Our Other Place In The Sun

Chapter 26 (Crusader Kings 2)

AN: And here we have the end to the island conflict. Next chapter will be back in Japan. I am also on winter break, meaning more frequent chapters. One tad thing I just wanted to say before you read this is sorry if this seems a bit rushed. I just wanted to wrap this conflict up. This is also now the longest chapter in the story, over 12,000 words. Anyways I hope you enjoy it.

Slander has always been forbidden in Rams camp. It was never tolerated. If anyone in Rams camp were to commit such a horrible deed. The consequence would be their immediate dismissal. Not one person was exempt from this rule. Regardless of their high rank or honorable reputation. Even the husband of Ram was not given a second chance.

Ram saw slander to be one of the worst offenses a person could possibly commit. Even going as far as to compare the often inconsequential act of defamation to cold blooded murder and cannibalism.

The offense itself was hard to prove. If someone were to claim that another person had committed slander against them. There will always be the question if that person was making up a false claim. There was no physical evidence. Evidence came in the form of an oral or verbal complaint that could easily be falsified.

Complaints that must prove that a person has committed the act with malice and knew their claims to be false. Again, slander was communicated verbally. Often the suspect would deny such allegations and accuse their prosecutor of slandering them.

It came down to who was the liar and who was being honest. The honest person would tell the truth, but the lair would change the story to prove their innocence. Almost always declaring that they never had malicious intent against that person. Maybe even going as far as to lie about having some respect towards that person, by speaking positively about them in front of everyone.

And who was to tell that person that they were wrong? No one, only that person knew the true intentions of their actions. It was locked in their minds, and only they had the key. Most cases involving slander come down to who can make their words sound more fancy and professional.

Ram expected slander to come from people with anger issues and jealousy. Not someone who was always considered to be an honest man, who never told a lie. Even if a sword was held to his throat. He would not mumble a single false claim against anybody.

When Ivan told Ram he suspected Reinhard and Rem to be having an affair. A tsunami of thoughts hit Ram's head. It felt like she was living in a paradox.

Rem had been loyal toward Ram, and Ivan was always honest. Two traits that would contradict if Ivans claim were to be proven false or true. Ram was going to find out the truth behind a claim such as this. She had to, she couldn't just walk away.

The longer she stood outside her bedroom door. The more Ram just wanted to collapse to the floor and cry for hours. If Reinhard had his wedding ring on, it would prove Ivan was nothing but a liar. But if he didn't... It might prove something else.

Ivan seemed confident that Ram would find Reinhards ring missing from his finger. That's what made Ram so nervous and scared. She didn't want to believe that the person she fell in love with was having an affair with her own sister. Someone Ram had known since birth, and for the entirety of her life had always considered to be the most important person in her life.

She slowly opened the door. So slowly that the door didn't even make a slight noise as it was gently moved away from its frame.

It didn't break the silence in the room. Reinhard was sitting at a small desk, writing away in a book of somesort. He had his back towards the door, so he didn't notice Ram standing there and staring at him.