Chapter 5: Council of kings
The guards were running everywhere in search for the missing princess. Grez had not shown up at the gate as was expected and Elana was missing too so Prince Alaric had headed out into the common section and searched for her himself with his four royal guards. Hardly anyone was out on the street and those that knew nothing or chose to pretend they knew nothing and that made the prince far more worried. Royal guards and soldiers were scouring the streets as if the prince was worried about someone then it was in the soldiers best interest to find them as he had the power to simply exile anyone who refused to assist in any way. Alaric was borderline frantic at this point as it had been at least six hours of constant searching and he knew that she wouldn't just go off into the shadows like that willingly. As he was walking down the market stall street one of his guards had located Elana and they rushed straight over to the tavern.
Elana sat in a booth with half a mug of ale but she was not the same, she stared off forward and her pupils were wide. "Elana? What in the world is Grez? Why aren't you two together like you are supposed to be?" He questioned her yet she barely paid any attention to him and instead repeated what she told the guard. "Oh silly Grez, that red rapscallion is hanging out with the prince again and likely causing nothing but problems." She spoke with a calm and very monotone voice that was as far as he could tell not normal. She was definitely bewitched and likely had no idea about the last eight or nine hours but he didn't know how exactly to snap her out of it. "Take her back to the castle and to the court mage." the prince ordered one of his knights and he obeyed without question, lifting her onto his shoulder and spilling her drink. She gave no resistance but instead spoke her line once again. The prince sat down and rubbed his face in frustration, their only lead so far was a bewitched lady who likely has no idea what happened anyway. The worry and stress was killing him to the point where he was going to the church and request their aid since they had people all across the city.
The hours passed ever so slowly if they even passed at all. Grez was chained up to a bed in some underground cellar judging by the stone walls, she had been here for what feels like forever. They came in every now and then, some men and occasionally an elf. They were trying to decide where to dump her once they had finished with her yet they were rightly terrified of the soldiers now prowling every street seeking the princess. A taller man burst into the room dressed in the colors of the guards. "What in god's name are you doing? You were supposed to be rid of her two hours ago! Just fuck her, slit her throat and throw her onto the dark streets. The longer you idiots screw around the higher the chances of us being executed by the prince himself." He shouted at them but they made poor excuses and promised to be done with her. A particularly rough looking man wasn't ready yet however and he took off his shawl for the cold and strode up to Grez gazing at her with an unsavory lust. "But I haven't yet had a turn with the creature, I'll just have to make it quick quick." He spoke gently as he ran a hand across her cheek and down her chest while making sure to feel her soft assets. He hadn't been the first to do so, she had been chained up like an animal for what felt like forever being used as their plaything, she found herself closing her eyes during these moments and finding solace by remembering the time she danced with the prince and felt comfort in his arms at night. "By the gods are you going to fuck her or read her poetry? Get on with it before we are all executed." The one guard shouted down the stairs as he heard the exchange. The rough man began to unbuckle his breeches but there was a crash from upstairs.
Glass shattered, steel clashed and blood sprayed the walls. A figure cloaked all in black came through the window with a crash and rolled onto all fours but paused for less than a second before executing the three men that stood in the small shop entryway too stunned to move. Only the armored guard was able to make an attempt to defend himself but it was in vain as the figure knocked the sword from his hand and tore his helmet off to take a deep bite from his neck. The blood poured like a broken dam and whoever it was drank deeply of it. Once they had their fill they tore off the head and dropped it down the stairs to bounce to the bottom. The last man was the rough looking one and he only had a dagger with his pants down terrified. The figure simply disarmed him and shoved the blade through his groin letting him feel the pain and to bleed slowly on the ground. The figure pulled back the face covering as they turned to the bed. Their pale skin gave them away quickly as a vampire but not like the old ones dwelling out in old ruins in fear of the holy knights but instead she was stunning and young looking. Her clothing was tight and covered every inch of her yet held no traces of blood from upstairs, she bent over the demon and checked her for breathing. Grez was alive yet if she perceived what was going on she made no attempt to show it. The vampire woman snapped the chains easily enough and wrapped Grez in a clean sheet they had nearby then carried her upstairs carefully checking everything. The best idea was to get her to a safe place then figure out how to tell the guards that she was found and that she was not the one responsible. As she carried her slowly up the stairs Grez clung to her possibly knowing she was safe and while it was true the trick was to get out unseen, the woman chanted a quick few words and a magical darkness flowed onto the street. With a quick motion she unlatched the door and headed outside.
A fire was crackling in the hearth and Grez's armor and weapons were stacked neatly on a table next to the fire, the mystery woman had gone and gathered it all then cleaned guards armor to wear as at least then she'd be less suspicious. Grez was still unresponsive for the most part as she lay curled up under the sheets of this small home's bed. The woman fixed Grez's hair and pulled the sheet up more onto her shoulders then headed outside to flag down the guards.
