"Do you prefer red or blue?"
As much as Elena wanted to answer, the sight in front of her didn't make it any easier for her. Her eyes involuntarily fell on his broadened shoulders, slowly traveling southwards. The rays of the sun kissed his skin making him look more of a god than a vampire.
And when she moved up, her eyes caught with his. The gold in them shone as if her blue ones ignited them. It was at these moments that she cursed for ever looking at him. It was as if he held her in position, weakening her every limb and resolve. How he did that, she couldn't tell. But one thing she was sure of, she needed saving!
And saving she got when someone walked into the room unannounced. Gabriel's demeanor changed even without looking at him.
"Courtesy demands that you should knock!" He said, his voice low but dangerous.
"Forgive me Your Highness." It sounded sarcastic coming from Brandon's filthy mouth. "I tend to forget you're married."
"My Lady." He offered Elena a slight bow.
"What do you want?" Gabriel asked, irritated by his very presence in his chambers.
"I thought I might have a talk with your wife..."
"Spare me your act... Highness!" Gabriel said, turning to face him.
Brandon stared at the bastard's well toned body and he couldn't help but swallow hard. It'd take him months to achieve such a physique. But whether he was fit or not, the crown would be his!
"A matter of urgency bastard. His Majesty has requested your presence in the throne hall to answer for your crimes at the tavern."
Gabriel stared at him in the eye, so long Brandon felt like a child in front of him.
"Is that why you came to fetch me yourself?"
Gabriel walked past Brandon almost shoving him off balance. He grabbed a clean shirt and slipped in it before he walked out.
"Your husband... he's a man of temper," Brandon seized the opportunity. "May I?" He asked pointing at Gabriel's rocking chair. And without waiting for Elena's reply, he sat.
"Is he treating you well?" He enquired.
Elena clasped her hands together and nodded. "Yes."
She was still curious about Gabriel's summon.
"What did he do?" She asked, tilting her head to one side.
"Oh that!" Brandon ran his tongue over his fangs and let his eyes sweep over Elena's figure. Lord, she had the curves! "Your Husband killed knights of the kingsguard in a tavern downtown. Father called him to answer for his crimes."
Elena's nerves tensed! Her husband was a murderer! What were they going to do to him if he was found guilty?
Brandon studied her face. She was surprised! Maybe I should use this opportunity to roast Gabriel, he thought.
"This is not the first time this has happened. Just recently, before he went to Mysthaven, he snapped off someone's head in the capital. Father has been forgiving him but I don't think he'll take it anymore."
Elena " ".
"I didn't mean to frighten you My Lady," Brandon said, adding a dose of his acting skills to his voice. "I thought it was wise of me to tell you about your husband." He stood up.
"If there's anything you'd need, please don't hesitate to alert me." He offered a slight bow and left, a smirk playing on his face all the while.
The double doors of the throne hall swung open revealing a full council in the gallery and the king seated on the throne. Beside him stood his wife, the queen.
Gabriel walked down the couple of stairs, his disheveled hair hiding the better part of his face. From the look of it, he knew he was standing a trial! A trial for being a bastard!
Trials were what he'd been having since he was born. Trials for being someone he didn't choose to be! How unfair the world was. Many were the times he wished he never existed.
He halted in front of his father and offered a slight bow.
"Is it true that you killed three in a tavern?" The king asked straightly. He wore a grim face and with just one look, Gabriel knew he was disappointed.
He looked at the queen. The woman had harboured hatred for him as far back as he could remember. She had given him the worst childhood anyone would ever desire. And here she was, all smiles, awaiting his fall. She'd stop at nothing to see her son sit on the throne.
He shifted his eyes back to his father. "Yes, I did," he admitted.
"So you don't deny it?" Asked the king, now rising.
"They insulted me father."
"If we killed everyone because of insulting the royal family, we'd have half the city dead," the queen intoned.
"What insults?" The king enquired instead.
Gabriel met with his father's eyes, giving him the 'you already know the answer' look. But he said the words anyways. "They called me a bastard and said I'll never sit on the throne. He pointed a knife at me and said he'd make sure I'll never sit there."
"The witness says otherwise, Your Majesty." The queen said. She clapped her hands and the doors swung open before a man walked in. He stood beside Gabriel and when their eyes met, he quickly averted his.
"Why are you doing this?" Gabriel asked. It was the tavern keeper!
"Tell us, what did you see?" The king asked.
"Your Majesty." He offered a slight bow and a quick glance at the queen. "His Highness was enjoying a glass of fresh blood in the tavern when the deceased walked to him. In truth they reffered to him as a bastard and said they'd not have him sit on the throne." He paused.
"And?" The king asked, leaning forward.
The tavern keeper swallowed a lump. "His Highness took a dagger and pinned the first man's hand on the counter and slit his throat with his claws. He gave the other two the same treatment!"
"Thank you for testifying, truthfully. Escort him outside," the queen directed. Two knights escorted the tavern keeper outside but the look he got from Gabriel was not a promising one.
The hall fell silent before the queen spoke softly, nearly a whisper but it echoed in the hall. "Issue your verdict, My King!"