Leonor felt undoubtedly stronger whenever Desmond was at her side. Things would be alright knowing she had his support. That’s how she was getting through the early stages of her pregnancy and now it was how she would get through the trial without crumbling.
What wonderful timing the world had to grant her Desmond’s presence after so long apart from one another.
Things always seed to work out conveniently well just when she thought she was going to crumble and cave in.
Because of Count Mikael’s willingness to bend over backwards for whatever the verdict may be, Baron Julius’ job was simple.
Shortly after the count relented, the judge decided to hold an aside with the King’s Advisors as well as the King himself.
Duke and Duchess Montclair weren’t part of the talks, neither was Count Mikael. All they were able to do was sit there quietly and uncomfortably as a heavy feeling settled over them and people discussed circumstances entirely out of their control.
Luckily, she had Desmond’s fingers laced with hers and she felt much better. If people looked in their direction, they were certainly staring at him and not her. However, that didn’t an she couldn’t act affectionately towards him to establish the status of their relationship considering neither of them had been in public since the winter banquet.
In love as ever was what she wanted everyone to think of her and the Duke. They were impenetrable no matter what the verdict of the trial was.
Leonor jumped a bit when the baron returned from the aside he, the King, and the Royal Advisors created in the hallway.
"Please, don’t stand this ti," Baron Julius said, gesturing with his hand as he got seated once more. "I don’t believe there is much more to discuss considering the decision we have made."
Leonor looked forward with bated breath, wondering what they had discussed. Considering Stephano’s hatred for the count, she didn’t think he would let him go too easily despite having lost his only remaining heir.
"Go ahead," Stephano said from where he settled into the comfortable chair set up for him.
It was away from the average onlooker to divide him as the King, but he refused to be higher than the one acting as judge at that mont.
"Before the trial, Duchess Leonor de Montclair gave written confirmation of her desire for Count Mikael von Burien to retain his title despite the heinous sin committed on his lands. Regarding her wishes, it has been decided that Count Mikael be barred from further association with the Crown. That ans eradication of his position as one of the Royal Advisors, confinent to Burien County, and stripping of his military achievents."
Count Mikael’s head hung in sha but he only accepted the charges as they were dealt to him. Since Leonor didn’t strip him of his title, it ant that he could still survive. Many business ventures would keep him afloat which the general public was unaware of. He also still collected much of the tax in Burien County considering his soldiers’ protection of the farmlands and township.
However, to lose the trust of the Crown was a huge blow. It would an that other nobles would refuse to associate with him. He would be a ghost until the day he died, leaving a shabby and tainted title to one of his siblings’ children or a distant cousin perhaps.
A pathetic end for such a proud man.
There was hushed speaking for a mont after the verdict was announced but it stopped when Baron Julius spoke again.
"Is that acceptable, Your Grace?" his eyes stared over his perch glasses at Leonor who was barely keeping herself together.
"That is acceptable, your honor," Leonor managed to say in a clear voice that gave nothing away of her true feelings.
She felt Desmond’s hand tighten its grip on her.
"By the power vested in by His Majesty King Stephano the Third, I declare Count Mikael’s punishnt effective imdiately," the baron announced. "May God bless your soul and future endeavors."
Everyone knew that the verdict was a death sentence for a man like Count Mikael.
The judge was the first to leave followed closely by King Stephano who was regarded as everyone stood for him and the judge’s departure.
As always, he held his face in a slight frown. Despite not seeming angry, it still was enough to keep people at bay. He refused to be soone easily walked all over. His mother was soone who bent backwards for others and it led to her grave.
Around Count Mikael were palace guards and so of his own guards ready to escort him to where he needed to go next and it certainly wasn’t his comfortable townhouse in the capital.
Leonor decided it was ti for her and Desmond to depart. She didn’t want to witness the man’s final monts in the capital. Despite all he had done to her, it hurt her deeply.
The entire situation was not one she wished on any person. Even Anna’s death was still weighing heavily on her. She felt disgusting for wishing things on the people that were starting to happen to them. It made her more careful about her own thoughts.
However, as she stood up to leave, a voice stopped her, speaking more gently than it ever had in her entire life.
"Your Grace, why did you not tell the judge what I put you through your entire life?" Count Mikael asked. "He would have given a harsher punishnt. You have gone easy on soone who doesn’t deserve it."
Desmond felt protective. He wanted to speak for Leonor and he bared his teeth as words began to escape his lips, but Leonor placed her hand on his arm and stopped him.
From the mont her mouth opened, the floodgates broke open as well. With each word, tears fell down her face and her voice wavered.
"Even though that place betrayed from the mont I was born, there will always be a bit of in Burien County whether I like it or not," she explained. "My mother remains in your graveyard, after all."
It beca too hard to speak after that and Desmond simply wrapped his arm around her, shot a glare at the count, and ushered his wife out of the room. What she needed was to relax.
She would never get true closure because Anna Maria’s reasons for hurting Leonor died with her.
It was also ti to go ho and leave behind all the hell they endured because of being summoned to the capital in what was supposed to be the winter of their dreams.
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