The capital had remained about the same from what Leticia could remember. The roads were the same granite stone in the colors of white and grey, with the texture just slightly smoother from what she could remember.  

There were a few changes, here and there, with the buildings since some of them were destroyed during the rebellion. They seemed a tad bit larger than the usual two-story buildings that covered all the street corners during her mother's reign. She could make out one that had three and another that had four, which was quite rare. They seemed to be covered with decorated drapes of blue and gold that represented the Braxton Empire. 

The streets were slightly larger in some parts and had been redone to allow for a larger population to use with an addition of a lot of lush greenery of both grass and trees along the road. A few small benches were placed near the road for convenient sitting, and a few posts for horses to be tied on the adjacent side.  

Was the city this peaceful? She had thought, since the only vague memories she carried of the city was quite lackluster, bland and dull.  

Her mother’s reign had left much to be desired, as strict rules and laws had been put into place to keep the peace from what her mother had stated. The people at first retaliated, but with the military in her hands, they were forced into submission.  

In fear, the people simply had no choice but to remain in their homes to avoid any serious repercussions. The very few times Leticia had seen people outside were when they were tending to their daily routine, getting supplies or food for their families.  

No festivities, no laughter, and no music were allowed except for holidays.  

Permission had to be granted to do anything, even leaving the capital. Nobles were exempt from this rule.  

Taxes had to be paid in an orderly fashion.  

Go over the time permitted, meant imprisonment.  

Talk ill of the royal family, you would be beheaded. 

Disrespect a noble, you would be lashed. 

 Steal food, your hand would be removed.   

The list would go on.  

There was no sense of leniency, and all verdicts meant you were guilty. No pardons. No excuses.   

Leticia could not wrap her fingers around how it must have felt for everyone back then and a sense of remorse set in. Her hands gripped the side of the window, as they passed by a few more roads up ahead, till they took a turn up another path. Leticia kept her eyes glued outside, as some of the stores became familiar from the dress maker to the toy store that she had gone to as a child. A shop of sweets and a bar, her father loved to go to often with his men when he was younger.   

Her face had lit up a little to the though, till it darkened once more as they approached the palace gates. Her hands that were on the glass, began to fidget just a bit and her brows were elevated and mouth drawn back. There was no doubt in her mind this was the right spot. Her room would have been just above this specific spot that gave her a clear view of what was occurring down below.  

“Stop the carriage.” Leticia ordered, as her eyes kept focused on this particular spot. 

“Are you certain, your grace?” the coachmen asked, before the carriage trembled a little to her request as if the coachmen had been contemplating. “We might be late, your grace. The king and queen requested your presence did they not?” 

“Yes, they did but I am sure they can wait.”  

“Very well.” The carriage then came to a slow halt. 

There was no doubt in her mind, if her memory was correct, that this spot, where the brutality of her mother's reign had taken place. The gallows would have been here, and not too far from it would have been the bonfires to burn the bodies. The thick ash along with smell of death was unmistakable back then. The screams, and the pleading for mercy unforgettable.  

“This is the place.” Leticia said, as she took those steps of where it had started and where it had ended.  

She stopped herself, just shy of where the gallows had been. Even the ground itself carried a much darker hue to it, that could not be washed away.  

A few hundred feet from there, stood a single large, planted oak tree that stood at least twenty feet high which must have taken a good amount of manpower to move here and plant. It was adorned with many items and flowers with a small, lush area of greenery to allow for people to come and visit. To her, it probably was a memorial to all the innocent lives lost during the short reign of the late queen.    

It seemed that the rule of the late queen still lingered and haunted the area. There was a tense atmosphere with a more hushed vibe where the gallows had been. 

A small group of people had come to visit it seems and pay their respects. Leticia watched them place flowers and small toys onto the greenery by the foot of a tree. They then lowered their heads and kneeled onto one knee. 

“Mother, when is brother coming back?” a child had nagged his nearby mother who had lowered her head to give her respect. She simply ignored him for a short while, before standing up and holding the boys' hands.  

“He will come to visit us during the holidays.” in her pained voice and Leticia knew that her son would not be coming back. He had died.  

Leticia with a sense of duty and regret had now stepped just close enough to touch the tree. She had pushed away a few items that were at the foot of the tree, to make room for herself. 

I can never ask for forgiveness, but I do ask for your peace. She thought, as the palms of her hand touched the tree with a heavy sensation against her heart. She had so many questions, yet there would be nobody to answer them.   

Why didn’t she do anything back then?