From Prisoner To Princess [amazon edition]

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Letting out a sigh of relief, I close the binder and scan the crowd. The laws that I found to be supressing the commoners of my Kingdom took the longest to go through light I thought would happen and I am glad I set them to be discussed after lunch when many would be complacent and drowsy after eating their fill of food. Thorin Blackhawk was right. To make a man complacent, feed them a grand meal.

"Remember, you have thirty days grace period before the first laws go into effect. Please get your affairs in order and be an example for the people of Nimairene." I remind everyone as they stand and stretch, their bodies not used to sitting on their semi-comfortable seats. Kolten catches my attention as he stands, his face a blank mask as he calls everyone's attention onto him. Keeping my own emotions in check, I sit straighter in my chair as he takes a deep breath.

"Ladies and gentle men." His voice echoes around the room, silencing the conversations that buzzed in the air.

"As you were told earlier today, Juden was a traitor to the Crown and murdered countless of innocent people including our late King and Queen." Sky moves closer to stand behind me, his hand ready to draw his gun if need be as Mika and Alec move to stand behind my grandparents, ready to protect them at a moments notice as discussed before we departed the Palace.

"That being said, we have learned that he was not alone and has help." On que, the doors to the room are thrown open and men in our Army uniform com pouring in with guns held ready to shoot. The room erupts into screams and panic, but the ones that expressed being one-hundred percent behind me calmly return to their seat as if nothing is happening at all.

"Today we made a mass arrest on many Noble houses and Cabinet members that helped to conspire with the traitor in the first rebellion fourteen years ago. Now all that is left is to arrest those in attendance today." With the room secured by guards standing at either end of each row, another group of soldiers walk in and calmly make their way to specific people. I watch as Marquas Hanz tries but fails to fight off two of the guards, his slightly pudgy body being tackled to the ground before he is cuffed and hauled away. It sinks in that everyone has been tricked, that there was a second reason to this meeting and many willingly step forward accepting their fate. All that they ask is that we perform a thorough inspection and release those innocent in their family.

I know better than to make promises in front of a room of people and instead stay quiet, allowing Kolten and Taylor to do their job. Those that realize they are innocent copy what my cousins and our allies did, taking a seat and waiting things out. It must have clicked that I already knew who to target today as I nod my approval at their actions and promise them that I will answer any questions they have once all the arrests have been made.

Amongst these people are a few that opposed me, their whispered conversations wondering if I will punish them for voting against me. I say nothing, not wanting to distract the Army unit and decide to address this when the room has cleared and it is just those that attended the meeting remaining.

The mass arrest takes another thirty minutes to complete and with confirmation from Kolten that all those placed under arrest are waiting in a secured room for me to address them as one and that Taylor is guarding them, I finally place my focus on those waiting patiently for me to explain what just happened.

"First, let me apologize for the secrecy." I begin once the doors have closed once again, Sky taking Kolten's seat as he had left to over sea the care of our new prisoners.

"This meeting was originally supposed to be one to address the unfair laws created by Juden but unfortunately it was brought to my attention that many of those in this room were also his supporters and helped his coup in taking the throne from my family fourteen years ago."