Belial POV
I walked passed Alaine and faced the now-screaming LeCrussant. I then signalled Malek and Liliana to block off the exit of Ignace and his faction. Walking in front of the screaming fool, I made my armor and my spear diasppear with a thought. I only showed them a bit of my capability to struck fear and letting them know who they are dealing with. Those things aren't really things tht you can just use for granted. A mere mortal can disentigrate by a mere touch of the armor and a scratch from the spear. Most especially the spear. That spear is meant to kill gods. I just casually swung it to create a small wind blade. Halting my steps, I refocused my glance towards Ignace and the traitorous nobles.
"I have given the verdict to LeCrussant... But... I haven't given yours yet. Tell me, how should I judge you people?" I then acted that I was thinking deep then looked back at them after a moment and said "Oh yeah. You did side with the spy of the empire. Then you conspired against the Crown. Then you sought to arrest me without proper trial. Plus! You sought to kill me if I didn't follow your commands. Hmmmm... How heavy your crimes are. I think you should have a verdict same to LeCrussant here. Ain't I right?" I then flashed a cold smile at them.
Duke Chatilon immediately spoke. "Prince Beale! You can't do that! We didn't know that LeCrussant was a spy nor did we really know his real objective!" He shouted vehemently.
"You followed him without knowing?" I asked while feigning ignorant.
"I really didn't know anything! I must have been bewitched by that-"
I didn't let him finish and spoke "Bewitched? Didn't LeCrussant provided you with the elven slaves you highly sought after so that you can join his faction? I wonder why you said you were bewitched when it was you who willingly joined his faction for those elves? I believe they were High Elves, right?" I then flashed a stack of paper which I took from my robes. "That is what is stated here along with your signature and your house seal, which can only be made with the signet ring on your hand."
Duke Chatilon panicked when he saw the papers. He turned white as a ghost then started to shake. After a while he spoke in a shacking manner. "I-I wa-was re-real-ly b-bewitched! A-A-I d-don't know a-about yo-your alle..gations Prince! Tho-those papers m-must be fa-fakes. I-"
"We can just search your house to confirm the things stated here in this contract, Sir Duke. It can only be affirmed after seeing the goods right?" I stated with a firm voice.
Terror and panic was written all over Duke Chatilon's face. He then shouted "YO-YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! I AM AN HONORABLE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY! I AM A ROYAL DUKE! I AM YOUR UNCLE! I SERVED THE KINGDOM EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN! I WON'T ACCEPT SUCH TREATMENT TOWARDS ME! I-"
"I am a prince of this kingdom. I am a direct decendant of the Royal Bloodline. I am a rank higher than you are and you have no right to berate me as someone who doesn't know the kingdom. Why? If killing, kidnapping, raping and torturing women from my fief plus enslaving people who did no crime is the way to serve the kingdom then Yes. I don't have any idea running a territory is done like that." I walked towards a pillar with a shadow in it. I chanted a spell then dipped my hand in it and grabbed something inside it. "This is your personal journal, Duke Chatilon. Do tell me. Aren't the writtings here real? I mean this is yours."
I then looked at the king who now looked like his soul left his body. "On those days that I was gone, I took all the evidence I could gather that links to this traitorous bunch's actions,plots and crimes. Where they got their fundings, where they took the money that is needed by the people, what they are doing to their fief's subjects, the excessive taxes they are putting up, how they enslaved their people by making them drown in debt, everything." I flashed the bag that is full of books and parchments and gave them to Alaine. I look back at the king and stated "If you are doubtful of my words, call upon your people and investigate what I just stated. Ask the people. My words as prince may have little weight in it but surely the people you are ruling can be trusted."
