Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Despicable

Darya made her way down into the hold of the Calamity, leaving the large loading doors on the deck open for fresh air and light, she climbed down and walked towards the large metal cells that had been bolted into the frame of the ship when it had been built. The cells had held more smugglers and pirates than she could count, and now it held two murderers, traitors, and one of them was even a Peer of her realm.

Beside her, Sir Reynald followed, giving her the lead with a respectful distance, but she was coming to appreciate the solid and calming presence he had.

She didn't wonder why the Princess had maintained such a partnership with the man. He had a bracing presence, much like her father when she was a child. That was useful when the rest of the word had gone to shit.

It didn't calm her completely, but it cooled her temper so she could think more clearly.

"Lady Darya, you will explain, immediately, what the meaning of this is, and release me." Lord Corvin sneered at her, though his eyes flickered to the Royal Guard, and there she saw a flicker of uncertainty in his expression.

She held up the papers they had seized from him, the ones the Rulin had found previously, along with even more plans including maps and documents indicating his battle strategy for the domination of her country, including the destruction of her home and the Wild in its entirety. "Lord Corvin, you have been arrested on the Regent's orders. I think you may have been unconscious, or whimpering, when you were being told that."

His anger flashed then, and she was certain that everything he was being accused of, he was entirely capable of. "The Queen would not have sent an agent of Morningside to arrest her most trusted advisor. You have no idea what you have done. I am to be betrothed to the Princess-heir."

Darya felt Reynald shift then, and suddenly worried the man wouldn't keep his cool and better than her, shaking her head as she continued with the formality.

She needed his calm to remain calm herself. Not only had she spent the last hour reading about how everything she cared for had been on the chopping block, but her winged allies had filled her in on more of the crimes that had been uncovered during the time they'd waited for these two to wake up. "Lord Corvin. Kethan of Clairval. You are both charged with high treason. With plotting to murder the Regent, as well as the Crown Princess, in plotting and conspiring to endanger the safety of Clairval and her allies, and causing harm to other Peers of the realm. Lord Corvin, you are also charged with treason and dereliction of duty of office, in that you have crippled Clairval's infrastructure for your own selfish gain and plotted to destabilise the nation you were appointed to help protect. Kethan, you are charged with blackmail, uttering threats, and intimidation of the Regent's resources on twenty counts. You are charged with endangering and corrupting the morals of minors on fifteen counts, and you are suspected of the murder of countless people, though that toll is still being tallied. You are also being sought by Rulin authorities for attempted kidnapping and intimidation of a ward of the Rulin state, and they seek to deliver you to their King's justice."

The two men just stared at her, blankly, for a long while, before Corvin shook his head and stuttered. "Because of some papers? Some papers that you conveniently found? The Queen would take a Rakier's word over mine? What charges were you arresting me under before the papers?"

"Sir Reynald found and seized all items of evidence, having been tasked to do so by the Queen. He has investigated and verified all evidence and charges. I am merely a ship that was in the area, ready to be of service to the Queen when she needed it." Darya offered a shrug, watching him for a long moment, watching him try to piece together her statement. "The Council of Peers will try you and you will have an opportunity to make your defence at that time."