Chapter 139: The Council Begins (Ch.139)
As narx headed to the third level where the council eting was to hold, he was t by Lord Everon who intercepted him.
"Everon! What are you doing down here? You should be by Kalia’s side." narx asked in a concerned tone.
"I will return there, Kaliana’s condition is critical, I shall not leave her side after this ti. This ans I shall not be present at the council eting." Lord Everon said.
"Does that an..." narx asked in a pained tone, unable to complete his words.
"I will not let Kaliana die, Narx. I will never forgive myself if I fail to save Imagor’s woman. I will do everything I can and even what I cannot...but in the anti,"
"Other than myself... there is only you who still trusts in that child. You said you would protect her, Narx but the council is the highest decision making body, second only to our liege."
"A decision made at the council will stand, whatever is decided there will beco Neveah’s reality."
"Of the dragon lords and riders that made up the council, the King’s guard had the highest say..." Lord Everon reminded.
Amongst the King’s guard, narx could already predict the thoughts of his brothers.
Imagor would vote for imdiate execution, narx knew Imagor was convinced Neveah was the culprit.
Imagor was in despair, terrified to lose his rider and so he was lashing out, there was no way he could be prudent enough to consider the fact that Neveah stood nothing to gain from all of this.
Imagor would never stand on Neveah’s side, that much was for certain.
And then there was Cassian who had not spoken a word of his thoughts regarding the matter, but narx knew Cassian would stand with Imagor.
Cassian was not familiar with Neveah, he had no reason to defend her.
Kirgan, he was always a warm ray of sunshine and was the most easy going Lord Dragon on the King’s guard, but narx knew Kirgan was highly protective of his brothers.
Kirgan would sooner kill Neveah himself than side with her.
That left just narx on the King’s guard who wanted to preserve Neveah’s life.
At first, narx had been relieved to hear of the council since it ant King Jian was leaving an opening for Neveah to live rather than sentencing her himself.
However, at this mont, narx realized no one on the council would stand up for Neveah, no one but him.
"I never believed I would say this, but I am greatly outnumbered." narx said in a grim tone.
"Then you must even the odds as best as you can... that child, it would be pitiful if she died like this..." Lord Everon said with a shake of his head.
"You an..." narx murmured, trailing of.
"There is one more mber of the King’s guard, narx. And his words carry greater authority than yours." Lord Everon stated.
"Bring Xenon to the council?! Are you trying to get
killed?! Xenon has not attended a council in almost a century!" narx exclaid.
"Well then...you have to make him. You did it once before." Lord Everon pointed out.
narx’s eyes widened slightly, he had not realized Lord Everon knew he had gone to Mount Edar to tell on King Jian.
"You knew?" narx asked with a visible wince.
"Everyone does... Narx." Lord Everon replied as he strode past narx.
narx sighed heavily, it had taken a lot for him to restrain Xenon from going over to confront King Jian and convince Xenon to go to Neveah’s side instead.
Xenon always believed the best protection was in taking down those who were causing harm but narx knew better.
narx knew what Neveah truly needed at that mont...was comfort.
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There were tis when one took a decision out of impulse or a prevalent emotion, like a sudden surge of confidence and only in the mont after carrying out the action would it beco aparrent just how poorly thought out that decision was.
This was precisely how Neveah felt the mont she was escorted into the council of riders by noon of the second day, a council consisting of twenty riders and their dragon lords, as well as many other dragon lords.
Once again, Neveah was back to the throne room on the third level and the very mont the doors were opened, all eyes turned to settle on Neveah.
Now, Neveah was used for being the object of attention in her short lifeti, and even moreso in the past few days,
However, there was a vast difference between being stared at by attendants and noble ladies who hated her and being stared at by dragon lords and dragon riders who most likely still hated her.
Perhaps the difference lay in the fact that Neveah already felt like she would visibly lt away under the stare of so many fire breathing beasts.
It was a struggle for Neveah to maintain her composure, but sohow, she still was able to keep a straight face and a blank expression as she was led in.
Neveah was soon standing at the center of the hall and it was only then King Jian erged from a side door.
The dragon lords and riders bowed low at his entrance while he strode over to his throne and took a seat.
"At ease." King Jian permitted, his voice firm and imposing.
"I have summoned you here to deliberate over the fate of the one who is believed to have taken away the molt scales." King Jian began as his gaze also settled on Neveah.
"My Liege, the werewolf is an outsider yet she masterminds such malicious actions and refuses to confess to her cri or who is behind her. She must be tried!" A rider spoke up first, a young man with reddish brown hair.
The opening opinion did not surprise Neveah at all, she knew exactly what was ant by a trial.
A trial would an Neveah would be interrogated just like every other criminal, tortured into making a confession.
"I agree, the molt scales must be recovered. We cannot determine the werewolf is unwilling to confess when Lord narx is yet to take charge." A Lord Dragon spoke up this ti.
"The werewolf should be left to Lord narx, he will extract all the information we need to know ahead of making a final judgent." Another rider concurred.
"And if she still is unwilling to speak after trial?" A third rider asked.
"She dies!" Lord Imagor snarled from where he sat, barely restraining his anger.
"While we seat here deciding her fate, Kalia battles for her life! She must be made to hand over the molt scales or ripped to shreds!" Lord Imagor insisted.
His words sent everyone into silence as they could not counter him, the life of Lord Imagor’s rider and child were what was at stake.
"Are we to ignore the possibility that this werewolf might be innocent?" A voice spoke up suddenly, breaking the silence.
All eyes moved to settle on a strange man who stood behind another man who was seated.
"Rodvan, do you speak for yourself?" Lord Cassian asked.
"I speak for the Dune Lord." The dragon lord called Rodvan replied easily.
"Kaideon, what are your thoughts?" King Jian asked.
"The Dune Lord believes this circumstance seems rather unusual. Never have we seen a criminal who stands to gain nothing from a cri committed."
"If truly the wolf shifter took the molt scales, why wait around to be caught?"
"Unless the wolf shifter is not a very smart perpetrator, for the most alienated existence in the keep to be caught in such a situation with the sole evidence being her presence in the healer’s hall, it is more plausible this is just a set up." Rodvan continued.
Neveah raised a brow as she spared a glance to this Dune Lord who for so reason spoke in her favor.
However, Neveah’s gaze did not linger for so long, in the next mont, the doors to the hall ca open and in walked Xenon and narx.
If the hall was previously silent, at this mont, it quickly descended into deathly silence.
Even King Jian was caught off guard, watching with surprise as Xenon walked into the hall, heading over to Neveah first.
"Why have you co here?" Neveah asked when she finally was able to form the words through her shocked state.
"Hush." Xenon replied as he placed a hand on Neveah’s shoulder before he strode past her and headed to the front.
He lowered his head in a bow before King Jian and then took vacant seat right beneath the platform which Neveah only now realized was Xenon’s position on the council.
"Xenon..." King Jian began but trailed off, uncertain of what to say.
Instead, he lifted a questioning gaze to narx who also took his seat and shrugged casually.
"Perhaps the announcent of this trial was previously unclear. This is not a council gathered to determine the fate of an outsider...it is a council to determine the fate of Neveah, Lord Xenon’s attendant."
"You may all rethink your stance and proceed stating your opinions... the council truly begins now." narx declared in a firm tone.
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