" One man shouted as the onslaught began. The commoners began to pelt the prisoners with all sorts of projectiles: rotten food, containers, rocks, waded up balls of paper, you name it, they probably threw it. There was also the spitting. Melody had never seen so much spit in all her life. Pretty soon, the prisoners clothes were covered in it. Even worse were the insults being hurled at the 3. Yesenia and Rana were singled out for a few racial slurs which made Melody feel sick to her stomach that some Illèan people could be so ignorant and hate filled. Melody's eyes locked with Yesenia as she was led up the steps to the stage. Melody was pleading for forgiveness and Yesenia seemed to be acknowledging it. Escalus Harding was standing on the stage with a small table that held on it a bull whip and a large axe. He raised his hands to silence the angry mob.
"Now behold the awful price of treason!" He exclaimed as the crowd cheered. "Theodore Madden and Ranamaya Bhattachan have plead guilty to the crime of adultery. They were selected to compete for the heart of our fair princess Melody, but instead fornicated with each other. Their punishment...flogging!"" The crowd clapped as royal guards tore the lover's shirts off and chained them onto the pole so that there backs were facing the audience.
"Theodore Madden shall receive 19 lashes!" Escalus exclaimed as he pulled out the whip and brought it down hard on Teddy's back.
"Shit!" Teddy groaned in pain as strike after strike tore at his flesh. The crows cheered as the wealthy student cried out as he was lashed mercilessly by the sadistic Escalus Harding. After what seemed like forever, the 19 lashes had been laid on thick. Teddy leaned against the post, his body racked with pain.
"Ranamaya Bhattachan shall receive twenty four lashes!" Escalus announced as he once again brought the whip down. Rana grimaced as she felt the sting of the lashes on her back. Her torture had been light compared to to Teddy's and she had a strong body which helped her to bear with the pain, but eventually she too could not stand the pain and she cried out loudly. The 2 dozen lashes were also laid on thick and after it was over, Teddy and Rama's backs looked like hamburger meat. The were hauled off to the royal infirmary by the guards as the crowd cheered.
Finally, the time had come for Yesenia Avalos to receive her punishment. "You still have a chance to redeem yourself." Harding stated as she was brought before the block. "Declare yourself the king's loyal subject and beg for his mercy...and you shall have it." Yesenia looked at the platform where the royal family and the elites were watching and then silently raised her middle finger to Maxon II. Escalus used the handle of the axe to deliver a blow to her midsection. Yesenia dropped to her knees and took a minute or so to catch her breath. She then crawled and rested her head on the block. As the execution raised the axe, Yesenia refused to cry, she would not give those gringos the satisfaction. Despite her parent's objections, Melody refused to look as the axe came down and the deed was done.