"Boris....why?" Was all Zhanna could say to herself as she cried. Boris was her loving husband, they had been married for two years and it was a perfect marriage. Well, there was only one flaw in their otherwise perfect marriage...Tatianka! She was Boris' close and only friend, she had been jealous of their marriage and she never for once tried to hide it. At first Zhanna didn't mind because Boris paid no attention to her but then Tatianka advances became more extreme and Boris started heeding to it....or so it seemed. He always gave excuses when it came to spending time together and the few times they did, he always had to cancel it to visit Tatianka because of one thing or the other. Zhanna would watch her husband smile to another woman and choose to swallow her pain. In Boris' kingdom (Volkorod) women were treated as trash. A man could marry many wives, he could flirt with a woman in the presence of his wife and nothing would happen but if the woman tries it, it would be 'off with her head'. Also, marriages in Volkorod were for life which meant once you marry a man, you can't leave the marriage unless one of you dies. That's why Tatianka and Boris got all lovey-dovey in her front, knowing she couldn't do anything about it. "Boris why?" Zhanna repeated and sobbed harder as she remebered the events of that evening
*****[Earlier that evening]**
A party was going on in the ballroom. Boris' coronation date was announced and everybody celebrated. Zhanna was the happiest, she knew how hard she worked to help Boris achieve this title. She was part immortal and helped Boris kill the people stopping him from inheriting the throne. She also went on dangerous journeys and performed various charity gatherings in Boris' name, giving everyone the notion that Boris was a leader who cared about the people's welfare. Now, all her suffering won't be in vain. When she becomes queen she would make sure women are treated equally in marriage and do many other things for her kingdom. Her kingdom....she liked the sound of that. "Darling" Tatianka said to Boris and she shoved Zhanna on her way to meet him. Zhanna snorted silently, soon she was going to become queen and show Tatianka to her place.
The party was at it's peak when the dance floor was made open. Zhanna didn't hesitate to drag Boris to the dance floor before Tatianka would do it before her. With bright smiles, Zhanna danced shamelessly on the dance floor. Tatianka frowned watching them from a corner and when Boris gave her the sign, she didn't hesitate to carry out the plan. The music was suddenly interrupted by a faint recording. From the discussion of the recorded voices (Boris and Tatianka) it could be heard that they were both talking about the crown and the position of the queen while having sex. This should have been a thing of shame but the men in the house started congratulating him...on what? satisfying a woman perfectly. As for Tatianka, she wasn't short of praise 'cause the audio revealed Boris' plan on making her queen.
Zhanna burned with rage and before anyone could react, a SLAP echoed "Boris how could you? You know I wanted this position and you gave it to who? A mistress? Boris I did everything for you...I killed people for you. I risked my life for you. I just had a small request and you decided your mistress was more worthy?" Zhanna said in tears. Everyone froze and stared at her. Zhanna had always maintained her image in public, she appeared to be a calm and composed woman even when Boris and Tatianka were all lovey-dovey in her presence...she looked like she didn't mind. Of course everyone was shocked seeing her act like this what they didn't know was that Zhanna had her limit and Boris had just reached it. Zhanna walked out of the ballroom quickly with her head bowed, she didn't want any questioning and accusation. Once she reached her chambers, she let all her tears flow and sobbed loudly.
Boris didn't know what hurt more, the slap or the tears on Zhanna's face. He wished there was another way to get the throne but she was the only available option. Did he love Zhanna? With all of his cold heart he did but he needed to ascend the throne, for the sake of his future and the future of his descendants and that meant giving up the only person he had ever loved...Zhanna. His dad always said 'He who seeketh reward must first endure travail' now he knew what he meant. Tatianka saw Boris lost in thought and walked to him, she didn't want him thinking about Zhanna. Since she first saw him, she had loved Boris but he never reciprocated the feeling. She tried to get his attention, it never worked and she eventually gave up....well that was until Boris came to meet her one day. He told Tatianka his plan about accessing the throne cause he knew that another person obsessed with the throne as much as him was Tatianka, she dreamed of becoming Queen maybe that's what atracted her to Boris. This plan involved killing Zhanna and giving her blood to Zhanna's stepmother, Queen Darya, but Zhanna had to be killed when experiencing a lot of emotion. At the mention of kiling Zhanna, Tatianka agreed.
