⊰ chapter thirteen ⊱

The mood of the Winter Caucus was ominous. Jeon Jungkook stood in the middle, the audience had their eyes on him like he was a prey as the ministers took their seats. Wineri sat down at her usual seat as the governor, wondering how she had planned to have Dara attend the Caucus as Jungkook's wife as per the laws but she was present right beside him, as an assailant of the crimes committed. The Winters took their seats across Wineri, the rest of the high ministers at their designated places before the Winter Lord stamped the Caucus entry letter, "The Caucus for Northern Prince and Western son, Jeon Jungkook and his northern legally married wife, Dara Koveski Arveri from the East and previously crowned ruler of North will be taking place here today from the actual date that was due a week later because of recent requests made by Head Governor Mr. and Mrs. Winters."

"Let the Caucus begin,"

The first accuse was ordered and presented by one of the advisors, "According to Head Governor, Mrs Winters, there was a written treaty between the Jeon Aurthers and the Winters family, where High Governess Mrs. Wineri Aurther made a promise to the Winters family to marry their daughter, Era Winters to the Blood Heir, Jeon Aurther Jungkook as the depth paid for being the first governing family to accept and fight for their living rights in the Western Realm and removing their title as asylum seekers and pledging Mrs. Wineri's position as the High Governess of the Western realms."

The High Lord of the Court issued the question, "What is the contradiction, Winters?"

Tidy and hair pinned like a flower itself, the long necked woman stood from her chair and appealed her issue, "The High Governess and her Prince has denied to complete their promise. While at his stay as the soldier at the North, Jeon Aurther Jungkook was swept into a forceful marriage by the former Queen of North, his current northern, false written legal wife and has denied to keep the words of the written treaty between the two families. I seek legalized answers for this and good reasons, not the ones we have already heard."

The High Lord found Jungkook's strikingly mad eyes on the witness floor, "Your Highness, what is the reason behind your betrayal to the treaty?"

"No reason," Jungkook answered, "My mother made a mistake that must be paid a high price. While preparing such a treaty, I was not questioned nor asked. I deny to believe that I will have to marry someone I do not acquire to spend the rest of my life with―,"

"And surprisingly, he agrees to spend the rest of his life with a dangerous Eastern who has used illegal magic in our realm, assaulted me and my daughter both physically and verbally and fled Jeon Jungkook's house with three unknown men for two whole days―,"

"Besides, I will need someone capable to rule the Northern throne with me," Jungkook cut Mrs. Winters on her cruel words, facing the jury only, "Dara Koveski Arveri has already ruled the territory, the blood throne itself. As a King, it won't be right for me or anyone in my place to risk such an important position to someone who has no mind to value my throne and my family—,"

"This is an indirect remark made towards my daughter!" Mrs. Winters cried out dramatically, storming out of her place with a finger point at Jungkook.

"If the shoe fits," Dara looked up at the woman, and then grinned lightly at Era who was sitting below the higher podium of ministers, "Wear it Cinder-era."

The audience shrieked from fear and shock. Some stood to their feet from the seats to look at the red hair.

Jungkook kept quiet. Waiting for the havoc.

"This woman!" screamed Mrs. Winters, "For this woman, the Prince had embarrassed me infront of the entire West at the house party—,"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" yelled Wineri, getting off her seat, "The invited Winters had shamed my daughter-in-law at the house party yesterday, taking full advantage of her infertility and created a scene!"

Everyone gasped at the information.

"Yes," Wineri's eyes settled on Dara, "Jeon Jungkook's wife is infertile and I am very honored to announce that, she is the Heir of the Curve," the audience was murmuring, the mouths kept on talking, but Wineri's voice redemptively shut everyone down, "And we have no problem with that. Mrs. Winters had no right to budge into our family issues!"

"The issue is being twisted away by a new diver too , Your lord!" Mr. Winters spoke this time, "Please solve the treaty case first hand. I want to hear what justice says."

The crowd settled

The high lord looked at Jungkook again, "Your wife will not speak until she is asked to. The rude remarks will not be tolerated towards a daughter of this land. Please make sure of it."

Dara rolled her eyes. Especially leaving a smirk at Era, beating hers as she stared at her from her seat.

