Playlist: I see red– Everyone loves an Outlaw

Reign– Tommee Profitt ft. Anna Graceman.

Maya arrived at the dungeons first thing the next morning. Surrounded by guards, she oozed power, authority, and revenge. Dexter has allowed her to do whatever she wants and she's not about to let it go to waste. Her lips were set into a thin line and the Royal air that clung to her like a cloak did well to shoot people away from her.

Once she arrived at the undergrounds gate, the soldiers guarding it bowed on her arrival and proceeded to open it. Their heads stayed lowered as she walked into a dark, stench-ridden place.

"Show me Gavin's cell." She muttered quietly and watched as a guard took the lead, making her follow. They led her to the innermost parts of the cell where there was barely any light or fresh air. The acrid smell wafted through her nose and it took everything in her to crinkle them. Armed with a torch, they led her to the cell that was barricaded with steel doors instead of bars. Locks were opened and the door swung wide. All to reveal a tiny, dingy man who looked nothing like the noblemen she remembered. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she sought him out.

Huddled in a corner with chains on his hands and neck, lay Gavin. He looked horrible, Maya quickly realized. He's lost some significant weight, his hair unruly and clothes torn and dirty with a vacant expression on his face. It took a while for him to realize he wasn't alone as he slowly turned his head to the entrance. Then he saw her and whatever was left on his face hardened into a disgusting scowl.

"You...." He croaked out, his booming voice now feeble. Maya clenched her fingers as she took a step forward, a sinister smile working its way to her face. Inside, she was boiling.

"Yes, it's me. But I would prefer to be called your majesty," she watched his face change as anger filled him.

"What are you doing here?" He grated out, hai face contorted with rage.

Maya began pacing around then. "Remember my promise? I said that I would be the one to kill you. Well, I'd like to fulfill that." She answered.

"What can a measly woman as you do to me?"

"A lot of things. The king has given you up to me, which means I get to do whatever I want." Then she stopped, taking a step into the cell. All of her anger seeping to the surface, she glared at Gavin. "Thanks to your greed, I lost the king's child. No words will be able to explain the hurt that I felt at the moment. Tomorrow will be your sentence day but I thought I should give you a bit of a headstart on what your punishment will be like first."

Another step. "You wanted to usurp my husband's throne, how about I take you away from the surface of the earth first? I've killed your daughter, it won't be hard to do the same to the father." Raising a hand, she beckoned on one of the soldiers that came with her. He immediately walked towards her. "Take him out of his chains." She ordered coldly.

Gavin watched with widened eyes as they removed him from the chains that held him bound. " Let go of me! W-what are you planning to do with me!" He growled as he struggled against them. They laid him facedown on the ground. "Let go...hmph!" He groaned as one of the disgusted soldiers kicked him in the stomach.

Other than the evil glint in Maya's eyes, her face betrayed no other emotions. "Let's start light, shall we?" She muttered in a low time. Turning to one of the soldiers, she uttered "Smash his fingers and toes."

Maya saw him pale and he soon resumed his struggles. "You can't do this! You'll never get away with this!" He screamed in a voice so scratchy, Maya was sure his throat would be bleeding. Neither of them paid him any heed as the instructed guard went to retrieve a hammer, another set on stretching out his hands and feet, rendering him immobile.

"It was with those disgusting fingers you used to hit me, I'll make sure it never happens again." She muttered. Maya watched as the hammer was raised high in the air before going down with a swing. She heard the nauseating crunch of bones breaking and blood splattered on the floor, followed by Gavin's anguish-filled wails. His cries were filled with obscenities as he writhed on the floor.

"This will teach you and anyone else never to lay a hand on me ever again." Maya spat viciously, glowering. She waited until his cries subsided before a sardonic smile crossed her lips again. "How about we step that up?" She asked

Gavin began to shake his head, panic-stricken. It only pleased Maya the more. "Please, he begged. Have mercy. You're going to kill me anyway." He croaked.

"You deserve to leave the world painfully." That was all Maya said as they proceeded to the next stage. "Hurt him well enough, but don't kill him. I need him alive for his sentence tomorrow." She instructed the guards who were present. She turned around.

"No, please! Come back!! I apologize for everything that I did." Gavin pleas followed her as she walked out of the dungeons but Maya was past caring. This would be the very last time anyone would try to hurt her again.

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The very next day, Gavin was dragged out like a criminal to the Royal council where he was judged for his crimes. Maya and Dexter both sat on their thrones, watching as the noblemen gave their verdict. Although Dexter was surprised at the state Gavin was in when he was brought before the council, he didn't bother questioning Maya about it. Every member of the council agreed that he should be beheaded at the kingdom's outskirts and his properties seized. Once the verdict was raised, Gavin was dragged out like a criminal to the kingdom's outskirts.

The atmosphere was grave as they lead Gavin to the spot where he would be beheaded. With an impassive look on, Maya watched as Gavin's head was separated from his body. After the beheading, his body was meant to stay there for a couple more days, to serve as a warning to anyone who would try to use something similar to the kingdom. By sundown, they had returned back to the palace where Maya went straight to the king's chambers, with Dexter right behind her.

Her muscles stiff with tension, Maya made to ease them by massaging it, all of her anger exhausted. She heard footsteps approaching her. "You know, killing Gavin is not going to make you feel better." Dexter's voice came above her. She paused, looking up at him. He seemed to be speaking from experience, a melancholic look in his eyes.

"No, it won't. But it would give me the closure I need." She replied. Dexter's hands went up to rest on hers that was placed her shoulders. "It's okay, I won't let anything happen to you again. It's going on be okay from now on." He promised, that gentle look back in his eyes. Maya let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. Instinctively she leaned towards him and felt him wrap his hands around her. She lifted hers and wrapped it around his waist.

They stayed liked that for a while, not saying anything. Very gently, he began to pat her back. "I'll do everything I can to protect you. I love you." He muttered. Maya closed her eyes, listening to his steady heartbeat. She let his comforting words wash off her anxiety as her hold tightened on him.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

Two chapters left and we would be concluding The Tyrant king's Queen. Thank you to everyone who has read it to this point.