Chapter 55

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Chapter 55

Three days later, we stood in the judge's chamber of the capitol building. The Lord High Judge entered the chamber.

The judge sat in his chair. "Please be seated." Then he turned to face Robert. "Your majesty, do you have faith in me as the justice in this case?"

"My faith is yours, Lord High Judge."

"Bring forth the prisoner." The judge waited until the Duchess stood in front of him. "Grand Duchess Daria, do you understand the charges that have been leveled against you?"

"No, your honor. I have done nothing wrong."

"Under truth scan, you admitted to more than twelve attempts to kill the Empress Astalynn Rythan Melcoir-Stavio-Noir. This constitutes treason against the crown. You have also admitted to illegal use of neuron disrupters, trafficking in forbidden substances, illegal seizure of a planet out of your realm, murder in the first, second, and third degree, human trafficking, kidnapping, illegal disruption of communications, reckless endangerment, illegal jump protocols, misuse of public trust, harboring a fugitive, racketeering, extortion, bribery, subversion of public officials, interfering with the rightful succession of a monarch, regicide, illegal use of weapons, illegal use of explosives, illegal hacking of identity codes, and speeding. Do you now understand the charges that have been leveled against you?"

"I have done nothing wrong. I am a noble and have the right to ignore the law for my own purposes."

"A noble does not have the right to ignore the law. A noble must be held to a higher standard. It is the finding of this court that you are guilty of all charges. For these charges, you are to be stripped of all rank and lands, then taken to the block of justice. At that location, you will be executed by the champion of the empire. This sentence is to be carried out today, for it is the belief of this court that your unaccounted-for henchmen will attempt to rescue you."

We were all stunned, the court usually gave a prisoner at least a week to put their affairs in order. The judge wanted this finished today.

The guards escorted Daria out of the hall.

It was exactly one hour later that we stood before the block of justice. It was a single block of wood that had stood in the courtyard of the base for more than a thousand years.

They brought Daria out and bent her down so her head was on the block. Then the emperor spoke clearly. "Supreme Marshal Drake Daemon, will you champion this court?"

"I will, your majesty."

I started to step forward and drew my blade.

"Champion, will you do me the honor of using my blade?"

I turned to face Robert. Had he lost his mind? Only the royal family could touch the blade of the line. The gasp from the crowd reflected the shock I felt.

"As I have named thee my brother, it is in your right to touch the blade of the line. Will you do me the honor of using it for this chore?"

I stepped up and knelt as he extended his blade to me. This blade had been made on earth more than twenty thousand years ago. It was the last of the great katanas. I moved forward with the blade dancing through my hands. It was a blur of old steel and fine skill.

Then I stepped up beside the woman on the block.

"Please, Drake, I don't want to die. Just banish me and let me go. I will disappear and never return."

I hesitated as I held the blade there. I had accepted the role of champion. If I could not carry out the sentence, she would be set free. Could I take the life of a helpless person? I had never done that before. In my entire life, I had never committed cold-blooded murder.

I looked down into her eyes, and there I saw my answer. Although her mouth pleaded for mercy, her eyes shown with malice.

Without thought the blade flashed forward to imbedded itself five inches into the wood of the block. Then, as if in slow motion, I watched as the light faded from her eyes and her head rolled off the side of the block to plunk onto the grass.

I wrenched the blade free and took a cloth from my pocket. I wiped the blade from tip to pommel. Then I walked to the emperor, knelt, and extended the blade handle first. "It is done, your majesty."

He took the blade from my hand. Then, as I started to rise, I felt the blade touch my left shoulder. Then it touched my right shoulder. Then the blade touched ever so gently on the top of my head. "Rise, Grand Duke Drake Daemon."

I stood and glared at the bastard I called my brother.

All he did was, give me an impish grin in return.


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