Loyalty

Chap. 4

Halex' POV 

"Stop her!" I heard someone shout. A clash of the wooden crates behind me clattered to the ground. I shot up from my place I was kneeling beside the knight, dabbing the blood off from around the puncture wound. 

As  I scrambled up, my knees wiggled and protested as a sharp tingling moved through my nerves. My leg was asleep. I landed on the ground, toppled over the dead knights form, his body cold and lifeless. 

A sharp jolt of pain ran through ny head and I could feel warm blood oozing  through my hair as the world turned black. 

Xx

I woke on the floor, strange. I wasn't there befor- oh. That's right. All of the days memories came floating back, followed with a throbbing in my head. I reached up to carress it to feel a wad of dried blood up there. Great. 

I looked at my surroundings. A musty smell matched the looks of the cells. Hard hay, far different than the soft grains that Dralkien once grew, lay in the corner beside a fluffless cot. A few strands of stray light dazzling on something on my neck. Bright rainbow shards peircing through my hair. 

I felt it, as that was my only way of security here, in this place. I couldn't believe what I could see anymore. 

My nimble fingers fell over ridges and embellishments. The warm stone felt as it was vibrating. A sign of Magyk.* 

If I had paid attention to Ross close enough - this was the mark of uselessness, which meant - ahaha. My right arm was marked, a deep red made the sign less threatning than the heavy stone on her neck. 

If I am in the dungeons it means that they believe I killed him, or they want to question me. I prayed it was the latter.  I sat on the ground and sulked because that was what you did when you were captured and about to die, right? I guess so.

I curled up on the ground, not daring go near the matress in the far corner, because that would be strictly unsafe. No telling how much someone had wet that bed in fear of execution. I shivered, that was not a thought I wanted to be thinking right now.

I dozed off as I thought about how much my father would be worried about me, how he woud be wondering where his daughter was.

Xx

It was a little while latter before a guard came to me and unlocked the cell door. I had a sinking feeling as the guards expression was one of pity and disgust. Every civilian knew they didn't have a sound king. 

Xx 

I stumbled forth as we entered the throne room. It was decorated with the finest silk of light blue and silver. An eagle was perched on the kings shoulder. I eyed it warily. 

"Halex Silverria Hornstone, daughter of peasent Richard Harrison Hornstone, dweller of 214 Mead Street. Do you realize why you are here?"

I could feel the accusation of his voice, laced with mockery. I reluctantly swallowed my pride and replied. "I was found at the scene of a knight of Dralkiens death, Your Higness." I choked out the last part when I saw Ross in the crowd of knights and noblemen, the latter eyeing me with pity. 

"Do you have any testamonies against your crimes which you are accused of?" 

"Yes Sire, you see-" 

"Shut up! We know you did it! You were covered in blood and were found in possession of the weapon that killed Sir Leo!" 

A young servant came forth with a box, lavished with jewels, and flashed me a hopeful grin. He opened the box. My heart sunk to the floor as I recognized it. Brandwyns bejeweled dagger. 

One could not simply accuse a knight of being guilty, especially of murdering another of noble blood. 

'Choose your words carefully. I might be able to save you if you don't though.' 

A voice interrupted my minds trail of thought. What in the world? I looked around before spotting the servant who was still grinnning, albeit a little small. He nodded solemnly at his eyes darted to the king. 

"I was on my way to the market-"

"Through an alley?"

"Yes Sire, you see I didn't want to into the hustle and bustle of the lower town."

"I King Dwolt of Dralkien, sentence Halex Hornstone to death at dawn for crime of treason."

"NO!" 

A shocked murmur of whispers overtook the crowd and I heard a loud crack before everything dissolved into white. 

Authors Note -

I'm not sure if that was how they did things back then so. Sorry if somethings were wrong. I updated yesterday as it was a long time since I updated. Longest chapter so far! Leave me some reviews people! They make me write faster. 

*I do spell Magyk like they do in the Septimus Heap books. So sorry if you didn't lke that.