It took only a moment of contemplation before the king made his decision. "Guards, chain these fools and lock them up in the dungeon. Make them drink a magicka-restricting potion. Also, put LeCrussant in the Magicka-Confinement room so that we can restrict him with Anti-spell cuffs. Plus, summon the Royal Dragoon Corps. We will raid the houses of the suspected nobles for evidence. Then call upon the First and Second Brigade to help me in my evidence gathering. Finally, summon all of the Third Brigade and the Royal Chevaliers. They are to protect the castle and my family. Maximize the defenses of the city and double the guards. A suspected spy from the Empire has been captured. There may be movements that might happen especially if I am away."
"""Your Will is my command, Your Majesty!""" exclaimed the guards as they bowed and let to do what they were commanded.
Tens of guards entered the audience room and dragged the nobles leaving the Royal family, me and my retainers, the King's Guard and Ignace. The king then pointed at Ignace and said "As for you... I treated you as family! I didn't even made you feel like you were an outsider. I even pardoned each and every mistake you have thus far made. Even those whom you raped and killed. Yes Ignace, I know. Did you really think what you are doing is a secret to me?"
Ignace who was having a soulless face began to tremble and spoke. "Lo-lord Father, I-I was mistaken! Ple-please forgive me! I-I didn't know that uncle... that traitorous man was a spy! I-I promise I will be a good person! I-I will do my best to become a proper heir to our-"
He was abruptly stopped in the middle of his "apology" by the king who then said "That remains to be seen whether or not you are acquainted to LeCrussant or not. But... You can never be the heir of Valois Kingdom. We, as King of the Valois Kingdom, hereby disowns you. You will be forfeited of any priveleges of royalty. All your properties and assets will be returned to the treasury. All your debts will be payed by you and you alone. The Royal Family will not pay a single coin for it. Your status is now reduced to being a commoner and your titles will be voided. Your fief of Rhodium will be returned to the Crown and you will be stripped of everything, even your name. You are not allowed to carry the Valois name from hereon." He then gestured to his King's Guard. "Take him to the dungeons. Lock him up in isolation and let no one go near him. After the investigation, we will see if he is involved or not."
Ignace, who was then at a stupor, suddenly roared with all he had. "NOOOO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!! I AM A PRINCE!!! I AM THE FIRST PRINCE!!! I AM THE HEIR TO THE THRONE!!! I...I AM ROYALTY!!! YOU-" his yelling was cut off by the King's Guard who brought his hand over Ignace's mouth to stop him from yelling.
We watched as he was dragged out of the audience room. Ignace left while making muffled shouts and grunts as he eyed me with eyes filled with hatred. As the doors of the audience room closed, we were left there with a room engulfed in an eerie silence. After a while, the king began to speak to me.
"Prince Beale, You have done a great job on uprooting a possible threat to the Crown and the Realm. We are delighted with-"
"Delighted? Please... This is also your fault." I stated plainly.
The king was shocked at my tone and asked "You rudely interrupted us in the middle of our words. But since you have something to tell us, in light of your contributions, I will forgive you from your earlier transgressions."
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"I need not of your forgiveness nor do I seek to be forgiven but since you gave me a chance to speak, then I will."
"YOU-" the king stood up, clearly angered by my statement.
"You already know that those nobles were corrupt to the bones and were the reason why the kingdom is facing a slow decline yet... why didn't you make a move?" I asked, pointing out the topic that needs to be resolved.
"We needed to gather enough evidence to remove those people from power. We cannot rush-"
I butted in again and spoke "So you waited in what, 12 years? Maybe more? I saw their records. Can you tell me how those things: bribery, extortion, kidnapping, forced enslavement, excessive labor treatment, high taxes, rape and murder weren't enough as evidence?"
"There are things that you still don't know, Beale. So you have no right to question-"
"I don't have the right to question huh? So, when the people of the kingdom, YOUR KINGDOM, was suffering... You just watched and let them suffer and be tormented on the whims of nobles. Pray tell. Were those things not 'right' enough for me to know? I may be young but I am not stupid. When you are all here playing your little politics, many out there were either starved to death, or molested, or sold to slavers or dies in labor camps. Tell me, what 'right' do I need for me to question you?"