Dara did not care. She did not care one bit about the Winter Court or its laws.

"Jeon Aurther Jungkook, do you agree you have committed a big crime against the treaty laws of your hometown?"

"Yes, I have and I agree," Jungkook glanced at Wineri who looked sorry for her son.

"Do you wish to correct your mistakes and accept what the treaty says?"

Dara looked at Jungkook.

His expressions stayed unchanged, "No."

"Do you agree that you will face major consequences because of this action?" asked the jury.

"I do."

The High Lord sealed a second paper, passing it down the High orders of the court before turning to the guilty again, "Your Highness, the second complain against you is of you murdering one of your own people for the foreign woman who you pledge to be your wife at the Caucus here. What do you have to say of it?"

"He did not deserve it," Jungkook replied, then turned to the jury and the members one by one, "But most of you did."

"You speak to the members of the Winter parliament, Jeon Jungkook. Do not make us overlook the respect we have for you and your family," the High Lord complained, "Speak with respect—,"

"You and your fellow members tortured a married woman in front of the entire Caucus without her husband's consent and tried to seize her magic, clotting her blood and senses for days," Jungkook said before growling, "You think that is law? You call that law and justice?"

"You sure were a part of the Northern mid ittt for long years, Your Highness, but we handle laws differently—,"

"Poorly, is the word," Dara stepped forward, brows arched and shoulders eased, "I have heard great things about your Court, sire. The most pious court of all, but I must tell you, the court I lead as the false Queen at North was much just than this, screwed, poorly maintained and nasty headed Winter Court—,"

"WOMAN!" growled a minister, "Do you even have an idea what you talk about?"

"Do you even have an idea who you talk to?" Dara tilted her head dangerously, her green eyes gleaming like a wild cat's at the minister. The audience was now enjoying the period of time at the Caucus as they waited for more outbursts, "This Caucus is a joke. It is so hilarious to see you fight for a woman who's nothing but visibly desperate for power. Why do you think the Winters deserve a life in the North or the blood throne?"

Jungkook sighed, "Dara, step back here—,"

"You speak of a girl who is nothing but true with her identity!" Mrs. Winters fought, "You pledge yourself to be the heir of the curve, what proof do you have of a woman?"

"I can make your daughter disappear as a proof—,"

"DARA KOVESKI!" screamed Mr. Winter, standing up, "THAT IS IT! I DEMAND MY CREDIT OUT OF THE TREATY!"

The high lord, disappointed eyes at Jungkook, sealed the third paper, "You may sentence your punishment for the treaty makers in the crime of breaking the treaty."

The Caucus was rummaged through. New laws were being written while ink was spilt and documents were handled. Dara approached Jungkook silently and with raised eyebrows while snarling viciously, "You will deny the punishment. If you are northern enough, and care about your destined throne then deny whatever punishment they come for."

"And do what?" Jungkook whisper-yelled at Dara.

"Marry Era," Dara whispered, eyes wobbling a bit before she bolted out her gestures and features into a bold figure, "A king is allowed more than seven wives. Fuck your plans, Jungkook, save yourself from whatever law the Winters pull up—,"

"Don't make me slide my sword across you," Jungkook whispered, madness in his eyes, "You are stupid."

Dara wanted to fight him but the jury announced the orders passed by the governors, "In your places, miss."

The red hair walked beside Jungkook, standing by him, tall as she glared but at Era's mother who eyed her down with a grin.

"You have options, Your Highness," the High Lord said, "The winters believe you still deserve the options for the last time since you are a prestigious son of this lands. You may happen to accept Era Winters as your new, and first wife after the divorce to your current spouse by sending an official stance to the North of the divorce. Or..,"

Dara waited.

"Or High Governess Wineri who was once voted for the position by the Winters themselves will be excluded from the Caucus right now, right here, at this very moment."

The audience shrieked once more.

Wineri stared at her table of law papers. All her life in that one seat, all the laws she prepared for the foster home for her son.