Word spread very quickly that Grez had been found and the mystery woman relayed details about how she had found her but left out obvious things like she was not even a guard but instead someone who despised these people that were willing to torture and assault an innocent person. The prince came rushing and sat on the bed next to Grez yet she still hid deep inside herself despite a familiar voice. The woman relayed what had happened and how she found her while speculating about the horrendous things that must have gone on. Alaric was beyond furious, he'd likely burn down the entirety of the city if it meant Grez would be returned to her normal self but it didn't come to that. The morning came and Grez had been moved back to Alaric's room without complaints from the king as he was far too busy shouting and yelling about the uselessness of the guard if they let this happen right under their noses. The prince was greatly distraught as he sat by the bed trying in vain to comfort her, he held her upper left hand as she seemed to finally be asleep but from outside a gentle knock and a guard peeked in to tell him that King Athren had just entered the city.
The king of the demon rode in on a large black horse bigger than any that anyone had ever seen. His six royal guards rode next to him and on purpose had their helmets faceplate up so that the people knew exactly who they were. Dema rode next to the king on a stunningly white and pure horse yet it had a beautifully twisted horn that looked as though it was crafted from pearls found in the sea. The people moved out of the way in fear and awe of the group and especially Demara as she wore a dress that was a dark blue with gold accents and being a demon her red skin greatly stood out. The king wore not ceremonial but his armor that he'd have for battle and it was elegant yet there were clear marks and dents from very long years of use. His face was stern and his anger apparent while many people they went by wondered quietly whether this would lead to a war of sorts. None of the guards made any attempt to stop them as even King Kulter was terrified of the demon king and his long years of war and violence but then there were these self proclaimed holy ones, a few stood on the walls watching with their white or gold eyes and large feathery wings of black or white. The long ago enemy of the demon still held many grudges and obsessions of rekindling that they claimed was necessary for purity of the world.
"I do not care! You have a duty as king to ensure any member of any royal family is safe within yours walls and escorted by the proper guards! The fact that you made no effort and instead treated my daughter like she was a creature from a goblin cave implicates you in this whole mess and maybe even one who set it all up." King Athren and King Kulter were going at it verbally and it could be heard all across the castle. Dema had taken Alaric's seat as he went to get them something to eat and drink yet Grez still as of yet made any significant progress. Dema had cried when she first sat down with her, she couldn't imagine what had happened and it tore her up inside, not being able to help her sister in any way. The prince came back carrying the tray rather than letting any servants do it and set it on a table nearby. "I'm so sorry, I tried to leave with her but my father had the guards lock me in here. I should have tried harder and maybe none of this would have happened." He said to Dema but she simply put a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down. "There wasn't anything you could do, your father is the one who prevented you from doing anything. You are not to blame at all." She gently told him and it ever so slightly helped but King Athren came in the door and nodded to the prince giving him the sign to step out. Once he was gone her father sat down on the bed next to her and held her lower left hand. "Grez my dear it's going to be completely fine now I promise, we are heading home before nightfall i promise." He squeezed her hand and she responded in kind.
The morning came and Grez was up and moving yet she did not speak or make any of her normal snarky comments. Dema sat with her having breakfast while father got things ready to go. Grez wore her armor yet it wasn't tightened like she liked it but she simply stayed inside her mind. She ate little and only drank water rather than ale which was the first sign she was not ok yet and if the healers are to be believed she may very well not recover completely from her experiences. King Athren had sent a guard to the high king and the council of kings would convene once they reached home. It was not often that they got together but this was far beyond any normal incident.
The ride home was quiet and tense, the gentle wind was blowing cold air from the ocean and the smell of the sea was calming yet it would not soothe Grez in the slightest, she still dwelled inside her mind and tuned out most of the world as she continued to process everything that has happened. Dema was at her side the whole trip home, she could only try and comfort Grez as she continued her silence. They were making good time as they had their horse gallop on home and soon they had to make camp for the night and prepare to continue on in the morning. The royal guard set up a campfire and a tent just for the king though he told Grez that she could also stay inside with him too but she nodded no, he hugged her and she did so too. The guards stood nearby keeping an eye on things as they took their job very seriously while Grez, Dema and father sat by the fire. Dema had sat close to Grez and put her arm around her, she was desperate to offer any comfort possible even though nothing in the world could help her even start to feel right again. They didn't talk but instead simply sat in silence until it was time to get some rest, Grez stayed outside and had a thick camping blanket while Dema stayed with her so they shared as it was quite a big blanket. The fire had died down and the guards still stood watching and they never once faltered. Grez was fast asleep but that did not bring her any comfort, her dreams started pleasant as she spent time with the prince having lunch and laughing about the silliest things until it turned sour. She found herself back in that cellar bound to the dirty bed and unable to do anything as the distorted faces of those that had her taken once again stripped her down and forced themselves onto and into her while laughing the whole time. She sprang awake and looked around, the night was still and the insects chirped their songs. She pulled her knees close and pressed her face into her legs, she started to break again and cry. Dema woke up and without a thought she threw her arms around Grez and held her tightly, she gently rubbed her back and whispered to her quietly "It's alright Grezzy, we are far from that awful city and on our way home. We'll have Mazoga cook up that salmon you love and just pile on the spice. I bet they finally got that ale in too, those dwarves have finally gotten the wheat they needed so I bet it's going to be great." Dema continued on for an hour telling Grez of all the exciting things she had missed while she was out seeing the world and how father was trying to figure out how to deal with mothers obsessive collecting of dresses even though she had no intention of wearing any of them. They finally fell asleep not long after and Grez didn't have any dreams this time as she had exhausted herself letting her tears out.
