The Kingdom of Tempest was ruled by one man, Sturm Tempest, the current King. However, there also existed a Council of Nobles who would decide on lesser matters regarding the running of the Kingdom and who would act while the King was away, as he currently was, on the battlefield. Within the Noble Council there also existed the Lord’s of Justice, seven members of the council who would be called upon to act impartially and represent the law, especially when judging the actions of their fellow nobles. To help keep their impartiality three of the seven would be selected for each sitting of the council at random. The first drawn would sit as the Voice of Justice, it was their duty to interpret and share the laws written down within the Book of Judgement. The second drawn would act as Grand Inquisitor, it’s their job to obtain the truth from those on trial through any means necessary, either lines of questioning or as dark and depraved as torture. The final person drawn would be the deciding vote on all matters and preside over the court, they were the Grand Justice. As they rotated no individually truly stood above the other and they had obtained their positions through nominations and a full council vote. Whilst impartially was expected it didn’t mean that it truly happened, many had obtained their position by calling in favours or having similar views to a particular side within the Noble Factions.
Duchess Esmeray Huntington was noble with the highest peerage among the seven but today she took second place as the Grand Inquisitor, the Grand Justice was the erudite Viscount Chadwick, an elderly gentleman who had sat on the council the longest and was fully devoted to the laws of the Kingdom having also served under the previous King. Quite possibly the only true independent on the council. Duchess Huntington had finally managed to convince Viscount Chadwick to agree to call the full Noble Council to session and question Duke Henrick Aldan for an unsanctioned raid within the Kingdom.
“Have all the nobles in the Capital been called in? Did you send the additional information to Drax like I asked?” Duchess Huntington asked her servant in a hushed tone as the other council members talked amongst themselves.
“Yes, Your Grace. We have ensured that he will receive his message first and he has a full rundown of Duke Aldan’s activities in the last 24 hours.” Came the swift concise reply.
“Good, that will be all for now. Thank you Seth” as she curtly waved him off.
As Seth left through a servant door to the side the room began to vibrate, at first the tremors were small but they gradually grew, the walls beginning to shake as they neared so that paintings rattled and even a couple dropped from mountings to the floor. The chamber doors swung open revealing a man with pure power radiating off of him.
“WHAT. IS. THE. MEANING. OF. THIS?” The words enunciated, powerful, shaking all within the room. Not waiting for an actual answer they continued their tirade. “Why are you bringing petty squabbles to the court while the King is on the verge of death?”
Viscount Chadwick stepped forward and bowed “Duke Zelos, no disrespect is aimed at the King, we didn’t even know of his return to the Capital. We were merely performing our duty as the Council of Justice to ensure the Kingdom functions even in his Majesty’s absence.”
“I’m inclined to believe you Viscount. I don’t however, have faith that all members of the Noble Council are quite as upstanding. From the early reports I’ve heard Duke Aldan’s raid is wholly justified, the King’s Grandson is being treated on a regular basis by the same healers currently working on the King. Duke Aldan’s Wife, the King’s Daughter, is missing and the only one in the Kingdom doing anything is the very person you seek to drag here and hold accountable?”
The Duchess Huntington stepped up beside Viscount Chadwick and locked eyes with Duke Zelos, “It isn’t that we wouldn’t look, it is that we are to remain impartial. The law strictly prevents us from raising or leading any martial forces as members of this council. And I believe that the King’s Guard have already begun their investigation into the matter of the disappearance of Duchess Aldan and the attack on Crius Aldan.”
“Interesting choice of words Esme. Yes they are working with Duke Aldan to investigate the matter. By questioning him you are also questioning them and by extension the King. Whilst the King is incapacitated I am to act as his proxy so I will be fully supervising this so called inquiry. If I find it dissatisfactory then I will ensure the first thing the King does following his recovery is remove you from your positions. Understood?”
“Perfectly Arien.” Was the curt response as she turned and walked away to her seat. As she took her seat the doors swung open again and a man with a fiery mane stepped in flanked by two others.
“Well fancy my surprise when I come to bring a case before you all and it turns out that I’m to be questioned today.” Duke Aldan called out. “At least you’ve saved me time in getting you bookworms to your place of work. Figured you’d be at some high society party, drinking and having fun.”
“I know you’re annoyed right now Henrick but save it for the hearing.” Duke Zelos rested a hand on his shoulder “But I must say, it is fantastic to see you. I just checked in on Crius, he’s doing great too. Thought you might like an update.”
“Definitely, I was going to go there first but the Council’s messenger met me as I was coming up the hill so I had to trek straight here.”
“I see you brought a witness but what purpose does a dead man serve?”
“A dead man?” Viscount Chadwick stood up from his seat overhearing Duke Zelos’s words. “You have no authority to kill people Duke Aldan.”
“Ah, this isn’t a person, this is an assassin. Tried to kill me in my own home. He is, actually, he was the number two of Nox Reges.”
