TW: The chapter may contain homophobia, conservative ideology, violence, death and anything else relevant. Reader discretion is advised.

"Burn her!" A woman screamed, pointing at me.

I was in tears, my throat dry with incessant wails. How could this have happened? Right in front of my eyes?

I wanted to die. Yes, I wanted to get burnt, just the way Catherine had been burnt. Yes, I wanted to turn into ash, mine interconnecting with hers, making us bond together.

"Burn me," I whispered. "BURN ME!" I screamed. Everyone looked at me in horror. While I kept screaming "BURN ME" repeatedly. Unfortunate me, it felt that life was not done with its enmity towards me.

"STOP!"

The crowd turned around and saw an imposing male figure riding a horse with a couple guards. The crowd gave way for the well dressed man with a handlebar moustache and neatly combed hair who approached me with sincerity.

"Princess Jess?" he asked.

I could not reply. I was crying, willing to die.

Getting off his horse, the man bent down and placed a palm at my shoulder, while I was lying on the ground after the men who had caught me had left me to my own despair. "Princess Jess, is that you?"

I glared at him in anger. "HERE THESE PEOPLE KILLED MY LOVE, THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE! AND YOU CARE ABOUT ME BEING YOUR PRINCESS?"

The crowd gasped in horror.

"Respected Mayor, this is a witch!" a man accused.

"FOOLS!" the Mayor bellowed. "This is your Princess Jess, the Princess of England, daughter of King Evans! And the one you've burnt is the Princess of France, Princess Catherine!"

Everyone gasped in shock. They were left speechless while I crawled my way towards the burnt and ashen body of my beloved. It had not entirely turned into ash, her body had turned black, with a pungent odour. It was hot, really hot, but I cared about my physical pain the least.

Locking my arms around her burnt body, I began screaming in pain. Although I felt the pain from the burns forming on my arms, it was nothing compared to the pain I was feeling on the inside.

"KILL ME!" I demanded. "PLEASE KILL ME!"

Nobody replied, making me lose my patience. Immediately I sprung up to my feet and took away a burning torch from one of the men, using it to fire up my dress.

"PRINCESS NO!" the Mayor yelled as everybody else came to my aid.

The two guards and several others unburnt my dress but by then my right arm and leg were burnt black.

I was screaming in pain, the pain of burns and Catherine's death unbearable to me. Why did my life have to be so difficult? Why was I meant to suffer so hard?

"Princess! Are you alright?" the Mayor asked in panick as he helped me down on the ground while some women, I have no clue from where, brought materials for my aid.

While I kept screaming and crying at what had occured.

I kept staring at Catherine's body, her body now vaporising and not entirely turned into ashes. Those fingers, they used to trace and tickle my body.

I laughed. How ticklish she had been! Wow, the feeling was so good.

I laughed again, now more maniacally. Tears rolled down my eyes as I kept laughing.

"Princess?" the Mayor asked worriedly. He looked at everyone, hoping for some response but recieved nothing other than my hysteric laughter.

"Catherine...my loooove!" I said melodiously. "My Cat...my Cat..."

"The Princess has gone mad," a woman claimed.

"Someone who indulges in such things will always lose their minds," quoted man.

"QUIET!" the Mayor bellowed. "It's you who killed the French Princess and now have to audacity to speak I'll against our own Princess? Mind my words, soon the King will get you all butchered for your deeds."

Everyone gasped in horror upon realising the truth of his words. They must've been in a state of panick but I cared less. All I cared about was of my love, my Catherine who was gone.

In the laughter and utter dismay, I lost my consciousness and succumbed to the peace of darkness.

Two Days Later

It is believed that when the owner themself is in dismay, everything related with them, whether living or non-living, displays the same. Similar was the situation of my garden.

The garden, which used to be celebrated sight of beauty in our Palace, now lay awake in dead silence. The flowers, tress and plants, although provided with the required nutrients, water and sunlight, exuded an ominous ambience.

I sat on the balcony of the Palace, overlooking at the once inviting garden. The chirrup of the birds was gone, several had died while others had flown away. It was a sad sight to see, but not as sorrowful as the grief rumbling inside me.

"Princess," a maid approached. "You've neither eaten nor drunk anything for the last two days. Please have some fruits."

True. I had been brought back to the Palace and ever since my arrival, I had remained in my room. To be more specific, in the balcony, in the same position for the two days without any movement or any sleep. Thanks to my father, I had lost my sanity.

Yes, I blamed him for everything. If it were not for him, we would have never left and neither would've Catherine died. He was the root of all problems.

I did not reply to the servant who began receding away.

"Wait."

It was Steve. I recognised his voice but did not concern to look. Mabel, I came to know, had been imprisoned for her hands in our escape had been found. While Steve had not got in any trouble. Did that matter? No, not anymore. Because all the efforts that they made and risked their lives for, had proven worthless.

"Give it to her," Steve requested.

The maid came forward, probably trembling. Why wouldn't she? Afterall, I had severely wounded my father once we had met two days back.

"P-Princess," she said, bringing the dish full of fruits in front of me. "Please have-AH!"

I slapped her face, making her fall on the floor. Hysterically, I started kicking her while she screamed and got up, running away. Yes, I had lost my mind.

Without any conversation, Steve left me to my fate. He left the room and I was left alone once again, murmuring to myself.

The night arrived, the time when I had been planning to do it. Most of the Palace must be asleep and I was sure the guards were lazy indeed.

"Cat...my dear Cat..." I murmured as I made my way into the room for the first time in three days. "Now I'll come to you my love. Yes! And just the way you went! Finally, we'll be together, forever. My Cat, I love you my Cat!"

Slowly, I approached my room door and locked it from the inside. Moving towards one of the multiple candle stands present in the room, I picked it up and lay on my bed.

"Good night to me," I said, "and good morning to you Cat." Speaking which, I lay the candle stand holding five flaming candles on the bed.

Soon, the bed was in fire. My dress caught the flames and it started to burn my skin. The skin which had already gotten burnt before was now getting completely burnt, for good.

"AAAHAHAHAAAAAAHAHHA!!" I screamed and laughed as flames ate up my body. So this is how my Catherine must've felt, dying in so much pain in sorrow. But I was not dying in sorrow, I was dying in joy!

I did not know whether afterlife exists or that after death there is nothing at all. But in either case, I would obtain peace. Peace from this painful and treacherous world.

"PRINCESS!" someone banged the door from the outside. "OPEN THE DOOR PRINCESS!"

I kept laughing, smoke filling the room and suffocating me. My skin started melting yet I had not died.

I wondered how Catherine had beared it. Her cries and screams were defeaning to my ears and I could hear them to this day.

My screams felt similar to that of Catherine's. Chilling to the spine and heart wrenching for anyone's soul. Watching someone who had suffered with the same pain, I have no idea how had I not turned blind at that moment. Thankfully, there would be no eyes left in me after this pain would subside.

Every passing second felt like an year. I writhed in pain, wondering why had I taken this decision? It was painful, very painful.

I screamed, attempting to get up but my attempts were useless. My skin had melted and was stuck to the bed. Blood emerged out of my back and everything started to become a blur.

"Jane."

Opening my eyes I watch my beloved, floating in the sky above me. I look down at the Palace, from where smoke is erupting.

"My love, come to me."

She has extends her arm. I smile and place my palm on hers. Taking one last glance at the painful world which will never accept women like me, I sigh, knowing that I am at peace. Finally with my beloved, Cat. At last, we soar up together into the world beyond pain, conspiracies, hate, greed and sorrow.

Word Count; 1578 Words