They reached home by the end of the next day and the familiar smells and sound of the forge was a great comfort when they reached the gate into the mountain. The king immediately headed out and had to get back to his duties but Dema had stayed with Grez until the council of kings had begun. Grez was asked to come if they needed her as a talking point about the failed security of Kultia. The king led them to the very back of the palace where a dark stone archway stood. It was a portal to the council chambers and each king had one in their home in case the high king needed to talk to them and had no time to travel. The chamber room had a long round table and a large brazier hanging from the ceiling but not too bright as to blind everyone but it was enough to see who sat at the table. King Athren sat down and his daughters sat behind him while an attendant came around to offer wine and some flaky bread baked with blue berries but they declined and she moved on to the next. Once everyone had arrived High King Valdis stood up and nodded, the attendees announced themselves one at a time. King Athren of the demon city, Thormir Stonebreaker, King Kulter Vormav of Terrae Calidae which was also ruled by the dwarf king, King Kellen of Kellanara, High Elf King Nevarth Genjor and finally Headmaster Selara of the magical school for mage and magi. They discussed the casual formalities, the usual talks about land and bandit bands that always seem to be growing these days. The high king stood and began, "Thank you for coming today and while I am glad everyone has come it is not a happy day. You all know why we are here, the flagrant disregard for the safety of one of our own has caused some very serious trauma for our lady Grezelda. Today we decide if our Lord Kulter will face punishment should we find him guilty of purposely sending Princess Grezelda out into the streets of a city full of people that greatly dislike non-humans. The disregard for her safety can not be overlooked as we all agreed that if any royal family member of anyone here were to visit our city we would treat them like our own and they would be escorted by the highest security we could muster. Lord Kulter, what do you say in your defense?" The high king handed the spot over to him and he stood to speak on his defense. "I do not find myself guilty or responsible for anything that has happened. Yes it is tragic and vile what happened but I cannot protect those that come into my city and seek to defile my son's sanctity while he trains to-" he was cut off as King Athren stood and shouted at him "What do you mean defile lord Kulter? Did your son not agree to this? Was he not consensual in this act and at the same time professing his love for my daughter?" Kulter hated being addressed as lord instead of king, he knew Athren had done so on purpose yet he was not going to let that bother him. "I did not grant her admission to my home let alone my son's bedroom so they could mess around behind my back." He retorted with undisguised fury but Athren was not one to mince words, "The last i checked your son was an adult and able to make his own decisions while also being a prince which means by right he could invite the necromancer queen from the south into your castle and still be justified. You do not need to try and control such things just to disguise your disgust for us non-humans." Athren shot back attempting to get to the heart of the matter which was lord kulters blatant racism. The high king stood once more and addressed Alaric "Lad? Is it true that you invited Princess Grezelda into your home and from there consensually spent time together?" he asked him and Alaric stood then nodded. "Yes, I invited the princess because I felt it was far safer than having her rest at some inn where she would have been an easy target for those that wish harm on anyone not human." There was a slight murmur from everyone else and they seemed to take this positively.
The argument continued for a bit before lord Kulter told them that the effects of the kidnapping could have been exaggerated and simply the result of the princess's mind being warped due to being hit by the club to knock her out. He continued to argue the point until the high king sighed heavily and looked over at Selara. "Headmaster, is there a way we can verify that the princess did indeed experience everything that we suspect?" He asked her and in his voice he sounded exhausted and tired, the kindly old Selara talked among her two other magi and she stood up. "We may be able to do a mind projection, I would have to go speak with the head of the telekinetic and mental defense teacher to find out.'' The high king excused her and she promised it would be at most an hour and so he brought in two important witnesses to the crime. A woman with a full helm and wearing the normal Kultisk armor while the other was only dressed in chainmail with leather padding.
