The Crowns

one

"What do you propose?" The enigmatic and low voice of Madrigal Harlev sounded. He stood poised with his hands clasped behind his back and his steely gaze set before him.

A low murmur erupted from the fellowship of Ethom leaders.

Kamber stood off the side of the dais where her father currently held residence. She was a beautiful young woman with well-shaped lips and a pale complexion to match that of Madrigal. Her green eyes were shadowed with dark makeup, and her high cheekbones set off her authoritarian but still very beautiful appearance.

"These attempts will not be easy to silence." A voice broke the muttering of the crowd

"I certainly agree. These rebels take pleasure in disturbing the city. I would suggest we silence them entirely." Master Dorian of the Newlins family spoke up.

"Exactly. We must purge the Ethom sector. Let the rebels make their attempts to disrupt another house, but we can't stand for this." Someone else agreed loudly.

"What of the hostage?" Madrigal inquired, still standing with the attention of the room.

"Execution!"

"Daddy," Kamber looked at her father as the room bustled with enthusiasm towards the idea.

Madrigal stepped off the dais so as to hear his daughter more effectively.

"This hostage may or may not have anything to do with the murder of Lord Newlins, how can we warrant his execution?" She asked in a brisk whisper.

"That is not for you to wonder," Madrigal told her. "But I see what you mean." He stepped up once more.

"I move that we question the hostage and make our decision then." He said, interrupting the loud bustle of conversation among the rest of the aristocrats.

With enough convincing, the party agreed to these terms. Madrigal told his daughter to inform the knights guarding the hostage that he was to be brought forward for his interrogation.

Kamber walked down the hall towards the secured room. She punched a few digits on the code panel and the door unlocked. She gasped at the sight of both knights collapsed on the floor covered with the telltales of a violent struggle. The hostage stood battle ready at her entrance, somehow freed from his hand cuffs.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Kamber demanded.

"I think that quite obvious." He stated.

Kamber got a good look at him for the first time. "Y—Yaron Armethe?"

"You remembered, I'm flattered." He said, sounding genuine. However, the smirk on his face read otherwise.

Yes, it was Yaron. His delectable-looking lips curved up at the corners and told of mischief, and his darting grey eyes were all too familiar to her. He'd been known among the Ethom Crown as one of the most deliciously handsome knights in the force before going rogue and disappearing. How had her father failed to specify that Yaron Armethe of all people was the captured rebel?

Kamber narrowed her eyes. "Of course I remember, you've been the only man on earth capable of breaking my heart." Her tone hardened noticeably.

"I need to get out of here." He said.

"Did you murder Lord Newlins?"

"Let me go now and I'll be back to explain everything, I swear."

"If you swore you'd continue breathing normally I wouldn't believe you." Kamber spat. But, against her better judgment, she unlocked and opened the door. "If you manage not to get caught, you're free." She said, turning away from him to return to the council meeting.