[Sanctora Cathedral]
Dorottya sat in the front row of the cathedral near the nobles, looking at her husband with pride. Boris, her husband, had received the anointing oil from the Priest and was now wearing the Monomakh's cap. Today was his coronation. This had always been his dream, to be king, and she helped him achieve it.
As Dorottya looked on, she remembered all she had done to win the favour of the people and help Boris get to the throne without any restriction. How she had offered lands to the noble houses, expanded monasteries, attended masses, given aid to those hurt, visited wounded soldiers and done many other things all in Boris' name. She didn't do all these because she deeply loved her husband, she wanted the title of the Queen and that was it.
She had seen how most marriages unfavoured women, including her, and she wanted to do something about it. Also, there were some people whom she needed to show their place…Take an instance, Tatianka- her husband's concubine. Dorottya glanced behind her and locked eyes with Tatianka who sat among the nobles close to her father, Lord Nikolai- the chief chamberlain. Tatianka was smirking.
'What was she smirking about?' Dorottya wondered. Tatianka better not spoil her day this day. She was to be crowned Queen, a moment she had been waiting for all her life.
"May God grant our most pious sovereign a long and glorious reign," The priest announced and the congregation stood, clapping and shouting 'Hurrah!'
Dorottya dusted speckles of confetti off her gown and clapped with grace. She could hardly contain her Joy- It was time! It was time to be crowned queen. The Imperial guards on the altar walked down and headed her direction. That was new, the priest was supposed to invite her to the altar but they sent guards to bring her. Anyway, she'll still get crowned so there was no problem.
But then she looked, the guards had walked past her! 'Maybe it wasn't the crowning they wanted to do'. They walked to Tatianka instead!
'No, no…this is a joke! No one would allow a concubine to be crowned Queen in a church! But hold on a second, had Boris given her title to that whore?'
Dorottya waited for an objection as she saw Tatianka moving with the guards, nothing.
Tatianka walked to the altar and was received by the priest, no one still objected.
King Boris placed a crown on her head. No one still objected!!
The priest started speaking "Bless, o lord, this woman whom Thou hast chosen to stand beside the sovereign. Let her be a mirror of grace…"
"Insolence!" Dorottya's voice rang out, echoing throughout the hall. This insult was more stinging than all the ones she had received from Boris since Tatianka came into their marriage.
"Are you all fools?" Everyone turned to look at Dorottya. Her blue eyes glowed, her face had patches of red…they had never seen her this angry before. Dorottya marched to the altar, no one was stopping her. Everyone just looked on.
The nobles and members of the Imperial council had already been briefed about the events of that day. They were all waiting for something…
Dorottya looked at the faces of the people seated, among which was her lady-in-waiting, Annette. Annette was give her signs to control her anger and calm down. Calm down? When her position was about to be taken from her from her very own eyes? No way.
Dorottya stood at the foot of the altar, her fists clenched. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
"Step down, Tatianka!" she commanded. Her voice was sharp, slicing through the incense-thick air. "You have no right!"
Tatianka was already looking at her, her expression somehow unreadable. Though it looked calm, it mocked her.
"Dorottya don't ruin the moment, please sit down. I'll explain…" Boris started. Dorottya didn't even wait for Boris to finish before getting up on stage and awarding him a slap.
"Don't ruin the moment? This is supposed to be my moment! Boris how could you. You know I wanted this position badly," Dorottya didn't know when tears started falling down her eyes "I endured everything, your loose morals, your vulgar tongue, your whore! I even killed innocent individuals for you to get there. Why is no one against this union! Don't you know it's a sin before God to crown a concubine!!"
"I have something to say," Tatianka spoke from behind Dorottya "You just said that you killed innocent individuals for Boris to become queen…"
Dorottya froze. How could she have mention that part…
The congregation started murmuring, this was what they had been waiting for.
"And I remember that many nobles have been killed over this six months…including the former King Igor"
The murmurings got louder. Even the Priests were shocked. Yes, the prince told them to do everything according to his plan because he wanted to expose someone. No one had guessed it was this.
Annette sat among the crowd awestruck, she knew her mistress, there was no way Princess Dorottya would kill someone...
"So tell us Dorottya, did you kill the king?"
Dorottya was in a tight spot. She had already blurted the truth out in front of the entire congregation. Even if she denied killing the king, she would still be imprisoned for killing other nobles. She couldn't possibly tell them that it was Boris that told her to do so, who would believe her. She had blindly killed all the good nobles who obeyed the customs of the land and stood for what was right, who would support her. As Dorottya weighed the outcomes in her mind, all scenarios pointed to one thing- Death! Looking at Tatianka's smirking face she realised that it was all planned and she had been framed.
It was obviously Boris that ratted her out. She knew her husband was wicked, heartless and cruel but she didn't think he would do all these things to her. A marriage of two years where love only lasted for three months, good thing she had lost feelings.
It was time for her to face the consequences of what she had done and there was no two ways about it.
"I killed the King"