𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀

Nine

【CHAPTER 9】

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Minji nodded, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. The door opened, and two soldiers ushered her forward. "The accused has arrived for her trial," the soldier announced, silencing the crowd.

"Bring in the accused, Kim Minji."

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As Minji entered the grand hall, a cacophony of jeers and shouts assaulted her ears. The intensity of the crowd's gaze bore down on her, and the cries for her to suffer made her instinctively lower her head. The soldiers dragged her to the center of the room, her feet barely touching the ground. When they finally stopped, she hesitated for a moment before raising her eyes to take in the scene around her.

The hall was vast, filled with rows of spectators, their faces a mix of curiosity, anger, and disdain. The air was thick with tension and the murmur of whispered judgments. She scanned the crowd, seeing the sea of unfamiliar faces, all eager to witness her fate.

At the far end of the room, elevated on a grand dais, sat the king and queen. The king's cold, steely gaze met hers, and a shiver ran down her spine. His expression was one of stern disapproval, and the weight of his judgment felt like a physical burden on her shoulders. She quickly looked away, unable to hold his piercing stare, her head bowing in submission.

"Kim Minji," the king's voice boomed across the hall, silencing the crowd. "You stand accused of attempting to murder Princess Haerin, my daughter and the future queen of this kingdom. The evidence against you is strong, and many witnesses have spoken of your involvement. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Minji took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling hands. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her mouth felt dry. She knew that her words here would determine her fate, and she had to choose them carefully.

"I did not harm Princess Haerin," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. She forced herself to speak louder, to be heard over the expectant silence of the hall. "I lost my headband, and it must have been found near the princess by accident. I swear, I would never hurt her. She is my friend."

The crowd erupted again, a mix of disbelief and anger, their cries echoing off the stone walls. "Liar!" "Murderer!" "Justice for the princess!" They shouted, their voices merging into a deafening roar.

The king raised his hand, and the hall fell silent once again. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he studied Minji with a mixture of disdain and disbelief. "My daughter, your friend?" he scoffed, his gaze sweeping over Minji from head to toe. "How dare you attempt to murder my daughter?" His voice grew deeper, more menacing with each word. "You, a mere peasant,I allowed you to live in my kingdom, and this is how you repay me?"

Minji's heart pounded in her chest, the weight of his accusation pressing down on her like a heavy stone. "I truly did nothing, Your Majesty," she pleaded, her voice trembling but earnest. She could feel the eyes of the crowd boring into her, their judgment palpable in the air.

The king's expression hardened further. "Your words mean nothing here. The evidence against you is overwhelming. Witnesses saw you with her that day. How can you stand here and claim your innocence?" The crowd erupted in shouts and jeers, and Minji looked down at the floor, feeling utterly powerless.

"I ask you once more, do you accept the accusations against you so we can put an end to this?" the king demanded, and the hall fell silent again, every eye fixed on Minji, who trembled slightly.

Elsewhere in the crowd, Hanni and Hyein sat with worry etched across their faces. "Father, please do something," Hanni pleaded with her father.

"I can't do anything. I won't go against the king, or we'll be disowned and end up poor and filthy like your friend over there," Hanni's father replied with disdain.