Chapter 84: The Guillotine

A week had passed and preparations for the execution began. 

The news was spread throughout the city of the impending execution of the Maldenberg family. This was done by soldiers gossiping around with locals and the spreading of some quickly drafted flyers.

A wooden stage was built in the city centre so that the onlooking citizens could clearly see the execution of Arthur and his family. Next was deciding the form of execution that the Maldenbergs would receive.

Ideally, Victor was hoping to avoid cruel and long forms of execution. He wanted their deaths to be quick. While searching around the warehouses and dungeons that belonged to the military and the Maldenberg family, soldiers were mortified to find these sick and twisted instruments of torture and execution.

A historic iron maiden was found, along with a stretching table. Rusty and bloody cork screw instruments were found as well as a bone saw, a spiked wooden paddle and an arrangement of different but devious-looking knives. In light of their search, the soldiers also managed to find a guillotine which was in good condition. When Victor learned of the guillotine's discovery, he decided that it was arguably the best option available to them.

The stage was set and the method of execution had now been selected, all that remained was the planning of the security of the event. With the shedding of blood, tempers would run high and the volatile emotions of citizens would be released during this public display of death.

Henceforth security was the highest priority, and the man in charge of this was none other than General Bülow. It was he who first voiced his support of this execution so Victor felt that he should step up and organise the security of it. Bülow readily accepted this task and consulted his lieutenants.

Many of the recently summoned Polish Infantry would be committed to the security of this event. To hold back the mob, a 1000-man battalion was placed surrounding the stage. With a tight and multiple-rank formation, they could hold back an angry mob if they charged the stage. 

Another 1000-man battalion was scattered around the city centre and nearby side streets to be on standby in the possible worst-case scenario of something bad happening. Bülow also mobilized 200 cavalrymen to guard the stage and keep surveillance of the crowd from a raised view.

This execution had to go off without a hitch, so meticulous planning and effort were put into the preparation of the event. By the time the event began the entire city tried to swarm the city centre to watch the execution of their previous ruler. Victor and his commanders were seated on the far left of the stage near the steps, while the guillotine was positioned just right of the middle.

Looking out into the crowd Victor drew the courage to address such a large mob of people. "Ladies and Gentlemen of Archenshien! I am Grand Duke Victor Luxenberg, I have the esteemed honour to introduce the new ruler of the city and surrounding territory. I give you Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Duke of Archenshien."

The crowd erupted with applause. Since Victor and his army had taken the city, the lives of the citizens had greatly improved. They were well-fed, less burdened financially and did not need to fear their new ruler.

Marshal Soult rose from his seat and approached the edge of the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to become the ruler of these lands. Myself and the men on this stage are well aware of your struggles while being ruled by the Maldenberg family. Today is a day for justice and vengeance against the oppressive rulers who taxed you highly, barely kept you fed and committed atrocities upon you."

The crowd entered a frenzy of applause and cheers. For them, this was a joyous moment, the starvation, robbery and oppression they suffered would be repaid with blood. Watching from the stage, Marshal Soult and the likes of Generals, Kamensky, Gimborn, Vandamme and Bülow readily awaited for the spectacle to begin.

Gathering his breath Marshal Soult raised his hand and bellowed, "I present to you the Maldenberg family!" As the words left his mouth guards were hauling out the five members of the Maldenberg family. Arthur, Priscilla, Adrian, Penelope and Adeline were escorted to the stage.

They looked exhausted, the glowing aura around the prestigious family had dissipated after a week in the dungeons. Their hair which was luscious and pristine was now frizzy and a wreck. Dirt had been smudged onto their attire and skin, you could look at them and not realise they were former nobility. The life of leisure and luxury they had enjoyed was now torn away from them, living to a standard similar to the peasants they ruled.

Food scraps and human waste were thrown at them as they trotted up towards the stage. Insults were hurled in their direction while many tried to push through the line of soldiers to hurt the deflated Maldenberg family. Thankfully for the Maldenberg family, the soldiers held firm and stopped any attempt at people trying to attack them.

Once on the stage, they were forced onto their knees. In a showmanship type of fashion Marshal Soult addressed the crowd. "Before you fine people, are the family responsible for your impoverished lives. While you were starving, cold and broke, these pompous lunatics lived in luxury and leisure. Their clothes worth multiple pieces of food, and their jewellery worth at least a house."

Boos and curses ran about the masses, their hatred for the family was loud and clear. The likes of Gimborn and Kamensky were amused by such blatant hatred of their former rulers. Generals Tauentzien and Bertrand were uneasy with such a volatile crowd before them. If things went bad they were in the direct line of a murderous mob.

Letting the crowd voice their frustration, Marshal Soult gestured for them to quieten down, before he spoke again. "Now my good people, I am sure many of you are aware of the sick games that Arthur Maldenberg and his family forced their prisoners to play as entertainment."

"So we shall play a game to determine who gets the guillotine first. When I hold my hand over one of their heads, scream if you want them to die first. The person with the loudest sound shall be selected first. A simple concept right?"

With a slight sinister smirk, Marshal Soult muttered. "Let the games begin."