The Claim

Chapter Eight - Justice Served

Mirabelle was suddenly woken by the sounds of bells throughout the inn. Grumpily, she pulled herself out of bed, tying her hair back as she slipped her dress on and began making her way out to the see what all the noise was about. She stopped dead, almost ready to curse the man and his blasted bell but he stood with too many guards for it to be a coincidence. She boldly took a step towards them before taking a few more steps. They did not seem to move, nor offer any form of chains or draw their swords, they just stood there like statues as she approached.

"What is going on?", she questioned.

"My lady, we have been instructed to take you to the execution stand" a guard replied.

"Why?" she asked, clenching her fist, ready to fight back if she had to. 

"My lady, it is an order, we cannot question it" the guard responded rudely as he outstretched his hand.

"Mirabelle, thank goodness, I found you, we are needed as witnesses, come, please", Merek said, taking deep breathes as he hurried his words.

"I see" she replied as she linked arms with him, walking with him, following the crowds of people.

There were many people being gathered, old crones to young ladies to children younger than they were when their mother was killed. She could not help but want to shield their eyes from it, they were too young to see but this, this had to be the perfect moment to convince Merek, he just had to realise the danger their people were in without them.

He stood sombre the whole time as the king, their own father read out the law the man had broken and the poor man's punishment. They watched, waiting as the poor man was led out in chains, his hands covered and bound to prevent his escape as he watched the crowd with tears in his eyes.

He scanned the crowd, looking for someone but his shoulders fell soon after he stopped scanning. She could only guess that the person he wanted to see, was not there or had not made herself visible for reasons unknown. His face suddenly lit up as he saw her, a vision in blue, escorted tearfully.

"This, loyal subjects of the crown, this is what happens when anyone is caught using any form of enchantments in this city. This city has been free from the likes of corruption since the war and none here shall witness its return" the king stated.

The drums began as the blade was sharpened. Mirabelle hoped it would be quick as the poor man was forced to kneel down, looking into the eyes of the vision in blue as she wept onto a handkerchief, sobbing mercilessly, moving it as she wet it.

"Forgive me" he whispered softly, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Mirabelle could not help but see how young he looked, barely in his twenties, he had a whole life ahead of him. He was not built like a soldier, not large or muscular with short, trimmed brown hair, a little stubble and a bruise below his left eye. Whatever his crime, she did not believe he was capable of something serious, perhaps he used magic to steal something but that did not mean he deserve the axe for it.

"Be brave, my love, until we meet again" the vision in blue whispered as she cried, weeping hysterically, a fragile mess.

"It is because of my respect for you, Isolde, that I have decided to let you live, banished from these walls, once your husband is dead. If you set foot back into the city, you shall be hung" the king warned coldly. 

Mirabelle bit her tongue as the woman bowed her head, anger in her eyes as well as tears yet she did not speak a word about it, just wept for him, her lover, her husband.

The drums continued, slow at first but picking up, a quickening pace. The man knelt, trembling, no doubt he could hear the axe preparing to strike, no doubt he knew his fate. He closed his eyes as it swung down. Mirabelle looked away, burying her head into her brother's chest as she forced back the vomit in the back of her throat.

She could feel her rage boiling to the surface as she thought about just how easy it would be to kill him, nice and open, unexpected, she could take a guard's sword or pike and drive it through before he could even blink, but she could not, her hand would not stop shaking.

"I thank you all for being witnesses to justice, as regent to the king, I can safely say he also thanks you for attending what his father could not, long live our current king, long may we mourn those lost".

Regent... not king, the man was no king at all, the king was a boy, barely a child, it only made things too easy for her, fate was smiling at her, she could kill the regent and imprison the boy, claim the title for herself with Merek by her side.