Dara looked at Jungkook, "Deny it. Marry Era, Jungkook. I have no relations to the blood throne anyway, you will have no use for me. Believe it or not, every throne needs an heir and I cannot give you any—,"

"I will not marry Era Winters. This is the last time I'm finalizing this decision," Jungkook announced, many sighs were heard from the ministry as they wrote down the stances but the audience had a light wave of delight amongst them, some even dared to clap at the decision.

Jungkook looked at Wineri.

His mother smiled.

Jeon Aurther Wineri smiled at the two of them, sighing in relief.

"Are you sure you want to seal the deal close?" The high Lord asked once more, disappointment visible in his eyes as no one wanted to let go of Wineri's expertise from the Court, "The deal will break all the governmental powers your family has and you will have no privileges from the ministry anymore. The asylum seeker's law will apply to you and your family from today onwards. The governmental residence will be seized in a week's time."

Dara's eyes, disappointed but melting with igniting fire in her heart, stared at Jungkook as he spoke to the ministry, "To provoke a married man into crime as such, is to provoke the woman who is married to him."

And Wineri knew exactly what he meant. Despite the red hair disagreeing with him today. The fire was going to ignite and create havoc, today or tomorrow if Jungkook agreed to the deal.

She would divide the Court into pieces of hell.

He locked eyes with Dara, whispering to her, "And to provoke the woman I am married to, it will take a million men to stop the fire."

Dara could melt right there. Her memories that never existed around the Curve revolved around her head, making her nerves dive into a deja vu.

For once the Emperor of the Curve said to the world; to seize her away from him, death had to knock their doors a thousand times.

"I am sorry," Dara said once Wineri came down the stairs from the higher podium of the ministry's seats, the audience was starting to leave. Wineri slipped her hands into Dara's, shaking her head but Dara argued, "It is West's loss that they lost you as a member of the ministry. I must say, it is already weak, the ministry will fall―,"

"Dara," Wineri's warm smile cut Dara's words, "Losing you would break a mountain over our heads. You heard Jungkook, you heard him the first time. And it will be the last time you argue about marriage. The chapter of the Winter's is over for us, we have the war to worry about."

Jungkook walked to his mother and kissed her forehead, cupping her face into his hands, "West was never ours to begin with. We will always be asylum seekers here."

Dara frowned, "Wineri did enough to deserve the right to be called one of the Westerns. She rebuilt the government. This is unacceptable―,"

"Dara," Jungkook warned her with a look, "You will not speak of the ministry again. No one will. Big words don't get us where we want anyway, nor do unthought plans and actions. Think before you say anything."

Right. The territory was foreign to Dara anyways. So Junkook's explanation made sense.

She had already caused a lot of damage. Her ego sometimes wouldn't settle for the things that were displayed before her and Western Ministry seemed like it needed a lot of fixing.

Dara nodded obediently before looking at Wineri, "You don't deserve this."

"It would upset me ten times more if Jungkook made the very wrong decision today," Wineri touched Dara's cheek and patted her shoulder lightly before turning to take Jungkook's extended arm, following the audience out of the Caucus.

Dara's glare trailed along the Winters family leaving the Caucus. Mrs. Winter's venom eyes eyeed her down before smirking wickedly at Era whose eyes were fixed at Jungkook as he walked past them. As Dara walked past them, the banters came from the very mouth of Mrs. Winters, "You spoke way too much than you should have, Dara Koveski."

The Jeon family stopped. Jungkook looked over his shoulder to find Dara paused at her position, her fists clenched as Mrs. Winters leaned over to speak to her, "The day you become the Queen of North again, do not forget to invite us for your baby shower―...ah, apologies."

Dara stopped breathing.

Mrs. Winters stared at Jungkook who only looked at Dara's unchanged expressions, "The Northern Blood Throne will never hear the wail of a child. Pity."

Before Wineri could voice herself, Jungkook grasped Dara's hand, glaring at the Winters family before dragging Dara out of the mess of words. To his surprise, he has never found Dara this quiet, this silent and this zipped up before the Winters.

When catching up with Wineri outside the Caucus, the old woman sighed with distress, "I wish people like the Winters did not have a place in the ministry. It puts the realm to shame."

And that's all Dara needed to hear before the politician in her, re-awakened from a fallen Queen's death.

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short chap bc it can be tiring to read long chaps sometimes ig?