Word of the princess’s recovery had spread throughout the castle. Under normal circumstances, Rhea’s resuscitation from the brink of death would have been a cause for celebration. Her new appearance, however, made the situation more complex. The princess always had fair skin, but not ghastly pale. Her eyes which were once the same emerald green as the queen’s, now, were now dyed closer to a ruby red.
Some began to whisper rumors about the princess: how she must have been blessed by the gods in her hour of need, how much more charismatic she seemed, how otherworldly she appeared. More sinisterly, there were those voices who suspected that the princess had made a bargain of some kind, some suspected with a witch or worse: a demon.
The king and queen seldom paid attention to their daughter, but even they could not ignore the rumors. Rhea was to be subjected to a royal inquiry: a trial by the monarchs of Ishgria, the result of which will determine her fate. Due to the nature of the rumors which surrounded her, she would likely be vindicated or face death, there was no room for half hearted judgments.
“Your majesties,” spoke a royal guard, addressing the king and queen in his heavy plate armor, “preparations for the royal inquiry are complete. Shall I summon the princess to the throne room?”
“You have my permission.” the king replied blankly.
“Make haste, this is an urgent matter, that daughter of mine must face judgment.” the queen interjected. She could not conceal the devilish smile on her visage: here was a chance for her to be rid of that hellspawn who called itself her daughter.
***
Rhea sat perched on the edge of her bed, her fingers sifting through the pages of the book she held. Her bedchamber was rather modest by the standards of a royal. A green cashmere carpet stretched out beneath her feet, the fibers soft to the touch. Two ebony wood dressers stood sentry on either side of the room, their ornate carvings catching light that filtered through the windows. As Rhea continued to read her book: a guide on Ishgrian law and royal customs, Remuria sat patiently beside her, gently brushing the princess's lengthy black hair.
“It seems that the royal inquiry will be rather cumbersome,” Rhea said while letting out a sigh and closing her book, turning her gaze to Remuria.
“You are in a difficult position,” Remuria said, her voice laced with concern as she placed her gentle hand over Rhea's. “The king won’t care what happens to you, and the queen will be more than happy to see you sent to the oubliette, or worse.”
Rhea nodded slowly, her gaze falling to the floor. “I’m not sure if I can fight against all the allegations they may level against me.”
"Magic isn’t an option either, the royal mages would spot any attempt to tamper with the inquiry via the arcane," Remuria added, biting her lip in frustration.
Yet, after some moments of silence, Rhea's eyes seemed to narrow in determination. "Which means, this leaves me with only one course of action: requesting a duel of honor against the crown of Ishgria itself."
Remuria nodded in agreement. "It’s a chance, Rhea. Those who win duels are automatically deemed to be chosen by the gods, your name will be cleared, and the king will not refuse a challenge so as to not diminish his honor."
"Yes, but members of the royal family are not allowed to participate in duels, they use champions to fight in their stead."
"So you will require a champion then."
“Indeed, specifically, someone who can defeat Sir Falkner.” Rhea acknowledged, her voice wavered slightly under the mention of the knight’s name.
Sir Falkner was a renowned knight and duellist through Ishgria and beyond, his might on the battlefield was well known in times of war, and in times of peace: his prowess with the sword was unmatched. If the princess were to choose a champion to fight on her behalf, they will almost certainly face Sir Falkner, and they will almost certainly lose.
“I can defeat Sir Falkner on your behalf.” Remuria said with confidence.
Rhea turned towards her attendant, giving her a puzzled look. She knew that Remuria was adept at many things, but the art of the blade was not one of them. The princess had never seen Remuria even hold a sword before.
“Remuria, I must admit that you are a savant in many aspects of life, but I have never seen you wield even a shortsword. If you are to fight Sir Falkner, you would only be forfeiting your life”
“I have my ways and I will not let you down. Besides, I doubt anyone else would even dare accept a duel against Sir Falkner.”
“Remuria, I-”
Rhea was interrupted by the sound of steel gauntlets pounding against her door.
“Excuse me, your highness Princess Rhea, his majesty the king and her majesty the queen are expecting you at the throne room.” The guard was polite, yet, his words carried an unwelcome weight.
“I will be there in just a moment.”
The time had come for the princess to appear before the royal inquiry. Remuria hurried to help dress her in formal attire. Rhea's dress was a somber black, covering her shoulders halfway, with the fabric flowing down into a V-neckline that revealed a hint of her pale skin. The dress hugged her waist and hips, flaring out into a flowing skirt that trailed elegantly behind her.
Remuria fastened a silver brooch at the base of Rhea’s neckline, and the princess's eyes met hers in the mirror. She stood back to admire her handiwork, her gaze lingering on the princess's polished features.
“Best of luck Rhea, I pray the queen doesn’t make you too miserable.”
“Remuria, if I make it out of this, I’m taking some well deserved time off for myself.” Rhea replied half-heartedly, she was visibly tense, barely holding her composure. Noticing this, Remuria embraced the princess and said, “You’ll do fine, I know you will.” Rhea nearly broke down on the spot. She leaned into Remuria’s arms and stayed still for as long as she could.
