Erased by time

Chapter 17 : The King's Sacrifice

The grand hall of the castle was hushed, a thick silence settling over the assembled court. The king, his face etched with a profound sadness, stood before his people. His normally regal demeanour was replaced by a vulnerability that was as unsettling as it was touching. Jenny stood beside him, her hand clasped in his, feeling the tremors of his internal struggle radiating through their intertwined fingers. The truth, she knew, was about to be unveiled, and with it, a tide of emotions would be unleashed. "My people," the king began, his voice resonating with a deep sorrow, "I have summoned you today to address a grave matter that has weighed heavily upon my heart for far too long." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his subjects, searching for understanding, for forgiveness. "I have a confession to make," he declared, the words heavy in the air, "a secret I have kept hidden for decades. "A hush fell over the court, the collective breath of the people held in anticipation. The king's confession, a betrayal of trust, a distortion of history, hung in the air like a storm cloud, its darkness threatening to engulf them all. He continued, his voice catching slightly as the weight of his words pressed down on him. "The legend of the First Female Knight, Jenevieve, has been whispered through generations, a tale of courage and valour that was meant to inspire. But the truth, a truth I have concealed from all of you, is far more complicated." Jenny's heart skipped a beat. The king's admission was a confirmation of everything she had suspected, the hidden truth about her ancestor, about the woman who had been erased from history. But this confession, this revelation, was more than just a historical correction; it was a declaration of a profound remorse, a yearning for redemption that resonated with the very core of her being. He lowered his gaze, his voice barely a whisper. "I, your king, was the one who betrayed Jenevieve, the woman who inspired this kingdom with her bravery. Driven by ambition, blinded by the allure of power, I cast her aside, erasing her from history, her legacy silenced by my own selfish desires. "A gasp rippled through the court, shock, disbelief, and anger etched onto the faces of his people. The king, their beloved leader, their protector, had been the villain in this ancient tale. The man who had sworn to uphold justice, who had held the kingdom's heart, had been the one to extinguish a beacon of hope, to bury a legend under a mountain of lies. Jenny saw a flash of pain cross Amelia's face, her twin sister, her heart torn between loyalty to her brother and the admiration she had always held for Jenevieve. Their shared love for Jenevieve, a love that had been a silent, unspoken desire in their youth, had now become a painful reminder of the king's betrayal. "I know that my actions have no justification," the king said, his voice thick with sorrow. "I have lived with the burden of my guilt for far too long. The truth, however painful, must be unveiled. Jenevieve deserves to be remembered, not as a forgotten legend, but as the hero she was. "He turned towards Jenny, his gaze searching her eyes. "You, Jenny, are the embodiment of Jenevieve's legacy, a testament to the unwavering spirit that lives on. It was your ancestor's story, your relentless search for the truth, that has brought this darkness to light. "Jenny felt a surge of emotion, a sense of purpose mixed with a profound sorrow for the woman she had never known. She had always known that her connection to Jenevieve was more than just a bloodline; it was a legacy, a calling to right the wrongs of the past. And now, standing before the kingdom, she felt the weight of that responsibility settle upon her shoulders. The king continued, his voice gaining strength as his determination solidified. "I hereby declare that Jenevieve's story will be reinstated, her legend restored. The kingdom shall remember her as the First Female Knight, a beacon of courage, and her deeds will be etched into our history, a testament to the strength that resides within every soul, regardless of gender. "A wave of applause erupted throughout the court, the air thick with emotion. The king's confession, his willingness to acknowledge his wrongdoings, had ignited a spark of hope. It was a promise of a new beginning, a commitment to justice, a pledge to honour a legacy that had been unjustly silenced. But beneath the applause, beneath the hopeful murmur of the crowd, lay a shadow, a truth that still lingered in the air. The queen, her face impassive, her eyes a cold, calculating steel, observed the scene with a disquietude that sent shivers down Jenny's spine. The king's confession had unleashed a chain of events that would reshape the kingdom, but it had also revealed a new layer of intrigue, a hidden agenda that lurked beneath the surface of the queen's seemingly unwavering loyalty. The truth had been unveiled, but it had only opened the door to a new set of mysteries. The king's confession, while a step towards redemption, had also set the stage for a power struggle that threatened to engulf the kingdom in chaos. The trials of valour were far from over, and Jenny, the woman whose ancestors had inspired a kingdom, was now destined to navigate the perilous path towards justice, her own destiny intertwined with the fate of the kingdom she had come to call home.