Duchess Huntington shot up so fast her chair squealed as it scraped the floor, pushed back by her legs locking out “You killed one of the Night Kings?” she stared on in disbelief.
“Its true Duchess Huntington.” Nathan stepped forward as did Bjorn.
“Aye, twas a fair killing in self defence. Henrick was under attack from their second, third, and fourth most powerful members but he managed to prevent a killing blow aimed at himself and redirect the force destroying Two’s internal organs in the process.”
“And was it necessary? Can we question them now?”
“I’m not explaining myself twice. Wait for an answer till the rest of the council arrives.”
*****************************************
“Yes Walter, what is it?” Lord Drax said as he exited the towers chambers, having had his way with Duchess Aldan.
“The Council of Justice have requested the appearance of all Noble Lords.”
“They don’t know about this do they?”
“No, I do not believe so. It appears Duchess Huntington summoned the council to reprimand Duke Aldan.”
“Ha, this is brilliant. It’s finally time to bring him down off his pedestal, that arrogant swine. Just because he has a higher peerage than me, always thinking he could look down on me.”
“That’s not all my Lord, Duke Aldan’s son lives as does the King.”
“Sturm Tempest lives?” panic was quickly visible on the face of Lord Drax “no, no, no. When he finds Eluna. I’ll be killed. Executed.”
“I believe that would be correct, my Lord.”
“Wait, what if I spin it?” his thoughts quickly becoming cold and calculating “if she is carrying my child then… I’d only need to threaten the life of the child and she will act accordingly. I can say she came to me to flee Lord Alden and that I was hiding her.”
“That could work my Lord. But where will you hide her in the meantime?”
“You’re right, we’ll all be closely watched and no doubt someone will have seen the Night Kings enter my estate.”
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Walter merely nodded this time knowing that his Lord wasn’t even listening to him anymore, merely voicing his thoughts out loud.
“Okay, I have it. Take Lady Eluna via the smugglers tunnels to the old Carbach estate that I seized when their debts grew. We do still keep it relatively furnished don’t we?”
“We do.”
“Good, make it happen. I’ll join you there tomorrow. I need to get her pregnant as quickly as possible for the plan to work.”
“Understood, my Lord. Also your carriage is already outside ready to take you to the council meeting.”
“Thank you Walter. I’ll see you tomorrow” and with that he briskly gathered his coat, hat and came and headed to his awaiting carriage.
It didn’t take long for his carriage to arrive at the council chambers and as he entered he quickly realised he was the last to arrive.
“My apologies for the delay. You caught me at an inopportune moment while bathing but I made haste to be here as soon as I heard.”
“Its quite alright Marquess Drax, please take your seat so we aren’t delayed any further.” Viscount Chadwick politely spoke however Lord Drax blanched at the use of his title. He hated being a Marquess, he wanted to be King but as he stood no chance of toppling King Sturm then he’d settle for being a Duke.
“Well now that all our esteemed selves are in these chambers maybe Duke Henrick Aldan will take his place at the front and explain why he took the law into his own hands these last few hours.” Duchess Esmeray Huntington grandstanded in front of everyone.
“Careful Esme, I’m not appreciating your tone.” Duke Aldan stood up, his eyes staring her down. She blinked first and turned.
“Fine. Just give us an account of what brought us all here.”
Duke Aldan gave a run down of the trip to the Capital, the ambush, Crius’s near-death wounds, the kidnapping of his wife Eluna. Then he detailed how they’d managed to get info on the assailants from the bodies they left behind and how it led them through information networks to the Reapers Draught and its underground operations. The raid under the supervision of the King’s Guard and then the attack on his estate here in the Capital.
“There is a suggestion that the attack on you was a retaliation. That the first and second instances aren’t linked.” Duchess Huntington’s accusatory tone breaking through.
“They attacked my family! Came into my home! You’re lucky that any of them were left alive!” His rage building before he calmed himself again “Lucky for you I know what justice actually means to the people of the Kingdom. Not this charade you call a hearing.”
“You are calling the King’s laws a charade?” She quipped.
“In this instance. I am. This isn’t a theatre production.”
“Well maybe you are above our laws then.” She cut in “You can go around and cripple the citizens without proper cause on behalf of your so-called justice.” This was quick to rile up those in the posh seats who weren’t allied with Duke Aldan.
“Esme, enough.” Duke Zelos brought order witho those two simple words. “He’s not wrong. Even I am failing to see from all this evidence that has been collated by the King’s Guard where he has supposedly done anything wrong?”
“They are his friends and allies.” She cried out in exasperation.
“That doesn’t make the documents any less real. I think it is time for your tearing down of Duke Aldan to stop. Let us instead move on to the witnesses and the more important matter of where the King’s Daughter is.”
“Certainly Duke Zelos.” Her teeth ground together. “Unfortunately, he only brought us the one witness alive so we can’t corroborate stories but bring out the witness.” She beckoned the chamber guards.
