Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 43

   Clara ran down the street. Finally, she made it to the stage she was breathing heavily. She quickly went over to the two thrones. "You're late!" Claude said looking at her from his seat. "I didn't mean to be!" Clara huffed leaning down putting her hands on her knees. "You weren't in your room or at church this morning." "I went out for a walk and lost track of time, I am surprised you didn't start without me..." "I told you, this is a very important execution I won't have stopped by a masked figure. Sit!" Clara sighed and sat down in her seat. Markus, Garrett, Anna, and Dawn stood next to her chair. Clara secretly scanned the crowd, looking for Shane and Verity. Roma told her she was getting Misty. Shane and Verity stood at opposite sides of the crowd, each concealing their faces. Clara gave a small sigh of relief. "I am not alone. I am not alone," She thought to herself. Minutes later, guards dragged Claytin to the stage. Their eyes met and it took everything for her not to call his name. He gave her a look, a look saying, don't do anything stupid. He was practically telling her to let this happen. She knew that look and she heard what he was saying. Verity and Shane exchange looks. Claytin was forced to his knees. Claude signaled for the executioner. "Wait! You have to say what he is being killed for! You made that rule yourself!" Clara said loudly. Claude gave her an annoyed look but waved off the executioner. "You are being killed for the act of treason against France! You are leading an alliance against France and for this, you cannot be spared but you have the choice to tell us where this alliance is!" Claude announced. Claytin glanced from Clara to Claude and back at Clara. "I would never give them up! I have a duty! I have people to protect! I will sacrifice myself to protect them and I won't let anyone else get hurt!" Clara bit her tongue. Claytin was speaking to her in code. He was telling her to let him die and protect Adrianna and the Court. He didn't want her sacrificing herself in case this doesn't work. Shane looks at Clara and bites his lip. Claude signaled the executor. He came up, put his ax up and put it up. Clara started counting in her head. "One... two... three!" She got up, grabbed a sword from a guard's scabbard. She jumped onto the stage and stopped the ax. It was a little closer than she was comfortable with. Everyone was silent around her. She pushed the executor away and pointed the sword at his chest. "Back up!" she said, "Now!" Shane and Verity look at each other, then back at the stage with excitement. "What is going on Clara?! Put the sword down!" Markus said taking a few steps forward. "Oh, just shut up! Shut the heck up Markus! I am so tired of your voice! It is giving me a headache worse, that Anna and Dawn when they talk! And that says something!" Clara said frustrated. the executor had backed up some. Clara turned to Claytin and cut off his restraints. She helped him up and slapped him. "Don't you ever tell me to let you die again! Do you hear me?! Shane, Verity, will you back me up here?!" Clara yelled. Claude stood up frustrated at Shane and Verity's names. Shane and Verity jump on the stage, then remove their masks. "It's been a while, Crusty Claude," says Verity. "Ew, 'Crusty' is right," says Shane. "You get uglier and uglier by the moment, Frollo." "Clara..." Claude started. "I have news!" Clara interrupted throwing her arms up in the air, "And you won't like it! I have so much news!" She grabbed a cigarette from behind her ear and lit it with a match. She clapped her hands and Misty came running in, Roma unmounted her. "Hello, husband. Long-time no see..." she said. "Guess who is the Masked Savior?!" Clara said taking out her mask from her jacket. Verity looks out at the crowd. "That's right, everyone! Clara Frollo, the woman who you all thought was leading the takeover, has been the one saving people from being executed!" she announces. Markus raised his hand but nothing happened. Clara started laughing. "Right! You don't know! You trying to use my blood against me? Yeah, sorry, you can't. I got it right here." Clara takes out the pendant. "Yeah, good luck hurting me like that again!" "You went through my home!" "You live in a cave, it's not like there is a lock. Geez." Shane walks over to Markus. "What's the problem, Markie? Upset because you don't have any control over Clara anymore?" he says, teasing him. Markus raised his hand but nothing happened. Clara started laughing. "Right! You don't know! You trying to use my blood against me? Yeah, sorry, you can't. I got it right here." Clara takes out the pendant. "Yeah, good luck hurting me like that again!" "You went through my home!" "You live in a cave, it's not like there is a lock. Geez." Shane walks over to Markus. "What's the problem, Markie? Upset because you don't have any control over Clara anymore?" he says, teasing him. Markus went to punch him but Garrett held him back. Clara went over to Shane and pulled him back some. "Oh but I am not done. You see, I heard you have a little, or not so little, crush on me." Clara backed up some. "And this is how I respond!" She went over to Claytin and kissed him. Markus' clenched his hands into fists and Claude tensed. Clara took out her rings from her pocket and put them on her ring finger. "Oh, and I've been married this whole time!" she turned to her father. "You wanted to test me to see what I'd do if you tried to kill Claytin. He is my husband and cared for me more than you EVER have! You think your flogging or your branding would scare me to leave him! Well, it did for maybe a few minutes but then I woke up and realized I am not a villain! I am not your puppet! I had a whole wedding, well, double wedding, but then I had a coronation. More news! I always knew where the Court Of Miracles was! I still do! I am the princess if it!" Verity walks over to Shane. "You think it's safe to bring the others?" she asks him. "Maybe, but make sure they keep their distance," Shane answers. "Alright," says Verity. She snaps her fingers, putting Tina, Charlene, and Adrianna in the back of the crowd. Charlene looks on the stage. "She did it!" she exclaims. "She's telling them everything!" says Tina. "Oh, and this takeover is over!" Clara yelled. "ENOUGH!" Claude yelled. Clara threw the sword down and grabbed her dagger. "NO! I AM TIRED OF THIS! YOU LEAVE ME AND MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALONE!" Roma placed her hand on Clara's shoulder. Clara took a breath. "Shane, do me a favor. This scar on my hand and my black eye, they are bugging me. Can you do something about that?" Shane looks at Frollo right in his eyes, then snaps his fingers, healing Clara's wounds. "Thank you! And one more thing..." she turned to Markus, "I am ending this right here, right now. Shane, can you bring the thing we got yesterday out or something? I couldn't bring it with me when I came." "I don't have it with me," says Shane. Tina, Charlene, and Adrianna make their way to the front of the crowd. "Looking for this?" Charlene asks, handing Maleficent's staff to Clara. "Thanks, Char, why is she here?" Clara asked gesturing to Adrianna. "How did you get my mother's staff?!" Markus yelled. "Sorry, Clara. She insisted," says Tina. "And how we got it is none of your business, Markie," says Shane. "Give it back to me Clara! It isn't yours!" Markus yelled. "It's not yours either Markus! It's your mother's! And I won't let France be ruled by some freak shows!" Clara took the staff and broke it. "NO!" Markus screamed. Suddenly, the clouds in the sky left, the thorns that blocked in France died and disappeared. France was free. Clara tossed the broken staff pieces to the ground. "The takeover is done! Go home!" Clara yelled. Almost immediately, all the other VK's from out of France disappeared, using some sort of magic to leave. Garrett, Anna, and Dawn went over to Markus. He told them something and they disappeared too. Markus stayed. Claude was now glaring at Clara. Shane clutches his cane while Verity, Tina, and Charlene all draw their swords. Markus took a few steps back. "Clara, come here!" Claude said. Clara sighed and signaled for the others to stay where they were. She went up to her father, he dagger at the ready. "You win this battle," he said. "You're letting me go?! Why?!" Claude grabbed her chin roughly, "As I have told you, you will come crawling back." "Not likely." "Nevertheless, you know where to find me." Claude shoved her back some and walked off. Clara signaled the others not to follow. He got in the limo and it drove off.