Those noble lords and ladies did not know the king well enough. King Raff was aware that the pri minister had wealth hidden away in foreign kingdoms. If he was set free, he would simply take his family to another kingdom and continue living lavishly.
He was also a vengeful man, if he was left alive it was not impossible for him to run to the empire of doris and betray Eldoria. If doris conquered them, he would be back to being a respectable noble.
"As for your sons, especially the older ones." King Raff’s eyes settled on Lysander and his brothers. "They are as guilty as you are and they will do hard labor for twenty years."
The pri minister’s eyes bulged, almost falling out of their sockets. This was not the compassion that he expected, he wanted his children to walk away completely free. They could take the rest of the family and escape to doris when the king lowered his guard. No matter what punishnt he received, as long as it was not death, they could co back for him later.
He turned his eyes in the direction of Viscount Durin, urging him to speak up. The viscount looked away, he could hardly plead anymore or else the king might consider him an accomplice as well.
King Raff waited for the shock to be digested and he said his final words. "I will spare Desire Windrider as I have heard about his charitable deeds and good reputation. My decision is final, this court gathering is called to an end."
The herald banged down a gavel and the king stood up, exiting the hall with Elarin. The forr pri minister and his sons were led away, their shoulders sagged with despair. They had lost everything that they were once treated with a carefree nature, assuming that these things would be there forever.
Like their noble titles, wealth and freedom. They were drowning in their own despair that they did not hear that crowd’s chants of cheers for justice had been served.
Noble Lords and Ladies left the royal castle in groups, discussing the verdict which was the first of its kind. So found it to be a worse fate than death after all, which noble had ever worked in a mine? It was hard work, ant for commoners that were uneducated.
It was work for the lowest of the low in their society. Even though it paid better than so jobs, it was a risky job which needed one to put their life on their line. It was the profession which produced more widows after serving in the army.
In fact even serving in the army was safer when there was no war.
"This was no compassion, it was a cruel and deliberate punishnt." Lord Givenchy whispered to lord Bailey.
"The news would disagree." Lord Bailey answered.
He had a portable palm sized crystal Tv which he was watching as he walked. Like many of the nobles, he carried one so that he did not miss anything no matter where he was. It was said that people even carried them to the toilet.
The news was already talking about the king’s compassion, praising him for sparing the lives of the criminals. They were applauding him for moving away from barbaric punishnts and embracing a new kind of justice.
"This had her written all over it." Lord Givenchy scoffed.
By her, he ant Sigrid and Lord Bailey agreed wholeheartedly. Such an idea could not co from the king whose number one form of justice for anything was beheading.
Among the nobles, there were those that were asking themselves about the unusual absence of the queen. Others were discussing the earthquake, wondering why it had affected a few areas but spared most of the city. The pri minister’s mine had been the most affected.
anwhile, at the ho of the Windrider’s Emmah was scrambling to detach herself from the Windrider’s and salvage what she could. She had woken up with a swollen stomach, it appeared as if she was pregnant. Before she could find help, constables and royal knights rushed into the house and arrested the strongest n of the family, including the pri minister.
It had not taken her long to know why. When she saw servants packing up and running away, she had the sa idea. She crept into the bedroom of the pri minister and filled a bag with gold coins, silver and the most precious jewels she set her eyes on.
She even took a ring that was considered a family heirloom. It was always on the thumb of the pri minister, he had not had a chance to wear it before being dragged to the royal castle.
Emmah kept her eyes on the news, and when the king’s verdict ca down, her decision to part ways with the Windrider’s was affird.
She made her way to the pri minister’s study and found the papers that proved her adoption. She was about to put them in the satchel when she had a change of mind. In case she t the soldiers and she was searched, they would know she was the adopted daughter of the Windrider’s. She lit a match that was on the desk and watched as the flas consud the papers.
Then, she hurried out of the study, bumping into so of her sisters, but she did not see them as such anymore.
"Emmah, what are you doing here? The knights are coming, we should all gather in the living room and get ready to set off for the estate in Grubbel village near the Eastern boarder."
Emmah winced and said, "I must use the bathroom first."
She turned and run in the opposite direction. To her luck, many more servants were running wild, looting the estate. Emmah found the kitchen which was currently empty because all the kitchen staff had run away. She rubbed so soot on her face and wore so old clothes.
She applied make up that made her look older than she was and then made her escape through a window on the lower floor and left the house. In her hands was a bag in which had the stolen gold and jewels, hidden in a secret partition below the clothes and an old fish which stunk so much that everyone that ca next to her deliberately avoided her.
Knights were already standing at the gates, searching everyone that was going in or out. She joined the line of servants, put a hand on her waist, acting as if her swollen stomach was an actual pregnancy belly.
When it was her turn to be checked, she winced first and spat on the ground. The knight who opened her bag took one whiff and closed it before rushing away to wash his hands.
A female constable physically patted Emmah from head to toe. She looked at her with pity because she was pregnant, looked poor and seed to be alone.
"What was your job here?" she asked.
Emmah changed her voice and replied respectfully, "A scullery maid ma’am. It was hard work but I am a widow and nobody was looking to hire a pregnant woman with no skills. I thought I was lucky when I got the job two months ago. It is a pity that this is how it ends and I must find another job before this little one arrives." She rubbed her belly and sniveled.
If the constable had looked down, she would have noticed that Emmah’s nails were too clean cut and painted for a scullery maid.
She did not notice and she let her go. "Be careful on your way out." she said.
Emmah picked up her bag and escaped successfully.
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