"BEHEAD HER!"
When a commoner names her child 'Athelinda', a name for the heir to the throne, her actions are seen as an insult to the royal family and she is brought to the Palace for her punishment.
Will Claude kill her for being named a forbidde...
The crowds threw whatever they could as a woman with long messy brown hair marched inside the Palace walls, with her hands and feet binded by iron chains and her eyes facing the ground beneath. She was being escorted by three guards, two of which were keeping an eye on her and one of them was busy keeping her daughter under control.
A girl about the age of six struggled and shouted to her mother as they marched through the capital but all in vain as no one bothered to step in for them and instead only cursed and threw at them.
They finally made it to the Palace and the noises from the crowd slowly faded as the brunette, along with the child who was a blonde, entered the Palace hallways. The child, who was being forcefully carried by the guard was now placed on the ground and ordered to walk obediently alongside the brunette.
Liara Stewgur, a mere commoner was now regarded as a vile woman who had committed a crime punishable by death. She had named her daughter a forbidden name 'Athelinda'.
A mere commoner dared to name their child a name worthy of royalty. A name which not even the emperor was bestowed with. This indicated Liara saying that her daughter was more worthy of the throne than the current emperor. A direct insult to the emperor. And so currently she, along with her daughter, were making their way to the Audience Chambers because the emperor decided to question her about her actions before the public execution.
The doors to the Audience Chambers opened revealing some high ranking nobles standing on the side and at the end of the room was a throne made of gold on which sat the emperor whose eyes were already filled with the desire to kill the peasants before him.
The room was filled with silence except for the sound of the iron chains as Liara moved towards the throne along with her daughter who was clutching on to Liara's rugged clothes.
"Speak. " Claude ordered and Liara bowed to him.
"Blessings and Glory upon the son of the Obelian Empi-"
Claude's mana suddenly emitted a bloodthirsty aura making Liara flinch and rethink her words. He was not asking for the greeting. Liara knew what he was asking about because he constantly glared at Athelinda.
Claude glared along with his mana spreading around Athelinda, making the young girl flinch slightly. Athelinda stood straight and bowed slightly towards Claude hoping he would be merciful.
"Felix, Behead them both."
"N-No Your Majesty! She-She's a royal as well!" Liara shouted and gasps were audible from the line of nobles. The room fell in a hush as Liara bent down towards Athelinda and began to take the necklace off her, revealing jeweled eyes.
Cerulean Jewewled Eyes.
The same color as Claude.
Blonde hair and Cerulean Jeweled Eyes.
Claude frowned as he saw the girl with cerulean eyes stare at him. He kept staring at her for a while before speaking, "If her eyes are the only proof you have, then shall I gouge them out so you can no longer spout such nonsense?" Claude said in a sharp tone which sent shivers down the spine of the spectators.
"Her eyes show that she is royalty but who is her father?"
The nobles were silent as they began thinking about the previous emperor who seemed to be the only one who could possibly be the girls father.
"I-I adopted Athelinda four years ago...she was lying on the streets about to die and so I..."
The silence continued as the emperor was still thinking about what punishment should be given to the two things in front of him.
"I do not know whose daughter she is...but her eyes told me she didn't belong to me but instead... " She glanced up at the emperor.
Claude shifted to a comfortable posture on his throne and placed his left hand under his chin and closed his eyes. "If she is the previous emperor's daughter...then she'd be just like him so it would be better to have her die. Felix."
Liara suddenly turned pale and her legs became weak. She lost balance and fell in utter despair.
Felix hesitantly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but before he could draw out his sword, the girl Athelinda stood firmly in front of Liara and spread her hands as if saying she'll protect her. The display of the young child stepping forward to protect the woman who had just revealed she wasn't her real mother, was enough to move the hearts of the nobles present.
At the moment a thought entered Claude's head. How long will you survive? Will you live up to your name?
He rose his right hand to signal Felix to wait. "Athelinda." He spoke making the young girl flinch. "Do you want that wench to not die?" Athelinda nodded her head. "Then...there is one thing I can do." Claude said with a smirk on his face. "I have decided. The Princess will stay at the Jade Palace, while the wench's life will be spared." He said with an evil smirk. He was separating them but Athelinda didn't mind that. She nodded in acceptance and hugged Liara tightly one last time before Liara was taken away by the guards.
Thud
The doors closed to the Audience room and now Athelinda stood alone in the center of the red carpet that was before the throne. She was now alone and yet she didn't tremble or had any uncertainty in her eyes. She stood firmly and stared Claude right in his eyes.
Claude smirked at her fearless gaze and said, "We'll see if you are truly worthy of the name you have been given."
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