DRIVEN || Completed✔ (Second Edition)

6.

Chapter 6:

“It is done,” Bone informs Agnes after being let in, his head slightly bowed as he remains standing.

“Prepare the carriage,” she instructs him, and he bows a little lower before leaving.

Today, the whole village is going to witness the evil that is Ernest. Today, the village will be void of a mistake that is he, and Guru will be a step closer to how it was when her father was alive.

Even though her mother is against her wish to be King, she will be present at the Kingmaker's chamber for the ritual. Despite her opposition, Agnes knew her mother seeks her safety and will be there to ensure so.

Agnes' mother is unaware that she is a bigger reason behind her every action. She rarely sees her mother happy like before and has Ernest to blame for this.

But Agnes makes a silent promise to restore her mother's happiness and today is the beginning of that journey. Her mother will no doubt be filled with pride when she emerges as King. Agnes smiles.

She arrives a little early and sees that the entire village is present at the chamber. Who would want to miss the first ritual involving the first Noblewoman, Agnes thinks with pride.

Everyone sits on both sides of the chamber, the Kingmaker standing before his home with his staff permanently planted to the ground and his face unreadable.

As Agnes goes to sit among the contestants, she finds out Ernest is running late. However, she is more bothered by Augustus' absence.

Only a moment before Ernest arrives does Augustus make an entrance with his father. It's been a long time since Agnes has seen his father and she intends to greet him after the ritual.

Before the ritual begins, Agnes senses a steely gaze on her and searches for it. She finds it belonging to Arthur, his face hard-bitten, and she doesn't need a sorcerer to understand why. She tells herself to thank him later and flashes a cunning smile, which aggravates him.

After addressing the people, the Kingmaker confirms the presence of every Noble participating and begins the ritual.

Each Noble is asked to line up before the Kingmaker with a freshly plucked furled young leaf of a palm tree between their tightly closed lips. The leaf signifies sacredness and truth.

They move one after the other to the Kingmaker as he waves his palm-leaf around each person’s head seven times and marks their forehead to confirm they passed the ritual.

It gets to Agnes' turn and she begins to fear that Ernest’s concoction, which she used, is going to backfire. Although Agnes is certain her actions are reasonable and justifiable, she decides she cannot be too sure.

As the Kingmaker waves his leaf around her bowed head, she squeezes her eyes shut, saying a short prayer and hoping her ancestors acknowledges her good heart.

When the Kingmaker begins to mark her forehead, she almost bursts into a wide grin but is able to conceal her joy with a straight face. She steps aside and sees her mother’s worried gaze which is accompanied by a hint of relief.  Agnes reassures her with a small smile, the leaf still clamped down by her lips and looks away to see it is Ernest's turn.

Unknown to the old man, she had Bone replace his concoction with something similar, yet ordinary and ineffective.

She is unable to hide the smile that penetrates her demeanour as she removes the leaf from her mouth.

The Kingmaker's leaf rounds Ernest’s head three times when, suddenly, he falls to the ground, paralysed. The only things that move are his eyes, head and mouth, which trembles terribly.

An outcry fills the air as everyone jumps to their feet. His son and daughter try to get to him but are stopped on time by the guards.

“You must not touch him, or else you become like him,” the Kingmaker says, bringing their struggle to get past the guards to an immediate halt.

“Father, get up!” Ernest’s daughter cries.

Agnes never bothered to learn her name since she has no business with her.

Arthur is trying to keep a brave countenance, but Agnes can tell he is slowly breaking. His gaze darts at her with sudden realization and Agnes winks at him.

“Noble Ernest,” The Kingmaker calls.

It takes a deal of effort for Ernest to turn his head to him.

“Confess.”

A dying man shouldn't fear if the wind is strong or calm since his time is at hand: despite this undeniable truth, Ernest remains quiet. Either he is simply being stubborn or fears to be disgraced before the public — even though he won't live to bear the shame.

“You have no choice, Ernest,” the Kingmaker states and stabs the ground with his staff. “If you do not confess, the wrath of our ancestors will haunt you in your next life.”

People are cursing, swearing and forbidding what has befallen Ernest while his daughter falls to the ground in tears. Arthur’s eyes begin to tear as he swallows hard.

Does Agnes feel sorry for Arthur? Maybe. However, Ernest is an evil Guru is better off without.

“First of all, my children,” Ernest's lips twitch as he regards his children. “I want you to forgive me. Without your forgiveness, the forgiveness of our ancestors will be of no use to me in my journey to the other world.”

“What are you talking about, father?" His daughter cries as she clutches her chest. "This is wrong. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

No wonder Arthur feels guilty, Agnes thinks. His sister is unaware of their father's wicked deeds.

“Promise me you will… promise me you will forgive me,” Ernest struggles to say.

“I forgive you, father. I will always forgive you,” his daughter says without hesitation.

“Arthur,” Ernest pleads.

“I forgive you,” Arthur replies with a cold, distant tone — which his father doesn't recognize.

Satisfied, Ernest sighs deeply before he begins to confess. When Ernest reveals how he killed Agnes' father because he wished to have his wife (Diana) as his own, the crowd yells ‘abomination’ as many eyes dart at Agnes and her mother.

Agnes ignores their false sympathy and focuses her eyes on the dying man on the ground. Despite the truth coming to light, Agnes still struggles to have peace of mind. She is getting justice, but isn't satisfied with it and doesn't understand why.

Ernest goes on to confess his secret affair with King Frederick’s wife, Queen Charlotte, and how they killed the late King by poisoning him.

The crowds yell and the Kingmaker commands their quiet with a louder voice.

“Where is Charlotte?” he then demands and everyone starts to look around.

Charlotte was present in the chamber, until now.

While everyone is still wondering where she is, two guards from the gate arrive with a firm grip around her arms as she struggles to be released.

“She was about to escape,” one of the guards says.

The Kingmaker's gaze on Charlotte is penetrating and soul-searching, that the woman stops trying to escape and looks away.

“Your sins shall not go unpunished,” the Kingmaker states.