Avarius smirked at me as he grazed down at where I was held, awaiting my death. I could no longer remain emotionless. I cried and laughed hysterically  as I thought about how much I had loved him. He was my only purpose in life and had thought of me as bother but a bother.

"Execute her!" the head guard gave the executioner the signal.

The guillotine slid down with a rapid clatter and my last thoughts were that if I could live my life again, I wouldn't love Avarius. Never again. I was once Emelia la Catalina, the flower of the empire. I was told I was born to serve the Emperor, to be his one and only wife. That was once who I was. How did I end up here?