“Apologies for rushing you, Princess Rhea, but the queen will become displeased if we do not make for the throne room soon!” The guard standing outside the door exclaimed.
Rhea released herself from Remuria’s embrace, trying her best to contain her tears.
“I should go now.”
“You should.” Remuria said as she wiped the droplets of tears on Rhea’s face with a white napkin.
The princess tidied herself up and made sure to adjust her dress in front of a mirror. She bid farewell to her attendant and was about to leave, before Remuria interrupted, “Oh, and Rhea, next time feel free to cry again, nobody has to know.”
The princess smirked and gave Remuria a joking curtsy. She then walked out of her bedroom to go with the guard, steeling herself for what was to come.
***
As the princess took her first step into the throne room, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized. The room was of immaculate design: stained glass windows in the curved ceiling depicted tales of the gods, while bronze statues of Ishgrian heroes lined the marble floor. An elevated platform held an ornate silver throne, flanked by personifications of the Ishgrian gods of the sky and harvest. A second, less ornate, silver throne accompanied the first, with beasts of Ishgrian myth carved into its frame. The king sat stoically in the first throne, his expression unreadable, while the queen sat in the second throne, a smug grin plastered on her face.
“Princess Rhea, you took your time coming here.” the queen exclaimed loudly.
“I was summoned, and I have arrived.” Rhea replied in a monotone voice, her eyes looking forward towards the king, trying to avoid making eye-contact with her mother.
“Enough, the princess is here, the inquiry may proceed as planned.” the king declared.
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Upon the king’s decree, several scribes began to make their way to the side of the throne room and were seated there. Their task was to record the royal inquiry word for word on parchment. Many also doubled as legal experts, masters of Ishgrian law who could offer advice regarding legal matters if called for by the king or queen. Other members of the court took their position on the edges of the throne room, leaving space at the center for the inquiry to proceed.
One of the royal guards, a gruff man by the name of Vespasius, made the announcement, “By the decrees of both King Hadaron and Queen Phaedra, the royal inquiry of year 313 shall now begin!”
The first stage of the inquiry was not difficult. One of the scribes asked Princess Rhea a list of pre-written questions from a list crafted by royal advisors. These questions were not meant to accuse or convict, rather, merely to clarify certain items of information for the record: the princess’s education, her hobbies, and other aspects of her life. Within just over half an hour, the first stage was completed.
The second stage was where the princess’s fate would be decided. It was courtesy for the queen to ask her queries first, before the king, for the latter had the power to make ultimate judgment as to the result of the inquiry. Queen Phaedra’s contempt for her daughter was well known by all within the castle. This inquiry would turn that contempt into a most poisonous dagger.
“Princess Rhea, approximately three weeks ago, you were grievously ill, correct?” Asked the queen.
“That is true, your highness, I was indeed ill,” the princess replied, trying her best to not display even the most subtle hints of inflection in her voice.
“No physician was able to discern your ailment, and no cure had been successful for most of your illness, is that correct?”
“That is also true, your highness.”
“Yet, you are now healthy and of sound mind, able to stand for this inquiry, correct?”
“That is correct, your grace.”
“Princess Rhea, how were you able to recover so drastically from your illness? One day you were ill and the next you were as healthy as can be. Please explain this.”
“I had prayed to the gods: Crozius - god of strength and courage, Arisine - goddess of the skies and freedom, as well as Yithi - god of ambition and good fortune. Thankfully, they answered. I will forever be grateful for their blessings.” The princess had rehearsed this answer with Remuria days ago. Ishgria was a deeply religious nation, where it was not uncommon for individuals to publicly profess that they had beseeched the gods for guidance. The Ishgrian people believed that the gods intervene in their lives and affairs, and that their will was paramount. So vital is faith to Ishgria that it was enshrined in law, with a special provision for acts or events that could be attributed to the will of the gods.
“While I can respect a devout believer in the Ishgrian Pantheon, how can we know that it was truly the gods who blessed you princess?” The queen pressed.
“I was ill and now I am ill no more, that is evidence that the grace of the gods is with me.” Rhea claimed, her voice as confident as even the most devout priests.
Queen Phaedra’s facial expression was fixed into a neutral expression for most of the inquiry. Yet, her daughter’s statement managed to force the smallest hint of a sneer to break her stoic visage. This was the chance she had been waiting for.
“My dear daughter, I have records of your appearance both written and in painting, your skin was not ghastly pale for most of your life, was it?”
“I was always light-skinned, your highness.”
“Your eyes were green prior to your recovery, weren’t they?”
“My eyes were indeed green in color, your majesty.”
The queen gestured towards one of the priests within the throne room. “Speaker Avash, please inform us of the nature of blessings given by the gods, specifically aspects of physical change that could occur.”
The priest, clad in white robes which wrapped his entire body, lowered his hood to reveal an aged man whose eyes beamed with great wisdom. Clearing his throat, he began to speak, "It is said that the gods bestow their blessings upon mortals, which can manifest in various ways. Sometimes, the mortal's physical form undergoes changes such as larger muscles, increased height, or even alterations in eye color."
