SLAVE
Chapter 46
SLAVE
ROYANNA
The door slammed shut as Kithara stormed out not even minutes after my arrival, making it very obvious she didn't watch to see me.
“Cunt!” Clio hissed at the closed door, pulling my attention back to them.
“Clio…”
“You know she had a hand in your disappearance, don't protect her, Royanna.” She stubbornly replied,as she led me to my bed.
“What happened to you Royanna,we looked for you, only losing hope when the commander shut down our freedom.” Clio hugged my shoulder tight, “I was worried to death.”
“Me too.” Benedict joined in. “Same here,” Jira added.
I smiled, my eyes too dry to form a tear, “ I shouldn't have left, but I was worried about Kithara jeopardizing the small peace we managed to find, by trying to escape again. So I went after her, but then someone attacked me from behind, knocking me out.” I reveal, raising my hand to the back of my head where I had been hit.
“I lost consciousness and woke up in a damaged hut, my hands were chained and bound to the wall. I screamed for help, hoping for someone to show up, even if it was my captor. But no one did, and slowly the vicious cold seeped into my body. I thought I would die, I felt it… However, I woke up in bed with the King…”
“What?!” Clio screamed in my ear,I couldn't tell if it was from fear or amusement.
“I was just as surprised, he asked me to leave and await my trial.”
The trio exchanged glances, but it wasn't a look of shock or surprise, their shared gaze was ridden with fear.
“What?” I asked.
Clio pursed her lips before they finally parted, “Saphena was outraged with your disappearance, she not for a second thought something bad happened to you, but rather she claimed you ran off.”
My jaws clenched instantly, “She tried to force the fake truth out of all of us, and then we realized the other warriors were ready to save their heads ,by throwing us in the pit.” Clio replied, her brows creasing.
“What are you talking about?”
“Saphena accused everyone of helping you escape, but Ritha, Sandra, and the rest pinned the blame on us to save their heads,” Clio revealed and my shoulders slumped.
“Right before a verdict could be made, a guard came in to inform Saphena and the king that you had been found. And so we waited, but the guards walked in with your frozen body. The king ordered the guards to bring you along with him. We bawled our eyes out the entire night, thinking you were dead.”
I pulled all of them into my arms, unable to say a word. This was all my fault, my one terrible mistake, if only I had never left the people who truly care about me.
“I am so sorry…” I apologized, feeling my eyes water. “We are sorry too, Royanna, we should have looked for you, even if it meant being punished.”
I smiled through my tears, shaking my head. Now I understood the King's words, but I didn't feel any form of fear. It was just a big realization that whoever had attacked me,wanted this to happen, and now they had succeeded.
The next day came too swiftly, the guards were already banging at our door, while I was still in deep sleep.
The door busted open even before any of us could get off our beds. Commander Saphena stormed in with two huge guards, her face hard as always.
“You are under arrest, Royanna.” She was dragging my name across her tongue as though it tasted foul.
I got off my bed before the guards could reach me. Giving myself to them without any ruckus, there was no point resisting.
“Royanna…” Clio moved forward, reaching out to touch me, but the guards shoved her aside, startling me.
“Are you alright?” I asked after Clio, ignoring the feeling of the cold metal shackles snapping around my wrists.
“I am fine.” She mouthed, and I let out a relieved sigh.
The guards marched me out of the room without another word, Saphena leading us to wherever my trial will be taking place.
The walk felt endless, the stone corridors twisting into different paths, taking me deeper into places we dared not venture as slaves.
Each part I took, some warriors and servants stopped what they were doing to stare as I passed.
Inaudible whispers followed, but I refused to react, despite my heart pounding heavily in my chest.
Eventually, we stopped before a large door that opened almost immediately. The guards dragged me into the vast grand hall, dropping me right in the centre.
The ceiling of the hall stretched so high above us that it seemed to disappear into darkness,massive pillars lined the room, carved with ancient wolf symbols,there wasn't much in here, except for the throne standing at the far end of the hall.
And seated upon it was Alpha King Lir, but he wasn't alone, four other people were standing beside him, unfamiliar faces, three men and a woman.
They were dressed in dark cloaks lined with silver,their expressions were completely stone cold. Maybe they are judges or advisors who would pass their opinion to the king.
All eyes were on me, their gaze so intense I lowered my head. I felt alone, open, and vulnerable to them. A chill ran down my spine, recalling the days in that hut, freezing to death.
One thing I didn't understand was why the king chose to personally save me, only to punish me the next morning.
My thoughts were cut short when Commander Saphena stepped forward, her boots echoing loudly across the hall,she stopped a few steps away from me, bowing.
“My King,” she began, her voice sharp and formal, “the traitor Royanna has been brought before you to answer for her crimes.”
Traitor? The word felt strange, almost as though it wasn't meant for me.
Saphena didn’t even look at me as she continued.“This warrior has committed multiple acts of defiance against the crown,” she said. “During the freedom week, she made an attempt to escape at a local’s wedding, only to be found by my men, frozen on her escape path,” Saphena said, the entirety of her words,a big fat lie.
“I wasn't trying…”
“Silence!!!” She shut me up almost immediately. “Don't you dare speak in the courtroom.” She gritted out, forcing me to swallow my words.
Her voice grew colder,as she continued, “She was also found lying to her fellow warriors and hiding her intentions from her commanders.”
My fists clenched.”...and most importantly, she has broken her sacred vow as a warrior of the Plague Army and Frost Vale at large.”
The hall went dead silent,it was clear that they were analyzing the gravity of my punishment. I knew from the books I read,that breaking a warrior’s vow was not a small offense.
It was treason.
Saphena turned her head and looked down at me, satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
“These crimes are grave,” she continued. “Grave enough that I recommend the harshest punishment.” she spat, “Royanna should be hanged publicly… so the rest of the army may learn what happens to those who betray their duty.”
A few of the unfamiliar figures nodded in agreement, and one of them even spoke.
“She is right. Discipline must be maintained.”
My stomach twisted, from pain and anger. Saphena was lying, refusing to tell the king and his advisors that her guards had found me chained.
Why would she? It was clear now, this was her doing,she planned this with Kithara to finally get rid of me.
My heart sank, knowing she was succeeding,all she needed was the King's approval.
For a moment there was nothing, the hall simply fell into a tense silence, until the King leaned forward slightly on his throne and voiced out.
“I have heard enough.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried across the room with absolute authority.
His golden eyes settled on me as he spoke, “Royanna has indeed committed the crimes listed before this court,” he said calmly, and I held back a scoff.
“But,” he continued, the single word changed the atmosphere. “I will decide her punishment,” he revealed slowly rising from his throne.
“This is my verdict, Royanna will not be executed
, but her freedom as a Plague warrior is retracted, she will no longer answer to anyone but me. She will become my slave.”