The Blood King's Love

Twenty-One

I'm carried through hallway after hallway. The soldiers are in a rush, and everyone around them turns to see what they have in their hands. I can barely feel anything. 

I hear one of the men shout at someone to open a door. They do, and I'm rushed into a large court. I'd take my time to admire the beautiful room if I hadn't been violently thrown onto the marble floor. I'm immediately pinned down by a soldier's padded knee. 

"Your Majesty!" One of them shouts. "We have brought you your prisoner, sir!"

I don't need to look up to know who they're addressing. It's him. He's in front of me. The Blood King. I can feel his gaze on me. He's called for me. He's going to kill me. These will be the last moments of my life.

"Thank goodness," says a feminine voice. It's the Queen. Of course, she'd be here, next to her husband, on her throne, in the King's court. "You! Make sure Prince Teio doesn't barge in here. Can't have him disrupting this for His Majesty." I hear a soldier's footsteps run out the room, then a loud shut as the door closes behind him. 

There's some shuffling around, and then: "Hear ye, hear ye! On this evening we present to the King's Court a criminal to be sentenced! The crimes will be reported to the court, and His Great Majesty will deduce a fair and just ruling..."

I could've sworn I've heard this man's voice before. It's very distant, but clear in my mind. Then I remember: the day my village was torn apart. When I was bandaging a dead boy on the ground. This man approached me. He looked at me with disgust. He stabbed me in the leg. He was the King's right hand man. 

And it's so funny, I can't remember his name. 

"The individual's crimes are as follows: fifteen counts of contempt, majority of which were directed to His Majesty the Great himself, in shame; three counts of prison escape; attempted assault and battery towards His Majesty the King, in shame; assault towards His Majesty the King, in shame; attempted suicide; involuntary kidnapping of His Highness Prince Teio of Teron, in shame; attempted murder, in shame; and last but not least, four counts of theft from His Highness's kitchen, as well as the local bookshop."

I can't stop my eyes from rolling back into my head. They stapled on that last one just to irk me.

"We all stand in shame. We await the just and fair ruling of His Majesty the King, and we offer no objections or demurral to his final sentencing. Your Majesty."

It's his time to speak up. It's time to finally do what he's wanted with me. It's time to me to accept my death. I try to breathe in my uncomfortable position. The marble floor is so shiny I can see my reflection. There's no life in my eyes anymore. I'm ready to go.

You could hear a pin drop in the room--everyone was hanging on, waiting for the King to speak. 

And they waited. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

For what felt like years, he didn't say anything. He didn't make a sound. My heart started up again. He loves this. He loves seeing me face down on the ground in front of his counsel, in front of his Queen, in front of all his men. He is basking in this moment. He wants nothing more than to point and laugh. He knows that in the end he will always get what he wants. He basks in that. 

I hear a ruffle of fabric as he stands up. The entire counsel stands up after him, unsure of what he'll do. 

Then a footstep. Then another. He is approaching me. He's in front of me. He kneels down in front of me. 

I feel his fingers run through my hair. He pulls it violently, raising my head. It's him. He's looking directly at me. His face was entirely empty. But if you look close enough, you can see the amusement in his eyes. 

I found myself giving him a furious glare. 

Then, for a split second, I can see a smirk on his face. It's gone before I can register it, and he lets go of me. 

"Coin!" 

The King's minister shuffles to his side. "Yes, your great Majesty?"

"See to it that this person is made to be one of our palace's servants. Send her to the sanitation division so she can begin work immediately."

No one breathes. My jaw drops. 

Coin stutters. "Bu-but, your Majest--your great Majesty, her crimes--"

The King strikes him across the face. The slap echoes throughout the room. 

Coin collapses in a beggar's position on the ground. 

"Did you not say that whatever my decision, it would be fair and just?" The King says stoically. 

"Yes, your great Majesty."

"Do you deny that I have made a decision?"

"No, your great Majesty."

"Do you deny that it is fair and just?"

"No, your great Majesty."

"Then do as I say with no objection, lest you want me to slit your throat. Court is dismissed."

He walks towards the door. The Queen, as shocked as everyone else, shuffles behind him. The soldiers wait until he's left, and they all begin whispering to each other. Coin meekly demands the men carrying me to send me off somewhere. They get me on my feet and walk me out. 

I am absolutely speechless.