“Have there been any cases where a mortal’s eyes changed to scarlet red after being blessed by the gods? Or any cases where the mortals’ skin became as pale as a wraith?” quizzed Queen Phaedra.
Avash paused briefly at the queen’s question, slightly surprised by its directness. He then answered, “Red colored eyes have appeared a few times in mortals chosen by Crozius, yet, pale skin is not a feature that has ever been found by those blessed by the gods, your majesty.”
Whispers spread amongst the courtiers after Avash's statement, a cacophony of murmurs that became louder with each passing moment. Some spoke their own speculations on the direction of the inquiry, while others merely shared rumors and gossip.
“Speaker Avash, as we all know, there was once a god who was condemned by the other gods, their name was Vhael, correct?”
“That is correct, your grace, Vhael is a fallen god and patron of all evils within the world.”
“And is-”
“With all due respect, your highness, I object to this line of questioning.” Rhea interrupted.
The interruption elicited a myriad of gasps from those in the room. It was highly unusual for anyone to interrupt a ruling monarch when they were speaking. Even the queen appeared to be caught off guard.
King Hadaron broke the silence. “Princess Rhea, you must have good reason to interrupt the inquiry, speak. However, if your words hold no weight, you will be hanged. Such is the law, or am I a wrong, scribe?” the king said as he gestured towards one of the scribes to the right of the throne room.
The scribe rushed to produce a book from within his robes. He flipped through the pages with a fervor, before stopping at a page roughly in the middle. “That is correct your highness, it is stated in annex XXIV of the Ishgrian Code that interrupting a monarch’s speech is a grave offense that can be punishable by death.”
Rhea braced herself, she stood straight and faced both of her parents. She needed to take her chance.
“Apologies for my rudeness, your majesties, but I would like to exercise my right to request a duel of honor to clear my name.”
The throne room nearly erupted at the mention of a duel. It was almost unheard off for any person to have the audacity to request one during a royal inquiry of all things. What were once whispers now exploded into full-blown arguments and exchanges between those watching the event.
“How dare you-” the queen was about to retort, but she was interrupted by the king.
"Silence!" bellowed King Hadaron, his voice booming with authority.
The room fell silent. Not a single soul dared to speak another word.
“Princess Rhea, as a royal, you are indeed granted more leeway in when and where you may request a duel of honor, but are you sure that you are allowed to do so during a royal inquiry?” The king asked. He seemed to be actually interested now, a hint of curiosity peaked through his once stern expression.
Rhea could almost grin from ear to ear, but she did not let her relief be known. She continued to answer with the same composed tone she had used throughout the inquiry. ‘Your grace, the law is a complex and intricate subject. While there are many provisions that Ishgrian Law can address, there are always some instances where the law does not give us a conclusive answer. In such cases, annex III of the Ishgrian code states clearly that the lack of prohibition against a given act means that such an act is not illegal in the eyes of the law.
“What is your point, Princess Rhea?” the king pressed on.
“There is no law in the Ishgrian Code which prohibits a royal from making a request for a duel of honor whenever they wish, even during a royal inquiry.”
King Hadaron’s face broke into a wide smile. Rhea was stunned, this was the first time she had ever seen her father smile towards her.
“Scribes, confirm the princess’s words.” commanded the king.
Several of the scribes looked at each other in confusion. One among them, an elderly woman, gave the first reply, “My liege, apologies, but it would take us a few days to verify the princess’s claims.”
“In that case, do you, in your personal opinion, believe that the princess’s claim may have some merit?” The king asked, gesturing towards an older scribe to his left.
The old woman pondered the question. Her name was Dara. She was the great-granddaughter of Gerald Hamaon, the man who had first codified the Ishgrian Code. The Hamaon’s continued to pass on Gerald’s knowledge and understanding of Ishgrian law throughout the generations, and eventually to Dara. An expert in the ways of the Ishgrian courts, she was well-versed in the complexities of the laws governing both commoners and royalty. "I believe that Princess Rhea's claim has merit," she said, her voice soft, but confident. "The laws that apply to royalty within Ishgria are often more nuanced and less defined than those that apply to the commoners."
“Then this inquiry shall be suspended temporarily.” The king said. “If the princess’s claims are false, she will be put in the dungeons for lying to a monarch. Yet, if her claims are found to be true, then I will personally send her a letter accepting her request for a duel.”
Queen Phaedra's voice trembled as she tried to protest, "My beloved, why would you stop the inquiry for the sake of a duel? The Princess can have her duel after she has been judged!"
The king responded with a sharp laugh. He turned his gaze to his wife, his eyes cold and unyielding, before speaking in a commanding voice. "My will stands above all in this kingdom, even you." The queen remained silent after that.
The reactions from those in the throne varied wildly. Some brimmed with excitement at this unexpected turn of events. Others were visibly perplexed, unsure of what had just transpired. But it was the queen who stood out most, her bitter resentment evident in the way she tightly clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. In contrast, Rhea maintained a stoic expression, a hint of a victorious smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she locked eyes with her mother.
***
Three days later, Remuria knocked on the doors to the princess's bedroom. She brought with her a letter signed and sealed personally by the king: he had accepted Rhea’s request for a duel of honor.