Of Blood & Power

P E R S U A S I O N

"I'M SORRY, DID YOU JUST SAY GUILTLESS?" AZRIEL ASKED.

The Parliament members stared back at her with distaste.

"Yes," Markus replied.

"On behalf of the House of Byton?"

"Yes."

Azriel felt her body light with rage. "How can you say that? How can you deliver that sentence? That woman's child did nothing wrong. He murdered him."

One Parliament member with particularly thin eyebrows squeezed them down in irritation. "We don't have any solid proof that verifies the late Mr. Waterfell's alibi. Mr. Byton seemed like an honest man who had his nerves intact, which can't be said for Ms. Waterfell. I'm sure who wouldn't just kill someone who wasn't responsible for the crime."

Azriel blinked at him. "So, a teenager robbing a market stall justifies a murder?"

Thin Eyebrows shrugged. "Mr. Byton established that things got out of hand."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't carry any blame! He killed a child...someone's son. We have twenty-four hours before the sentence is announced. That is more than enough time to verify Mr. Waterfell's alibi."

Markus placed a hand on Azriel's back. "That isn't how things are done."

Azriel shifted her glare to her husband. She felt a fiery wildness whipping inside of her. "We cannot consider an outside testimonies or evidence? Are you telling me that we're letting a murderer walk away?"

"We won't let him get away without paying anything, Azriel. Of course, the court will order Mr. Byton to give Ms. Waterfell some compensation since he brought about the demise of her son," Markus said. He even smiled as he said it, as if the offer meant something. Azriel took an even breath to try and keep her calm.

"You know how people in your kingdom think, don't you? They love to demonize and stereotype those with darker skin, especially men. People, especially salesman, love to think of them as brutish thieves. Is it really so hard to leave that Mr. Byton lied in court today? Is it really so hard to believe that he lashed out on an entire community because he thought he knew where the culprit lived? Is it really a stretch to say that a livid man, frustrated that he lost merchandise, fed into a stereotype, and gathered his friends to hunt down whoever looked like the culprit because he was angry that he couldn't find the real one?"

"That is an interesting perspective, Your Majesty," Thin Eyebrows said. "However, the same logic can be applied to Ms. Waterfell. Today we were presented with a grief-stricken mother who lost her child. Isn't it possible that she lied about her child's whereabouts in order to protect his memory and her name? Is it not possible that her theatrics here in this court were a ruse to appeal to our hearts so that she could exact revenge on a man who went too far? Which is likelier?"

"Besides, said another gentleman, we cannot dismiss this 'stereotype' so easily. They're not a very well-behaved breed, Your Majesty. All they like is violence, wine, and women. They never like to work hard, but they love to steal. It's no wonder so few of them are ever able to climb above poverty." The other five Parliament members nodded in agreement.

The fire in Azriel grew hotter.

"So, we're agreed then?" Markus asked. The Parliament uttered their assent. They gave their bows before leaving the court room. The king turned to his wife. "I know this isn't the decision you wanted to take but trust, my love, it was the right one."

Azriel forced herself to look into her husband's eyes and smile. It took extra human effort to kiss his cheek, but she did. "A queen must support the decision of her kind and her government whether she liked it or not. I understand." Azriel pulled away and extended a hand to her husband. "Shall we?"