The king, infuriated, roared at me and said "YOU ARE ONLY A SMALL CHILD! DON'T THINK YOU CAN BERATE ME ON THINGS THAT YOU DON'T-"
I roared back at him and said "BUT I KNOW! I'VE SEEN THEM! I'VE FELT THEM! I'VE EXPERIENCED THEM! I KNOW THE SUFFERING OF THOSE THAT ARE ON THE GROUND! I HAVE READ THE RECORDS AND I HAVE THE EVIDENCE! THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING AND YET HERE YOU ARE, ACTING ALL MIGHTY AND POWERFUL IN FRONT OF ME! IF YOU ARE SO POWERFUL, WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE KILLED IN COLD BLOOD?! WHAT OF THOSE WHO WERE RAPED AND ROBBED OF THEIR FUTURES?! WHAT OF THOSE WHO WERE ORPHANED BY THOSE WHO WERE GREEDY OF THEIR POSSESSIONS?! WHAT OF THOSE WHO WERE ENSLAVED WITHOUT REASON?! THOSE CHILDREN WHO WERE ENSLAVED?! THOSE INNOCENTS THAT WERE ABUSED?! WHAT OFF THOSE WHO WERE SOLD WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT?! WHAT OF THEM?!"
The king was dumbfounded with my outrage. He look dumbly at me, trying to think of a reason. Finally he straightened himself and said "We are the king of this kingdom. We will shoulder everything that happened to those who suffered and-"
"It is easy to say that because you never knew how it is to be enslaved. To suffer from oppression, to experience pain beyond any man should experience. You can talk like that because you have never been from the ground. You were already from the top when you were born. You never fought for freedom. You never fought for justice. You never fought for life. You were born on a gold spoon. You know nothing."
"And you do? Beale? You are what? 12 years old? But how could you talk as if you have experienced such things? Could it be..." the king spoke as if he suspected something.
"I will leave that to your imagination." I turned around and spoke again while my back is facing the king "I will go to my fief, Agmanac. I will manage it how I see it fit. The person whom you left the management of that area is a part of LeCrussant's faction. You have no qualms with that, right?"
There was only silence. I ushered Malek and Liliana to follow me and started walking towards the entrance. Before we arrived at the door, the king's voice resounded. "How many times?"
I stopped and replied. "What's it to you?"
"I just want to know." the king answered.
"A lot."
"Are you an enemy?"
"We shall see..."
"Whatever you are, you are still my son. You are my flesh and blood." the king stated.
"No. I was your 'replacement'. An 'insurance' that your line doesn't end. A 'subtitute' in case your first prince becomes somewhat uncontrollable. A 'deputy' in case something happens to you. A 'proxy' on times of emergency. A 'surrogate' for when the kingdom needs one. A convenient 'tool' for the game of thrones." Turning around to look at the king. "Ain't I right. 'Lord Father'?"
The king paled when he heard what i said. The queen cried and Alaine supported her. I can see Alaine was also on tears as she was consoling the queen. The king was shaking that he held onto the arm rest of the throne. He looked back at me and said "Is that how you see yourself to be? Is that what you think we think of you? How... how can you think of such a thing?!" He then pointed on the queen. "Look at what you have done?! Did you know the pain you have inflicted on her?! The words you just said, it is as if you think that you are only an object in our eyes!"
He then jumped from the throne and run towards me. He tried to reach out to me but was stopped by Malek. He stopped the king easily that alarmed the king's guard who then rushed to aid the king. Malek held unto the king, who was struggling, trying to break free. When he understood that he can't, he started to shout at me.
"YOU! VICTORIA AND ALAINE LOVES YOU! THEY LOVE YOU NOT AS AN OBJECT BUT AS A PERSON! I MAY NOT SHOW IT BUT I TOO LOVEs YOU, BEALE! I LOVE YOU AS MY SON! IT MAY SEEM LIKE PLAIN BULLSHIT BUT IT IS TRUE! DID YOU KNOW HOW HAPPY YOUR MOTHER WAS WHEN YOU WERE BORN?! DID YOU KNOW HOW HAPPY ALAINE WAS?! HOW HAPPY I WAS?!" Tears streaked on King Hector's face as he sobbed and tried to wipe his tears. "Just... Just what did you experience to be so cold? So detached to everyone? You can feel the pain of the oppressed but you can't even feel the pain of those you hurt?! Just what kind of life... did you have before this one?"
