Turned Table of the Phoenix

Queen on Trial

I froze in terror... what was the servant going to say?

"Clean yourself up! The Emperor needs to have a word with you and the empress".

I sighed heavily and crawled off the bed, gazing around the room. Even in the other side of the bed... where was Katsuro?

"Your highness"!

My head shot back to look in her direction.

"This is an urgent matter! The empress's life is on the line!

"Please leave. I will be ready in a moment".

I looked around for any possible hiding space that Katsuro could fit in, however, I couldn't find him anywhere.

After I was finally ready, I hastily walked down the hall towards the Emperors meeting house where the empress would be held on trial. When I walked into the room I saw Emperor Hitoshi sitting on a throne over looking the queen who sat on a straw mat, her head lowered to the floor with her hair falling over her shoulders. She sat in a white robe waiting for her final verdict. The Emperor had lost control and was yelling at the top of his lungs as she sat there, hoping it would be over soon.

"Who was that man with you, I saw another man with you?!"

"Your majesty", she cooed, "there was no harm done. I am only loyal to you sire. I simply asked for a friend to visit me in my chambers because I had asked for a word with him". She looked up partially hoping to ease his anger.

"Princess Eu-Meh I'm grateful and thankful that you could attend. Please join us and take a seat".

I sat on the ground kneeling before the Emperor also, the empress looked at me with pleading eyes, but there was as a small glimpse of anger towards me. The king spoke again and caught my attention.

"Princess Eu-meh, you and I took a walk around the grounds and you saw a man and a woman near the balcony embrace each other, did you not"?

"Sire I did see a couple embrace each other. I could see the figures clearly because of the light shining from behind them".

"Was this room the empresses room"?

"Yes it appeared so".

"Is there anything else you would like to add"?

"Yes the couple walked away from the window and back into the room".

"Thank you, that's all I want to ask for now".

The Emperor paused for a moment and rested his chin on his knuckles. He turned towards the empress and said, "do you have any words to say for yourself. There's two words against your one. Do you know what sentence is given to anyone who defies the Emperor. Are you aware"?

The empress nodded lightly with her face still held to the ground. Guards lined the room and waited for any order given.

"Emperor Hitoshi, I am your wife and I would never do anything to harm you, please believe me".

"If you have nothing else to say then I will go ahead and make my final decision," the Emperor said as he glared at the empress.

"Yes, I believe that whatever you decision may be, will be fair".

"Guards escort the empress out, I have nothing else to say and there is no other testimony to hear...".

"Sire do you have any proof of what you accuse me of doing".

"There is enough proof in eyes catching a couple embracing in your room. There is no excuse, you should have never put yourself in that position".

"Sire you never found any man in my room did you? Did the guards find any man in my room? How was my apparel when they found me... please ask a guard".

The Emperor flicked his hand and a guard came forward.

"Speak and speak carefully".

The guard cleared his throat and kneeled down on one knee, bowing his head low to the ground.

"There was never a man found in the room of the empress at the time we had searched the room. The queen was found brushing her hair at her night stand. The Emperor followed behind shortly when the empress was taken from her room. Her apparel was in her silk dress nothing looked to be wrong or unusual."

I cleared my throat then spoke up, "Emperor Hitoshi, what did you see? Your judgement is what matters the most and based off of what you saw, that should be the final say if there are no other words to be said".

The king nodded and flicked his fingers away from himself dismissing the empress.

"I have nothin else to say. She has disrespected me and has made mockery of me... see that she is put to death on the morrow".

The empress looked up frantically and started to scream as the guards laid their hands on her shoulder, ready to lead her away. Her voice sounded like nails on a chalk board as she was picked up off her feet. The Emperor looked away from his wife and pain filled his face as she continued to shriek.

The doors slammed open and in came katashi, his robe traced with golden silk dragged behind him. I looked at him questioningly.

"Wait", he yelled, "I was the one who visited the empress that night, she is innocent"!

I starred in shock. I knew he wasn't the one with the empress... why would he stand up for her and defend he accusations? I stood up, my mouth was wide open as I was left speechless.

The empress smiled weakly then said in between small gasps of air, "see I did not lie when I said that I had a friend visit me".

She then passed out in the guards arms.

I looked at Katashi who simply looked at the king then turned to me, his face seemed to show a hint of anger.

"What are you doing Katashi,"... I questioned in my mind...