"Boris dear" Tatianka said as she took his hand into hers, Boris immediately retraced his hand. Tatianka smiled slightly and her smile was mixed with pain, who was she to think that Boris would ever love her.
***********
Annette, Zhanna's handmaid, walked into the room. She had seen all that happened at the ballroom and went to console her mistress. 'Her mistress was a kind and generous woman who treated everyone equally no matter what, she deserved a better husband....not Boris!' Annette thought as she watched her sleeping mistress' face.
"Leave us" Boris said immediately he entered the room. Annette got up, bowed to him and left. As she left, Boris could sware that he saw her glaring at him. Boris stared at his sleeping wife's face whivh was full of dried tears. "I'm sorry about all this Zhanna. I just want you to know that...no matter what I love you" Boris pecked her on her forehead and carried her out of the room.
Zhanna had an amazing dream and woke up with determination to seduce her husband in other to get the position of the queen back. Of course no man can think straight if he's turned on. She opened her eyes and stared into darkness. 'What's going on' She wondered. It was then she heard footsteps, they stopped at a corner and began discussing...Zhanna could here them.
"Boris you can't back out now. You know what Queen Darya would do if she found out about this" A voice, certainly that of Tatianka, said.
"I can't bear to loose her but i need to ascend that throne. It's my destiny" Boris responded. Zhanna wondered what they were discussing about and why it included her stepmother.
"Even if we spare her life she'll die soon. She's cursed remeber". As soon as the word cursed was mentioned Zhanna knew it was her they were talking about. She had no idea why she was cursed or who cursed her but she kne she'd die at the age of twenty.
"Let's get this overwith" Boris said and opened the door. It was then Zhanna realised she was in a room and when the door was opened, she was blinded by the light.
"Well, well if it isn't Zhanna" Tatianka mocked, "I saw the stunt you pulled at the ballroom yesterday. You thought it would make his mind to be changed (laughs lightly). Well guess what...no one cares about you and you better accept that fact. Even your stepmother, she never gave a damn about you. It was your blood she was after, we promised to get it for her and get something in return....a perfect life without you in it. You once told me you were better than me, who is the better one now. We are going to kill you and guess what, Boris here orchestrated everything"
Zhanna had thought he only gave Tatianka the crown but turns out he lso planned to KILL her! What kind of monster did she marry. Zhanna was in so much pain but she held back her tears and hoped they'll kill her faster so she won't feel the pain anymore.
"It's probably the spear in your hand you'll use and kill me, right? Just do it! do it Boris! I loved you.....I loved you! But you played me....You played me Boris. I don't blame anyone here other than myself...I was so foolish no to see your plan. I'm worse than a Cretin! Boris Igorite I swear to the God of heavens that if i am given a second chance....I will make you pay....badly! You desrve worse than death" Zhanna screamed and sniffled on intervals. Boris couldn't bear to hear more of her hurtful words and threw the spare straight through her tummy. Tatianka put Zhanna's blood in a jar and smiled "Mission accomplished" She said to Boris expecting him to shrug her death off and move on instantly but when she turned, she met him crying. Boris, a cold hearted throne thirsty man, who wouldn't think twice before doing anything for the throne...CRYING?
"Leave Tatianka" Boris sid with a voice full of hurt and pain. Tatianka dropped the jar and left, Boris needed some time alone. After some time, Boris wiped the last tear drops from his eyes and took the jar to leave when it started glowing. The blood in the jar started glowing! He looked at Zhanna's dead body and her opened tummy started glowing too....
'What is happening?' Boris reasoned and proceeded to leave the room when...