At Your Service

Chapter 22- The Queen's Judgement

The guards escort me up a few flights of stairs to the stop. My legs are fucking dead. "Can we rest?" I ask the guards, winded. They say nothing, and continue to drag me forward. I look around, finally I notice where we are even going. It has to be the throne room. Monette's most likely going to be there. If not they'll make me wait. I wonder if Felix is going to be there. I tried to escape a few times, but damn, these guards are strong. I don't recognize them. The guards and the knights work together. So it's odd that I wouldn't know who they are. Maybe they're new.

We near the doors to the throne room, I can hear the sounds of commotion coming from behind them. It makes sense, the whole palace is intrigued to watch what happens to me. The guards push open the doors to the throne room. There's a crowd of people inside, waiting. They were seated, a carpet parted the sea of chairs, leading a road directly to the throne. The crowd turned their heads to the doors. I felt their gaze piercing my flesh like a thousand knives in me. The guards drag me to the front of the room, in front of the throne. Monette was sitting in the throne, looking down at me.

The atmosphere of the room was different than before. It felt more sinister. Ready to kill me on sight. I have to play my cards right if I want to get out of this alive.

"Your highness, we have brought him here," one of the guards announced as they both kneel to her. I don't know how but I noticed Aria and Mila sitting behind her to the left. They looked worried for me. I look behind at the crowd, and I spot Marianne and Florent sitting in one of the middle sections. I can feel everyone's support and love. The only person that I don't see... is Felix. Without a word, Monette dismisses the guards. The room goes quiet. Monette is peering down at me from the throne. The throne is high in the air, she can watch me squirm and sweat all she likes.

"Baker Kingsly. You stand before me because you kidnapped and raped my son, Prince Felix Aiura of Elodia," she says, solemnly. Kidnapped and raped?! We snuck out and both of us consented! Even Mila and Aria are surprised and confused. They both know what's the truth. The anxious murmurs from the crowd drive fear into me. Monette hushes them. "What have you to say for yourself?"

"That's not even close to what happened," I argued.

"Well what do you claim happened? And start from the beginning," she commanded. Her voice wasn't loud. It was quiet but intimidating, like Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. I'm too scared to speak, worried that what I'll say will dig me in even deeper. "Well? Go on," she demanded. Where do I begin?

"Well, it was at the party after the archery tournament."

"Where you attacked my brother?" she interjects.

"No, where your brother stabbed me," I retort, flashing my arm, which revealed a stab wound. She looked at me, as if to say "it doesn't matter". "But anyways, Ursula, Glenda, and Lance had been talking with Felix and I. Lance said that the family was worried about him being gay."

"Felix is straight," she declares. Is she fucking serious? No he's not. If she actually loved him, she'd support him unconditionally. No use trying to reject the truth.

"If you want to believe that I'll let you. BUT, as I was saying, Felix left the party because that had really upset him. As his retainer, I felt it was my job to make sure he was alright. So, naturally, I went to go look for him," I reasoned. Monette nodded her head in understanding. "I found him in a space between two rooms, he was crying. He was crying because you won't let him be his genuine self."

"Of course I let him be himself. He's my son," she argued, solemnly.

"With all do respect your highness, you don't. He's a completely different person when he's around you and anyone in here who has ever met him can vouch for that," I scolded her. Monette looked at Aria and Mila for confirmation. They give her a blank stare back, showing no emotion.

"I refuse to believe that." I roll my eyes. How could she be so fucking stubborn?

"He was sad and he said that he wanted to go out and see Elodia since you don't let him be around the 'commoners'," I tell her. The crowd murmurs with anticipation. "I thought he should see the city since he'll ascend the throne one. So... I snuck him out."

"Why would I say that? I love Elodia and its people. Get to the part where you two are at the beach," she says, completely dismissing my reasoning.

"Well... we were at the beach. We were going for a swim. We washed up on the sure, where we kissed and we...," I didn't want the words to come out, "had sex." 

"Have you and Felix had affairs before?" she asked curiously. The room goes silent. Sweat drips down my back, I'm sweating like a steak on the grill. I can feel the eyes of the room piercing into my soul. The judgement of the crowd is almost becoming too much to handle.

"A few times, yes." The crowd is stunned silent for a second, the queen doesn't speak. Aria and Mila don't look surprised. Monette doesn't speak at first. She is eerily quiet.

"I have come to a decision. Your punishment shall be execution," she determines. My eyes go wide. Shocked. My mouth is dry. Execution?! Is this really what my punishment is? Because she refuses to accept the fact that her child is gay? Aria speaks up.

"Execution? Does that not seem extreme to you your highness?" she states. 

"Your highness, aren't you being a tad excessive?" Mila argues.

"Considering the circumstances, I think I'm being more than fair. Baker Kingsly, you are to be executed tomorrow at sunrise. Guards, please take him to the dungeon," she dismisses. The guards grab me, I'm screaming and fighting, trying to escape. It's no use. I can't escape. Aria. Mila. Florent. Marianne. I'm sorry. Felix, I'm sorry I won't see you again. Just know that I loved...