-Chapter 117-
-One week later-
-28th day of the 8th moon of the year 299 AC-
-Throne Room-
-3rd person POV-
Late in the evening, the king gathered all the nobles of the court in the throne room because the trial involving everyone who had participated in the failed coup attempt was finally going to take place.
Many thought that a simple execution would have been sufficient, but it seems the king did not agree and wanted to make this trial an example to all those who might harbor thoughts they shouldn't have.
Seated on his throne, the king observed everyone at the foot of his throne and then said, looking at the traitors chained at his feet:
"I have proof that the men at the foot of this throne are traitors to the kingdom and that most of them, claiming to descend from a noble house, are actually bastards usurping said lineage."
A slight collective gasp of surprise resounded once the king opened his mouth, but he didn't stop there; he continued: "Their supposed leader, Aegon Blackfyre, has passed himself off as my missing brother and tried to ally with the Prince of Pentos, Illyrio Mopatis, to take over our noble and legitimate lineage and replace it with the lineages of the bastards from the Golden Company who have sworn allegiance to him."
The faces of all the lords, recognizing the supposed knights bearing the name and coat of arms of their houses, grew darker, and then some even cried out: "KILL THEM!" "KILL THESE TRAITORS!"
The king raised his hand to restore calm in the room and then said: "I know some are outraged because I am too; I am furious at the level of deceit a person must have to go to such extremes, and it is for this reason that I have decided to execute them all."
Loud applause erupted, but the king said: "Unfortunately, I am king but not a tyrant. The Master of Royal Laws, Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, has defended these traitors against the crown. According to him, the evidence against the accused is not formal enough to identify them as traitors, and he advocates that we grant them a trial by combat."
As soon as the king's words ended, all the lords began to insult the Dornish party, which stood firmly behind the Prince of Dorne, who glared at the king.
-POV Ellaria Sand-
Watching how the king had managed to completely isolate Oberyn in just a few sentences and rally the lords of the entire kingdom against him simply by hinting at a possible future where their lineages had been replaced, I felt a slow spread of panic within me.
I squeezed my lover's hand, praying for Oberyn's plan to work, for now the only chance for him and Aegon, whatever his real name might be, to survive was for the king to withdraw from this fight and call for a champion, preferably not a royal guard.
"I took a good week to reflect because, as you might guess, Prince Oberyn is very cunning. He did not request a trial by combat against me just thinking he would win. How could he even think to win against me when I can do this?" said the king with a smug, arrogant smile.
As soon as he finished, he raised his hand, and then Jon Lothston, a former sergeant of the Golden Company, found himself suspended in the air. Just when I thought he was going to die of suffocation, the king clenched his fist, causing the man's head to explode right in front of us.
I felt blood and pieces of his brain stain my face and dress, but I kept my composure, trying not to scream at the horror I was feeling at that moment.
I ignored the screams of the ladies and young girls with hearts less sturdy than mine, and then I saw the king turn his gaze toward me. He wasn't looking at Oberyn or the Dornians; he was looking at me, and I saw the mocking smile he wore before turning his gaze to the crowd.
He stood up and said, hands behind his back: "Oberyn Martell is well aware that for the love of my beautiful wife, I would never kill him, but I also cannot impale myself on my own sword, so he hopes I will be more lenient with the man who, according to him, might be his nephew."
"Perhaps he wishes for me to release him, to exile him, to send him to the Wall to spend the rest of his days, or perhaps in his great naivety, he wishes for me to pardon him."
The king sighed and then said, spreading his arms: "Honestly, I have no idea, but what I am certain of, whether he knew of Illyrio Mopatis's plan or not..." he then pointed to Aegon at the foot of his throne and said: "...is that this man is not my brother, there's not a single drop of Targaryen blood in him."
I let out a sigh of relief because that was the easiest accusation we could dismantle, but what I did not expect was for a guard to bring a small basin of water and for him to dip his entire head in it.
When he pulled his head out of the basin, black ran from his hair, and I felt a weight fall off my shoulders as beautiful silver curls replaced the usual dark hair of the king.
King Aegon VI slowly descended from his throne, the closer he got, the more clearly I could distinguish his features hidden by the darkness. The torches in the room could not properly illuminate the top of the throne, and it was only once he had come close enough for us to see him that I noticed two violet orbs shining in the torchlight.
"Prince Oberyn, I have decided to grant your wish. Tomorrow at the first light of dawn, you will face your adversary in the Dragon Coliseum," said the king before making a hand gesture and causing the heads of all the other people to explode.
He then left the throne room, leaving only Aegon shocked by the death of all his companions, crying over the body of his adoptive father.
I felt the ground open beneath me and Oberyn's hand on my waist to keep me from fainting after the announcement of his public execution.