The voice of the king was reverberating in the whole room that everyone inside heard such revelation. The queen hearing that stopped sobbing and looked towards us with a look of shock and confusion. Alaine also looked towards us, clearly confused from what she had heard. That comment surely was a shocking statement. The only ones who weren't affected were Malek and Liliana as they have both heard of what I have been when we first met.
Realizing that the secret's already out, I asked the king. "Since when have you known?"
"I never knew. I only suspected. That suspicion was proven today when you spoke about oppression and suffering." the king replied.
Chuckling a bit, I replied "So I gave myself away, huh?" I looked at the king and said "Then? What of it?"
"How many times have you been... reborn?" the king asked plainly, albeit shaking.
"Twelve times."
"Twe-twelve times? How..."
"I experienced everything about pain, suffering, torment, lies, deceit, betrayal, abandonment, experimentation, torture, everything. Each and every act of cruelty any person should not experience, I experienced it all." I walked towards the king and brought myself close to him, looking at his face. "I have experienced what kind of savagery humanity can offer. I know it all and felt it all. So tell me, King of Valois, are my earlier words wrong?"
Seeing the king was speechless, I turned again and walked towards the door. Malek let go of the king and proceeded to follow behind me along with Liliana. Before I turned, I saw the queen and Alaine running towards the king and me. Reaching the door, I heard the queen speak.
"Whomever or whatever you were before, you are still my baby boy. You are still my little Beale. You are still my... my dear son... So-so please... don't say such cold words. I love you, my child. I really do." The queen cried her hearts out from the sounds she is producing.
Still looking towards the entrance I replied to her. "I know. I know how much you love and care for me. You and Alaine both. But the road I am threading into is a perilous one. Emotions such as love is unneeded as it is detrimental to my objectives and goals."
Quickly turning around and with a flash, I arrived in front of her. I took her hand with both of mine as I caressed it. I then spoke while looking at her hand. "In all my reincarnations, twice did I get a good family but it is only here that I experienced the feeling of being truly loved and was never abandoned. I experienced what it is to be adored, pampered, loved and cared. But..." I looked into her face that is still glistening with tears. I wiped it away with my hand and said "I'm now threading a path of no return. If I had experienced this earlier, I might have given up on my mission but... I will not return to my weak self. I have grown numb. I feel no attachments to humanity. I have given up on them. That is why I must go. I must let you all go for the path I am walking in is a dangerous path. One that is greater than the Valois kingdom. And for that, I must never have any weakness. And right now... you, my family, are my weakness. I must sever it to achieve my goals. I don't want to have the illusion of 'having a good life'. I must finish my goals. And when I am finally finished, I can finally rest in peace."
I then let go of her hand and turned my back once again. "But know this... with what little emotion I have left, know that I love you, all of you. And because I love you that I must let you go." I then directed my words to my father. "I will govern Agmanac from hereon. I want full autonomy and governance over it. Can I ask that of you, Lord Father?"
The king answered right away. "Yes. I will give you full powers over your dominion and I will not get into what you want to do... but please tell me. What are your plans?"
I started to walk and exited the door, leaving the king, the queen and Alaine behind. I slowly closed the door when I answered the king's question.
"That is something you will know in the future. But I will tell you this... You cannot stop me. For my road..."
Turning one last time while holding the doors, I spoke "...is the road to oblivion". I then shut the door unto their confused faces and walked off.
I then walked out the halls under the baffled faces of the palace guards. After exiting the castle, I looked at it one last time and then turned towards the road.
"Malek, Liliana, let's go. The road to oblivion... begins today."