Not My Fairytale

Chapter 46.1

** Extra EXTRA long chapter to thank you all for your patience and for sticking with me through this unexpected absence

As always, if you enjoy, don't forget to comment/vote!**

A Reason

The walk to the council chamber was somber and quiet. We passed many servants along the way, mopping and scrubbing at various dark stains in the stone of the corridor. Some wore uniforms that didn't quite fit– as if they had been tailored for someone else.

When the chamber doors opened, sound slammed into us. It was rare for the entire council to be gathered in one place, but all twelve men were in attendance this morning and they all seemed to be speaking at the same time, each shouting to be heard above the rest. They spoke animatedly, gesturing with their hands. They spotted my father and I entering the room and the sound doubled, the shouts now directed at their king, so many that the individual questions and accusations were indistinguishable from one another. I lifted my chin to hide the sudden nerves fluttering through my belly, not allowing myself to look at any of them as if not acknowledging the angry councilmen would somehow make them all disappear.

The furniture in the room had been rearranged, the long table that usually resided in the center swapped out for three smaller tables. Two of equal size stood parallel one another, at the heads of each ran the smallest, creating a U-shape. There was one seat along the end table. As my gaze settled on it, I understood what this was. I hadn't walked into a council meeting.

It was a trial.

I had hardly taken my seat when Lord Salvatore Baldoni stood, "I think we've waited quite long enough. We deserve to know the truth."

"Of course," I began, keeping my eyes leveled on his as I worked to keep my tone even. "My Lord, I int–",

He cut me off. "Is it true that you knew the whereabouts of a high ranking Blood Fang member and kept it to yourself?"

"Well, technically yes, but you see–"

He barreled on without waiting for the rest of my explanation. "For months, I've heard, is that true as well?"

"Yes, but again, there is mor–"

He opened his mouth to cut me off another time when the chamber door suddenly opened, beating him to it. All stood as my mother entered, clad in a black mourning dress to honor the fallen, chin raised high despite the stares. She crossed the room to take a seat in an empty chair against the wall. Without looking my way, she nodded to the men of the council, as if to say 'As you were'. She had come only to observe.

Before Lord Baldoni could continue his barrage of questions, my father cut in, "Perhaps, My Lords, it would be more productive to our purpose here today, if we shifted our questioning to someone else for a time." He looked at Franco, who's expression remained schooled as he stood to join me at the head of the tables. Lord Baldoni did little to hide his irritation, but there was enough curiosity there as well for him to keep his lips pressed tight as Franco brought over one of the empty chairs from the wall to take a seat to my right.

With the attention shifted away from me, I finally looked around at the gathered lords. I hoped to gauge their feelings, learn who to count on to take up in my favor or against me. What I hadn't expected was to see two faces that didn't belong among the seasoned old men of the council. A few seats to the left of grumpy Lord Baldoni, sat Federico Caito, his father nowhere in sight. Across the table, my gaze fell on Carmine Asaro, also sitting in place of his father. It could only mean one thing, and my heart panged in sympathy for them. I knew that there had been many casualties during the attack but it was different to see the effects of it all for myself in the hard line of Carmine's mouth. The boy who never did anything without a smile, who made the best of any situation he found himself in, looked as stone-faced and impassive as the rest of them.