A Lone Man's Path: Powerful Enough to Fall

Chapter 10: Talks Across the Table

It was only a short walk to the meeting room. The palace was huge and beautiful, it was white, her favorite color and had antique trinkets decorating it. Walking inside the castle had a calming effect on her.

As soon as she neared the room and heard some familiar voices. Although the door was closed, it had a small gap, enough to see the faces of the men and women inside.

Only ten people or so sat on their respective seats and one was sitting opposite to them on the long table, his back towards the door. Everyone was in informal clothes. Her father was in his grey robes and all others had similar attires.

Sitting right to her father was Chief Minister Freyer. On the King's left, in violet, was her uncle, Leon Brisel, the head of the army, . On either side were officials, Leika had seen from her childhood. Brismeth Equallion, the minister of people safety and the spokesperson of the King. She was radiating power in her golden-brown robes.

'But is this guy actually trustable? True he saved us from fall, but what if he is conspiring with other kingdoms and he is going to betray us in the future.', Aunt Brismeth spoke.

'I agree, we should send him on his way after giving him something.', another man spoke beside her, he was Lothmal  Earst.

Leika couldn't believe the discussion. He saved everyone; how could they question him?! Without being able to control herself, she burst into the room.

Mixed reactions. Almost all of them were shocked, only exceptions being her father and Freyer.

'Leika, are you okay?', Lothmal stood up and asked, 'You shouldn't be here, you are hurt.'

She couldn't care less about that, she looked at white-hairs who was still showing his back to her. She walked in front of him and saw him with a soft smile.

He was wearing black, pure black. Even the purest of nights didn't appear in this shade of black. This black suited him and his personality, no colors.

He glanced at Leika and returned back his head back into his hands.

'I won't accept this.' Leika said looking at him, she then turned towards the council, 'I was with him all the time, he did this... '

She stopped, she hadn't considered this, why did he do all that for her? Surely one would not go through all that trouble for someone else for nothing.

"Leika, I am glad you are awake and energetic but you should leave this to the council.', her father said.

'But he saved us.'

'It was you who saved us, princess.', Lothmal said.

'I just... ', she didn't have words to say, in fact if anyone who wasn't there heard the story afterwards, this guy who had no name, no background would definitely seem shady. Their point was fair but she was there in the square, she had to defend him.

'Your Majesty, I am sure Miss Brisel is injured.', he said, 'It would be best if a seat was brought for her. As a person who directly witnessed the events and is a member of the royal family, she has earned the right to be in the council.'

You! You need to worry about yourself first. He was weird, but he was concerned about her. Almost immediately a seat was brought for her and she sat beside white-hairs, opposing the council.

'Now we should continue.', the King said.

'I trust the words of my King that he indeed saved the country but I cannot abandon the idea of him conspiring against us. He doesn't give us his name nor his race. All races look identical so he cannot be differentiated, earlier he denied entering the magic measurement chamber, I cannot dismiss him as a threat.', said another council man. Things were rough, only if he was a little more open about his background.

Still, 'Your Majesty, you were there yourself, he saved three of you first then even saved me from blades.'

'Yes, the council is aware of that.', King Romust stated.

'Leika, hear everyone first then state your position.', white-hairs said with a calm demeanor, it was frightening how calm he was in a situation where he could be branded a criminal conspiring against the state. The charges to that crime would be severe and here he was gently smiling.

Hearing that the King's mouth twitched a bit, no one else noticed it except her and him. It was as if some inside joke was running, they both needed to take this seriously.

'Fine, everyone's views please.'

'I think we should trust him; I was there in the plaza; I saw him fight and he made everything fair for everyone. Even though I would like to deny it, but the reason for the invasion of the Gerocs was not entirely false. We should have consulted with them earlier. But what he did was the best way to do things without angering the Gerocs any further.', said a young noble, apparently, he was representing the entire noblemen community.

Leika was taken aback; she had not considered this. The method he used, the way he did everything, perhaps was the only way to mediate with the least bloodshed, only one person died, the commander and one injury, hers. What were the odds of controlling a situation such as that without fighting? She further realized that without Eriot's death it would have been impossible. He did not kill him because Eriot pissed him off, rather because Eriot was high on his victory and was uncooperative.

Just how far-sighted was this guy. But she needed to use this opinion in her favor, she burst forth, 'Right you are sir, perhaps you didn't notice but the situation came under control with the least amount of bloodshed.'

That raised a bit of murmurs among the council members, Brismeth stood up, 'But he put you in harm's way, if he had the power why not fight himself, if he wanted to protect people of this land, with his power it should have been easy.'

She was short-sighted, 'There are many flaws in doing so. First, if he intervened directly and fought everyone, then there would have been more bloodshed furthermore it would have deepened the Gerocs grudge on us and they would have attacked again with full strength and it would have lowered chances of negotiations and we would have entered into years of wars and losses. Secondly, his own race would have gotten involved and affected the Power Balance maintained by the Gods. Third, I asked him for a chance and he promised to give me one. I don't think we can ask for more than that form a complete stranger.'

'That hurt.', he whispered.

'I will restrain myself.', Brismeth sat back, 'I didn't consider everything.'

They were winning, but something unexpected happened then, he stood up and said, 'Your Majesty, I don't think we should stretch the matter any longer- '

'You can't talk.', Lothmal stood and conflicted, 'You are the one on trial, you cannot talk unless permitted.'

'Please calm down, young lord.', the King intervened, 'I permit him to speak.'

'Thank you, Your Majesty.', he bowed, 'As I was saying earlier, I don't think this matter should be stretched any further. I wish to leave this country in a day's time anyway.'

That astonished Leika and the others, then why go through all that trouble? It couldn't have been out of pure kindness; this man was not that sort of guy. Was it out of pity? She never sensed pity form him, if he did so out of pity, he would have killed the entire army and left without worrying out of consequences, then why?