The hall became filled with suppressed laughter and snickers as a child spoke out everything that was on everybody's mind. They were secretly afraid of being the king's next target, or worse, their daughters.
"You insolent fool!" The king shouted at Athy who only tilted her head innocently.
"I'm right though?" She deadpanned.
The people around fell silent as they looked at the king.
"You! You foolish child." He pointed a shaky finger at Athy. "Guards! Take her away and cut off her tongue!"
Hearing the king's orders, everyone let out frightened gasps. They made way for the knights who came to take Athy away.
Seeing how far this show has escalated, I decided to step in at the same time as Uriel did.
"Are you really making a step against my own sister in front of me?" I asked staring at the king who was still shaking from anger.
The people looked at me and then at the king.
"Your sister has insulted me, the king!" He said while turning red in anger. "I let it pass that your entire family did not even show me respect. I did not change the rule that your family should not bow to us, royals. And now, your sister insulted me in front of my subjects and the guests from other countries. You still expect me to let it pass? Aren't you asking for too much, vessel?"
I looked at the king straight in the eye.
"As per the rule written at the creation of Elleveire, my entire family does not need to bow down to you." I said in a challenging voice. "You can try to change that law, I dare you. As for what my sister said, she only told the truth and nothing but the truth. So if the truth hurt your royal pride, that is not her fault. If you want to challenge our authority in this kingdom, you are free to challenge us. Not that you haven't done anything to do so recently."
The king's face went from red to blue to pale listening to my speech.
I took a deep breath.
"Now, do you want to officially do so?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
The people there fell quiet again as they held their breaths, waiting for the king's answer.
The king regained his composure and glanced around. He cleared his throat before speaking again.
"Of course not." He lied through gritted teeth. "I am not challenging your authority as the protectors of this kingdom."
He glanced at Athy who was now surrounded by our parents and Uriel.
"I was just angered by a mere child's words that I misspoke." He said, looking at Athy with contempt. "I apologize, dear vessel."
"I have a name, stop calling me 'vessel'." I glared at him.
"Yes. Yes, my lady." He nodded before looking around again, this time, more proudly. "This is a banquet, everyone should continue enjoying themselves! Music!"
The king immediately dismissed what happened with a flip of his hand. Unfortunately, someone was watching the exchange with disagreement.
"Father!" The second prince suddenly shouted. "Those people are merely our subjects. Why do we have to be insulted by them again and again?"
The king froze in place as he looked at his son walked out of the crowd. A calculating thought flashed in his eyes when he saw him.
The look may have gone unnoticed by others but not by us. That look was obviously one that gave him an idea, a very good idea by his standards as he did not stop his son from what he was about to do.
Stupid.
The second prince marched up to Athy and pointed a dirty finger at her.
"You uneducated girl!" He shouted. "You are merely daughter of a lowly subject yet you dared to insult his majesty? Do you think you are strong enough to fight us, royals?"
Athy looked at the finger that the prince was pointing at her. She frowned at it.
"Take that disgusting finger out of my face before I do it for you." She warned him sternly.
The prince looked haughtily at her and placed his pointing hand closer to her face.
"I'm a prince! I can do whatever I want." He answered, challenging.
Everything happened so fast. The prince had his hand close to Athy's face, pointing with a finger. The next thing I saw was the same finger flying in the air with Heyva Sor in Athy's hand, clean as it usually is.
"I warned you." Athy said with a smirk.