The Fall of Vequera

Chapter four | Valia

LOCATION: ARCADIOS, VEQUERA

YEAR: 620 C.E

VALIA STOOD EMOTIONLESS AS SHE AND HER FAMILY RETURNED TO THE THRONE ROOM.

Her mother sat on the throne as she stared down at Midori who was pushed onto her knees. "What exactly is going on here?" King Vasily snapped.

The Queen raised a hand silencing him. "Explain. Now."

Sir Gareth stood near the wall of the throne room with a smug look as he stared at Valia. Confusion is what Valia felt at that moment. Nothing else. Her eyes moved back to Midori as she silently wept, avoiding her gaze.

"She was caught using magic, your grace."

"By whom?"

"Sir Gareth."

He stood forth with his hands before his back. He bowed. Valia froze in place. Her hands form tight fists as she forced any type of emotion that tried to push its way out. She wanted to scream. To shout. Midori wasn't a witch. Valia would've known. They spent so much time together. How could she have not known? She wanted to say something. Anything that would help. But she wanted to hear how Sir Gareth found out about it. She needed to. Maybe, she could catch him in a lie? Her gold eye twitched.

"Your grace. I caught Lady Midori using magic which is as you know forbidden in Vequera. I found it quite weird that Princess Valia enters wearing the color, not of her house and it was quite strange. So, I asked a few servants and her chambermaid who were assigned to Princess Valia's chambers for today and they had no recollection of ever being assigned by the head stewardess, Lady Victoria. I think she used her magic to convince the servants to not enter Princess Valia's chambers and dressed her in traditional Elerian clothing."

His accusation rang in her ears. King Vasily glanced down at his daughter with a solemn face. Her breathing stopped and her hand latched on to Vasily for support. "That is a vile accusation." She heard herself say but she didn't feel like herself.

Everyone turned to her as the room fell silent. Midori begged her with her eyes. She mouthed to stop as her head fell onto her knees. "How so Princess?"

"Can you prove it wasn't her?" Sir Gareth questioned and Valia glared at him. Valia's mind collapsed into itself. She had nothing to say to plead her case.

"How do you plead your case?" Her mother leaned back into the throne and her hands gripped the armrest. She was holding back her obvious anger.

Midori did not say a word. Her body shook as she looked up at The Queen. Tears streamed down her face. Valia wanted to run up to her and wipe them away. Tears fell down Valia's cheeks and tried to wipe them away as quickly as possible. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to stop this. "Guilty."

Midori's tone was as low as a whisper, but everyone heard it. A sharp pain could be felt in Valia's chest as the words fell from her lips. Her body trembled but her father's fingers ran over the back of her hand. Her mind couldn't wrap around the fact that Midori would do something like that. She had to be lying.

"Gods save me," Midori whispered.

"The Gods are dead. No one will save you. Do you want to explain why you came here?" The Queen said.

Midori fell silent once more. Minutes passed and she did not answer. The Queen sighed. "We should move on to your sentence then shall w-." Nikolai cut her off by whispering in her ear and she stared at him for a moment before sighing.

"The Prince would like to deliver your sentence." The Queen said.

Nikolai glanced at Valia with a ghost of a smirk, but he turned his attention to Midori. He took a step forward with his hands placed in front of him. "I, sentence you Midori of House Baramont to death by headsman."