Love in disguise

Chapter Seven -Final Chapter

The king was called to the main hall as his guards brought his son and Sir Laurence to the room. The two men fell to their knees before the king and Ben said: ‘Father, I…’ ‘SILENCE!’ the king shouted, looking in his son’s eyes. He said: ‘What is this supposed to mean?’ one of the knights said: ‘Sire, we witnessed the most disturbing thing. Your royal son being molested by this…disgrace to the knight rank. Disgusting man.’ The knight pushed Laurence with such force, that he fell in front of the king. The prince got up and said: ‘That is not true father, I wanted it.’ The king’s rage got stronger as he heard his son’s words.
He approached the prince and looked in his eyes. There could be heard sound of flesh hitting against flash as the king slapped his son across the face. Laurence looked the other way and closed his eyes firmly, not being able to look at the king’s actions.
The king said: ‘His Majesty is to be kept in the palace and not let out. As for you, Sir Laurence, you will be executed in three days’ time, so you have enough time to think about what you did.’ ‘NO!’ Ben screamed and the guards grabbed him and held him tight. The king said: ‘You are a disgrace to the royal blood. You disgust me, Benjamin. Leave my sight.’
Ben said: ‘I abdicate!’ as the guards dragged him away. His father said: ‘Oh, do you?’ Laurence looked at Benjamin and said: ‘My lord, he is powered by his emotions, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.’ While looking at the king. The king said: ‘Benjamin, if you abdicate, I would have to…’ Ben cut his father off by saying: ‘Yes, kill me, too. I know. I am very aware of the fact. I spent my nights studying it.’ The king said: ‘Benjamin, are you sure, you want this?’ and Laurence said: ‘No, he doesn’t. He will obey.’ But Ben shook his head. He said: ‘I am sure, Your Majesty. Do what you must.’
The king turned away from his son for him not to see the tears in his father’s eyes. He said: ‘Take them away.’
As the two men were being escorted away, princesses Regina and Martha, the queen and the royal advisor came to the room. Regina said: ‘What happened? What have you done, father?’ as she saw her brother being taken away by the knights.
The king said: ‘I was forced to imprison your brother. He abdicated.’ ‘WHAT?!’ The queen shouted and the king said: ‘He was caught with a male lover.’ And James gasped, receiving a glance from Regina. She said: ‘Father, you can’t execute the prince.’ And James said: ‘That is the problem. He is no longer a prince.’ Regina’s  eyes filled with tears and she said: ‘You cannot! I won’t allow it.’ And ran towards the cellar, where the prisoners were being held.
She saw her brother behind the bars and ran to him. She said: ‘Benjamin!’ and he got up and approached her by the bars. She grabbed his hands and said: ‘What have you done?’ Ben said: ‘Our father wanted to kill my love, Regina. I won’t let him die alone.’ ‘Him?’ Regina asked and Ben stepped aside, revealing his cellmate. She said: ‘So, he’s the one you’ve been meeting every night?’ and Ben nodded. She said: ‘Brother, I will not let you die. Not even him. I will fight for you.’ And with that, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left the cellar.
She went back to the hall and saw her parents crying in an embrace. The king turned away immediately and Regina said: ‘Be not afraid to show your emotions, father. If you want to give death to your only son, just because his heart belongs to someone it shouldn’t, you are going to have to have me executed as well, for my heart also belongs to someone that it shouldn’t belong to.’ King said: ‘What are you saying, Regina?’ and the princess looked at Jim , who nodded. She said: ‘I am in love with our royal advisor.’
The king gave a quick glance to James and said: ‘You should be marrying a prince, Regina.’ And her eyes filled with tears as she said: ‘Yes. And that is why you should have me executed as well.’ James said: ‘Sire. There is surely a way to help your son. To let him be with whoever he wants. To change the law perhaps.’ The king said: ‘The Law was created by our ancestors hundreds of years ago. It would be a disgrace to our people to change it now.’ The queen said: ‘Then you should probably decide on who do you care about more? The people, or your own son.’ With that the queen left the room, leaving the king on his own only in presence of his daughter and her lover.
