The Fall of Eden

Chapter 10

    "Brayden, of the Southern Kingdom, Agon," her name and home echoed as she was brought before the Council of Elders. Two guards shoved Bray forward and forced her to kneel. Her arms and ankles were chained and she was stripped of her weapons. She could only see out of one eye and her lip was busted from all of the fighting. She looked around the Main Hall with her one eye.

    The grey stone of the Hall did a wonderful job of draining any enthusiasm from the room. Seven old men sat in thrones at the end of the Hall. Bray looked at the crowd of eager spectators that lined the walls. Many of them seemed to have smiles on their faces. It was then that Bray realized that her hood was not hiding her face anymore, but her chains prevented her hands from moving. So her face remained naked and vulnerable.

    "You stand accused of treason and the murder of two Stormguards," Eldrid's scratching voice caught her attention. "Your punishment, by order of the Council, shall be execution. What say you?"

    "Treason?" Bray argued, "That boy needed help."

    "That boy was an enemy of Stormthone and you brought him within these gates."

    "He was wounded and I couldn't let him die out there."

    "He brutally murdered two of our men!" Eldrid's voice grew vicious. "The loss of those men is a direct result of your actions!" He stood up and swung his finger around at her. "Your insolence has gone unpunished long enough, but now their blood is on your hands and you will face the wrath of justice."

    "The princess approaches!" a guard shouted from behind Bray. Everyone in the room stood up and bowed, everyone but Eldrid. Méria entered the room fully dressed in royal clothing. On any other occasion, Méria wouldn't wear those robes if it killed her. They were bulky, covered in white fur, and glimmered with diamonds. She proudly wore her headpiece and held her chin high.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Eldrid sparked. "Can you not see we are in the middle of a judgment?"

    "Mind your tongue Elder before I have it removed," Méria's words silenced the room. "You are in the presence of the princess of Stormthrone, and I will be heard."

    "You may have royal blood, but the ruling of the Council cannot be over-ruled," Eldrid muttered as he retreated back into his seat.

    "Council is ruled by majority favor, Elder Eldrid," the oldest Elder spoke with a calm voice. "Please, Princess Snow. We will hear you."

    "Thank you." Méria turned to face the crowd of spectators.

    Bray stared at her in shock. She mouthed, what are you doing? But Méria ignored her.

    "Fear. It's time we start calling it what it truly is. We live in a time of fear, and we must be willing to accept that. Our kingdom is not what it once was. Stormthrone has shrunken to nothing but a walled city in the mountains. We can thank the Southern Colonies for that; the Fall of Peace may have ended, but our scars still remain. Natives have taken refuge in the rubble of what was once our great kingdom. They move closer every day, shortening our already dwindling supplies. And now we know that they are working with Sylvani, beast tamers. If you don't feel the very fear that strangles my heart now, then you are already lost.

    But we must not allow our fear to turn ourselves against one-another. This girl is a Shade. To you, she is a heretic, a stain, but most of all you fear her. The Ar'i bloodline is fading, and you fear extinction. Ar'i blood is passive, thus pairing with another bloodline is forbidden. Yet, you fail to see that Shade blood is even weaker than Ar'i blood. She is no threat to you.

    A changing world is upon us. No longer can we cling to our old ways. No longer can we quiver in our seats and point fingers. No longer can we hide behind a wall, while our supplies dry up and our Rangers die out. I beg you; who is your real enemy? She is not it! This is a poor orphaned girl pushed far north into the cold Mountains of Winterhorn, and now you press these charges against her because you are afraid. Your enemy is out there! The day will come when they will cripple these walls and take all that we have left. What will you do on that day? I pray you to rise up! Fight your true enemy, who stands out there mocking us as we cower and point fingers at anything that moves. Killing her will solve nothing." Méria turned back to the Elders and waited for a response.

    "Moving words Princess," Eldrid said with a smirk, "But the Council will decide your friend's fate." Méria crossed her arms anxiously. "All in favor of execution?" Eldrid raised his arm proudly. A second hand raised, then a third. The remaining four left their hands down. She had done it. Méria struggled not to jump and joy and hug her friend, instead she turned to Bray and smiled wide. Bray was bright with joy. Eldrid was not.

    "All in favor of exile," he shouted.

    "What?" Méria and Bray looked back at the Elders in shock.

    One hand raised, then a second, a third, and a forth hand raised, condemning Bray. The two girls broke into shouting and arguing.

    "The ruling of the Council stands. Brayden, you are hereby exiled from Stormthrone," Eldrid smiled in his seat.

    "No! This is wrong and you know it!" Méria shouted.

    "Guards take her away." Eldrid stood up and began to leave. "Oh, and if you do decide to return to Stormthrone, you will be executed."

           Méria grew angry. Her hair tossed around and she threw a gust of wind beneath her feet, sending her flying towards Eldrid. She grabbed his neck and slammed him against the wall, choking him. Two guards ran towards them, and pointed their spears at her.

           "You will pay dearly for this, old man, I swear it."

           "Oh," Eldrid began to giggle, "and will you kill me here? For everyone to see? Have you suddenly grown a thirst for power?" He squirmed as Méria tightened her grip around his neck. "Oh no princess, you have much to learn. You have no power here. Guards!"

           A guard grabbed her arm. She tossed it away, "Get your hands off me." She ran to Bray who was being escorted out. Méria retrieved Bray's cloak and weapons and handed them to her.

           "Thank you," Bray said with a half-smile.

           "I'm sorry," she muttered.

           Bray wrapped her arms around her and squeezed Méria tight. "I'll be okay. Just another adventure." She then pulled out her knife made a small cut in her own hand. As the blood seeped out, Bray wiped it across her face. She had made a mark of shame over her eyes, just like the Native boy. But to her it was a mark of honor.

           Then the guards escorted her through the city. Civilians backed away and stared as the Shade left Stormthrone, and entered the windy mountains of Winterhorn.