The council room filled with an air of tension as one by one, the members filed in, preparing for the trial to begin. Elara sat alone at the head of the room, her thoughts racing faster than she could follow. So many things were happening at once, and yet she couldn't grasp hold of a single one long enough to make sense of it all.
When had it ever been difficult for her to multitask? She couldn't recall a time. But today, it felt as if the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders, and every thought was too heavy to hold. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the bracelet around her wrist, the delicate touch grounding her as she scanned the room.
Lord Cade was already there, speaking with Given. At least, it appeared that way. No sound came from his lips, but if one paid close enough attention, the slight twitch of his white beard would tell a different story. The man's communication was always so subtle.
Lord Henry sat further away than expected, a silent observer rather than a participant, though his position should have been closer to Elara. Lord Varosh was present, and Elara couldn't help but wonder what amused him so much about this case. It had been clear from the beginning that he seemed pleased with the idea of Given's execution. Leroy had been the one to deliver the message, and Elara still felt the lingering chill of that revelation.
Lord Edward was also present, accompanied by his wife. The woman appeared ill, and Lord Edward wore a constant look of worry, his concern etched deeply across his face. Elara noticed this, though it seemed he was trying to keep his composure, his eyes flicking to his wife more than once.
Lord Daniel arrived last, staggering in with a drunken stupor that was hard to miss. His posture was slack, his demeanor a reflection of the disarray in his mind.
Lord Sol, however, was absent. He had sent his message to Elara earlier, a note explaining his reasons for not attending. Elara felt a small comfort at the thought of him as an ally, knowing his support could be invaluable in times like these.
And then there was Lord Elliot. He stood close to Given , his calm presence a contrast to the underlying chaos of the room. It was clear that he would speak on behalf of Given, but his uncle was not present, leaving a gap that Elara couldn't ignore.
As she took in the room, she couldn't help but feel that the council members were more interested in the spectacle of the trial than in the actual pursuit of justice.
The heavy doors to the courtroom opened, and the King entered, his presence commanding the room. He moved slowly, the weight of the situation obvious in his posture. Elara noticed the dark circles under his eyes, evidence of sleepless nights and endless worry. She felt a pang of sympathy, but she quickly pushed it away. The man may be a father, but that didn't erase the fact that they wanted Given executed , and they still didn't have any definitive proof about Lyric's pregnancy. The truth needed to be uncovered.
"Everyone, please take your seats," the King called out, his voice rough but clear. "We are gathered here today for the trial of Given, right hand to the Queen of Lunareth. The proceedings will begin now."He took his place at the head of the table, motioning for the proceedings to begin.
Lord Casimir, the appointed judge, stood and cleared his throat. "I shall preside over this trial. Let it be known that Given stands accused of high treason against the crown of Lunareth. The charges, as presented, involve conspiracies to overthrow the throne, with evidence of secret meetings and illicit communications.We will now proceed with the trial."
Lord Elliot raised a hand, asking for permission to speak. The judge nodded, and Lord Elliot stood, his voice steady as he addressed the room. "There is no concrete evidence that Princess Lyric is pregnant. How can we proceed with this trial when the very foundation of the accusations remains unproven? We cannot move forward on speculation alone." He pauses for a moment, scanning the room."Furthermore, where is Princess Lyric? She should be here to present herself before the court, to answer for her claims."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Elara's gaze shifted to Lord Casimir, who turned his attention to the King, awaiting his response.
Lord Casimir cleared his throat again before addressing the room. "Princess Lyric cannot join us today," he said, his voice somber. "She is in critical condition. Her right arm bone has been displaced , and the physician is currently tending to her . She has been experiencing frequent blackouts, and her fever is escalating. In addition, she is showing signs of severe weakness, and it is feared that she may be suffering from internal bleeding."
A murmur spread through the room, the implication of Lord Casimir's words sinking in.
Lord Elliot didn't hesitate."So many sicknesses… one might begin to wonder if you are hiding the princess from us."
The Queen Mother's sharp voice cut through the tension. "And why would we do that?"
Lord Cade, unable to hold back any longer, stood up, his voice laced with anger. "Because you are aiming to murder my son!" He slammed his fist on the table. "If only we could go our separate ways! Coven with coven, humans with humans—then we would be able avoid this madness ."
"Lord Cade," Elara and Lord Casimir said in unison, rushing to cut him off. His words were unrelated to the trial at hand.
"You are all in the wrong here!" Lord Cade continued, his fury mounting. "Wanting to destroy us because it's the last of our kind! You want to wipe out our bloodline!" He slammed his hand on the table once more, his face flushed with rage. The room fell into chaos as others tried to calm him down, but the tension was palpable.
Without warning, Lord Casimir banged his gavel sharply, silencing the room in an instant. "Lord Cade," he said firmly, "That is enough."
The room was still, the anger lingering in the air, but no one dared speak.
And just like that, the trial was about to descend into even greater chaos.