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Simon soon found out about his friend’s fate as he was informed by Laurence’s very own page, Mathew. He was being consumed by his emotions as he couldn’t do anything more than pay respect to his friend by attending his execution, along with Mathew.
The execution day came and Simon watched in tears as his friend and the prince were taken to the gallows. His father sat on a throne that was taken outside for him and his queen, who’s tears streamed down her face as she saw her only son, being escorted towards the rope. The royal advisor James stepped to the gallows stage with a parchment in his hands. His tears welled up in his eyes as he read from the paper: ‘Benjamin and Sir Laurence, are trialled for sodomy and treason to the king. Because of nature of their actions, they are…’ His voice cracked and he stopped to wipe the tears away from his face. He then said: ‘Because of the nature of their actions, they are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. Under signature of king William, the eighth.’
James rolled the parchment up and left the stage to stand by the royal pair. The king stood up and walked to the stage. He said: ‘It is very painful for me to decide on this. Prince Benjamin is my only son, but it is my duty to give my people the law, they know. However, it should also be my priority to make my people feel loved and accepted for who they are, regardless of their differences. Therefore, I have decided to remove from the law anything that refused to give my people this particular freedom. From now on, no-one is going to be judged for who they love, if it’s two men, two women, or different status origin. Hereby, Sir Laurence and Benjamin, I grant you pardon, in the name of the crown and law and all people who had to hide their true feelings up to this day, are allowed to embrace them publically.’
The crowd cheered and Ben and Laurence exchanged glances. The king said: ‘Also, I have to announce not one wedding, but two. My daughter’s and my son’s.’
The crowd cheered again and a look of shock appeared in Ben’s eyes. The king said: ‘Both of which are regardless of the old law.’ Ben exchanged glances with Laurence, who still didn’t understand anything and the knights untied the two men. Benjamin ran to Laurence and their lips connected in front of the entire cheering crowd, searing their love in a passionate kiss.
...a few weeks later...
Benjamin was in his chamber, dressed in his best clothes and he was waiting for the ceremony in presence of a new royal advisor. He stepped out to the courtyard, where Sir Laurence was already waiting for him at one altar, when the previous royal advisor, James, stood at another one nearby. Princess Regina came outside of the castle in a beautiful wedding dress.
A few days after their ceremony, the king called both of his children to the great hall in the palace to give an announcement.
His son travelled from Sir Laurence’s caste, where his home was now to the royal palace.
The king stood in front of their children and said: ‘My dear children. I have decided to pass the crown on now, while I can help you with the duties of being the ruler of this kingdom. Since Benjamin abdicated, I have no other choice, but to give the crown to you, Regina.’ Ben smiled and Regina said: ‘Father, but I am not quite fit to be a queen.’ Ben said: ‘Nonsense. Your determination and care will overcome all your shortcomings. You will make a great queen, Regina.’ And she smiled.
After the coronation, the new queen came to the courtyard to show herself to the people. Before she did, she met with her brother. Ben said: ‘I have one tiny thing that Laurence told me about, that you could do for me.’ And Regina smiled.
As she went to the balcony, she waved at the people and said: ‘First thing I will do, as your new queen, is very simple. She looked at Ben and smiled. She said: ‘What my father, William, did about the law is a very promising and very selfless change in all of our lives, but sadly, the other kingdoms have still different laws than us. That is why I have decided, to promote page Mathew to be a Duke Mathew of Astoria.’ The crowd cheered and Matthew’s eyes widened. He looked at Martha, as they were both joining the rest of the royal family in the palace and she ran to him. The others watched happily as they seated their love with a passionate kiss.
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Simon and Beatrice then finally sealed their love in marriage as well, and Beatrice took Simon for a horse ride to the lake once again a few months later. She got off the horse and as they stood by the lake, she said: ‘Simon, my beloved. I have news.’ Simon held her by her hips and said: ‘What news, my love?’ she smiled and took Simon’s hand, moving it to her belly. Simon’s eyes widened and he said: ‘Are you saying…’ She said: ‘You are going to be a father, dear Simon.’ He picked her up and turned with her in his arms out of pure happiness. He then kissed her, knowing that all of his friends are safe, all of them chose right and they were all the happiest they’ve ever been.
After all, it was their love, that changed everything they knew for the better.