“Now Duke Aldan you say you believe a Noble of this court to be behind the attack on your family and the subsequent kidnapping of your Wife.”
“That’s correct.”
“And do you have any evidence to support this theory?”
“The individual being brought before you is only alive because he was willing to take a truth oath and say that persons name.”
“Well, aren’t you prepared.”
“No, I’ll be honest. If I could get the information faster myself I wouldn’t have bothered with this farce but the people I have to hand are only part way through decoding the ledgers we gathered and I will not lose Eluna.”
“How brave of you to show utter disregard for the rules of the Kingdom in these hallowed halls of justice.”
“I. Have. Not. Disregarded. Our. Rules.” He parried, fighting once again to keep his fiery temper under control.
“Very well. I’ll begin the interrogation under truth oath.” She spoke to the Grand Justice. Then turning to the prisoner, she spoke, “This elixir is for you. Drink it and the pre agreed terms of your incarceration will stand.”
Downing the elixir, the prisoner was then lit up with a white light and it took a few moments for the glowing to fully dim so that the onlookers could view him. His entire body now crisscrossed in a tiny mesh of glowing white lines.
“"Good. Now that the lines are in place, let us test if the elixir is acting correctly. Answer this next question truthfully. What is your name?"
A quite pause ensued before the would-be assassin lifted his head and laughed. "I am Nightblade 57"
For a second it looked like the assassin was telling the truth before the wires cut into his skin and blood ran along the wires. His cries of pain echoing around the chamber.
"I said you name, not your rank or title." The inquisitor laughed. “No matter what you believe this potion only cares about hard truths. Now your actual name?"
"Finley." he gasped "Finley Thatcher." The chains stopped cutting into his skin.
"Finally, some honesty. Okay, let's not waste the time of Duke Aldan." She turned to look at Henrick as she spoke.
"Do you know who requested the attack on Duke Aldan and his family?"
"No.” More cries escaped his mouth as the lines cut deeper into the tissue than they had before.
“Still being stubborn. Is the person in this room?”
“No!” Finley gritted his teeth to answer. “Ahhh!” More pain as the wires cut even deeper.
“Why take the elixir if you didn’t intend to answer truthfully? We ask the questions in such a way that either your words or your pain give us the correct answer.” She stood and turned to the onlooking Nobles.
“Council it seems one among us has broken our trust and acted against the rules of the Kingdom and committed treason by taking the King’s Daughter. As I don’t believe that the witness will give us the names willingly, I will ask the witness regarding each noble member by name. Either we obtain the truth or death will take them.”
“No, they could die before we find the culprit.” Duke Aldan jumped up.
“It isn’t my fault that you killed all other potential witnesses Henrick. Now sit down and let the Council do its job.”
Duke Aldan growled as he retook his seat.
“Duke Zelos?” She asked Finley
“Yes” the swift reply
A sharp intake of air was taken by many in the council and Duke Aldan’s eyes snapped to Duke Zelos. His knuckles turned white, and the chair began to splinter before a new cry of pain sounded through the chamber and Finley was cut deeper by the wires his two little fingers dropping to the floor as his hands also clenched from trying to battle the pain. The two Dukes shared a moment of eye contact before Duke Aldan nodded apologetically and turned back to Finley’s interrogation.
“Well, wasn’t that nearly very interesting? We almost got to see if Duke Zelos is truly the second strongest in the Kingdom. Well how about Viscount Chadwick? Was he involved in the kidnapping of Duchess Eluna?”
“Yes.” This time there wasn’t quite as much shock and after a moment the wires once again cut into Finley.
“So, it appears our Grand Justice is in the clear. Now how about me? Did I pay Nox Reges to kidnap Duchess Eluna?”
Duke Aldan stood up. “Enough of this. Ask about that smug pig sat over there. Marquess Drax has always coveted my wife and he is daft enough to think he could pull it off with the King wounded. No doubt I wasn’t supposed to live through the attack though.”
“Really Henrick, you think I would jeopardise all I have worked for? Do you really think me brave enough?”
“It’s Duke to you and yes. I believe your greed outweighs your ability to think rationally at times.”
“Enough Duke Aldan. This is a matter for the Council of Justice and I will trust you to obey our judgement here.” Viscount Chadwick reprimanded.
“Thank you, Grand Justice.” Duchess Huntington nodded.
“Now. Back to my earlier question. Did I pay Nox Reges to kidnap Duchess Eluna?”
“Yes.” Again, a moment of silence ensued before the wires once again cut into Finley only this time he didn’t cry out in pain. He bit into his tongue and blood seeped from his mouth as his eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the floor.
“Bring healers. Quickly.” Viscount Chadwick called out. “We will continue the interrogation once the witness has been stabilised. Everyone a short recess before we continue but please do not go far.”
Chairs started to shuffle as people began to move around either to refresh themselves or just to congregate and discuss the events so far.
“Henrick, follow me please. We need a word.” Duke Zelos called out above the din.