Crown To Condescend

The Game Of Trials

"I thank you all for your presence today, and of course for your unwavering faith in me," Sophie smiled at the Aurelian court as they nervously shifted in their seats.

The light that glinted in soft beams revealed worry-stricken features all across the black-marble-embedded throne room – adorning faces that were all downcast, creating a picture of a field of withering willows. A sudden summon was bound to alarm them as to how there must have been a disturbance in the kingdom.

There must have been a reason behind them being here. And Sophie was willing to let them know.

Sophie continued, "I believe you all have in mind, how the kingdom we see today, has gone through a lot, has faced an abundance of calamities, trials, and tribulations as a courtesy of people we once thought were our allies – Cressidans..."

Sophie spat it like it was a curse.

She straightened her posture, letting her calm gaze affirm to the crowd that they were not to be broken despite all that.

"But we have risen from the ashes, rebuilt Aurelia to be a truly golden state, as we pride on being the better," at this, a batch of cheers erupted which was silenced by an imposing brandish of Sophie's hand.

"At yet... it was likely for us to expect opposition from those who envy us – the kingdom of Cressida, if I were to put it out there – not those who we considered our own."

The room chilled.

"I must say, I was quite disappointed," Sophie's voice had run itself into a much-measured cadence of small breaths.

"Yes, you are all here to witness a trial," Sophie sighed to supplement with, "You are all aware of there being traitors on these grounds, who pretend to be one of us, but hand over our confidential information to Cressida like it was nothing. And so, with a heavy heart, I would like to introduce you to one such individual that has caught my attention lately."

Her words were met with a silence so still, that the room could've been mistaken as a bleak forest of the undead.

But Sophie knew better.

She knew that everyone was praying for their lives, unsure of who this traitor might be. Even the faintest connection to the said traitor could put their lives into shambles.

Sophie motioned at Captain Song, "Bring him in."

The doors swung open to reveal a figure trapped between two guards. His dark hair clung to his forehead, matted in clumps. His cobalt eyes were bloodshot with terror untold. But there was no sign of remorse, whatsoever.

Which made Sophie all the more excited to rip his existence into shreds.

"Alvar Soren Vacker, son of Lord Alden Vacker, and the supposed heir to the duchy of Everglen," said Sir Leto, "You have been charged with betraying the crown of Aurelia, by fraternizing with the Cressidan royalty. You have also been reported to act as a double agent for the Cressidans. All of the above are crimes punishable by death. Is there anything you have to say in your defense?"

A round of gasps broke throughout, probably at the revelation of how the Vackers, the most trusted by the royal crown, could have housed a spy.

As expected, Alvar knitted his hands together to plead, "Your Majesty, please, there must have been a misunderstanding!"

"This getting rather old, wouldn't you agree, Mr. Vacker? I am sure all others who were in your place before, began their supplication in a much similar way. But, I wonder where that got them..." Sophie laughed, ensuring that the darkness swirling inside of her was well hidden.

Alvar shook his head at full tilt, panic settling into his cold blue irises.

Sophie shifted her focus from him to the first of the six-tiered rows. Her gaze quite unwillingly flitted off to the Vackers, Alden, and Della – faces twisted in agony – and Fitz...

His bright teal eyes were void of any emotion, but Sophie knew, that if she looked closer, she would see a passionate fire. He was trying hard not to have an outburst.

But it would be in vain. Any minute now, she might see him, try to throttle Alvar with quite the audience behind.

Sophie shook the thoughts away and looked back at Alvar, whose hands were still woven together.

"Mr. Vacker, how about you tell us your part of the story? You know, when it all began?" Sophie asked him.

"Your Majesty, please! This is not true! Whatever you have heard was wrong! I can never betray Aurelia!"

Ugh... this chant of self-justification was going to take long!

Sophie sighed, "Listen, I am not in the mood for you to repeatedly try to bore me with your denials!"

"Your Majesty, but-" Sophie cut off Alvar's pathetic attempt of continuing to irk her, with a swish of her black-sleeved arms.

"I do not like to repeat myself, especially for someone such as yourself. And like I said, please don't even attempt at saying something in your defense. Your only purpose here is to enlighten me about things I ask you – any word out of bounds will make a severed head roll across the carpet," Sophie exhaled in a quiet voice – her tone carrying the untold threats she was yet to deliver.

The silence that had woven through the air, only amplified Alvar's suppressed cries. But she preferred it to that...

"Ahh, a thousand times better!" Sophie clapped her hands at the still room ahead – the court, only a collection of tongue-tied figureheads.

Sophie gestured at Sir Leto who was stationed right beside her.

Sir Leto moved forward and placed a guileless scroll on Sophie's outstretched palm, as his head bobbed in a bow.

Sophie's eyes traced the ivory parchment, from the tiny muddy stains on the bottom to the little crumple at the sides. 

Sophie looked back at Alvar, her voice lowering to say, "Who says justice cannot go hand in hand with entertainment?"

When Alvar kept staring at her with daunted eyes, she continued, "I see we've bored the audience to death! How about we play a game, instead?"