Ch 16 - Execution of one or exile of all

I’ve been talking with my squad and others on our way back to Imil, having fun indeed, it’s been three months and we are already close. We can see the northern rampart of the city.

This past month's after much discussion and deliberation it was agreed that Mitchell, instead of being carried around naked would be allowed to keep his pants and undershirt.

We removed his armor, weapons, boots and gloves, and he was to never be untied or alone.

Ali wanted to cut both the thumbs of his hands and feet! So he could never again walk or grab a sword, but Galiene strongly disagreed, she said that she wouldn’t allow ‘such barbaric acts’.

Dan and Azer talked to me a lot and in the end they managed to convince me to stop dragging Mitchell behind the carriage. So the last two months, he was being transported *inside* one of the carriages, tied and gagged.

I am aware that what I did will be frowned upon by the Order of Knights, but a traitor punishment is death and I did not kill him, he should count himself among the lucky ones, because his head still rest upon his own shoulders.

By the end of that day, close to sunset we were granted passage through the Northern gate.

We were received with cheers and clamorous applauses from the citizens of the city, we returned a little earlier than expected but nonetheless each time a squad of returns from a mission, they were received warmly by the citizens.

As it meant that whatever they did, was for the good of the city, the kingdom and that peace was being maintained one way or another.

I sent Ali to inform the RA of our victorious return and the issue and accusation against Mitchell Rawkin.

An hour later almost at nightfall we were received in the Order of Knights, everyone was tired but we had to endure for a little bit more. The severe case of treason and plot to murder promising knights was important and the Order of Knights ordered us to give our statements.

We gave our testimonies and the soldiers were interviewed, Mitchell denied everything saying it was a plot by me to destroy him, but the evidence against him was just too large. All of his party members and his soldiers gave account of the orders and plans Mitchell devised.

And as if that wasn't enough Bertie and his members also confessed that under duress of harassment and mistreatment of their families (all of them were commoners with work ties to the Rawkin family) were pulled into that plot.

With that the case was as good as closed.

Mitchell parents appealed to the Order to release their son under house arrest, but the order bluntly rejected the appeal.

In a week’s time the trial of Mitchell Rawkin will be held in public court, presided by the king himself as the main judge.

Grant appealed to me and begged me to forgive his brother, so did their parents as the Order didn’t allow the house arrest request.

I told them that it was outside of my hands and that it was true that he plotted to kill me and my group, and besides, my father was deployed in the northernmost border of the kingdom in war with my fiance so my hands were tied.

When we were done I went home with Ali, both our parents were deployed in war. In that situation my aunt stayed at our castle.

There we spoke of the mission and what happened, and discussed with our mothers what stance to take on the day of the trial.

My mother refused profoundly to allow any appeal to our family, saying ‘that runt plotted to kill my little angels, he doesn’t deserve any sympathy’ and such, and my Aunt’s words were fairly similar, so it was decided that we wouldn’t intervene in their favor.

And so after resting for a full week, meeting with friends and my squad members every other day, the day of the trial came to be.

Tomorrow at mid-day in the lower royal chamber of law (it’s a huge open space close to the entrance of the Royal Castle, where public trials are performed and can be visited by the nobles and commoners), we will see what’s the punishment imposed by the kingdom to Mitchell and/or his family.

I’ve had a lot of time to think and I still find this nobility regime to be just inefficient and corrupt. Families here and there plotting against the other, fights against family knights go on and on just to further their lord’s greedy desires. And the corruption runs deep in this society!

What would Higg do once we marry and he gets the throne?

Would he follow the steps the current trend of the regime?

The king is a good man, not for anything his title is ‘The Earnest’ but he’s just a single man surrounded by many corrupt men!

Would Higg ever accept the idea of abolishing nobility? Or would he scoff at me and disregard my words?

I’m nervous, I would have never thought I’d say ‘once we marry’, does this means that I have already decided deep in my heart?

Am I in love with him?

I’m not sure, but my heart feels warm when I think of him, and I worry about his welfare on his current deployment.

I’m at my mother’s room, the day has already gone and the moon shines brightly up in the sky. She’s combing my hair slowly and I want to talk to her about things that I lost touch with (not that I will phrase it that way to her).

“Mother, would father protect Higg on the war?”

“Eh? Well dear, I guess?, you know he’s the king’s son!”

“So would only be because of that?”

I feel my cheeks getting a bit warm, am I blushing right now?

Her smile looking at me right now is a mix of both, amusement and teasing mood.

Or is she simply happy about the conversation?

“Oho~! So what other reason would be there for The Mighty Pegasus to protect little The Gryphon?”

Did I just dug my own grave here?

Well this is what I wanted to talk about, so let's get on with it and let it all out!

“Isn’t higg my fiance? Are we not getting married in the next year?”

“Ehh! But Gat, weren’t you going to fight him until that plan was forgotten? Or have you changed your mind?”

I just nod to her question.

She is smiling at me and I’m blushing.

*knock knock*

After the knocks the door opens.

There was no announcements and no maids, just two beautiful black haired women walking in.

Aliyah and my aunt.

I drop my head, I’m embarrassed and now I gotta finish this talk in front of them!

Ali won’t let this go, but the thing is, my mother won’t either.

“Welcome back Lucy, Ali come sit, Gat and I were having a very nice chat”

“Why hello! Thank you then. Don’t mind us, come ali, lets sit in the bed”

“~kay~”

They walked around the bed, sit in from my father’s side and got close to us by sliding slowly.