The woman stepped forward and spoke to the gathered party, "For safety I will keep my name secret but I am the one who managed to get the princess out. At first I was confused because I saw someone carrying a person through an alleyway in the north sector but even more puzzled when I saw a tail and claw. It hit me then that it was likely the only demon in the town so I followed and found them entering the back of a tavern down to the cellar. I originally ran to get other guards or any soldier but the streets were devoid of anyone other than civilians, it was like every guard was on leave with how eerie and quiet it was." Lord Kulter stood up and objected to this story, "I do not believe that, the guards are on a strict schedule and missing their patrol is risking time in the dungeons for dereliction of duty. Do you have any proof that the streets were in fact empty?" The king asked with a snide tone. The man with the chainmail stood up and stepped forward, he had a half mask to keep his identity a secret. "I can back up her story. It was only a few hours after the princess had rode into town that when the guard captain and military general gathered everyone up that was to go on shift that night, they had told us to not bother and that we could use a night off for relaxation. The captain brought many of the women from the brothels to the barracks along with a number of kegs of ale and threatened that if we did leave to go on patrol we would end up jobless and potentially in a gutter. That morning I turned in my weapons and plate armor. I didn't want to be a part of such a corrupt and awful group of people." At the end of his speech he sounded genuinely heart broken and sad, it was clear he really liked being a guard and this night completely ruined that.
The council quietly talked to their fellows next to them until Selara returned with another man, he was a very tall elf with fiery red hair. There was no mistaking him for anyone else, Kieran Yinsatra. His ability to heal and soothe the mind from mere touch was legendary but he knew best that you can fix a broken or damaged mind but simply give temporary relief. "Welcome back Selara and thank you for coming, Kieran, I'm sorry that you had to be dragged into this." The high king apologized but Kieran held up his hand and nodded, "I understand the need, it was explained but the risk of making the princess's mind worse is a definite cause for concern. I will only do this with her express permission, I do not want to harm an already harmed mind.''He spoke with a calm and very gentle tone but one that expressed strength. Athren and Demara talked amongst each other and Grez listened in until Alaric brought his chair over and sat next to Grez, they discussed it and left it up to Grez as she was the one who would have to re-experience the entire night and all the things that had happened. She felt her heart weigh heavy as she stared at the floor and considered it, Alaric held her left hand gently and idly moved his thumb back and forth.
She took a deep breath and agreed, if she was going to heal then she would need to know that her mind was strong enough to take it. Kieran came over as his students set up a large clear crystal ball in the center of the room so that everyone could see clearly that she was not creating a fictional story. He kneeled down and took her hand in his, he looked her in the eye and told her once again "This is the last chance, you do not have to go through your trauma again and it's likely that your mind had already blocked out many things in order to spare your stability. If you do this you may be unlocking those blocked memories and causing so much more harm to yourself." She nodded and held the prince's hand tighter as she likely wasn't going to find that much comfort elsewhere. The elf got up and talked to Selara a bit more but she did seem at least a bit distressed as this wasn't a normal thing and it was very rarely used to witness trauma as it's not advisable to go through the whole awful situation a second time.
The elf came back kneeled beside Grez again. "Are you ready? I promise to do what I can to keep your mind safe from any harmful effects." He told her and had genuine concern in his voice. She simply nodded and put on her bravest face, she had always been good at keeping her emotions from being displayed on her face yet she found it a bit difficult now. Kieran stood up and then moved behind her, he put his left hand gently on her head and the right he reached out toward the clear crystal ball. It did not take long before the images began displaying and it started with the moment she woke up chained to the bed, she could feel all the sensations again as they played out in her mind. Her wrists and ankles felt as though they might break from the rope that bound her or was it chain? She couldn't remember though she relived every moment of that night with it showing plainly on her face. It only took a full two minutes before king Athren got up and removed the elves hand from her head turning the large crystal ball back to a clear surface. "Do we truly need to force her to experience all the hours of it before we are satisfied?" He asked the council not trying to hide his anger and disgust. Kieran kneeled down and hugged Grez as she fought in vain to keep from crying but she relented, it helped her find some catharsis in her pain. He headed back to his chair after the prince put his arm around her and held her close as he could and she buried her face in his chest.
"It's clear lord Kulter that your defense is crumbling and by my authority I order your entire guard force and every soldier be interrogated via the magi and using any mind reading magic they deem necessary to get the truth of who was and wasn't a part of this disgusting scheme. Your general and guard captain are to be questioned by Grimm, the warden of the dark cells so that the length of their prison stay can be properly determined yet I will be requesting a life sentence personally." The high king spoke to the council making sure they all heard his words. "You can take the princess out now, she deserves peace and recovery." He said directly to King Athren and Alaric took her by the hand and they left the room. The palace was warm and bright unlike the council chamber which was quite dark and cold though no one knew exactly where the room was as it was created specifically for secure meetings and courts. Alaric escorted her to her room and left her to go check on his own guards that had come with. Grez lay down under her sheets then fell asleep hoping for a better tomorrow.