by their own rules of law
they failed to convict him twice
the third time they used a drunken judge
and a perverted translator
the man on trial had no idea what they said
or what they did
he sat through all the folderol
and only now and then shook the chains
around his wrists and ankles
only occasionally roared at his chainers
they made him stand
while the judge slurred through his sentence
then took him back to his cell
removed his chains
after a long delay
the door opened again
and she entered
he would have rushed to her
except she wore the dress and wimple
he had no such words for them
of some of their women
she had not when she spoke in court
although he had no such word for that either
"what?" he demanded and gestured at her costume
"it does not matter" she said "and it does"
he shrugged and shook his head
she had spent too much time with them
"do you see that structure they build?
they will hang you there by your neck
in 'court' they said I said
you killed that horrid man
who tried to protect me
I never said that
not even once
in all the times they tried to trick me
it doesn't matter now
this does" she said and gestured at her get-up
"they say they have made me
a bride of their dead god"
he roared frustration and she shrugged
"it doesn't matter now" she said
she fumbled with her purse
removed his hunting knife
he stared at her unwilling and unable
to defend himself against her
she stabbed him three times in the heart
then smiled and held him while he bled
maybe none of it mattered then
she had already taken poison
it worked before the guards came
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