all of Dumas' central characters = [D]uma[s] she was the one who eventually killed Bill = Uma Thurman was the actress who played The Bride in the Kill Bill series (and did eventually kill Bill)
trying something a bit different (and hoping this is a safe place to do so), so if I've tried to be too clever (which is very possible), please let me know...
CCCC: French king beheaded. Framed, deposed, leader cut off backs of drilling (8)