“So Gat, where were we? Ah right, so you wonder if your lord father, The Pegasus would protect your fiance the Gryphon? Ehh, what was it again that I asked?”

“Muu, mother, don’t tease me. It's already hard enough as it is without teasing and now we have aunty and Ali here.”

“All right all right, don’t blush that much ok? I promise I won’t tease you more”

Isn’t that just saying Aunty and Ali can tease me as much as they want? Not fair mother, not fair.

“So then you changed your mind is it? You won’t challenge Higg anymore?”

I nodded

“Oh my! Lil Gat got snatched by a man! Ali ali your cousin seems to have made up her mind and accept Higg”

“~kyaa~ I already knew ~pyon~”

“Oh! So the ones out of this big news are just me and my sister?”

“No aunty, I haven’t said a word yet to my friends nor Roxana, aghg, I’m not sure she’ll like it tho?”

“Wait a minute young lady, does your answer means your lord father knows?”

I nodded

“Wha, eh, how?, when?”

Mother and my aunt were surprised by my answer.

“When I went to the Royal Castle to wish my lord father success in the deployment I said something to Higg and gave him a kiss on the cheek”

“How bold Gatriel, that’s my niece for you, taking control of your man! Thats how its gotta be!”

“Wait a second sister, what did you say? Could you tell me the details?”

As my mother closed in on to me, I nodded

“I said clearly this ‘I wish you the best on the defense of the northern border, and please return to me alive ok? Don’t make me wait much after I turn eighteen’ and I’m certain everybody in the War Room heard me, then I kissed him on the cheek and left”

Silence, my aunt and mother mouths were agape, Ali rose her brows but attempted to control the surprise.

After that, the conversation went in all kind of directions, dress, colors, where to live, when would I retire from the military (they didn’t like when I denied that), baby names! Etc.

Come on take it easy, it isn’t like I’m planning on getting myself pregnant right now or at all for that matter.

I was tired, way too tired, mentally mostly.

That’s exhausting you know, gossiping and talking about all kinds of things!

I fell asleep.

After waking up and spending morning being teased and getting ready, at about mid-day we left for the Royal palace to attend to the Trial of Mitchell Rawkin.

The charges were, conspiracy to assassinate a noble, conspiracy to assassinate the first prince’s fiancee, conspiracy to blackmail commoners, alleged attempt to drag commoners by kidnapping their families under duress through work relation harassment, alleged attempt to bribe soldiers to commit felonious acts.

After arriving to the lower court, we made our way to our seats.

In the left corner of the area was the Queen Alote Ancret Reyah, accompanied by her two daughters, Roxana Reiyah and Amelinne Sophie Reyah.

in front of the hall the king sat in a higher chair, that clearly was meant for the judge of the trial, and at his both sides were his trusted aides and counselors.

The charges were presented, and in the accused podium there he stood, Mitchell Rawkin. After his parents pleaded to my family for mercy again, my mother denied it bluntly and they sat down behind their son.

So the trial began.

The King called witness after witness, with interruptions here and there by Mitchell, being told to shut up several times.

It was now Bertie’s time as a witness, he was asked by the king to tell what happened that night previous to the mission in the tent.

"I said

'how long do we wait until storming in?'

then Mitchell answered

'How about until the morning? chances the first squad will be annihilated will increase, and if they are still fighting we take advantage of the confusion and kill them ourselves'

Then Bryan said

'Guys this is a bad plan'

to which Mitchell replied

'Shut up Bryan, you just follow what I plan and everything will be fine, so we then wait until it’s about morning and storm the Fortress from both east and west, kill those still moving, gather the evidence that Squad 1 was defeated by the bandits and return victorious and avengers of those arrogant pricks'

so his intent was to let them die in battle, and if not kill them and claim he avenged them."

Bertie stopped to get some air. . .

"Please continue mister Bertie"

"Thank you your highness,

Then I voiced my discontent saying

'I’m not sure of the plan Mitchell, you have seen that... l, la, lady... fight, are you sure that if she is still alive when we join we will be able to take her down?' --"

Mitchell raged and interrupted again...

"you said 'that I've seen that demon fight--*grm grm*' you lowly peasant, traitorous liar"

And the king, amused by the latest interruption cut in

"oh so you remember a conversation that based on your testimony never happened? would you care to elaborate"

"n, no no, that's how he usually refers to Lady Gatriel Decebal, yes, that is, that's how he calls her at the Royal Academy"

"Please mister bertie continue, gag the defendant. His interruptions won't be allowed any further in this trial"

"thank you your highness, so then I’ll continue, he said

'We have 500 soldiers with us and was not like she could fight them on her own'

and I voiced my discontent again so he threatened me and my family

'Bertie, listen carefully, they have to obey our orders, and yes I hate that bitch as she humiliated my brother and my family, what if brother Grant forgave her? I don’t care, I want to see her dead. And if you betray me don’t forget the might of the Rawkin noble family! You are a commoner and your family eats thanks to mine!'"

After deliberating for about half an hour the king called Mitchell’s father to step forward.

“We have found your son guilty of treason and all the charged presented at this trial, considering your stature we have decided to allow you to choose between this two possible punishments. Think it through with your family and choose one now”

“The immediate public execution of Mitchell Rawkin or...”

The king made a long pause then continued

“Renounce to all your riches, properties, land, assets, titles and have your whole family Exiled from this kingdom, What say you?”

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.